Here are some of our favorite fitness and nutrition tips:

• Encourage her to exercise for beautiful skin. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on expensive skin potions, help her to rev up her fitness routine. Exercise is one of the smartest ways to improve her skin’s function and appearance. Some of the skin benefits include:

• Weight management. Weight fluctuations can ultimately impact your skin’s elasticity, which can lead to sagging and wrinkling.

• Improved circulation. It enhances the delivery of healthful nutrients to your skin cells, and the removal of potentially damaging toxins.

• Stress mediation. People under stress frequently report acne flare ups and dull skin. Exercise helps to diminish your stress levels, quieting the hormones that are causing these problems.

• Introduce her to simple and delicious ways to take better care of her heart. More than 100 million Americans have elevated cholesterol levels. Encourage her to eat a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol for heart health. Take her grocery shopping and show her the variety of products now available with CoroWise® plant sterols to help lower her cholesterol levels without sacrificing flavor or convenience, and while staying within her usual grocery budget.

• Observe National Women’s Checkup Day, Monday May 14. Improve her chances of staying well by encouraging her to get regular health screenings. This handy chart will help you determine what screenings she may need depending on her age bracket. Of course, always follow her doctor’s advice.

• Download a phone app for her. Not only can phone apps educate her as to how many calories are really in that piece of apple pie (i.e., more than she thinks), she can use them to track how many steps a day she’s actually taking (i.e., fewer than she thinks). That’s the brilliance of healthy phone apps: they’re a technological reality check against the illusions of our minds.

• Help her maintain a sunny, positive attitude. Even if she doesn’t love what she does for work, she can still find enjoyment in life by participating in a hobby about which she is passionate. Help her to find just the right activity that is sure to bring a smile to her face, whether it is an art class or a volunteer opportunity.

This is HER time. Help her make her health a top priority by eating right, staying fit and active, and living a well balanced life.

Here’s our grocery shopping tip

Smart Balance® HeartRight® Light Buttery Spread contains CoroWise® Naturally Sourced Cholesterol Reducer™ brand of plant sterols, which have been clinically shown to help reduce cholesterol. It is also an excellent source of EPA/DHA Omega-3s to support heart health. You get a light, buttery taste with half the fat of butter and regular margarine. Check out the Smart Balance website for a complete list of benefits plus some very delicious recipes.

The Dr. Oz article mentions only spreads made with plant sterols, but we know eating a variety of foods is also important. You can find CoroWise® plant sterols in an assortment of tasty products, from Corazonas™ tortilla chips and oatmeal squares to VitaTops™ muffin tops and even dietary supplements such as Cardio Chews™ sugar free dietary supplement and Cardio Juice™ Heart Healthy beverages.

What’s for dinner?

Check out our recipe page for simple and delicious menu ideas! We have recipes for every course on your menu, from a quick and easy, four-ingredient main dish of Spicy Orange Chicken made with Minute Maid® Premium Heart Wise® Orange Juice to a yummy Rice Pudding dessert made with Smart Balance® HeartRight® Fat Free Milk.

More amazing recipes are featured on our Facebook page and in The Wellness Advisor magazine.

CoroWise® is a registered trademark of Cargill, Incorporated.  All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

This article is from the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of The Wellness Advisor® magazine.
Subscribe to get the print edition here.

Sometimes it seems that we are so focused on getting the fat out of our diets, that we forget that some fat is actually necessary for our health. And if you are concerned about your heart health, you should know that some types of fat can help your cardiovascular system function better.

Let’s start with a few basics. We need fat:

• To carry fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K throughout our bodies
• To provide essential fatty acids that our bodies cannot produce on their own
• To give us energy
• To act as the substance that stores our body’s extra calories
• To support skin health
• To insulate and protect our organs as we move about during our daily lives
• To help regulate our body temperature
• To help reduce cholesterol levels (this refers to polyunsaturated fats)

How Much Fat Do We Need?

