by Ben Becker, Newsletter Writer
In this moment of massive unsettling, we are experiencing a shift in many of our regular habits. The way we interact with our friends, family and workplace has likely been transformed. So too, the way we spend our time has necessarily taken a shift to more isolated endeavors. For all the limitations fettered by these difficult times, there are some unique opportunities as well.
More time at home presents a chance to finally finish a tome from our bookshelf, to learn a new skill, or to spend some time digging around in the garden. Many are connecting to friends and family through the medium of food by sharing recipes and results online. With the capacity of our favorite restaurants severely limited, there has never been a better time to explore more at-home food preparation. This change in lifestyle not only presents an opportunity to make exciting and delicious dishes in our own kitchen, but it also allows us to assert more control over what ingredients we choose, opening the door to more nourishing and possibly more affordable fare as well. In such times of uncertainty, the choice to honor our bodies and protect our wallets can be a prudent avenue through the days ahead.
What does Healthy mean?
When looking to incorporate more healthy choices into our culinary repertoire, it is worth considering what we mean when we think of healthy. Willy Street Co-op and its staff do not claim the qualifications to make nutritional recommendations, but we do carry a number of products and foods that can help support a balanced diet and lifestyle. For those seeking to eliminate chemical pesticides or genetic modifications from their body, the co-op carries an extensive selection of organic products. One of these which shoppers may choose to incorporate into their everyday recipes is garlic, which has traditionally been credited with immune system boosting and anti-inflammatory properties.
Our grocery aisles provide a variety of grain-based products such as pastas and bread, both with nutrient-rich whole grains and gluten-free alternatives. For plant-based protein, many beans and legumes can be incorporated into nearly any recipe, from soups and stews to sandwiches. This author’s favorite is the underrated lentil, which boasts a tantalizing flavor that can go beyond the pot into such creative preparations as tacos or sloppy joes. Whatever you define as healthy eating, the Co-op’s offerings of fresh local produce and minimally processed food products are certain to fill your needs.
Challenges to Eating Healthy
If eating healthy and sticking to a budget were absent of challenges, then making these kinds of choices would just be a given. However, we all face obstacles that often make it difficult to achieve either, let alone balance both of these goals. Probably the greatest of these stumbling blocks is a lack of time. In our hectic lifestyles, finding the time to research healthier recipes, to shop, prep, cook, and sit down to a balanced and affordable meal may prove to be a rarity. All too often, it can be an overwhelming temptation to indulge in the convenience and ease of a drive-through menu. Yet even if we can find the time to make healthier choices, purchasing fresher, less processed items might sometimes carry a higher price tag. These items can also create unseen costs when we fail to use them efficiently, as fresh items will decay into expensive food waste.
Without careful planning and discipline in using these fresh foods, the financial burden is only multiplied. Still, effective planning and recipe research may be thwarted by a lack of availability for meal ingredients. Weather conditions, season, or other supply problems might all interfere with us finding that one item we need for a chosen dish. The frustration of out of stocks, the expense of fresh and unprocessed ingredients, the time needed to commit to meal planning and preparation or just a lack of motivation to go shopping can all conspire to deter us from making more conscientious choices for our dining table. However, by increasing our food knowledge, engaging with simple strategies, and exercising some creativity, we can make smarter moves in our diet without over exerting our wallet.
If our goal is better eating, then we have to start by considering the source of our ingredients. Ensuring that our shopping carts contain what will promote a healthy lifestyle requires not only a greater breadth of knowledge about food and its preparation, but engagement with human psychology. The choices we make when purchasing food reflect our state of mind at the time.
If you are hungry as you walk through the shopping aisles you are more likely to make more impulse buys, purchasing foods you don’t need or might never end up consuming. Shopping when anxious and stressed can lead to purchasing comfort foods, which are often calorie dense or high in refined sugars. Avoiding impulse buys can be thwarted through simple techniques. First, be sure to have a full meal prior to making a big shopping trip. This changes our relationship with the products we are consuming from the need to satisfy our immediate cravings to instead taking a more removed approach as we are collecting resources needed for a long-term strategy.
Using a shopping list also adds some structure to how we navigate the aisles of the store or the item list of an e-commerce application. Having a thorough list that includes staple items and those needed to make planned recipes for multiple days helps avoid making multiple trips to the store, which carry an unnecessary amount time and cost and create more opportunity to give in to cravings.
While taking a structured approach to stocking our cupboards can prove cost-efficient, it is also necessary to allow for a level of flexibility, especially when an intended item is nowhere to be found. Knowing what substitutes can be used in a pinch will not only reduce the stress of shopping, but also create economy at home. For example, consider whether that sour cream in the back of the fridge can be used instead of milk or half and half, or whether a large serving of oil in your dessert can be swapped out for applesauce. The variety of fresh herbs on the produce shelf may not include what you are looking for, but if you ask a helpful Co-op staff member, they can usually point you towards a suitable replacement.
