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How healthily do you and your family eat?

A healthy diet includes plenty of vegetables, fruit and high-fibre starchy foods, and is low in fat (especially saturated fat), salt and sugar. Take the quiz on the next page to see how healthily you and your family are eating. Your results will show whether you need to improve your eating habits.

If you ticked “No” for any of the questions, your and/or your family’s diet can be improved. The more “No” answers you ticked, the more unhealthy your diet is and the higher your risk of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. You need to think about changing your diet to improve your overall health. You can make a start by following the healthy eating guidelines (pages 4-13) in this book and by preparing some of the delicious recipes.

If you ticked “Yes” for some questions, you are making good progress, but you can still benefit by making more changes to your eating habits.

If you ticked “Yes” every time – well done! You are well on your way to preventing chronic diseases because you are choosing healthier options and avoiding the unhealthy foods eaten by many South Africans.

Carry on reading to learn more about healthy eating and why it is important for you and your family …

Guidelines for healthy eating

A healthy lifestyle helps to prevent and control chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. Healthy eating is one of the most important things you can do for a healthier life. Remember that you also need to exercise regularly and avoid smoking. The following tips will help you and your family to eat healthily.

Enjoy a variety of foods.

Eating different types of food gives your body all the nutrients it needs. The more colourful your plate of food, the wider the variety.

Eat dried beans, split peas, lentils or soya at least twice a week.

They are a good source of protein, low in fat and high in fibre. You can replace meat in some meals with these foods.

Make highfibre starchy foods part of most meals.

These foods can help you feel fuller for longer and lower your risk of de - veloping obesity, Bad fats can increase your cholesterol and block your blood vessels, which can lead to a stroke or heart attack. Try to include tinned or fresh fish as part of your diet at least twice a week. Good examples are pilchards, snoek, sardines or tuna.

Have low-fat milk, maas or yoghurt every day.

Dairy products are an excellent source of calcium. This can help protect your bones and help prevent high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease. Good options are low-fat or fat-free dairy products and reduced- fat cheeses. heart disease and cancer. Good examples are brown or wholewheat bread, coarse maize (mealie) meal, oats and brown rice.

Try to eat 5 vegetables and fruit every day.

Remem ber to eat vegetables and fruit from the different colour groups (red, green, yellow and orange). The vitamins, minerals and fibre in these foods help to pro tect you against chronic diseases. Chicken, fish, meat or eggs can be eaten every day. Choose lean or lower fat options with less bad (saturated) fats.

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INTRODUCTION

We make millions of food choices throughout our lives which have a major impact on our health and nutrition. Good food choices won’t leave you and your family feeling unsatisfied, hungry or deprived. Instead, they will make you feel in control and in charge of your life, as well as give you energy, a strengthened immune system and a slimmer waistline.

The good news is that food that is good for us tastes good too. The problem is we have been seduced into believing that we save time in using convenience foods. The real truth is that it’s just a matter of stocking up on foods which don’t take much preparation, but which deliver far more satisfaction in terms of appetite and keeping us going for long periods of time between meals. When we eat a lot of so-called convenience foods, we get more sugar, fat and salt but very little to sustain us. We feel hungrier sooner and end up eating far too much for our size.

Most of us don’t need a cookery course or even an elaborate glossy cook-book. We simply need to make time for planning and preparing our meals and to build up a simple repertoire of just 5-7 nutritious recipes that become family favourites. And of course what we have to learn, we learn by doing. We hope you enjoy this medley of nutrition tips and recipes designed to help you on your way.

SEVEN DAYS OF HEALTHY EATING

We’ve put together some tips to bear in mind when planning your core shopping list. It’s not a definitive list, but it should help get you started.

Stretching the budget?

• Plan meals for the week and make out your list based solely on your plan

• Look for fresh foods on special offer

• Buy in bulk and freeze extras if you can

• Cut out expensive convenience items like pre-cut vegetables Cupboard essentials

• Tinned fish, tomatoes, tomato puree, peas and beans

• Tomato and herb based pasta sauces

• Pasta and rice • High fibre or wholegrain breakfast cereals

• Olive oil

Fresh is best

• Skinless chicken or turkey fillets, minced beef, lamb or pork

• Seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs.

