Eating Smart With Money Crunch
As food prices rise and people try to cope up with the hard hitting inflation, nutritionists are starting to face an inevitable problem—that of decreasing nutrition because of the inability to afford nutritious food.
As food prices rise and the economy of the country goes into a slump, it is inevitable for people to face this nutritional challenge. However, surprisingly it has been found that in the United States, about a billion people live only on a dollar a day. In fact, economists have found out that a majority of Americans only live on about $7 per day as far as nutrition is concerned. Viewing these figures, the government gives out food stamps of only a few dollars per person as social security measures.
It has been seen that every time there is an increase in prices, people cut down on their spending on food first. In fact, not only those who are economically weaker, but even those belonging to the middle class often struggle to be able to obtain healthy and filling meals.
It is not surprising then that instead of buying fresh fruits and vegetables, people turn to more affordable junk food. When a family is on a budget and is looking to put food on their table using a limited amount of money, the diet changes significantly. Due to the tight budget, many store brought and processed foods have to be given up. Canned foods and fresh breads also become out of reach. In fact, dining out becomes a rare commodity.
However, it is not necessary that just for the want of money a person should compromise on food. Raw beans, oatmeal, rice and cornmeal are nutritious foods that can be used as substitutes for other fresh foods. If you are non vegetarians, you can eat meat and poultry products. However, if not, fortified drinks made from citrus fruits can be consumed. This takes care of all kind vitamin and mineral requirements.
For breakfast, oatmeal cooked in milk can be had. Nuts and sugar can be added to the oatmeal to make it more nutritious. You may even make pancakes for breakfast, however, the syrup may not be in budget so instead you can add some powdered sugar. For lunch, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches make for a satiating meal.
Sandwiches can also be made using boiled potatoes or other boiled vegetables which can be bought in this budget. For dinner, you can eat baked beans with tortilla chips which can be bought from a store or made at home.