East Texas Food Bank nutritionist gives healthy eating advice

EAST TEXAS (KLTV) – March is National Nutrition Month, but eating healthy is easier said than done, especially when financial obstacles are in your way. East Texas News Weekend’s Vanessa Johnson spoke with a nutritionist to learn which foods are best to have in your pantry, no matter your budget.

Maintaining a nutritious diet can be hard with the price of healthy food and with the lack of free time people may have in a day. Ami Boyer, a nutrition education specialist with the East Texas Food Bank, says to watch what you put in your body.

“If we aren’t giving our bodies the best building blocks, that can lead to nutrition diseases, like hypertension and diabetes,” Boyer said.

According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), individuals and families who are low-income are more likely to purchase cheaper foods with inadequate nutrients. The ODPHP recorded that more than 30 million people in the US live in households that are food insecure and fall under this category.

“Trying to learn how to eat healthy takes little baby steps,” Boyer said.

She gave a few tips to improve your eating habits without breaking your budget.

“Buy in bulk. If you love rice, get a big bag of rice. It will last you months, and you only have to buy it that one time. Another thing is seeing what’s on sale and seasonal. It’s about strawberry season, so strawberry prices are going to go down a lot,” Boyer said.

She also said there are certain foods you will want to keep around.

“Staples that I always recommend for people to have at home are dried beans, canned items and any dried grains, so any dried pastas, rice,” she said.

Having frozen vegetables is also recommended. If you have space and time, you could also try growing some fruits and vegetables at home. If you’re able to make the drive, the Judy B. McDonald Public Library in Nacogdoches is giving away free seeds for a variety of produce.

Source: kltv.com