This is where it may get a little confusing. The Institute of Medicine (IOM), a non-governmental agency that advises our national leaders on health issues, established an Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) of 20 to 35 percent of our energy—calories—as fat (which has nine calories per gram). Achieving 20 percent of our calories from fat can be very difficult for the average American. For most of us, fat makes up about 33 percent of our daily calorie intake. If a person is not overweight or obese, consuming this level of fat in the diet does not present a health problem, as long as the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are chosen most frequently.

But wait! The heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is relatively high in fat. How can this be? Its emphasis is on the good types of fat. So, the message is that we need to eat more of the right kinds of fat.

Good Fat/Bad Fat

Fats fall into three categories: saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated.

1. Saturated fats are found in foods of animal origin (meats and dairy) as well as some oils, such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil. Saturated fats are probably one of the most significant in their relationship with heart disease because they raise LDL cholesterol levels. That can lead to a buildup of plaque in your arteries.

Try to reduce your saturated fat intake by 10 percent. That’s relatively easy to accomplish by choosing leaner cuts of meat (no highly marbled steaks), fish and skinless chicken. Choose low-fat dairy products such as skim milk. And buy soft margarine instead of butter. Avoid stick margarines or any other type of solid shortening product. The process of hardening a liquid oil is called hydrogenation—and it’s what creates trans-fats which may increase the risk of heart disease. The IOM recommends trans fatty acid consumption be as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.

2. Polyunsaturated fats are found in oils that come from grains such as corn oil, safflower oil, soybean oil and canola oil. If you replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats, it has a protective effect against heart disease.

Fish oils also fall into this category. Numerous studies have shown that we need at least two servings (8 oz. total) of oily fish a week. People who eat a lot of fish seem to have less heart disease. So if you like to eat mackerel, sardines and salmon, you’re in pretty good shape as far as this requirement.

If you have coronary heart disease or are at risk for heart attacks and strokes, you should talk with your physician about increasing your fish oil consumption to about a gram a day. You might want to start taking fish oil supplements. The EPA and DHA fatty acids in fish oils can also be found in flax seed oil and canola oil. But our bodies have a harder time converting them into the EPA and DHA that we need.

3. Monounsaturated fats come mostly from olives, avocados and nuts. They have some beneficial effect by helping to prevent cholesterol increases. It’s fine to substitute monounsaturated fats for saturated fats. For example, replacing butter with olive oil.

Realistic, Practical Advice

Children up to three years old need more fat in their diets than their older siblings or parents. It should account for about 30 to 40 percent of their daily calories. Children whose parents keep them on rigidly low-fat diets tend not to thrive as much as children whose diets have higher fat content.

Also children up to two years of age should not have dietary fat severely restricted because it supplies the energy, or calories, that young children need for growth and active play. After age two, encourage children to gradually choose foods with less fat, saturated fat and trans-fat.
From four years to young adulthood, it’s time to teach children how to eat sensibly. They may eat pizza and burgers outside of the home, but recognize that they learn how to make their best nutritional choices based on what you serve at the kitchen table.

Speaking of eating out, when you go to restaurants just assume they are using fat in whatever they cook. This is especially true of fast food restaurants. You’re better off ordering broiled chicken sandwiches or salads. If your resolve weakens, and you get a mammoth burrito or monster hamburger, you could easily be eating your entire day’s worth of fat at one time.

It’s Okay To Splurge Now and Then

We all know that fat enhances flavor. There really are no bad foods. There are just foods we should eat in moderation. All of us need to enjoy some dietary time-outs now and then. Being able to taste and enjoy the wonderful flavors is fine once in awhile. It’s what you do habitually—day in/day out—that counts.

Even though this winter has been relatively mild in most parts of the country, many of us probably gave into our tendency to spend the last three months indoors enjoying heavier comfort foods. After all, it’s fairly easy to hide the weight we’ve gained beneath extra layers of clothes. Now it’s time to shed our bulky sweaters, our extra pounds and our sedentary winter lifestyle.

In this issue of The Wellness Advisor® magazine, we’re welcoming the coming of spring by revealing new ways to get fit and re-energize your life. Plus we’re sharing some of our favorite new recipes, news on product introductions, and more!