• Fresh fruit juice

• Sliced ham or turkey

• Milk, cheese and yoghurts (low fat)

• Bord Bia Quality Assured Eggs

• Wholegrain bread and rolls

Frozen foods

• Frozen vegetables

• Frozen fruit e.g. berries, perfect for adding to smoothies

• Prawns or un-breaded fish cutlets

• Frozen yoghurt or sorbet

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Grilled salmon with brown rice salad

Makes 4 serves

Ingredients

- 2 cups cooked brown rice (from 1 cup uncooked rice)
- 6 spring onions (including green tops), thinly sliced
- 1 medium red capsicum, seeded and finely diced
- 1 medium yellow capsicum, seeded and finely diced
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- ½ cup currants
- 4 x 100g salmon fillets
- olive or canola oil spray
- 1 bunch bok choy, quartered
- ½ cup unsalted roasted cashews,roughly chopped, to serve
- 1 tbs reduced-salt soy sauce
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- juice of ½ lemon

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together cooked rice, spring onions, capsicums, parsley and currants.

2. To make dressing, combine soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil and lemon juice in a cup. Pour over salad and stir through well.

3. Place a metal steamer into a large saucepan with a few centimetres of water. Add bok choy and bring to the boil. Steam with lid on for 3 minutes or until tender.

4. Meanwhile heat a griddle, barbeque grill or large non-stick frypan on high. Lightly spray each side of salmon with oil, season with pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook salmon for 3 minutes each side until golden brown and just cooked.

5. Top rice salad with cashews then spoon onto serving plates.

6. Add bok choy and salmon fillets; serve immediately.

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RIGHT STARTS

THE KEY TO COOKING “DOWN HOME HEALTHY” IS A PANTRY STOCKED WITH HEALTHY INGREDIENTS.

INSTEAD OF THIS: USE THIS: Ham hocks and fat back Turkey thighs Pork bacon Turkey bacon, lean ham, Canadian bacon Lard, butter, or other hard fats Small amount of vegetable oil Pork sausage Ground turkey breast Ground beef and pork Smoked turkey neck Neck bone Skinless chicken thighs Regular bouillons and broths Low sodium bouillon and broths Cream Evaporated skim milk Regular cheese Low fat or lite cheese High fat cut of beef* Top round, eye of round, round steak, rump roast, sirloin tip, chuck arm, pot roast, short loin, extra lean ground beef High fat cut of pork* Tenderloin, sirloin roast or chop, center cut loin chops High fat cut of lamb* Foreshank, leg roast, leg chop, loin chop * Sometimes less tender cuts of meat like round or rump need marinating. To add flavor and tenderize, use an oil-free marinade. Place meat and marinade in a plastic bag and marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator. Throw away the marinade. Don’t use it for basing while cooking the meat.

NOW THAT THE PANTRY IS STOCKED, HERE ARE SOME HEALTHY COOKING TECHNIQUES:

Steam your vegetables whenever you can. Use garlic, onions, and herbs for flavor. Use very small amounts of butter, cheese, and sauces.

Use more herbs and spices to flavor greens and other dishes. Cut down on the salt. Try adding Spanish onion and black pepper to black-eyed peas.

Always use low-fat (1% or 2%) or skim milk for cooking instead of whole milk or cream.

Put away that deep fat fryer. Try boiling, roasting, baking, grilling, braising, or stir-frying with a little oil instead.

