Eating Local on a Budget

Transcription

1 Agenda Eating Local on a Budget Introduction Why Local Food? Is Local Food More Expensive? for Buying Local on a Budget EWG s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen EWG s Good Food on a Tight Budget Questions? Presented by Brittany Bethel, Regional Foods Coordinator Dubuque County ISU Extension and Outreach Local Food Systems Quiz! 1. It is estimated that Iowans spend how much money on food each year? 8 BILLION DOLLARS 2. What percent of food purchased is produced in Iowa? ABOUT 10% EXAMPLES? Local Food System Quiz 3. If Iowans purchased 5 servings of locally produced fruit or vegetables per day for 3 months, how much would it add to the Iowa economy? $302 MILLION DOLLARS 3. How many jobs would it add to the Iowa economy? 4,094 JOBS Issue #1: Who s our farmer? Who s growing our food? Who is going to farm and what are the opportunities for a beginning farmer to begin to farm? Can most beginning farmers make a living with a conventional farming operation given Current land prices Current machinery prices 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% Percent of Iowa Farmers Over 65 and Under 35 Years Old 5% 0% < 35 > 65 1

2 Opportunity #1 Lower Capital Costs Iowa Agriculture Sales Capital costs for beginning small/medium scale farmers is less for local producers Decreasing Acreage in Fruit & Veg Production in Iowa Issue # 2 Health Status of Iowans In 1929 veggies produced on 52,915 acres. Today => less than 12,000 acres In 1929, fruit orchards on 63,185 acres Today => less than 3,000 acres different commodities produced Today => <10 commodities produced for sale Two-thirds of Iowans are either overweight or obese Iowa s direct costs attributable to obesity = more than $783 million o $198 million paid by Medicaid o $165 million by Medicare (59) Since 1996, there has been more than a 60% increase in the rate of diabetes in Iowa More than 11% of Iowa households do not have regular access to safe and nutritious food The economic cost of hunger in Iowa = about $1 billion dollars Do people just want junk food?! Opportunity #2 Health Benefits Advertising Dollars for One Year As access to locally-grown food increases, food security improves, more fruits and vegetables are consumed. Increased fruit and vegetable consumption substantially lowers the risk of developing obesity, diabetes, heart disease and could prevent at least 20% of all cancers. Iowans are interested in the health benefits, food safety and quality of local foods $300,000,000 USDA Nutrition Education Series1 $371,400,000 Coke, M&Ms and Wrigley's Gum 2

3 Issue #3 Salsa Plant Syndrome! Opportunity #3 Eating local allows people to reconnect people have 10 times as many conversations at the farmers market than they do at the supermarket Eating local provides more food choices Eating local restores integrity Increased diversity of produce, bred for flavor and nutrition vs. storage and shelf life stability Local food relies on relationships build on trust and integrity, fairness, responsibility, and respect. Introduction Why Local Food? Agenda Is Local Food More Expensive? for Buying Local on a Budget EWG s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen EWG s Good Food on a Tight Budget Questions? 2009 Study Is Local Food More Expensive? Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Objectives Document prices of foods Iowa s farmers markets, supermarkets, natural food markets and butcher shops Compare prices for local vs. non-local and local vs. local Data Collected on 5 dates, in 5 Iowa cities, 4 retail venues Vegetable Basket: zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, string beans, sweet onions, tomatoes and sweet corn 3

4 Is Local Food More Expensive? What do we spend on food?! Findings Mean Price/lb for local farmers market vegetable basket: $1.25 Mean Price/lb for non-local supermarket vegetable basket: $1.39 If an individual bought 1 lb of EACH vegetable in the basket $8.84 for local $10.45 for non-local 2005 Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics 1 person, one earner: $68 a week 2+ persons, one earner: $121 a week 2+ persons, 2 earners: $144 a week 2+ persons, 3+ earners: $184 a week USDA data shows In 1929, how much of our disposable income was spent on food? 23.4% of disposable income 20.3% at home and 3.1% eating out In % of disposable income 5.5 % at home and 3.9% eating out % Spent on Food At Home Americans 5.5% Germans % French % Italians % South Africa % Mexico % Kenya % Pakistan % Gates Foundation True Cost of Food While the shelf price may be lower, consider. Taxes paid for Environment recovery due to loss of biodiversity and run-off Subsidies that we pay to help support industrial agriculture Health care costs Diseases that could be mitigated by increased consumption of fruits and veggies Higher dollar % in the farmers hands Concentration of Power In a Food System that serves over 311,590,000 people in the US # of Players in our Food System Retailers & Restaurants Processors, Manufacturers & Wholesalers Farmers Series 1 USDA Economic Research Service Source: USDA, Patel, Nestle; Scale, National. 4