Here’s just a small sampling of what you’ll find in our Spring/Summer issue:

• Tired? If you’ve been feeling sluggish lately, you may want to stock up on Dr. Joseph Keenan’s top five foods that help fight fatigue. He explains how what you eat, and sometimes even how you eat, can either make you tired or help you maintain a steady energy level all day long. Then keep reading, because Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist Maria Spano has provided us with her list of five foods that lead to a good night’s sleep.

• Need to lose weight? Dr. Rebecca Reeves takes the guesswork out of choosing a diet plan. She was among 27 physicians, psychologists, dietitians, researchers and other healthcare professionals asked to evaluate 25 of the most popular diets. In this article, she reveals which diets came out on top, and offers her professional advice for customizing a diet to fit your individual needs.

If you haven’t yet joined our Facebook page, or followed us on Twitter, we invite you to do it today! These are great ways to join in the discussion and stay motivated to live a healthier lifestyle

This article is from the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of The Wellness Advisor® magazine.
Subscribe to get the print edition here.

Muscle mass is key for overall health, as it helps keep your metabolism cranking, improves fat burning, protects your bones and helps hold everything in tighter (I like to think of it as my “metabolic shapewear”).

The challenge is that with low-calorie dieting, stress, aging, lack of exercise and poor nutrition, you can easily lose this precious resource. It turns out that of the 30 to 35 percent of the population who aren’t overweight or obese, roughly 50 percent of them are TOFI (Thin Outside, Fat Inside)—due to not having enough muscle mass.
Thankfully this is easy to turn around by consistently using these five simple strategies:

1. Use ‘em or lose ‘em: You must do regular exercise to maintain/build muscle mass. Focusing on resistance training exercises using free-weights that engage multiple muscle groups (including your core) allow you to get fit more quickly. Aim to do two to three exercises for the four major muscle groups (hips/thighs, power core, arms and chest/back) two to three times a week. Allow for at least 48 hours of rest between exercise sessions. You should do multiple sets of eight to 12 repetitions with a 60-second rest break between sets using the heaviest weight you can handle and still maintain good form. Research consistently shows eight to 12 repetitions to be most effective for muscle hypertrophy.

2. Feed ‘em: Muscle requires protein to rebuild and recover, so it is critical to make sure you are eating well. To increase muscle mass, eat balanced meals every four hours, with one of those meals within an hour following your exercise session. This is how I helped Brandon Routh pack on 24 pounds of muscle for his role in Superman Returns. Take what you would normally eat in a day and divide it into four meals that each have lean protein, loads of non-starchy veggies, a small amount of healthy fat and a serving of a high-fiber carbohydrate. My favorite recovery meal after a workout is a protein shake using 25 to 30 grams of a high-quality protein powder (whey, pea and/or rice), 1 cup of coconut milk, 1 cup of frozen fruit (I like berries) and 1 tablespoon of chia seeds (you can also use ground flaxseed meal). You should eat ½ to 1 gram of protein for each pound of lean body mass, which is about 80 to 105 grams for a 140-pound woman and 110 to 145 grams for a 180-pound man. This should be divided between those four meals. If you aren’t as concerned with building muscle and are really looking to maintain, then you can eat three balanced meals (eat every four to six hours) and one optional snack.

3. Rest ‘em: Your muscles need rest to grow. Over-training and reducing recovery between workouts can ultimately undermine your efforts by causing you to break down more muscle than you are building up. Giving your body a break between sessions and getting seven to nine hours of quality sleep nightly are critical not only for muscle mass development but also for fat loss, overall energy and optimal health.

4. Don’t overstress ‘em: Being stressed out can lead to a hormonal imbalance that may make it harder for your body to build muscle mass. Stress can also affect digestive function, what you eat, and how you eat. On the bright side, resistance training can be a great stress-reliever! Just make sure to take a couple days off between sessions for muscle recovery.

5. Confuse ‘em!: It’s so easy to get into a rut with your workout routine, so to keep seeing results you need to keep changing things up. An easy way to avoid the ruts is to hire a trainer or join a class (look for a core strength and conditioning program) so that you are forced to try new things. It keeps it fun and challenging, and more importantly, you will reap the rewards!

