To Bean or Not to Bean?

Make Your Food Budget Stretch It’s easy to get into a habit of doing the same things, but sometimes it is worthwhile to reevaluate your shopping routine. Ask yourself these questions to see if you are doing everything you can to get the most nutrition out of your food dollar.

Do I buy canned produce? Canned fruits in juice or light syrup and canned vegetables (e.g., low sodium green beans) have a long shelf-life, are easy to prepare, and are just as healthy as fresh. Look for sales and stock up.

Do I choose store brands? Store brands of many canned and frozen items are less expensive and just as healthy!

Do I cook in large amounts? By planning to cook bigger batches, you can freeze the leftovers and have meals ready-to-go with less effort.

Do I buy expensive snack items? Snack foods, desserts, and soft drinks are pricey and offer very little nutrition. For example, a 4 oz. bag of chips provides salt and calories from fat, while a 1 lb. bag of carrots provides vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Both cost about the same, but the carrots offer more nutrition!

From: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/30-ways-in-30-days-to-stretch-your-food-budget

Slow Cooker Pork Chili

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds boneless pork butt,

roast, or shoulder

1 cup bell pepper, diced (1

medium pepper)

1 cup onion, diced (1 medium

onion)

1 1/2 cups salsa

1 can (15 ounces) low sodium

pinto beans

1 can (14.5 ounces) low

sodium diced tomatoes

Recipe courtesy of ISU Extension and Outreach’s Spend Smart

Eat Smart website.

INSTRUCTIONS

Trim visible fat from the pork. Cut into 2 inch chunks. Place in slow

cooker. Add pepper, onion, and salsa.

Cook on low setting for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

Pull apart pork into shreds with a fork. (Should be about 4 cups.)

Put half of the meat into the refrigerator or freezer. (Freeze pork if it

will not be used within 4 days.)

Return the rest of the pork to the slow cooker. Add pinto beans

and diced tomatoes. Cook another 30 minutes, until hot.

TIPS

Top with lowfat cheese or sour cream for a MyPlate-friendly meal.

Nutritional analysis (1 1/4 cup): 250 calories, 8g fat, 3g saturated,

0g trans, 520mg sodium, 21g carbohydrates, 6g fiber, 6g sugar,

18g protein

SERVES: 6 | SERVING SIZE: 1 1/4 cup