5 Agenda Disparity in Sales A small portion of food sales goes to the farmers Annual Sales Revenue Retailers and Restaurants Processors, Manufacturers & Wholesalers Farmers Series 1 Introduction Why Local Food? Is Local Food More Expensive? for Buying Local on a Budget EWG s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen EWG s Good Food on a Tight Budget Questions? Source: USDA, Patel, Nestle; Scale, National. for Buying Local on a Budget M A K I N G S I M P L E C H A N G E S I N SHOPPING COOKING LIFESTYLE Improve Your Shopping Habits 1) Eat seasonally Eat during a crops PEAK season First tomatoes and asparagus will always be HIGHLY priced because the supply isn t ready to meet demand be patient and you will save! Resources Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Harvest Calendar! Buy Fresh Buy Local Directory Seasonal Cook Books Average Tomato Price on West and East Coast Change Your Shopping Habits 2) Create purchasing criteria o Which foods are you flexible with and which will you always buy when they are local and/or organic? 3) Shopping at farmers markets check out prices before buying consider different quantities and packaging Shop near the end of market 4) Choose recipes before you go to market so you have a list Make sure they re seasonal recipes OR flexible recipes 5

6 Changing your Shopping Habits Changing your Shopping Habits 5) Meats Whole animals and cuts with bone in are cheaper Often times more flavorful and moist! Stewing cuts are cheaper than hamburger and steak Experiment with new recipes using new cuts of meat Eat fewer animal foods that are higher quality 6) Food Stamps Check and see if farmers market accepts SNAP or WIC benefits 7) Look beyond vegetables Great variety of local cheeses, meats, processed and baked goods! 8) Stick to your grocery list. o Decrease your impulse purchases 9) Shop the perimeter of the store first. o Fill your cart with healthy whole foods like fresh produce and meat o Track the cost of the extras you buy! Changing your Shopping Habits Change your cooking habits 10) Experiment with vegetarian sources of protein. Bean, lentils, nuts, seeds, eggs 11) Buy all your grains in bulk and store in airtight containers. o Brown rice, millet, barley, rolled oats, granola 12) Additional resources for budget and food purchasing planning o 1) Plan your menu around seasonal fruits and veggies 2) Eat the whole vegetable 1) Ex: use beets AND beet greens as a substitute for cooked greens like spinach, chard or kale 3) Use less expensive ingredients as your main dish not JUST as side dishes 1) Ex: beans and rice! 2) ½ your plate veggies/fruit Change your Cooking Habits Change your cooking habits 4) Use a slow cooker o Great for less expensive stewing meats, root vegetables and soups 5) Waste Less, Spend Less 1. Compost your kitchen scraps and you ll have better garden soil that will produce MORE veggies! 2. Don t through away bones! 3. Can t use fresh baked bread fast enough?! 6) Use Your Freezer 1) Flash-freezing freezes each piece separately instead of freezing them into one big lump. 2) Fruits will be at their lowest prices during their growing season, so stock up and freeze them to enjoy all year long in smoothies, desserts and hot cereal 6

7 Change your cooking habits Change your cooking habits 7) Save money and time by cooking in bulk o Pick one or two days a week to cook meals o Add a green salad or easy and fast side dish to add variety 8) Experiment with One-Pot dishes o Ex: soups, stews, or casseroles, oatmeal o Save on preparation time, money, and dishwashing and makes great leftovers 9) Make new meals from previous ones o All leftovers can and should be used for another meal o Ex: Soups, stews, or stir-fries 10) Dessert Popsicles. Home baked items. Yogurt. Change your Lifestyle Change your lifestyle 1) Grow your own fruits and vegetables 1) Cultivateiowa.org 2) Can, freeze, pickle and dry fruits and veggies by yourself or with others while they are in season o Ask farmers at the market for bulk prices o Register for the upcoming Food Preservation 101 Workshop Tuesday, May 6th o Start with Freezing o sliced peppers, whole tomatoes and berries o Enjoy the bulk, in-season discounts all winter long! 3) Join a community garden o Great for meeting knowledgeable gardeners willing to help you! 4) Join a CSA 5) Eat nutrient-dense foods Evaluate how much money you are spending on items such as soda cookies, crackers, prepackaged meals, processed foods, etc. 6) Eat at Home o Takeout doesn t count o Don t underestimate how much you pay for convenience! o Reducing your meals out by 1 or 2 times per week can save you about $15 - $25 per week (Saves ~$1,000/year) 7) Allocate more time to shopping, cooking and eating! o This is our other precious resource! Try out a cooking marathon! Try out a cooking marathon! Cooking all your meals for the week in 3-4 hours! Friday - Take a perishable food inventory Friday or Saturday AM - Figure out seasonal recipes you can make with the perishable items you have on hand Use seasonal and local cookbooks Asparagus to Zucchini or Fresh, Fast Food Friday or Saturday AM - Make a list of the items you need for the recipes you want to make Saturday Shop at Farmers Market Be flexible with your recipes learn to substitute! Saturday or Sunday - Shop for any items you are unable to find at the market Look for Local signage at your grocery store! Sunday or Monday - Cook 3 or 4 meals for the week (depending on family size!) Teach your family to eat leftovers Be okay with your kitchen getting messy!! (it s only once a week!) Invest in a LOT of serving size containers! When recipes are done they should be put away in individual containers Save you time and work in the morning and night! Start with recipes that have to simmer or bake Cook versatile recipes Ex: Rice can be used in stir fries, put into wraps, served with roasted root veggies Ex: Salsa or guacamole can be used in wraps, with eggs, alongside rice and beans or used for a healthy veggie or chip dip 7