This article is from the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of The Wellness Advisor® magazine.
Subscribe to get the print edition here.

Whether you are a college student or parent, spring break conjures images of fun in the sun, perhaps eating fast food and dancing as your main form of exercise (or running after your children). Think of spring break as the lead-in to summer and a great time to focus on foods to help you look and feel good in your bathing suit (or shorts)! I often remind clients and friends that everyone can eat healthy on the road—it’s about the choices you make. We can always choose foods because they TASTE good and I would argue that foods that are GOOD for you TASTE good, too!

There are many hotels that offer complimentary breakfasts, where you can start your day with some nourishment without breaking the bank. It is super easy to either travel with shelf-stable items or hit a grocery store where you are visiting. In many cities, there is a Walmart or Target nearby, and they offer many healthy options, as do many convenience stores. You may want to begin by making sure you have drinkable water, perhaps some dry cereal, fruit (fresh, dried, canned), whole-grain crackers, pretzels, tortilla and potato chips (such as Corozona’s heart-healthy tortilla and potato chips), and even shelf-stable cheese. It is good to have handy snacks readily available.

Grab ‘n Go Food Ideas:

• Pre-packaged yogurt shakes
• Mini bags of chips, pretzels, popcorn, tortilla chips, graham crackers, whole-grain crackers
• Apple sauce
• Fruit cups
• 1% fat cottage cheese
• 2% string cheese
• Soup cups
• Rice and beans
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
• Raisin or craisin boxes
• Dried fruits or veggies
• Granola bars
• Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, etc. (avoid oil-roasted and salted)

When dining out, try to select restaurants that have a variety of foods. Try to make it a point to eat your veggies every day—salads or soups are a great way to account for your vegetables if you watch the amount of toppings you use on them. Here are some tips from my book, Living Skinny in Fat Genes: The Healthy Way to Lose Weight and Feel Great.

Tips For Ordering:

• Order a la carte
• Order one extra appetizer as an entrée
• Order all dressings and sauces on the side
• Move bread or chips to the other side of the table (if you think you will overeat them)
• Avoid buffets (it’s not about the value)
• Pay attention to soft drink and alcohol consumption (they equal liquid calories)
• Words to Look for When Ordering:
• Au jus (cooked in its own juice)
• Baked
• Braised
• Broiled
• Marinara
• Primavera (vegetables)
• Poached
• Roasted
• Steamed
• Stir-fried (ask them to go light on the oil)
• Vinaigrette
• Words to Avoid When Ordering:
• Alfredo
• Au gratin
• Cheese sauce
• Bearnaise
• Breaded
• Beurre blanc
• Buttered
• Creamed
• Crisp
• Exercise

Spring break is an amazing opportunity to get your one hour or more of physical activity in each day without any excuses such as school assignments or work. If the hotel does not have a gym—don’t fret—you can use your own body weight as resistance. Just start with a decent pair of sneakers. You can begin your fitness regimen by walking or taking the stairs. Jumping jacks are a wonderful way to get your heart rate going and warm up your muscles. You can then move into squats and lunges, followed by pushups and sit ups. It may feel a little bit like boot camp or your old Phy Ed class, but you can certainly start off with a low number of repetitions and work your way up by adding a few more each day. Don’t forget—you can do triceps dips off a stair or use a bag or purse for bicep curls. You can stretch at the end of your workout—this is best to do at the end of your workout—like the cherry on top of the sundae!

You can make your spring break or any vacation a healthy one! There is no need to return to your old routine feeling bad because you over-did it. Instead, you will return invigorated, stronger and relaxed!

This article is from the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of The Wellness Advisor® magazine.
Subscribe to get the print edition here.

Life is like a road filled with twists and turns, stoplights, r­oadblocks and occasional detours. There are times you will cruise along for miles, and then other days when you’ll hit every traffic light along your commute. Regardless of where you are along your course, maintaining a positive outlook and can-do mindset will help you live a happier life.