BLACK SKILLET BEEF with GREENS and RED POTATOES

NUTRITION CONTENT Per Serving Makes 6 servings calories: 342 total fat: 4g saturated fat: 1.4g carbohydrates: 52g protein: 24g cholesterol: 45mg sodium: 101mg dietary fiber: 10g

INGREDIENTS 1 lb beef top round 1½ tablespoon Hot ‘n Spicy Seasoning (see recipe on page 19) 8 red-skinned potatoes, halved 3 cups finely chopped onion 2 cups beef broth 2 large cloves garlic, minced 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into very thin 2½-inch strips 2 bunches (½ lb each) mustard greens, kale, or turnip greens, stems removed, coarsely torn non-stick cooking spray

1 Partially freeze beef. Thinly slice across the grain into long strips, ¹/8-inch thick. Thoroughly coat strips with Hot ‘n Spicy Seasoning. 2 Spray a large, heavy skillet (cast iron is good) with non-stick spray coating. Preheat pan over high heat. Add meat; cook, stirring for 5 minutes. 3 Add potatoes, onion, broth, and garlic. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 20 minutes. Stir in carrots; lay greens over top and cook, covered, until carrots are tender (about 15 minutes). Serve in large serving bowl, with crusty bread for dunking.

cATFISH STEW with RICE

NUTRITION CONTENT Per Serving Makes 4 servings calories: 355 total fat: 5g saturated fat: 1.3g carbohydrates: 49g protein: 28g cholesterol: 65mg sodium: 454mg dietary fiber: 7g

INGREDIENTS 2 medium potatoes 1, 14½-ounce can tomatoes, cut up 1 cup chopped onion 1, 8-ounce bottle (1 cup) clam juice or water 1 cup water 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ head cabbage, coarsely chopped 1 lb catfish fillets 1½ tablespoon Hot ‘n Spicy Seasoning (see recipe on page 19)

sliced green onion for garnish (optional) 2 cups hot, cooked rice (white or brown) 1 Peel potatoes and cut into quarters. In a large pot, combine potatoes, tomatoes and their juice, onion, clam juice, water, and garlic. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. 2 Add cabbage. Return to boiling. Reduce heat; cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3 Meanwhile, cut fillets into 2-inch lengths. Coat with Hot ‘n Spicy Seasoning. Add fish to vegetables. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

4 Serve in soup plates, garnished with sliced green onion. Top with an ice cream scoop of hot, cooked rice. Or, ladle stew over hot, cooked rice in soup plates and garnish with green onion.

To reduce sodium, try low-sodium canned tomatoes.

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TOP TIPS BETTER FOOD, LOWER COST

- Plan and save. Make a meal plan (page 30) and shopping list (page 29). Use the food you have and the deals you find in store ads and coupons.

- Add more fruits and vegetables to your meal plan. Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables. You can get your 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day for about the cost of a bus ride in most cities.

- Add beans and lentils to your meal plan. Pick beans and lentils instead of meat for 2 or more dinners every week – lots of protein for less money (see recipes).

- Skip processed foods like frozen pizza, cookies and soda. They usually cost more than fresh, healthy food. Canned foods are convenient, but eat fresh or frozen when you can to lower your exposure to toxic chemicals.

Before you shop At home

- Cook and freeze large batches (see recipes). Save money by cooking at home more and eating out less. Store food properly and throw less away.

- Grow your own. You can buy seeds with SNAP dollars. You don’t need a backyard, just some containers, a sunny window and a little soil. Community gardens are often free. Try cherry tomatoes and lettuce first. Check out www.ewg.org/goodfood

At the store need help?

- Stock up to save money. Foods that last include rice, beans, cooking oil and frozen foods. Buy extra when they’re on sale. Check unit prices – bigger packages are often cheaper. Buy from bulk containers if your store has them.

- Spot bargains on fresh fruits and vegetables. Use the price tracker (page 31) to find good deals on fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce prices can drop when they’re in season, and they taste best then.

- Compare labels. Healthier foods usually have less saturated fat, trans fat, salt (sodium) and sugar.

- Look for deals at your farmers’ market. Some will give you $2 worth of produce for every $1 you spend. Find a market near you at http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/ or call Wholesome Wave at 203-226-1112.

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Introduction

Eating is one of life’s greatest pleasures. In a perfect world, healthy and delicious food would be all around us. It would be easy to choose and easy to enjoy. But of course it’s not a perfect world. There are thousands of barriers that can keep us from eating in a way that nourishes our bodies and satisfies our tastes. Money just needn’t be one of them.

