Storing Fruits and Vegetables to Reduce Food Waste
Iowa State University Extension | SpendSmart Eat Smart
by Jody Gatewood
2y ago
Last week Katy shared about how she uses canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, along with fresh, in her meals, to help stretch her grocery budget. Today I want to share a few tips and resources on storing produce.  Storing fruits and vegetables properly will help them last longer and taste better. The longer produce lasts, the longer you have to use it before it goes bad and it has to be thrown out. Food wasted is money wasted and we want to limit both of those! The first tip to storing fruits and vegetables is to develop a system so that you use the oldest produce first; this is call ..read more
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Canned and Frozen Produce Over Fresh? Give it a Try!
Iowa State University Extension | SpendSmart Eat Smart
by Katy Moscoso
2y ago
Last month Jody wrote a blog highlighting tips to help us save money at the grocery store. Recently I have found that some of the fresh produce I used to buy on a regular basis has started to increase my family’s grocery bill. To lower my grocery bill but still get the same nutritional benefits, I have found that swapping in canned and frozen produce options has worked out well for many recipes that my family enjoys. Below are a few tips for purchasing these options. Before adding the canned fruit or vegetables to a dish or recipe, rinse off the liquid that they have been stored in. This can ..read more
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Berry Crisp
Iowa State University Extension | SpendSmart Eat Smart
by Justine Hoover
2y ago
Fruit crisp is one of my husband’s favorite foods. He often requests it for his birthday or other special meals. I do not mind because it is a dessert that gives my family some fruit and some whole grains (oats). Plus, it is an easy dessert to make. The only problem is that it can be expensive. Below I have some tips for making a fruit crisp fit into your budget. Make your fruit crisp with in season fruit – it will taste the best and be the least expensive. In the spring and early summer, fresh berries and cherries are in season. Later in the summer, peaches will be in season. In the fall, a ..read more
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Planning your Meals with Family Favorite Recipes
Iowa State University Extension | SpendSmart Eat Smart
by Jody Gatewood
2y ago
Planning your meals and using your meal plan to make a grocery list are a top tip for saving money on food. By planning your meals and using a list when you shop, you know exactly what you need to buy and are less likely to buy items you don’t need. However, sometimes meal planning can seem overwhelming because you just don’t know what to make or you’re worried your family won’t like what you make and then the food (and money!) will be wasted. One solution to help with both of these concerns is to create a list of Family Favorite Recipes. By writing down recipes or meal ideas your family like ..read more
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Get Hooked on Fish!
Iowa State University Extension | SpendSmart Eat Smart
by Katy Moscoso
2y ago
Fish has always been a large part of my diet. Growing up on the coast, my family had access to a variety of seafood. My love for seafood has not changed even though I now call Iowa home. On my weekly meal plans I typically add 1-2 meals that include fish as our main protein. Our daughter has been eating a variety of fish dishes since she started trying foods, so I keep fish on hand for easy meals I know my family enjoys. Fish, especially fresh, can get expensive. Jody mentioned great tips last week on how to reduce food waste and save money at the store. There are several ways that I cut down ..read more
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The Total is What??
Iowa State University Extension | SpendSmart Eat Smart
by Jody Gatewood
2y ago
It’s no secret that food costs are rising. My trips to the grocery store are costing me more than usual and I imagine yours might be too. Here are a few ways to save money on food, including tips for reducing food waste. For additional information and resources on how to make the most of your money at the grocery store visit us at Spend Smart. Eat Smart.    Try the store brand. Do a blind taste test to see if your family can really tell the difference. They may be requesting foods because of the advertising or packaging. Use unit pricing. Sometimes the larger size is a better buy a ..read more
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Fish Tacos
Iowa State University Extension | SpendSmart Eat Smart
by Justine Hoover
2y ago
Our April recipe of the month is Fish Tacos. This is a homemade version of restaurant fish tacos with coleslaw and chopped veggies wrapped in a corn tortilla. I enjoy this recipe because the different flavors and textures come together to make a delicious meal. As you read through this recipe, you will probably notice there are a lot of tips at the end. That is because this recipe is like most other taco recipes – you can change things up to make the recipe your own. Here are a few ways we like to change this recipe up at our house to make our own unique tacos: The last couple of times I mad ..read more
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Facts about Fat
Iowa State University Extension | SpendSmart Eat Smart
by Jody Gatewood
2y ago
As with most nutrition topics, there is a lot of information shared about fat. Sometimes people say fat is bad for you while other people say it’s good for you. This can be confusing. Here are a few things to keep in mind about fat. Fat in food provides flavor and texture. Fat helps the body absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K. Total fat on the Nutrition Facts label includes the saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat that are in the food. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help reduce cholesterol levels which can lower risk of heart disease and stroke. These fats ..read more
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Microwave Baked Potato
Iowa State University Extension | SpendSmart Eat Smart
by Justine Hoover
2y ago
Microwaving a potato is a quick and easy way to add a baked potato to a meal. Sometimes potatoes get a bad rap for not being good for you. However, potatoes are a good source of potassium and Vitamin C and they do not cost a lot. The instructions for microwaving a potato were a little out of date on our website, so we have updated them. Below are the steps and some recipes to go along with your microwave baked potato. You can also find the instructions on our website at: https://spendsmart.extension.iastate.edu/recipe/microwave-baked-potato/ Steps to making a microwave ‘baked’ potato: Scrub ..read more
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‘Celebrate a World of Flavors’ during National Nutrition Month®
Iowa State University Extension | SpendSmart Eat Smart
by Jody Gatewood
2y ago
Every March the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates National Nutrition Month®. This year’s theme is ‘Celebrate a World of Flavors’. Here are some tips to help you do just that: Include healthful foods from the food groups. Use myplate.gov to learn more about foods from each of the food groups. Learn how to read the Nutrition Facts label. View our Reading the Food Label video to learn more about the Nutrition Facts label. Incorporate your favorite cultural foods and traditions. Enjoy foods from your culture and that are part of your traditions. All foods can fit in a healthy eating ..read more
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