8 Try out a cooking marathon! Agenda Benefits Kitchen is dirty ONCE! Your weeknights are free! Your family can have home-cooked meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Example of a weeks recipes Egg Scramble, strata or quiche Use local onions, potatoes, greens, herbs, eggs, sausage or bacon Wraps Use local cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, cheese, home-made or locally made hummus, greens Stir fry Brown rice, seasonal veggies: broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, snap peas, cilantro, peppers, green onions, local honey or maple syrup Soup Start soups with local onions, carrots, celery and add different beans and herbs in your pantry (Use your own stock!) These are all HIGHLY versatile food options that can change with the season and offer a great variety of flavors year round!! Introduction Why Local Food? Is Local Food More Expensive? for Buying Local on a Budget EWG s Dirty Dozen vs Clean Fifteen EWG s Good Food on a Tight Budget Questions? Environmental Working Group Ranks pesticide contamination on 48 popular fruits and vegetables based on an analysis of more than 28,000 samples taken by the USDA and FDA. Apples Celery Cherry tomatoes Cucumbers Grapes Hot peppers Nectarines - imported Peaches Potatoes Spinach Strawberries Sweet bell peppers Kale / collard greens + Summer squash + Agenda Asparagus Avocados Cabbage Cantaloupe Corn Eggplant Grapefruit Kiwi Mangos Mushrooms Onions Papayas Pineapples Sweet peas - frozen Sweet potatoes Introduction Why Local Food? Is Local Food More Expensive? for Buying Local on a Budget EWG s Dirty Dozen vs Clean Fifteen EWG s Good Food on a Tight Budget Questions? 8

9 EWG s Good Food on a Tight Budget Fruits Research behind study USDA data sets for Nutrient Content USDA s Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies National Average Prices USDA s Food Prices Database Portion Sizes and Food Groups MyPyramid Equivalent Database and USDA s MyPlate Foods rated on 5 factors Beneficial nutrients Nutrients to minimize (ex: sodium) Price Extent of processing Harmful contaminants from environment Most nutrition for the lowest cost Low in sugar and pesticides Vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium Goal: 2 servings daily Local Snack Cut and freeze fresh fruit when in season, on sale or overripe Use in smoothies, oatmeal or yogurt Eliminate clumping by ice cube trays or pans Fruit List Apricot Cantaloupe Honeydew Pear* watermelon* Avocado Banana* Grapefruit Kiwi Nectarines Papaya starfruit tangerine Vegetables Vegetables Vegetables most nutrition for the lowest cost 70% of us don't eat enough Eat a variety of vegetables Goal: 3 servings daily The more the better! Dark Green Veggies broccoli collards kale lettuce romaine mixed salad greens mustard greens parsley spinach turnip greens Orange and Red List pumpkin carrots* pumpkin fresh sweet potato tomatoes tomato juice* Tip Try Organic Sweet red and green peppers Starchy List corn frozen lima beans fresh potatoes* Tip Eat less of these high carbohydrate vegetables Potatoes and green beans may have more pesticides than other vegetables. Check $$ for OG Vegetables Protein The Rest alfalfa sprouts* brussels sprouts cabbage* eggplant green onions* okra frozen onions* snow peas zucchini yellow squash other summer squashes Eat more, and eat a variety of vegetables. Vegetables about to go bad? Freeze them or make soup Stock up on long-lasting vegetables when in season! Store them in a cool, dry place. Add healthy flavor. Toss green onions on stir-fries, dips, rice or soup. Stuff parsley in tomatoes, serve over grilled fish or meats, serve with hummus Nuts & Seeds walnuts* hazelnuts* almonds roasted, unsalted peanuts roasted, unsalted* pecans sunflower seeds* Add nuts to oatmeal, cereal, salads and stir-fries for a healthy, hearty meal. Raw nuts are often cheaper. Roast them for a delicious snack. Nuts stay fresh longer in the freezer. Beans & More black beans* black-eyed* peas cowpeas* eggs* lima beans garbanzo beans* lentils* mung beans pink beans pinto beans* red kidney beans* white beans Soak and cook dried beans to save money. Canned beans save time, but rinse them before using. 9