Staying positive means that you believe every day is open with possibility. In the face of setbacks, you realize there are new opportunities that lie ahead. Now, being positive doesn’t mean that you never feel down, upset, frustrated or angry.

However, it does mean that you bounce back quickly and find solutions to everyday problems. Why is this so important? Your outlook on life will determine how you feel and where you are headed. You can walk around feeling good every day or discontent and miserable.

The choice is yours. And you’ve heard the phrase, “What you believe, you can achieve!” Well, it is true! Scientists who study behavior change found that believing you can change is the biggest predictor of what will happen in your future.

Though some researchers believe that certain people are born with a “glass overflowing” mentality, the environment in which you grew up, life events, and what you do to help yourself and the people with whom you surround yourself can impact your outlook on life.
How do you flip the switch in your mind so that you can develop a positive outlook? Follow these easy steps:

Do What You Love

Even if you don’t love what you do for work, you can still find enjoyment in life by participating in a hobby about which you are passionate. Do you miss your high school art classes? Take one at a community college. Are you energized by helping others? Try Habitat for Humanity or volunteer at a local nursing home.

Exercise

Take a 15-minute walk break during your workday, hit a local park at 5 p.m. or put in an exercise DVD at night after the kids have gone to bed. Exercise diverts your mind from your busy day and helps you work away your stress!
Surround Yourself with

Positive People

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Look at your friends and colleagues and you’ll see your future?” Take a close look at the people with whom you spend your time. Do they make you feel good about yourself and your future or do they put you down and complain all the time? Spend the majority of your time with people who are happy, positive and supportive. If you have Debby Downers in your life, either keep them at arm’s length or talk to them about their attitude.

Speak Positively

Take a look at how you talk to yourself and what you say. Do you look in the mirror and immediately criticize some part of your body? Likewise, do you immediately think, “I can’t” or “I’m not good enough” when presented with a new challenge? Make a commitment to say only positive words about yourself and others. Even if you don’t believe them at first, compliment yourself every day. You can also place words of affirmation on sticky notes throughout your house as reminders. Focus on your positive attributes and soon you’ll feel a lot better about yourself!

Turn Off the TV

The news thrives on getting people’s attention. Crime, stock market drops, tax hikes and celebrities talking about their problems won’t make you feel warm and happy inside.

Set a SMART Goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Sensitive)

Achieving something you set your mind to will boost your self-confidence.

Remember That You Can’t Please Everyone

The sooner you stop trying to please a person who really doesn’t realize your worth, the less frustrated you’ll be. (Note: don’t try this with your boss).

Developing a positive outlook on life takes a little practice, but once you start making changes you’ll quickly feel empowered!

This article is from the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of The Wellness Advisor® magazine.
Subscribe to get the print edition here.

Many of us choose foods for heart health and to help us control our weight, but surprisingly few of us consider how what we eat affects our eyes.

The truth is that good nutrition is essential for eye health. Much of what we know about eye nutrition has been handed down through folklore. Now scientific research is confirming that many delicious foods are truly a powerful feast for our eyes.

Think Of Your Eyes as Tiny Car Engines

Our eyes are highly metabolic organs—which simply means that they require a lot of oxygen and glucose (energy) to run properly. And just as cars also need the right oil and other fluids—in addition to gasoline—or you’ll get a lot of pinging and stalling, your eyes also need the right combination of enzymes, minerals and other nutrients if we expect them to work well. When you rev a car engine, you use up gas, which generates a lot of emissions that go out the tail pipe. Your eyes operate in much the same way. But as they use energy, the toxic by-products that your eyes produce from oxidation—called free radicals—just sit around, and can potentially cause damage until they are removed. So free radicals are formed by the process of seeing. Your eyes may also create free radicals as the result of damage. For example, the high glucose levels associated with diabetes can damage eye vessels and tissues, resulting in higher-than-normal levels of free radicals. While your body does have an amazing ability to heal itself, we all know that once things are repaired, they are rarely as good as when they were new.

