Grocery shopping is a hard job. You have to provide healthy foods that your family likes, find the time to shop and prepare the foods, and stay within a budget. Wow! That’s a lot to think about.
Using the unit-price label can save you a few cents on each item. This can add up to big savings on your total food bill.
For example:
If you saved 7¢ on every ounce of cereal you bought, and you bought
a 24-ounce box of cereal each week, you would save $87.36 a year just on
cereal!
7¢ savings per ounce x 24 ounces of cereal x 52 weeks per year = $87.36 saved per year
If you think about it, we use unit pricing all the time. For example, we decide where to buy gasoline based on the price per gallon, we buy produce based on the price per pound, and fabric is purchased based on the price per yard. These are all unit-priced items.
A Closer Look
So, where are unit-price labels found? Unit-price labels are usually found on the store shelves below the food items. A unit price makes it easier to compare prices to find the best buy. It also makes it easier to compare the cost on different size packages.
Take a close look at the unit-price label below:
Let’s Go Shopping
Let’s do some shopping using the unit-price label. Compare the two unit-price labels below.
Look at the unit price. Snappy Rice costs 13¢ per ounce and Crackly Rice costs 20¢ per ounce. That means if you buy Snappy Rice instead of Crackly Rice, you will save 7¢ on each ounce of rice. Therefore, Snappy Rice is the better buy or value.
But, if Snappy Rice is a better buy, why does it cost more than Crackly Rice?Even though the total price of Snappy Rice is more than the total price of Crackly Rice, you get twice as much rice when you buy the box of Snappy Rice. Notice that Crackly Rice is a 12-ounce box and Snappy Rice is a 24-ounce box.
Questions
To answer questions #1 and #2, use the following four unit-price labels.
1. Which macraroni is the best buy or value? (Hint: compare the unit prices)
a. Cowboy Macaroni
b. Cowboy Macaroni and Viking Macaroni
c. Acme Macaroni
2. Which box of macaroni costs the least?
a. Viking Macaroni
b. Pilgrim Macaroni
c. Acme Macaroni
Happy Shopping!
Answers
1.b — Cowboy Macaroni and Viking Macaroni — At 6¢ per ounce, Cowboy and Viking Macaroni are the best deals. In other words, you get the most ounces of macaroni for the money you spend when you buy either Cowboy or Viking. Cowboy Macaroni is cheaper than Viking Macaroni because it is a smaller-sized package not because it is not a better value.
2.c — Acme Macaroni — The total price of Acme Macaroni is only 96¢. This is less than the other three brands. Acme Macaroni costs the least because it is the smallest package, not because it is a better buy or value.
Find it: "Nutrition on Your Own: Smart Shopping Saves Money Using Unit Price Labels" by the Texas Department of Health
More: "Choosing the Best Deal" interactive video on how to get the best deal using unit prices.
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information to teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information regarding healthy teens visit www.bestteendiets.org
| Women's Health Turkey Sandwich with Sweet Potato Hummus |
No doubt that with the 19+ pounds of bird your family bought for last night's feast, you are now left with 2+ containers full of white meat and dark meat to use up this next week. It's great to have the pre-cooked meat available to you, (especially since it boasts itself as a low-fat protein) but have you decided what you are you going to do with it all? Here are some suggestions we like.
For sandwiches other than the Day-After-Thanksgiving version, click here.
Cooking Light offers up 20 recipes from sandwiches to salads to burgers to pizza, here.
Read more tips and get more recipes here from WebMD.
Bon Appetit!
By Karen Collins, R.D.
Airport security procedures and airline budgets are leading to ripples of change in layover time, airport restaurant options and in-flight food service. All this adds up to major strategy adjustments for people trying to eat healthy while traveling.
Security and flight changes result in many passengers spending enough time at airports to allow a meal at one of their many restaurants. Options at smaller airports may not be exciting, but most major airports now feature local-flavor restaurants that expand options beyond the repetitious fast-food choices of only a few years ago. Airports generally either limit or forbid any price increase beyond a restaurant’s other locations. Look for the low-fat options and seek out ways to add extra vegetables and fruits in soups, salads and side orders.
For many travelers, time to eat is short. Now that food offered on most flights is extremely limited, bringing food to eat on the plane or while waiting at the departure gate is often the best option. Security regulations allow passengers to carry food and beverages from restaurants located past security screening checkpoints onto planes. (The food is not counted as part of your allowed two carry-on items.)
You can also bring food from home or places outside the airport, but it will need to be inside your carry-on luggage as it goes through security screening. Any non-solid foods, such as yogurt, soup, peanut butter or canned fruit must be in three-ounce or smaller containers and be included in your allotment of carry-on liquids.
