Plan a healthful lunch with tips and ideas

    With the new school year starting, it is a time that we might reflect on ways we can boost our health while planning for a schedule change for home, work and school. By doing a little pre-planning and pre-prep, eating fresh, whole foods during a busy schedule is possible. Not only will you be boosting your health with more vitamins and minerals, but you will be reducing money that is lost to the “black-hole” of your finances, where cash seems to disappear from your wallet.
    The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that the cost to eat healthfully is actually less than one might assume. Here are some cost comparisons, serving per serving for common healthful and not as healthy food choices:
    — Fresh fruit/veggie snack, 34 cents vs. unhealthful packaged snacks, 67 cents.
    —Vegetable side dish, 27 cents vs. packaged, 31 cents.
    —Banana snack, 16 cents vs. Hershey’s bar 99 cents.
    —Side dish sweet potatoes, 31 cents vs. Stovetop stuffing 38 cents.
    The USDA recommendation of 2 cups fruit and  2 1/2 cups veggies (on a 2,000 calorie diet) costs $2.50 per day. Fast foods and packaged snacks cost more money and are high in calories.

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