Eating healthy on a budget can seem difficult; but it can be done! Being creative can help you stick to your budget and incorporate nutritious foods into your diet. Try to incorporate some of these healthy foods under $1 into your weekly menu planning.

Apples (raw with skin)
Great for: Snacks, green salads, main dish salads and fruit salads
What's a serving? 1 large apple
Nutrition Info per serving: About 116 calories, 5.4g fiber, 17% Daily Value for vitamin C, 7% Daily Value for potassium

Baby Carrots (raw)
Great for: Snacks, casseroles, stews, veggie platters and side dishes
What's a serving? 8-10 baby carrots (3 oz)
Nutrition Info per serving: About 30 calories, 2.5g fiber, 234% Daily Value for vitamin A

Oranges (fruit 2-7/8” diameter)
Great for: Snacks, green salads and fruit salads
What's a serving? 1 large or extra large orange
Nutrition Info per serving: About 70 calories, 3g fiber, 138% Daily Value for vitamin C, 7% Daily Value for potassium

Pears (raw)
Great for: Snacks, as an appetizer with cheese, green salads and fruit salads
What's a serving? 1 large pear
Nutrition Info per serving: About 133 calories, 7g fiber, 16% Daily Value for vitamin C, 8% Daily Value for potassium

Yogurt (plain, low fat or fat-free)
Great for: Smoothies, yogurt parfait, dips and dressings
What's a serving? A 6-ounce container is usually a serving.
Nutrition Info per serving: (for 6 ounces of fat-free plain yogurt): 95 calories, 10g protein, 34% Daily
Value for calcium, 12% Daily Value for potassium

Broccoli
Great for: steamed as a side dish, tossed in salads, mixed in brown rice or whole wheat pasta dishes
What’s a serving? 1 cup raw, ½ cup cooked
Nutrition Info per serving (1 cup chopped raw broccoli): 31 calories, 0g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 11% Daily Value for vitamin A, 135% Daily Value for vitamin C

Labor Day usually signifies the end of summer so let's make the most of the long weekend!  Keep it healthy at your picnics and parties.  Grilling is a great option.  There are plenty of fruits and vegetables still available - corn, squash, peaches, and melon. 

And, don't forget to stay physically active!  By exercising as little as 30 minutes a day you can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Have a Happy and Healthy Labor Day!

What's for dinner tonight?  Are you cooking at home?  Be sure to use nutritious ingredients.  Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans. We can reduce heart disease by promoting a healthy diet and lifestyle.

For suggestions and ideas to plan your weekly meals, check out our 150 new heart-healthy recipes at www.heart.org/healthyrecipes!

Despite Congress being on August Recess, Farm Bill negotiations will be taking place throughout the month, as the House and Senate attempt to reach an agreement that can be voted on before the current bill expires on September 30th.
Unfortunately, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), which provides fresh produce snacks to kids in low income elementary schools, remains at risk, both in terms of the program’s funding and integrity.  The House bill has proposed slashing funding for the program by 1/3 and aims to open up the program beyond fresh fruits and vegetables to include frozen, dried, and canned. 

Read this Washington Post article for more info.



Black Bean Salsa 6 servings

Toss all together, chill at least one hour:

Road trips can take a toll on everyone – here are some ideas to keep things healthier while on the open road:

Make “rest breaks” active: pick a road stop or park and get the family out of the car to take a brisk 10-minute walk and move around. Not only will it burn off some energy, but it can also help the driver feel rejuvenated and more alert.

Pack healthy snacks: finding healthier snacks at road stops can be difficult. Pack apples, grapes, raisins, whole grain fiber-rich crackers or another favorite low fat, low sodium healthy snack to take with you.

Pack to play: plan to incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routine while you’re away from home. Pack a football, soccer ball, Frisbee, or paddle balls so that you can be physically active throughout your downtime.

Reach for water: sitting in the car for long periods of time can make it tempting to drink soda, which has extra calories and added sugar. Pack water (flavored or regular), fat free or lowfat (1%) milk and small portions of 100% juice to quench your thirst.