Nutrients That Help with the Clean-Up Process

Antioxidants soak up the free radicals created by oxidation, and assist your body in repairing damaged tissues. Some antioxidant-rich foods that are particularly good for eyes include:

Wolfberries: Also known as goji berries, this bright red fruit is traditionally used in Asia to treat eye diseases. Wolfberries contain zeaxanthin and lutein, which may have benefits for patients diagnosed with macular degeneration, and is currently being investigated in a clinical trial sponsored by the National Eye Institute. Additionally, recent emerging evidence indicates improvement in retina structure when wolfberries were given to mice with early-stage type 2 diabetes. Deep green vegetables and brightly colored fruits: Zeaxanthin and lutein are pigments that are found naturally in our retinas and in other brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Zeaxanthin is abundant in bok choy, kale, collard greens and spinach as well as orange peppers. Corn is high in lutein. Other fruits and vegetables high in these important nutrients include kiwi fruit, grapes and squash.

Carrots: Science has confirmed that our mothers were right. Carrots contain beta carotene, which is good for our eyesight and has also been shown to be beneficial in helping prevent age-related eye disease. Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are turning out to be excellent nutrients for maintaining general health, and are particularly good for our hearts and blood vessels, brains and cholesterol levels. Now there is growing evidence that they are beneficial for the eye’s macula, as well as the very common condition called dry eye (tear deficiency syndrome). Dry eye happens when the body doesn’t produce enough tears or good quality tears. Just as you need the right ratio of oil and vinegar to make a good salad dressing, you need the right tear components to make good tears. Many people with dry eye have a deficiency in the lipid or fatty component, and we’re discovering that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acid can improve that component. In addition to fatty fish and fish oil supplements, another source for omega-3s is flax seed oil. It’s important that you buy whole or whole-ground seeds—or the actual flax seed oil. Flax seed husks are fine for regularity but they won’t help your eyes. Another source is chia seeds, which have been used as a health and energy supplement in South America for ages.

Billberries: Grown in North America, Europe and parts of Asia, the billberry has been used for thousands of years in traditional European medicine. Billberries are a member of the blueberry family, and are chock-full of antioxidants. During the World Wars, the Royal Air Force pilots in England would eat billberry jam because they were convinced it improved their night vision. Although there have been no conclusive studies to support this, it certainly makes sense—based on all the data we’ve gathered looking at antioxidants—that billberries may very well have given these pilots a visual edge over the enemy.

Vitamin C: A recent study suggested that vitamin C might be beneficial for glaucoma. While the study was far from conclusive, it’s relatively easy to load up on vitamin C as you increase your intake of fruits and vegetables to take advantage of their other antioxidants. Aim for 500 to 1000 mg per day. Because vitamin C is water-soluble, it’s difficult to get too much of it. As with most anything, however, moderation is best. And so it turns out that the things we intuitively feel are good for us turn out to be so. A plate filled with brightly colored foods isn’t just wonderful to see with our eyes; those brightly colored foods are also essential to nourish our eyes.

• In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 had a recurrent attack.

• About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one.

• This is an equal opportunity disease affecting as many women as men.

There are steps you can take to reduce your risk.

We thought it would be fun to give you some creative ways to focus on your own heart health this month. See our Facebook page to join the discussion!

• Wear red! February 3rd is National Wear Red Day, a day when Americans nationwide wear red to show their support for women’s heart disease awareness. This special day gives everyone a chance to promote heart disease awareness movement by wearing red clothing or a Red Dress Pin.

• Plan heart-healthy dates. Doing something unusual can be romantic. So plan a date at an ice skating rink, go bowling, take a walk around a lake, take a Zumba class or learn to samba. End the night with a bit of dark chocolate.

• Get a change of scenery. Escape the day-to-day stress by heading out of town. Take a day trip to the mountains or the beach. Or plan a longer excursion to a spa destination. Rent a cabin in the woods. Or if you can’t leave town, take an afternoon off for a couples massage. Turn off your electronic devices and simply enjoy living in the moment.

• Dine out with friends. Look online at the nutrition information for local restaurants, and choose one with healthy options. Then gather your friends for a feast of sharing. Each person can order something different and heart-healthy from the menu. Sample a bit of everything, family style.

