Planning Healthy Meals

Make Every Bite Count! What’s on your plate?

Start simple with the MyPlate Quiz and receive personalized tips and tip sheets.

Download the Start Simple with MyPlate app and set realistic goals, participate in fun challenges, and earn badges along the way! Try using the app for this Scavenger Hunt.

Want to find out how much you know about the food groups? Take these quizzes and find out more! Learn more about the different food groups and portion sizes.

Try out the three steps to Healthy Eating on a Budget. MyPlate makes it easy to eat healthier! And check out MyPlate Kitchen to find over 1,000 recipes.

“At every stage of life, it is never too early or too late to eat healthy.” Find out more about how to eat healthy at every life stage.

• Plan: your meals for the week before you go shopping will save you money. Plan to make one of your good ‘old standby meals each week since you know the whole family will enjoy and eat the whole meal.    
• Scan: do a quick scan of your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to see what you already have stocked.  Use these items before buying new food products.  The most expensive food item is a wasted food item.  Use what you have before it is too old.  We always forget those frozen chicken thighs way in the back corner of the freezer.  This also increases your motivation to cook rather than succumbing to expensive take-out meals.  
• Cook Once, Eat Twice: another way to save money while cooking is to “cook once, eat twice.”  Make enough food to have purposeful leftovers for lunch the next day or to add to your next meal.  For example, make a roasted chicken for dinner one night and use the leftovers for chicken burritos the next night.  You could even top off your salad at lunch with some additional protein for a well-balanced plate.  Recipe inspirations can be found here, (link to recipes page). 

By using your leftovers, you will be reducing food waste and at the same time extending those shopping dollars wisely.  Try some of these suggestions: 

• Be intentional in creating leftovers.   
• Prepare twice the amount of a recipe to use again in another recipe later in the week.  
• Use chicken roast leftovers for chicken salad sandwiches or freeze them for perhaps chicken chili later.   
• Save money by only having to go to the store once.   
• Save time by only cooking once.   
• Or repurpose your leftovers as such: 

Sunday	Rotisserie Chicken	Roast a chicken or serve a rotisserie chicken with frozen vegetables & brown rice
Monday	Leftover Chicken Tacos	Use leftover chicken to make tacos Add:  -Leftover vegetables from yesterday  -Fresh or canned diced tomatoes -Sliced cucumber/radish/zucchini with canned salsa.   * Before you go to bed put 1 lb. of dried beans in a pot filled with water add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon baking soda  * Make a stock with the chicken carcass and refrigerate for tomorrow.
Tuesday	Chicken and Bean Soup	Take the beans and divide them into three separate portions.  #1) Place 1/3 of the beans in a bag and freeze #2) Use one-third of the beans for tonight’s dinner. #3) Save the other third of the beans for tomorrow.  Make soup with yesterday’s stock. Sauté onion or any combination of celery, carrots, peppers, garlic, and more. After they become translucent, add the beans, and cook until tender.  At the last minute add some greens (kale, swiss chard, and/or spinach), and serve with half a lemon for dinner.
Wednesday	Bean Dip, Veggies, and Soup	Take the reserved beans, cook until tender, and puree. Add some tahini and lemon juice to puree. Optional – add in garlic. Serve the hummus with cut-up fresh vegetables & the leftover soup from yesterday.
Thursday	Chili Night	Chili: 1 lb. ground beef, chicken, or turkey.  -1 onion  -1 pepper -1 large can tomatoes -Add chili powder, cumin, and cayenne to taste.   Serve in bowls and top with sliced lime wedges, & grated cheese.
Friday	Nachos	Nacho Night  Bake tortilla chips and top with:  -leftover chili -reduced fat cheese Roast in a 350° oven until cooked through.   Top with fresh or canned tomatoes
Saturday	Leftovers	Leftovers Who wants soup? Who wants chili? Who wants tacos? Hummus & diced veggies?  Add some fresh fruit for dessert & you’re set.

• Eat at home 6 days out of the week and only cook on 3 nights.  You will then be able to afford a treat night. 
• Consider today’s leftovers as tomorrow’s ingredients.  After making a large batch of sautéed onions, peppers, and onions, use the mixture in an omelet or add it to a spaghetti sauce or build it into rice and meat for burritos. 
• Use clear storage containers to see what is kept inside.  They are reusable and sustainable.  Keep them in the front for easy accessibility and for a constant reminder.  Also, zip-top bags are great for freezing.  The bags can even be washed and reused.   
• Have a purposeful Leftovers Night.  If you happen to make three different meals Monday through Wednesday, combine all your leftovers to create a special meal.  Turn leftover chicken, beans, and tomato sauce into a Chicken Chili. 

You should find that you will save money by following these easy adjustments to your planning and cooking schedules. 

Getting a big bang for your dollar at local farms and farmers’ markets

As an EBT card holder, you can use the DTA Finder map, to find a local farm or farmers’ market that accepts SNAP EBT cards as well as offers additional Healthy Incentive Program (HIP) benefits.  HIP puts money back on your EBT card when you use SNAP to buy healthy, local fruits and vegetables from HIP farm vendors.  For example, you use the map to find a farmers’ market near where you live.  Visit the market, find the HIP farm vendor (should show HIP signage), choose your family’s favorite fruits and vegetables, and pay with your EBT card. More information on HIP can be found here. 

Some other tips to follow while at the farmers’ market include: 

1. Plan ahead.  Make a list of needed items for the recipes you have laid out for the week. 
2. Understand what in-season items are so you know you are getting the best produce grown locally, click here for a Massachusetts list.
3. Stock up on hearty vegetables that will last a long time when stored properly; carrots, potatoes, or butternut squash are some examples.  Remember not to store potatoes next to onions.  The onions release a gas that causes the potatoes to sprout faster.  Make sure your potatoes are in a paper bag in a dry, dark space. 
4. Your most cost-effective option is to buy in bulk to get the best price.  Freeze what you will not use right away. 
5. Make sure to use the more perishable produce first.  It is best to have a plan for use, so they do not go to waste.  These fruits and vegetables have the shortest shelf life: bananas, berries, cherries, greens, and tomatoes.