Summertime means grilling time!  Time with family and friends and time to enjoy delicious foods.  There are all kinds of tasty foods to grill up, plus those sides, desserts and drinks that round out the meal.  The American Heart Association wants you to keep these important tips in mind to help you grill “fat-sensibly” through the summer season.

• Go for grilled fish more often. The healthiest types include salmon, trout and herring, which are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

• Buy chicken breasts – and remember to remove the skin before eating – instead of the fattier dark meat (legs and thighs). Or try grilling up chicken or turkey burgers using breast meat, and add diced onions for another layer of flavor. 
• Drink water or diet soda. Regular sodas are loaded with sugars and calories.
• Go green… and red, orange, yellow, purple and more.  Serve green leafy salads or grilled vegetables.

• Try grilling fruits like pineapple slices, nectarines, peaches or plums – the natural sugars caramelize with the heat and give them great flavor. Fruits are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber – and they’re low in calories.

• Multi-task with one bottle… Use reduced-fat, low-fat, light or no-fat salad dressings (if you need to limit your calories) on salads, for dips or as marinades.
• Watch the salt – cut back on salty seasonings and condiments like teriyaki, soy and barbecue sauce.

Inactive children are likely to become inactive adults. Join the American Heart Association as we strive to teach kids the importance of staying active and eating healthy. Help your child live a stronger, healthier life with some of these programs and activities.

Eating fish twice a week is a great way to improve your heart health!

If fish isn’t already a regular part of your diet, do your heart a favor and try a serving once a week, preferably twice.

The benefits come from omega-3 fatty acids. While fish oil supplements are popular, the American Heart Association does not consider them a sufficient replacement for eating fish.

The full benefits of a fish-friendly diet are difficult to quantify, but there is plenty of evidence that people who eat fish regularly are less likely to have cardiovascular disease. There’s also the simple fact that whenever you eat fish, you are cutting something else from your diet, particularly other protein sources that may be less healthy and higher in saturated fats.

Read more . . .

Eighty percent of American voters favor national standards that would limit calories, fat, and sodium in snack and À la carte foods sold in U.S. schools and encourage the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy items, according to a new poll commissioned by the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project, a joint project of The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected soon to propose updated standards. The standards likely will apply to snacks and beverages—such as sugary drinks, salty snacks, pizza, ice cream, and french fries—that can be purchased from vending machines, school stores, and à la carte lines in cafeterias. The standard that applies to them now is 30 years old and does not reflect current nutrition science.

Research shows that, during a typical school day, four in 10 students purchase and consume snack foods or beverages, and that such foods are often unhealthy because they are high in fat, sodium, and calories.

View other resources about snack foods and beverages in school.

Dietary Patterns Exist Among U.S. Adults Based on Demographics

Scientists say they have identified five eating patterns for U.S. adults that are strongly influenced by age, race, region, gender, income and education.

The five dietary patterns are:

Southern:
fried, processed meats, and sugar sweetened beverages
Traditional:
Chinese & Mexican food, pasta dishes, pizza, soup & other mixed dishes including frozen or take-out meals
Healthy:
mostly fruits, vegetables and grains
Sweets:
large amounts of sweet snacks and desserts
Alcohol:
proteins, alcohol and salads

Findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2012 Scientific Sessions.  Learn more about healthy diet goals.

• Men who drank one sugar-sweetened beverage a day had a 20 percent higher risk of heart disease compared to men who did not drink any sugar-sweetened drinks.
• Daily sugar-sweetened drink consumption was also linked to higher levels of harmful lipids in the blood and inflammation.
• Artificially sweetened beverages did not increase heart-disease risk in this study.

 

Looking for the American Heart Association's Heart-Check Mark on food packaging in the grocery store is a good first step in creating a sensible eating plan.  In September 2011, changes and enhancements to the program were made to be inclusive of foods that can be building blocks to a heart-healthy dietary pattern.

View nutritional guideline chart.

To be certified, a product must meet the specific nutritional levels.  These levels are based on a single serving size as specified by the FDA for an individual food (officially known as Reference Amount Customarily Consumed or RACC) unless otherwise specified.  Others aspects of federal health claim regulations may also apply.