Grocery shopping for a family with children is getting harder. Parents may be facing the uncomfortable decision of deciding what healthy foods for kids they need to give up in order to keep food on the table. But there are a few tricks to get kids the milk and vegetables they need.
Milk is a Healthy Food for Kids
One of the most expensive weekly grocery purchases is milk. Purchasing instant nonfat dry milk is a way to nearly cut the cost of milk in half. Instant nonfat milk is nutritious and easy to use. Current Dietary Guidelines suggest children older than 2 should drink reduced fat or skim milk, according to the National Dairy Council. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently changed its guidelines to include 2% milk for children older than 1 who may be at risk for heart disease or obesity. Using nonfat milk does not jeopardize children’s health and has similar nutritional properties to regular milk.
Save Grocery Money with Powdered Milk
Instant nonfat dry milk can be mixed as needed, so there is no waste. Dry nonfat milk is very similar to skim milk when it is prepared. The best way to get the family used to drinking instant milk is to start by mixing equal parts whole milk and prepared instant milk. As time goes by, gradually decrease the amount of whole milk and increase the prepared instant milk until the family’s tastes have adjusted to the nonfat milk. Even if it is not possible to switch entirely to dry milk, using any dry milk at all reduces the amount of money spent on milk. Dry milk is good to have in the house because it can bridge the gap until payday if the regular milk runs out. Buying the generic brand of instant nonfat dry milk can save even more.
Healthy Kids Need Vegetables
To keep vegetables on the menu with a tight budget, look to frozen vegetables, large jars of applesauce and 100 percent juice fortified with calcium or vitamin C. Applesauce is inexpensive compared to other canned fruits and fortified juices can be a nutritious choice. Look at bulk bags of apples and potatoes, which are often priced considerably less per pound than the loose vegetables. Frozen vegetables are just as convenient as canned vegetables but they can be portioned out to ensure there is no waste.
Reduce Food Waste to Save Money
Making sure that food is not wasted can be the best way to save money on groceries. Using dry milk can eliminate having to pour out spoiled milk because milk can be mixed for one day or one meal at a time. Using frozen vegetables can eliminate waste if only enough is cooked for one meal at a time. Keeping waste under control can save money every week on groceries.
Parents do not have to stop buying milk and vegetables for their children because it is expensive. Using dry milk, frozen vegetables and bulk fruit can reduce grocery costs for these essential items. It is also possible to save money on meat and bread and eliminate paper products in the kitchen.
Genna Cockerham - Genna Cockerham has been writing online since November 2008. She served as Marriage Feature Writer from December 2008 to February ...
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