Kitchen skill, not budget, is the key to great food. This cookbook is a celebration of the many delicious meals available to those on even the most strict of budgets. Eating on a limited budget is not easy, and there are times when a tough week can turn mealtime into a chore. As one woman told me, “I’m weary of the ‘what’s for dinner?’ game.” I hope the recipes and techniques in this book can help make those times rare and the tough choices a little more bearable.

At the same time, this book is not a meal plan—those are much too individual to share on a wide scale. Every person and every family has specific needs and unique tastes. We live in different regions, different neighborhoods, and with varying means. One book cannot account for all of that, but I hope it can be a spark, a general strategy, a flexible set of approachable and cheap recipes. The rest is up to you.

I think you’ll find (or perhaps have already found) that learning to cook has a powerfully positive effect. If you can become a more skilled, more conscious cook, you’ll be able to conjure deliciousness in any kitchen, anytime.

Good cooking alone can’t solve hunger in America, but it can make life happier—and that is worth every effort.

Just as a good meal is best shared with others, so is a good recipe. I may not be able to share a meal with you, but I’d love to offer a few ideas. What’s for dinner? Here’s my answer.

A Note on $4/Day

I designed these recipes to fit the budgets of people living on SNAP, the US program that used to be called food stamps. If you’re on SNAP, you already know that the benefit formulas are complicated, but the rule of thumb is that you end up with $4 per person, per day to spend on food. This book isn’t challenging you to live on so little; it’s a resource in case that’s your reality. In May 2014, there were 46 million Americans on food stamps. Untold millions more—in particular, retirees and students—live under similar constraints.

The costs for each recipe are based on two sources. For the pantry items on the following pages, I collected prices from four grocery stores in Inwood, a relatively low-income neighborhood on the north tip of Manhattan. For specific spices and a wider variety of fruits and vegetables, I looked at online grocery stores or nationwide averages collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The prices for fruits and vegetables assume that they’re roughly in season, when you can get the best deals. This means, unfortunately, that you’ll pay a lot more if you want to make peach coffee cake in February. I talk more about shopping in season on the following pages. The estimates are, by necessity, a snapshot of place and time. Costs will vary in other cities, other neighborhoods, even just other stores. Please think of the numbers as a guideline, not a guarantee.

More than in most cookbooks, my recipes are flexible and encourage substitution based on availability, price, and personal tastes. A strict budget requires flexibility and a willingness to say, “that’s a good deal this week, so it’s what I’ll be cooking!” Don’t worry, you’ll pick up the tricks quickly.

A few recipes call for fancy kitchen equipment, but in my work with low-income families in New York, I’ve found that items like blenders, food processors, and electric mixers are fairly common. I did not, however, attempt to tackle the very real situation of people who have no kitchen, no equipment, and no space to prepare food. I simply cannot hope to do those issues justice within the bounds of one cookbook. Let’s all agree that we need to keep striving to address those other issues that make it difficult f int ro or so many people to eat well.

My Philosophy

The best health advice is simple: eat fruits and vegetables. Many American cookbooks rely on meat as the central feature of a meal. My recipes celebrate the vegetables rather than the meat.

My intent was to create satisfying food that doesn’t require you to supplement your meals with cheap carbohydrates to stave off hunger.

I strove to create recipes that use money carefully, without being purely slavish to the bottom line. For example, many recipes use butter rather than oil. Butter is not cheap, but it creates flavor, crunch, and richness in a way that cheap oils never can.

I’m not a dietician, and this isn’t a diet book. I’m just a home cook, like you. If you have dietary restrictions, some recipes won’t work for you as-is, but that’s fine—you can try to adapt them to your needs, or just turn the page and keep looking for inspiration.

More than a book of recipes, this is a book of ideas. I want you to tailor things to your taste. Improvisation is the soul of great cooking! If it doesn’t work out every time, I hope you’ll forgive me. More importantly, forgive yourself, and try again.