And one more idea: Shop for a lasting reminder to take care of your hearts at the American Heart Association’s Shop.heart.org.

This article is from the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of The Wellness Advisor® magazine.
Subscribe to get the print edition here.

Times are tough. A poor economy has most people tightening their purse strings and looking for places to save, including their food budgets. What’s a shopper to do?

Here are 10 ways to get the most bang out of your grocery buck.

1. Re-Think Coupons

When it comes to saving on groceries, everyone thinks of clipping coupons first. But you don’t have to rely on the Sunday paper for opportunities to save on your grocery bill anymore. You can register to receive coupons through the mail, or check and see if your grocery store has coupon-generating machines in the aisles. You can even have e-coupons downloaded straight to your smart phone.

2. Read the Shelf Tags

Look carefully at the shelf tags to identify the cost per ounce of the food you’re eyeing. It’s hard to spot a bargain when you aren’t comparing the same quantities of food. And remember, just because it’s more expensive doesn’t mean it’s better quality!

3. Buy in Bulk and Stock Up on Deals

Part of what you’re paying for when you buy packaged food is the actual packaging. Buying food out of bulk bins at your local natural food store can save you that cost. If you have extra freezer or cupboard space, you can also buy large quantities of food to take advantage of deals.

4. Get a Store Discount Card

Too busy to clip coupons? Most major supermarkets offer free discount cards that let you get instant savings on tons of products in-store. Just swipe and save. If you prefer to shop at health food stores, see if there’s a co-op in your area. Cooperatives are owned by the members, and many offer profit sharing.

5. Buy Whole

Sure, pre-cut veggies and grated cheese are convenient, but you’re paying a premium for them. A little time at home with a knife, cutting board and cheese grater can add up to big savings. Case in point: a one-pound bag of whole carrots costs only 99 cents, but that same pound of carrots peeled and chopped into baby carrots costs $1.66. That’s more than a 65 percent markup! And while paying $9.65 a pound for a wedge of Parmesan cheese might seem like a lot, a tub of the grated stuff costs $12.87 per pound—nearly 35 percent more!

6. Experiment with Substitutions

Let’s say you’re hankering for a batch of pesto. Basil is in season so you’ve bought a bunch of those fragrant emerald leaves. But have you seen the price of pine nuts? At $1.77 for just one ounce, it’s enough to ruin your pesto dreams. Don’t give up, substitute! Sunflower seeds cost a fraction of what pine nuts do, and you won’t notice a difference in taste.

7. Plan, But Be Flexible

If you plan your meals, you can avoid buying more food than you need and having your produce spoil in the crisper. Of course, for maximum savings, you should be flexible about meal plans as you shop. You might find a great deal and need to make a last-minute menu change.

8. Buy Produce In Season

Ever bought a tomato in January, then tasted it and wondered why you bothered? Produce that has to travel long distances often costs more and tastes worse. Instead of buying imported raspberries in the dead of winter, wait until locally grown ones are available. They’ll be cheaper and at their most tempting peak of flavor. Two great ways to buy in season are shopping at farmers’ markets or joining a CSA (community-supported agriculture) network, which delivers a basket of fresh local produce to you weekly.

9. Grow Your Own Food

Of course, the least expensive food—and the freshest—is the stuff you grow yourself. Fork over less than five dollars for lettuce plants in the spring, and you can eat fresh lettuce all summer. If space and time are at a premium, start small. You can grow fresh herbs in a window box.

10. Try Meatless Mondays

Promoted by Johns Hopkins University as a way of slashing Americans’ consumption of saturated fat (as well as their carbon footprint), going vegetarian one day a week can also slash your grocery bill. Consider this: a New York strip steak dinner for four costs $19.48, while a mere $7.30 will buy the lentils and vegetables for a big pot of hearty and wholesome homemade lentil soup, with plenty of leftovers to freeze for another meal.

If you’ve got the grocery blues, don’t despair. With some careful planning at home and a little creativity at the store, you may find a pleasingly small number at the bottom of your next grocery receipt.