MSU Extension Nutrition

Welcome to lesson 3 in our 6-part Cook Healthy, Spend Less series! In the previous lesson, we covered food safety basics, explored protein-rich foods, and learned one way to cut up a whole chicken. In this lesson, we will dive into strategies for meal planning, focus on vegetables as a food group, and discover ways to build flavor using seasonings, dressings, and marinades.  

Making a meal plan 

Meal planning involves thinking ahead about meals to prepare at home, choosing recipes, and creating a grocery list before the week begins. For busy individuals and families, it may feel like an added task, but it has many benefits. 

1. Budget-friendly: Eating at home is known to provide cost savings compared to dining out or ordering in. 
2. Health-enhancing: those who prepare meals at home eat a better balance of recommended foods (or similar). 
3. Stress Relieving: It removes the stress of having to figure out what’s for dinner after a long day. 

Now that you know some of the benefits, let’s consider how to map out your meals. 

Make a budget

Before you head out to shop for groceries, know what your budget is. Having a preset grocery budget will help you stay on track with your overall budget. Your budget should include money from your income and any food assistance programs. Identify your total monthly budget and divide it by the number of times you plan to shop. 

Plan meals around sales and community resources

Choosing foods that are on sale each week will help you meal plan and contribute to budget-friendly shopping. Use these tips when shopping around for the best deal: 

• Grocery stores: Check out the ads before you start meal planning, so you know what’s on sale before you go. You can see ads and clip coupons from the newspaper or online or on an app. 

• Farmers’ markets: This is a great place to get local, seasonal foods. Check and see if farmers markets in your area offer any benefits for shopping there. 

• Food pantries: This one can be tricky because you might not know what food you’ll receive if you go to a food pantry. It may help to view the Food Bank Council of Michigan Distribution Map first so you can build your meal plan around the foods you receive from the food pantry. 

Keep pantry staples on hand

Your pantry staples should be ingredients that you use often and in multiple recipes. 

Here are some examples of pantry staples to have on hand: 

• Seasonings and spices, such as garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. 

• Oils and vinegars, such as vegetable oil, olive oil, and white vinegar. 

• Baking supplies, such as flour, baking powder, and baking soda. 

• Grains, such as pasta, rice, cereal, oats, and bread 

• Canned goods, such as tomato sauce, vegetables, and beans. 

What to learn more? Visit our Meal Planning & Food Budgeting webpages for more resources and interactive tips on how to eat healthy on a budget! 

Food group of the week: Vegetables

There are plenty of great reasons to eat lots of vegetables. They are rich in nutrients that help your body function at its best. Eating a variety of vegetables may also help: 

• Reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. 

• Aid in proper digestion, which helps your body get the most out of the food you eat and keeps you regular. 

• Protect against some cancers. 

• Lower the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. 

• Decrease bone loss, which can lead to fractures. 

Aim for about 3 cups of vegetables each day

As a guide, two cups of raw leafy greens count as one cup of vegetables. For other types of vegetables, whether raw, cooked, or served as vegetable juice, one cup equals one serving. There are many ways you can incorporate more vegetables into your diet. Vary the vegetables you eat throughout the week and include vegetables from each subgroup, which are dark green; red and orange; beans, peas, and lentils; starchy; and other vegetables. to make sure you’re getting a variety of nutrients to support your body’s functioning.

• Try different ways to prepare your vegetables. Using different spices, seasonings, and ways of cooking can be the difference between not liking a vegetable and loving it! If you usually cook your veggies on the stove, try grilling them.  

• Blend vegetables such as spinach, carrots, and kale into a fruit smoothie. The sweetness of the fruit disguises the vegetables. 

• Add vegetables to sauces. Chopped or pureed spinach, onions, zucchini, and peppers are just some of the vegetables that go great in spaghetti sauces. 

• Snack on veggies. Swap snacks such as chips and candy for carrots, cucumbers, celery, and cauliflower. Dip them in hummus or tzatziki for a yummy treat. 

Bonus: Have you ever tried turnip? Turnips are root vegetables and are grown in Michigan! They can be eaten raw or cooked. Try them in a salad or roast them as a side! See this roasted root vegetable recipe from Michigan Fresh! 

Movement Break 

When was the last time you tried jump roping? Check out these skills. 

For more movement ideas, visit the MSU Extension Physical Activity website. 

Let’s get cooking 

One way people express themselves through cooking is by developing flavor and selecting herbs, spices, and ingredient combinations that reflect their tastes and cultural roots. Using seasonings, dressings, and marinades to enhance food, including vegetables, provides three creative methods for building flavor and showcasing personal style in the kitchen. See here for MSU Extension’s Guide To Seasonings, Dressings, And Marinades - Recipes.  

You can even grow your own garden herbs to use as seasonings! See this video to learn more: 

This MSU Extension resource provides more information on the different methods to safely dehydrate produce, including herbs. 

Featured recipe  

This lesson’s featured recipe: Tabbouleh. Tabbouleh is an herb-based Middle Eastern salad and usually contains ingredients such as parsley, tomato, onion, bulgur, and is seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice. There are many variations of tabbouleh. See the MSU Extension Recipes website for an authentic tabbouleh recipe, or watch the video below for another variation. Enjoy! 

Bonus: Dark leafy green vegetables are wonderful nutrient-dense vegetables! Try adding some healthy greens to your meals with Nancy’s collard greens recipe: 

For more budget-friendly, healthy recipe ideas, check out the MSU Extension Recipes Page! 

Thank you for participating in this lesson. See you at the next one!