Food Check-Out Week

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Stretching Your Grocery Dollar With Healthy, Nutritious Food

Feb. 15-21, 2009

Food Check-Out Week is held the third full week of February each year to celebrate the abundance and safety of food.

This year's theme, in recognition of current economic conditions, is "Stretching Your Food Dollar with Healthy, Nutritious Food."

Tips for better nutrition on a tight budget

Have a plan and shop smart:

Prepare a shopping list and stick to it
Don't shop when you're hungry
Plan nutritious meals and snacks you'll prepare at home that include fruits, vegetables and whole grains
Compare prices
Balance the cost of foods with the preparation time required

For more ideas, download tips for better nutrition on a tight budget (PDF, 48 KB).

Understanding food labels

Most packaged foods have a Nutrition Facts label. Use it to make smart food choices.

Serving Size: Know the size of a serving, how many servings are in a package and think about the number of servings you usually consume.
Calories: Fat-free and low-fat foods may have as many calories as the full-fat version of the same product.
% Daily Value: % Daily Value (%DV) tells you how the food fits into a daily diet.

For more information about reading food labels, download understanding food labels (PDF, 64 KB).

Understanding MyPyramid

Use MyPyramid from the U.S. Deptartment of Agriculture to guide grocery shopping and healthier eating for you and your family.

Grains - Make half your grains whole

Eat at least 3 ouces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice or pasta every day
1 ounces is about 1 slice bread, 1 cup of breakfast cereal or 1/2 cup of cooked rice, cereal or pasta

Vegetables - Vary your vegetables

Eat more dark green veggies like broccoli, spinach and other dark leafy greens
Eat more orange vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes
Eat more dry beans and peas like pinto beans, kidney beans and lentils

Fruits - Focus on fruits

Eat a variety of fruit
Choose fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruit
Go easy on fruit juices

Dairy - Choose calcium-rich foods

Go low-fat or fat-free when you choose milk, yogurt and other milk products
If you don't or can't consume milk, choose lactose-free products or other calcium sources, such as fortified foods and beverages

Meat & Beans - Go lean with protein

Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry
Choose low-fat cooking methods, including baking, broiling or grilling
Vary your protein sources by choosing fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds

For more information about MyPyramid, download understanding what MyPyramid means (PDF, 60 KB) and how much should I eat? (PDF, 80 KB).

Visit www.mypyramid.gov for information on physical activity, individualized menu planning, specific serving amounts and size information, more tips and other resources.