10 Protein Dairy Meat Chicken Turkey Goat Whole or cut-up bone-in chicken can be a money saver Bake extra and use all week. Make stocks with bones and skin Skip processed meat like hot dogs, sausage and deli meats. They are high in salt and additives Lean meats have fewer pollutants. Pack the most nutrition for the lowest cost. Calcium, protein, potassium and vitamin D without a lot of sugar or unhealthy fats. Milk List low-fat dry milk* non-fat dry milk* low-fat (1%) milk non-fat or skim milk soy milk Not all dairy products are rich in calcium. Fatty foods like cream cheese, sour cream, cream and butter have little or no calcium Dairy Cooking Fats & Oils Budget Dry milk powder plus water makes a low-cost substitute in recipes. Freeze cheese that starts going bad. Defrosted cheese tastes best melted. Don't buy shredded cheese shred it yourself. Substitute yogurt for cream and sour cream in recipes. To cut cost and packaging waste, buy in large containers and measure out small servings. Yogurt List non-fat plain yogurt Skip flavored, "light" and "lite" yogurts. They often have sugar, artificial sweeteners and additives. Add fruit to plain yogurt or cottage cheese. Cheese List cottage cheese* queso blanco* queso fresco* ricotta* Tip Eat less cheese. Use it for flavor, not to fill up. Health Skip solid and trans fats. If it's solid at room temperature or the label says trans fats, beware. Remove chicken skin. Eat less beef, pork, cheese, lard, butter, stick margarine, shortening Oils List canola oil* corn oil* olive oil** peanut oil safflower oil** soybean oil* sunflower oil** $ ** Use these oils to give a flavor boost to salad dressings. Or mix 1 part with 9 parts of cheaper oil for great flavor and nutrition at a lower price. Make your own cooking spray with a spray bottle and your favorite oil. You'll use less oil and save money. Staples & Spices Spices Great to have on hand to create tasty, low cost home-cooked meals in a flash. can be bought in bulk or in larger sizes when on sale. Staples List honey or brown sugar peanut butter soy sauce - low sodium vinegar Dijon mustard stock for soups - low sodium whole wheat flour Spices List salt pepper onions garlic lemon juice cinnamon cayenne pepper Handy to have bay leaves cumin rosemary thyme vanilla extract chili powder dill fennel ginger lime juice dried oregano paprika parsley Spices go stale, so they are best bought in small amounts and whole when you can find them. Grinding only what you need helps them keep longer and you don't have to use as much. The best way to save on spices: grow your own! 10

11 EWG s Top 10 Good Food on a Tight Budget Remember 1. Plan and save. 2. Add more fruits and vegetables to your meal plan. 3. Add beans and lentils to your meal plan. 4. Skip processed foods like frozen pizza, cookies and soda. At home 5. Cook and freeze large batches. 6. Grow your own. At the store 7. Stock up to save money. 8. Spot bargains on fresh fruits and vegetables. 9. Compare labels. 10. Look for deals at your farmers market. Whenever you buy food, you are making a choice It s a learning process! Trying new foods Finding joy through shopping, cooking and eating Trying new recipes and share Accentuate the positive Don t set yourself up for failure by creating ironclad rules! Sourcing ANYTHING locally is a success Look for Labels! Ask Questions If you re not sure where the milk, cheese, beef, chicken or produce is coming from in your grocery store or favorite restaurant ask! You may be surprised at what you find out Produce managers are terrific sources of information Talk to farmers at the market Hear their stories Know how your food came to your table! Poke around Grow Something Can t find a source of local flour? Ask your extension office Check your Buy Fresh Buy Local directory Check out the following sites Pickyourown.org Eatwild.com Localharvest.org Realtimefarms.com If you don t have room for a full-fledged garden Plant a window garden, kiddie pool garden or potted garden! Start with crops that have high turnaround Lettuce, arugula, radishes, sorrel ready in <1 month! 11

12 Take Field Trips Make Every Choice Count! Visit U-Pick Farms! Strawberries Blueberries Pumpkins Grapes Apples Check your Buy Fresh Buy Local Directory for farms near you! Visit a winery! Participate in the Driftless Farm Crawl and tour local farms Look for opportunities to change the sourcing of your food! Can you switch your coffee to a locally-roasted brand? Try locally brewed beer or wine! There are lots of options for doing something great! Resources Is Local Food More Expensive? Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture EWS s Good Food on a Tight Budget Environmental Working Group Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce Environmental Working Group Buy Fresh Buy Local Directory Sustainable Table Local Harvest MarketMaker Thank you! Q UESTIONS?? BRITTANY BETHEL R E G I O N A L F O O D S C O O R D I N A T O R D U B U Q U E C O U N T Y I S U E X T E N S I O N O F F I C E B B E T H E I A S T A T E. E D U