Food Inflation and Heart Health

Like everyone else I have been watching my grocery bill creep up each month since January. Most recent  data from several governmental organizations show food costs have risen by an average of 11% compared to 1 year ago. YIKES!

With the prices going up people have been starting to buy cheaper products which unfortunately are highly processed in salt, fat, calories, sugar and are purchasing  less fruits, vegetables, protein and whole grains,  which if you have heart disease is opposite of what you need to do. 

Key players from various industries met at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health including Registered Dietitians like myself,  to discuss how to  tackle food insecurity and rising food costs. 

This process will take some time but for those of you suffering from heart disease you need something now. 

Here are a few tips that I wanted to share to help guide you better.

1. Buy seasonal fruits and veggies. They tend to be much cheaper and better quality - farmers markets have awesome prices!

2. Instead of canned vegetable try plain frozen- steam in the bag products, they are low in salt and of better quality

3. Buy items when on sale often times grocery stores have Buy 1 get 1 free deals

4. Bulk stores like Sams, BJs, Costco have significantly lower prices and worth every penny if you have a big family or you always  split the cost with family and friends 

5. In regards to protein, meat products tends to be priced than plant based protein (beans, soy) (again watch for sale prices to get the best deals)

6. Now is the perfect time to cut back on your red meat and incorporate more fish and vegetables on your lunch and dinner  meal plate

Hope these tips help you as you navigate trying to balance heart healthy eating and food costs!