Eating Well Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune

By: Kerry McKenzie

In my previous blog, Eat Well to Be Well, I discussed how to engage your family with eating nutritious foods, low in sugar and how to make meals fun. After that post, I got to thinking about how people are sometimes not sure how to wisely spend their grocery money and how sometimes eating nutritiously can be…well…expensive if you don’t know some secrets!

What we must remember as adults and parents (so that we can teach this to our children) is to prioritize eating well to be well. Yes, high-quality food can be costly, but the high cost of poor health and diet-related disease is far more expensive. Prevention is the best cure, and here are some ways to save when sourcing whole, nutritious foods…
• Take field trips to local farmer’s markets
• Comparison shop
• Start your own garden at home in windowsills, in containers or in raised beds

Buying food from local farmers is one of my favorite ways to save on nutritious foods. Your local farmers don’t grow their crops for fun – they do it as a business so they make sure that their products are the best. Plus, when you buy local, you are getting the produce as soon as possible. There isn’t any packaging that needs to be done, no pre-treatment to ensure the product doesn’t spoil before the gets from point A to point B. Because of this, it is less likely that nutrients will be lost because of the shorter time frame from farm to table. And one of the best parts of buying local is that you are supporting local families. The wholesale prices that farmers get for their products are low, often near the cost of production. Local farmers who sell direct to consumers cut out the middleman and get full retail price for their food - which helps farm families stay on the land. Remember to visit your local farmer often as new crops come into season at different times. Prices are the lowest when crops are in full swing!

Comparison shopping is also another way to save money on your grocery bill. A lot of stores will be out competitor prices so watch your ads. Stock up and save when you can as well. Produce can be frozen but is always best when used as soon as possible. There are also great grocery apps for your smart phones that will save you anywhere from a quarter to upwards of $5 for just buying what you need. I don’t know about you, but I don’t ever see sales on milk but I always make sure to use my grocery app to get that $0.25 off! It adds up fast!

My last advice for you is to start your own garden at home. Research tells us that children are more likely to eat fruits or veggies they have helped nurture and grow. A packet of seeds is VERY inexpensive (check out your local dollar stores!) so starting from seed is cheap and can save you a ton of money! Research what you desire to plant so that you are aware of how it grows in your area. Many seeds can be started on window sills and can be transplanted once they are big enough. This also helps keep the wildlife from getting your seeds. Planting a garden can be great fun for you and your children. 

What are some ways that you save on your groceries but still serve healthy, nutritious foods? 

About the Author: Kerry McKenzie, B.A., M.S., has been working in education for more than 13 years. She is a Certified Health Coach, a 500 level (E-RYT500) yoga teacher and specializes in early childhood motor development. She has a passion for working with expecting moms, babies, toddlers and preschool age children and their caregivers at Greenville Health Systems pediatric clinic, child care centers and in the community. Click here to learn more about Kerry.

Plant a Promise!

From the White House Rose Garden to Your Garden

Celebrate Head Start's 50th Anniversary by Planting a Rose Bush!

By: Dr. Linda Carson

When I was a child, I loved to plant and care for flowers. I enjoyed watching them change and grow. What a great metaphor for our responsibility for nurturing and “growing” children. As adults in a society that values thoughtful and productive contribution to communities, we value learning, especially early learning.

May 18th is a very special day for early learning and should be acknowledged by all of us. On May 18, 1965, in the Rose Garden at the White House, President Johnson officially unveiled Project Head Start as a component of his War On Poverty. He mentioned that young children are the inheritors of poverty’s curse and not its creators.

Fifty years later, Head Start continues to promote the school readiness of young children birth to age 5 from low-income families through agencies in their local community. Head Start is the national commitment to give every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, an opportunity to succeed in school and in life. In the 50 years since its inception, Head Start has improved the lives of more than 32 million children and their families.

Choosy Kids applauds Head Start for providing young children and their families with exemplary comprehensive services and early learning opportunities preparing children for a love of learning and healthy living.

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) has launched a celebration campaign to renew the nation’s commitment to our at-risk children. Head Start Programs all across the country are planting a rose bush in a special place that will remind everyone of the commitment that was made in the Rose Garden in 1965. Let’s support this wonderful national project for vulnerable children by celebrating the anniversary with them.

Use the hashtags #HeadStartWorks and #HeadStart50 and help spread congratulations for 50 years of serving children and their families.

Let’s plant a promise of commitment and devotion to the well being of all young children. Choosy Kids salutes the Head Start community for tireless devotion to children, their families, and their communities. To commemorate it's 50th Anniversary, the National Head Start Association (NHSA) asks all supporters to plan a rose bush in memory of this great promise. So, Choosy friends, celebrate Head Start's 50th Anniversary with us by helping us plant a virtual rose on our website! Simply comment on this post with a name you would like to have displayed and a rose will virtually be grown on our website from you in support! Check out www.choosykids.com to see our garden grow beginning the afternoon of 5/18!

About the Author: Linda Carson, Ed. D, is the founder and CEO of Choosy Kids, LLC, and the Ware Distinguished Professor Emerita at West Virginia University. An award winning, nationally recognized expert, Dr. Carson has devoted her career to promoting healthy preferences for young children and the adults who make decisions on their behalf. Click here to learn more about Linda.