Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Stocking Up for When You’re Stuck at Home – Part 2: How $180 in groceries fed 2 people for 20 days ($1.50/meal)

Three weeks ago, I wrote about stocking up for staying at home. I had gone shopping on March 13, after being away for over a week. Because many grocery shelves were bare, I had to make some substitutions and compromises and to shop at three different stores in Columbus to get items that would provide […]

WRITTEN BY: Carol Smathers, MS, MPH, Associate Professor and Extension Field Specialist in Youth Wellness and Nutrition

REVIEWED BY: Roseanne Scammahorn, PhD, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Darke County and Susan Zies, M.Ed., Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Wood County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Carol Smathers

SOURCES:

  • https://livesmartohio.osu.edu/food/smathers-14osu-edu/stocking-up-for-when-youre-stuck-at-home-healthy-food-for-less-than-2-meal/
  • http://cookingmatters.org/tips/10-tips-stock-your-pantry
  • https://www.choosemyplate.gov/ten-tips-make-better-food-choices
  • https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/media/file/CostofFoodFeb2020.pdf
  • https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/76/6/1207/4689551
  • https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200331-how-to-eat-a-healthy-diet-when-work-from-home-coronavirus
  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/04/01/go-grocery-shopping-every-two-weeks-you-can-and-without-hoarding/
  • https://celebrateyourplate.org/tips/shopping

REFERENCES:

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition.

Healthy Eating for Healthy Aging

Most people are aware of the numerous changes that our bodies undergo as we age. Did you know that our nutritional needs also change with age? Metabolism tends to slow with age, yet nutrient needs increase for certain vitamins and minerals. Learning how to balance these changes and continue eating healthy meals may seem difficult. […]

WRITTEN BY: Olivia Levine, Dietetic Intern, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University

REVIEWED BY: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Franklin County

SOURCES:

  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2019). The MIND Diet. https://www.eatrightpro.org/news-center/nutrition-trends/health-promotion/the-mind-diet
  • Health in Aging (2018). Nutrition. https://www.healthinaging.org/a-z-topic/nutrition
  • Morris, M.C., Tangney, C.C., Wang, Y., Sacks, F.M., Bennett, D.A. & Aggarwal, N.T. (2015). MIND diet associated with reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s & Dementia; 11(9), 1007-14. https://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/article/S1552-5260(15)00017-5/fulltext
  • Pearson, K. (2017). The MIND Diet: A Detailed Guide for Beginners. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mind-diet

Healthy Eating for $4.50 a day??? No Fooling!

The USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion issues monthly USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food Reports that estimate the current weekly/monthly costs of a nutritious diet at four different levels (thrifty, low-cost, moderate-cost, and liberal). The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the nutritional bases of the Food Plans. Here are some examples from the […]

REVIEWED BY: Dan Remley, PhD, OSU Extension Field Specialist

SOURCES:

  • https://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietary-guidelines
  • https://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/CostofFoodFeb2019.pdf https://www.choosemyplate.gov/dietary-guidelines
  • https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/fruit-and-vegetable-prices/interactive-chart-costs-per-edible-cup-equivalent/
  • https://celebrateyourplate.org/
  • https://www.choosemyplate.gov/budget

REFERENCES:

  • The Thrifty Food Plan 2006 Report, which details the development and methodology of the TFP (in 64 pages) is available online in PDF format at: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/MiscPubs/TFP2006Report.pdf

Mind Your Meals this Holiday Season

With fall in full swing and Thanksgiving just a few days away, many of us are faced with lots of opportunities to eat. Though the many celebrations and festivities of the season can be a great time to catch up with family and friends, these might also tempt us to overindulge. The gatherings and special […]

WRITTEN BY: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.417@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Joseph Maiorano, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Harrison County, maiorano.2@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • American Heart Association, Mindful Eating Infographic. Retrieved from: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/mental-health-and-wellbeing/mindful-eating-infographic

SOURCES:

  • Nelson, J. (2017). Mindful Eating: The Art of Presence While You Eat, Diabetes Spectrum. American Diabetes Association, Retrieved from: http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/content/30/3/171
  • Harvard Health Publishing (2016). 8 steps to mindful eating. Retrieved from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/8-steps-to-mindful-eating
  • Mindful Eating. Retrieved from: https://smokefree.gov/stay-smokefree-good/eat-healthy/mindful-eating
  • Dugas, Julia (2017). Mindful Eating Checklist: How To Master Mindful Eating, Food Insight. Retrieved from: https://www.foodinsight.org/mindful-eating-checklist-flavors-meditation

5 Tips for Healthfully Hosting Young Guests

Are you hosting family or friends this holiday season? If children will be visiting, there are a few simple things you can do to encourage them to make healthy eating choices while they visit you over the holidays: 1. Adopt a “water first for thirst” approach. When the kids ask for something to drink, pour a […]

WRITTEN BY: Martha Filipic and Carol Smathers

REVIEWED BY: Jennifer Lobb

Here Figgy, Figgy

If you’ve ever eaten a fig before, raise your hand.  If that fig was in a cookie form (you know which one what I’m talking about), put your hand down. I thought so. The majority of people in this country have never eaten a plain fresh or dried fig. So you might not know that […]

WRITTEN BY: Melissa Welker M.Ed., B.S., Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Fulton County, Maumee Valley EERA, welker.87@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Donna Green, Family & Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Erie County, Erie Basin EERA, green.308@osu.edu

SOURCES:

  • www.bonappetit.com
  • www.californiafigs.com
  • www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org

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