A healthy start
If you do not have time to eat before leaving for an early morning flight you can still energize your day with a healthful breakfast. You can pick up yogurt, cereal and low-fat milk or fresh fruit on your way to the gate. Or choose a bagel (whole grain if available). Big bagels are already fairly high in calories so eat them plain, with a dab of light cream cheese, or peanut butter for protein and longer-lasting energy.
Another hearty but healthy breakfast choice could be a small egg sandwich on a bagel or roll, but limit the add-ons like cheese, bacon or butter to no more than one, and definitely skip the high-fat sausage. You should also forego the sugar-loaded fatty pastries and doughnuts that will have your energy hitting the ground before your plane does.
Eating while flying
If flight time coincides with mealtime later in the day, look for low-fat takeout options among the many sandwiches, wraps and burritos. A small deli sandwich or 6-inch sub can work well. Ask for extra vegetables and stick to no more than one high-fat add-on such as mayonnaise, dressing, cheese or bacon, which add 50 to 100 calories each. You can also try a tomato or broth-based soup, vegetarian chili or a stir-fry from grill restaurants. Steer clear of the giant cookies, since they pack 200 to 300 calories each.
If you need a snack, some good choices include yogurt, fresh fruit and whole-grain cereals. Bypass the candy bars at newsstands and choose a one-ounce sleeve of nuts or small bag of trail mix. Some airport stores even have fresh fruit, although you might want to bring a piece of fruit just in case.
But don’t get in the habit of snacking your way through airports and flights as a way to relieve boredom or deal with the stress of traveling. A bottle of water allows you to stay fully hydrated and drink on your own schedule. In contrast, those extra-large mocha whipped-cream coffee drinks have the calories and fat of a whole meal without the nutrients.
On the plane when drinks and snacks are served, think about what you take. Even those small soft drinks and tiny bags of pretzels add unneeded calories and refined carbohydrates. If you didn't carry on a water bottle, ask for water or juice.
Find it: "Your diet doesn't have to take off at the airport" by Karen Collins, R.D.
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information to teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information regarding healthy teens visit www.bestteendiets.org
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| http://bit.ly/KfdY5t |
By Kristi Tamaki, RD / Best Teen Diets Contributor
I myself am not much of a dancer. It's not a matter of having bad rhythm or being uncoordinated... I have plenty of instrumental music experience which involved finding a beat, memorizing music, and using multiple pedals (piano is unique in that way). But I always feel a little bit--okay a lot--awkward at social events such as weddings where I am expected to dance without any sort of dance routine. It's one of the two things in this world I wish I could do but was not born with the natural talent for (singing is the other).
The desire I have to dance and the inability to do it "on my own," so to speak, have forced me to realize that dance classes are the way to go. Hip-hop, swing, bhangra... Why should I be limited just because I can't seem to move on my own? There's just something about being instructed and having steps "spelled out" for me that works. Of course, don't you dare pop me into a circle and tell me it's my turn to improvise...
For the non-dancers like me and those of you special people who CAN and/or love to dance already, here's some news that'll keep you on the dance floor:
Aside from the fact that dancing is a form of aerobic exercise, in multiple studies it has been shown to: help maintain memory; improve balance, posture and flexibility; improve heart health; diminish symptoms of depression; provide energy; and relieve stress. A new study in Sweden found that girls who took a 75-minute dance class two times per week for eight months rated their health higher than those who did not. The girls, between the ages of 13 and 18 years, had what is termed "internalizing problems" which may include "a depressed mood, low self-worth or persistent feelings of tiredness." After participating in the dance classes, girls' self-rating of their own health improved.
Dancing brings about a freedom whether it be in creating your own moves or letting go of stress and worry. Not to mention it can be fun, it doesn't require equipment, it can be a social activity (or not), and it isn't age dependent. Anyone can dance! (And that is coming from a non-dancer!)
Look to after-school programs, community centers like the YMCA, around your local neighborhood for opportunities to get your groove on. And don't forget that you aren't limited to ballet or hip hop. There's flamenco, bhangra, jazz, tap, belly, salsa, folk, modern, line, swing, or square dancing too!
What's your favorite type of dance? Share with us! If you don't know, experiment and find out!
Read more:
"Bust a move: Dancing may lift teens' mental health" by MyHealthNewsDaily
"Let's Dance to Health" by AARP
"Dancing With The Stars: 8 Great Health Benefits Of Dancing" by Laura Schocker
"9 Health Benefits of Dance" by Madeline Knight
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information to teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information regarding healthy teens visit www.bestteendiets.org
By Kristi Tamaki, RD / Best Teen Diets contributor
Have you ever woken up with a sore throat and secretly thought, "hmm, well, guess I can't run today." Think again. Don't let your motivation decline if it doesn't have to. Here's what you need to know next time you are deciding whether to exercise or not when illness strikes:
1. Let your body be your guide. Use the "neck" rule which says if it's above the neck (sneezing, runny nose, sore throat) you probably get a green light. Any body soreness, upset stomach, or chest congestion below the neck, red light. Remember that you can adjust intensity (how heavy your weights are, how fast you run) or duration (length of workout) before totally calling it quits. Feel worse after exercising? Stop. And if you must stop, gradually work your way back up.