About this Book

I created an earlier version of this book as the capstone project for my MA in Food Studies at New York University. After I posted a free PDF on my website, it went viral on Reddit, Tumblr, and elsewhere, racking up almost 100,000 downloads in the first few weeks. That support gave me the courage to launch a Kickstarter campaign to get printed copies of Good and Cheap into the hands of people who don’t have computers or who wouldn’t otherwise see it. Thousands of generous supporters contributed to the campaign, donating more than 8,000 free copies of the printed book and sponsoring 20 new recipes. Now, just five months after first posting the PDF, it has been downloaded about 500,000 times. The experience has changed my life.

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1. Eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks daily: Make time for meals . Eating 3 meals per day plus snacks will provide you with energy that will last all day and keep your metabolism active. Pack healthy, portable snacks such as fruit or a granola bar when you know you will be on the go.

2. Build meals with complex carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the main fuel source for the mind and muscles. Complex carbohydrates include whole wheat bread, cereals, pastas, rice, beans, and other starchy vegetables.

3. Include protein at each meal. Protein provides essential amino acids which are the building blocks for the body’s tissues. Lean sources include non-fat or 1% milk, yogurt, low-fat cheese, skin-free poultry, seafood, lean red meats, tofu, soy, egg whites and beans.

4. Limit high fat foods: Fats provide essential fatty acids which help transport nutrients and provide energy. Some fat is important, but too much will provide excess calories.

5. Limit high sugar foods: High sugar foods like soda, candy and desserts are high in calories and low in nutrients.

6. Stay hydrated: Proper hydration is important for healthy skin and organs.

Drink water even if you are not thirsty. If you wait until you are thirsty, you are already partially dehydrated. Carry a bottle of water in your backpack.

7. Relax, turn off the TV and enjoy your meals. Listen to your body as to when you are hungry and when you are satisfied. Taking your time while eating will help you feel when you are satisfied instead of over eating.

8. Confused? Contact an IPFW Dietitian at the IPFW/Parkview Health and Wellness Clinic. Call 481-6647 or email [email protected] to schedule an appointment. This is a free service for IPFW students!

Back to the Basics

Nutrition Basics 101

2009-2010 College Cooking 101

Sample Menu Ideas

Prepared by: Judy Tillapaugh, RD

Breakfast

1 ½ cup Raisin Bran
1 cup milk (preferably skim or 1%)
banana or ½ cup 100% juice

Lunch

6” Turkey Sub w/ veggies
baked Doritos
Water, milk, or tea
Snack
fruit, pudding, or granola bar

Dinner

1 cup cooked pasta
½ cup pasta sauce
shredded cheese
3oz chicken breast
1 cup milk
fruit or vegetables

Snack

½ - 1 cup ice cream
Breakfast
Fruit, yogurt, and granola parfait
milk
Snack
low-fat yogurt and grapes

Lunch

tuna with light mayo and crackers
milk or light

Snack

fruit, carrots, pudding, or granola bar

Dinner

broccoli rice casserole
1 pc bread with butter
fruit
1 cup milk

Snack

bagel with light cream cheese

Breakfast

english muffin with light cream cheese
mocha made with skim milk
fruit

Snack

trail mix from vending machine

Lunch

kids meal from McDonalds
w/ skim milk

Dinner

grilled cheese
tomato soup
salad w/ light ranch dressing

Snack

3 cups light microwave popcorn

Smart Grocery Shopping

1. Concentrate shopping time around the perimeter of the grocery store. Fill your cart with produce first. 2. Watch your beverages. Choose 100% fruit juices instead of juice drinks and beware of soft drinks, which can contain up to 11 teaspoons of sugar.

3. Do not shop when you are hungry.

4. Think whole grains! Cereals are a great source of fiber. Find cereals with at least 5g fiber per serving. 5. Beware of featured items at the end of aisles and at the check out counter. These foods are usually loaded with fat and calories plus make you spend more money on things you don’t really need. 6. Make a list, and stick to it.