After a new year, commercials, social media and the people around us are using those first few fresh months of a new year to make positive changes.
In Louisiana, this change poses difficult, with such decadent and unique foods.
“It’s a big part of our culture, food is definitely one of those things there is always a reason to celebrate,” said registered dietitian Heidi Pullin.
However, with over 33.1 percent of adults battling with obesity, Louisiana now has the sixth highest adult obesity rate in the nation, according to The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America. That same study ranks Louisiana fourth for childhood obesity.
The foods southerners choose for themselves has an impact but cost plays a factor as well. The “un-healthy” options such as soft drinks, macaroni and cheese and sugary cereals can be purchased in bulk amounts for a few dollars.
“It does appear that a lot of times things are more expensive and you can get a bag of chips for a lot less than let’s say nuts or something,” Pullin said.
Then, consider the fast food restaurants, serving burgers for as low as one dollar and salads for as high as 6 or 7 bucks for one portion.
“Fast food places know that it is convenient to pick up a bag of fries and a cheeseburger and that’s enough at that will get you by,” said Pullin.
Louisiana currently has 19.1 percent of it’s population living below the poverty level. That’s roughly 900,000 people. It’s a low number compared to the 4.6 million people in the state, but the median household income for the state is $44,874. Ten thousand dollars less than the national average.THE CHALLENGE
KLFY web producer, Brittany Altom is currently making a change- opting to eat healthy but like many perceives organic and fresh foods as too costly.
“If you’re going for the non-processed, organic or you want fruits or vegetables I would just figure that it would be more a whole lot more expensive,” said Altom.
Is it a fact or a misconception that healthy eating costs more?
Taking a nutritional plan created by Pullin and making a grocery list, Brittany was challenged to buy a weeks worth of food, enough to prepare three full meals a day with three snacks in between. Her goal was to stay under $100 dollars.
At the first stop, Whole Foods, Brittany was assisted by a manager and at the end of checkout, with a cart full of fresh groceries, her total was $93.75.
Her reaction, “Wow, under $100 dollars. So, it can be done.”
Whole Foods and organic friendly stores are not available everywhere and not everyone gets assistance with their shopping. To test how well one would fare alone and in a normal grocery store with sweet temptation strewn about the aisles, Brittany headed to a local Albertson’s.
Armed with the same grocery list, she searched the aisles for the healthiest option available. Her new total: $78.96.
Brittany ultimately learned that switching to the healthier option can actually cost less, and lead to a lifestyle that could prevent obesity related diseases.WHAT TO BUY
Note: Brittany’s list was personalized based on a nutritional plan created for her body type by Woman’s and Children’s dietitian Heidi Pullin
STARCH:
Lentils- 7oz
Popcorn- Two bags of Smart Pop
Pasta/Brown Rice- 7oz bag of brown rice
BREAD:
Whole wheat bread- 1 loaf
Whole wheat English muffins- 1 pkg
PROTEIN
Chicken- 1.5 lbs
Ground Turkey Mear-1.5 lbs
FRUIT
Grapes- 7oz
Apples- 6 individual
Oranges- 6 individual
NON-STARCH VEGETABLES:
Spinach- 4 oz (1 bag)
Kale- 4 oz (1 bag)
Arugula- 5 oz (1 bag)
FATS:
Nuts- 1 container
Avocados- 5 individual
Almond Butter- 5 oz (1 container)
Coconut Oil- 1 can
Water- 2 pkg (24 bottles each)BUY HEALTHY ON A BUDGET
Pullin recommends incorporating healthy foods into a diet instead of trying to avoid “bad foods”.
“People are less likely to fall off the bandwagon that way.”
Shop sales, farmer’s markets and butchers in store instead of buying pre-packed meat.
Shop with a list to avoid wandering eyes.
Look high and low at grocery aisles as company tend to place products they want to sell in the middle.
Use coupons when applicable.
Shop on a full stomach to avoid impulse purchases.
When applicable, try buying in bulk or heading to stores they allow you to bag your own, they way one can person how much they want, instead of how much is offered.
Buy familiar foods, as un-familiar items can sometimes offend the taste buds, prompting a switch back to an old lifestyle.
Look at the label. Something marked “healthy” “multi grain” or even “low-calories” can still be un-healthy. For example “multi grain” bread is still made with white flour. Low-calorie items can seem tempting but remember, everything is per serving.