The invisible supply chain which determines whether a product will be in stock also has a large bearing on quality and prices. You can take advantage of this by shopping with a focus on seasonality, and depend on a shorter supply chain by purchasing locally grown produce. Keep in mind that purchasing berries in the winter that have been trucked in from California will garner an exorbitant fee, but Wisconsin-grown strawberries and blueberries will be fresher and cheaper in the spring and early summer. Other season sensitive products including carrots, watermelon, asparagus, apples, and leafy greens will all boast greater varieties and flavor with better price points if you buy them at the right time of year. Thinking seasonally can also give you flexibility and keep your favorite recipes fresh. For example, a dish with peaches as its centerpiece will shine most brightly in those hot summer months, but it can shift its focus to an autumn flavor with the advent of apple season.
As the warmer months give way to the desolation of winter, you can still think seasonally by selecting more shelf-stable items. Vegetables like carrots and parsnips will store well in your refrigerator, and will actually boast greater sweetness if they were harvested in cooler temperatures. Hearty squashes and other root vegetables will be a welcome staple when more delicate produce is not to be found. Choose to skip out of season produce shipped in from far-flung locales in favor of their canned or frozen alternative. Taking advantage of their shelf stability will help you avoid throwing away money on the “fresh” stuff that is not at its peak in quality or nutrition.
Keeping a few cans of tomatoes and beans on hand will often come in handy when deciding what for dinner, and you can also apply the advantages of shelf stability to the rest of your shopping trip without relying on overly processed fares. No selection better exemplifies this strategy than your Co-op’s Bulk aisle (when it is open again), which will allow you to stock up on pasta, flour, nuts, legumes, and other dry items. During most times, the Bulk aisle comes with the advantage of allowing shoppers to choose exactly the amount they want to purchase.
Even in the event of pandemic-related limitations, Co-op Owners can still locate their favorite bulk rice or oatmeal varieties already bagged for them. The reduction in packaging for many bulk items also carries with it significant price savings. This is most clearly seen on the spice shelf, where the price of paprika or pepper in bulk is a fraction of what you would pay for the same volume in a prepacked container. Willy Street Co-op also works to present a number of other avenues for shoppers to save money beyond our Bulk aisle. Produce shoppers can avoid overbuying by asking for many large vegetables to be cut into smaller portions, such as an unwieldy head of cabbage. Each month, Owners can also enjoy a healthy 10% discount for all Health and Wellness merchandise by shopping on Wellness Wednesday. (Wellness Wednesday has been replaced for the foreseeable future with the virtual Wellness Any Day coupon. Make any day your own personal Wellness Wednesday.) Owners who are challenged financially can also qualify for our Access discount, which provides an everyday 10% discount on all purchase along with other benefits.
Strategies in the Kitchen
There are lots of ways to save some money while making healthy choices when you stock up on groceries and the Co-op helps to make those choices easier. However, the store isn’t the only area where utilizing smarter strategies can save money. Careful planning and creativity can go a long way in reducing unnecessary costs when preparing food at home.
One way to do this is to map out your pantry or refrigerator. Designate specific shelves exclusively for certain types of foods, so that items are properly segregated and easy to locate. For example, one shelf of your pantry may contain canned soups, while another has dry goods, and another breads. Your fridge could be divided by proteins, vegetables, fruits, and dairy. This will not only help to plan balanced meals by looking to pull items from each section, but will help to better plan out your shopping as you can quickly assess the status of your stock.
When putting together your shopping list, consider what meals you will plan to make ahead of time. To do this with maximum efficiency, you’ll want to consider a recipe’s serving size and how many portions you will have, and whether you will be able to store or freeze leftovers. When cooking, you may be able to practice portion control while saving time by cooking a large amount of food early in the week and then divvying up to store and reheat in different servings throughout the week. To keep things fresh, you may want to add additional ingredients or iterations each day. For example, you might serve your center dish with rice one day, and pasta the next. Alternatively, you can swap in new vegetables or garnishes to keep an old recipe from getting bland.
On the other hand, a good way to avoid food waste at home is to use recipes where ingredients are more interchangeable. If you have some greens or lettuce that is about to turn, try prepping a must-go salad, where food that must be used or go bad is used up. If you have eggs and cheese, nearly any kind of vegetable or protein can be incorporated into a fluffy frittata. Another great go-to for using up potential food waste could be a simple stir fry, which includes or excludes any kinds of vegetables from peapods to mushrooms. You can also add a protein component using chicken, beef, tofu, or even by just cracking an egg. These kinds of recipes just scratch the surface in methods you can use to experiment with that random can of beans or an old box of pasta.
Eating at home may continue to be a bigger part of our lives going forward, but finding ways to cook efficiently and wholesomely doesn’t need to be an overwhelming challenge. Proper planning can help to keep your refrigerator free of wasted food and keep your meals balanced and portioned. Shopping intentionally will help to support your at home culinary strategies. With some help from the co-op, you can find new and exciting ways to make your ideal diet a reality without overspending.