2. Germs, germs and more germs. If you share gym space with others, respect their space and wipe down all equipment before and after you use it. Not sick? Do the same wipe-down so that you don't catch somebody else's sickness! And don't forget to wash your hands!
3. Help or harm. In one small study published in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise," subjects who exercised did not recover any better than those who did not exercise. Cold symptoms also remained the same in both groups. Exercising while NOT sick, however, may help boost immune function in the long term. Women who walked 35-40 minutes, 5 days per week for 12-15 weeks experienced approximately half the number of colds as those women who were inactive.
Don't let yourself skip out without first thinking and assessing. You'll thank yourself later!
Read more:
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information to teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information regarding healthy teens visit www.bestteendiets.org
Have you ever woken up with a sore throat and secretly thought, "hmm, well, guess I can't run today." Think again. Don't let your motivation decline if it doesn't have to. Here's what you need to know next time you are deciding whether to exercise or not when illness strikes:
1. Let your body be your guide. Use the "neck" rule which says if it's above the neck (sneezing, runny nose, sore throat) you probably get a green light. Any body soreness, upset stomach, or chest congestion below the neck, red light. Remember that you can adjust intensity (how heavy your weights are, how fast you run) or duration (length of workout) before totally calling it quits. Feel worse after exercising? Stop. And if you must stop, gradually work your way back up.
2. Germs, germs and more germs. If you share gym space with others, respect their space and wipe down all equipment before and after you use it. Not sick? Do the same wipe-down so that you don't catch somebody else's sickness! And don't forget to wash your hands!
3. Help or harm. In one small study published in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise," subjects who exercised did not recover any better than those who did not exercise. Cold symptoms also remained the same in both groups. Exercising while NOT sick, however, may help boost immune function in the long term. Women who walked 35-40 minutes, 5 days per week for 12-15 weeks experienced approximately half the number of colds as those women who were inactive.
Don't let yourself skip out without first thinking and assessing. You'll thank yourself later!
Read more:
- "Does Exercising Worsen A Cold?" by Jackie Carmichael
- "Exercise and the Common Cold" in American College of Sports Medicine's Current Comment
- "Exercise and the Common Cold" by Michelle Zehr
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information to teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information regarding healthy teens visit www.bestteendiets.org
Not too long ago, our friends from WINForum posted the following graphic on Facebook. Maybe you saw it?
It's a sort of "good-to-know" that puts eating into perspective when trying to balance intake and output. (If you missed this one, check it out here)
If you found the picture useful, then we guarantee you'll want to check out the latest tool developed by Coca-Cola in the UK. It's a great way to "check" yourself before you crack open your next soda can. Marion Nestle (@marionnestle) recently tweeted about the new "Work It Out Calculator" that takes the idea of the picture above and makes it an interactive tool for users.
Here's how it works: You click on the Coca-Cola beverage of choice, say Sprite, and up pops ideas on what you can do--anything from salsa dancing to ironing clothes--and how long you would need to do each activity to burn off the respective calories in the Sprite. Need to stay inside due to rain? They have indoor options for that. Hanging around with family? More ideas there too. We really don't think you can come up with an excuse NOT to work off what you drink. The website also offers information on calories, nutrition, and physical activity for readers to check out. Think you might be interested? Try it out and tell us what you think!
Website: www.coca-cola.co.uk
Read more: "Recommended exercise to cancel out calories in drink company's products" by Springwise.com
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for peak performance. For more information regarding healthy eating for teens visit www.bestteendiets.org
It's a sort of "good-to-know" that puts eating into perspective when trying to balance intake and output. (If you missed this one, check it out here)
If you found the picture useful, then we guarantee you'll want to check out the latest tool developed by Coca-Cola in the UK. It's a great way to "check" yourself before you crack open your next soda can. Marion Nestle (@marionnestle) recently tweeted about the new "Work It Out Calculator" that takes the idea of the picture above and makes it an interactive tool for users.
Here's how it works: You click on the Coca-Cola beverage of choice, say Sprite, and up pops ideas on what you can do--anything from salsa dancing to ironing clothes--and how long you would need to do each activity to burn off the respective calories in the Sprite. Need to stay inside due to rain? They have indoor options for that. Hanging around with family? More ideas there too. We really don't think you can come up with an excuse NOT to work off what you drink. The website also offers information on calories, nutrition, and physical activity for readers to check out. Think you might be interested? Try it out and tell us what you think!
Website: www.coca-cola.co.uk
Read more: "Recommended exercise to cancel out calories in drink company's products" by Springwise.com
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for peak performance. For more information regarding healthy eating for teens visit www.bestteendiets.org