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Name: Matthew Thomas N#: N00647838 Thrifty Food Plan Reflection Questions

1. What was your total allotted amount of money per day according to the Thrifty Food Plan: $ 6.06 (according to the Official USDA Food Plans, January 2013). 2. What did you actually spend on your days of eating: a. Day 1 (required) $ 6.06 b. Day 2 (optional) $ 5.96 c. Day 3 (optional) $ 5.98 3. If you were within your budget, what foods helped you save money? Yes I remained in budget, the foods that helped me save money consisted of choosing produce that were in season such as grapefruit and strawberries as well as purchasing frozen vegetables for cooking. Another tactic I did to place a emphasis on healthy and inexpensive drinking alternatives besides water which included home brewed tea (from tea bags) and making it unsweet ice tea as well as naturally flavored and zero sodium, calorie seltzer water. Seltzer water is a excellent alternative because it is cheap, has no calories and can fulfill the carbonation cravings we have without relying of sodas and soft drinks which are not only pricy but also not health promoting. 4. What were your MyPlate servings for each food group? a. Grains: 8 oz. per day b. Vegetables: 3 cups per day c. Fruits: 2 cups per day d. Dairy: 3 cups per day e. Protein Foods: 8.5 oz. per day f. Oils: 7 tsp. per day 5. What were some of the difficulties you had with:

a) Menu planning/MyPlate Guidelines: fulfilling the recommend amount of dairy and protein.

b) Purchasing: staying within budget, lack of coupons for many produce both fresh and frozen.

c) Preparation: limiting the amount of spices and dried herbs to what I already had on hand.

d) Convenience: Being on campus during the lunch hours Sunday through Friday limits many food options to bring that require refrigeration, heating, or take up a lot of room in my backpack. Lunch items must be extremely portable and not messy. I am going vegetarian for the Lent season that make this especially challenging to fulfill the protein needs. I love vegetables but they do not keep me full for a long while. Vegetables are relatively expensive for this narrow budget.

e) Storage and disposal: Keeping foods warm or cool in my backpack while I am on campus for most of the workday limits my options for bring along lunch and AM and PM snacks. 6. How did you feel about following the Thrifty Food Plan budget for a day? What do you think it would be like to permanently live under this kind of budget? This was an incredible challenging to follow a budget so constrictive. One of the major challenges for me was the rigid structure of a set food plan. I tend to be a grazer when it comes to eating so having a predetermined plan time and budget I found the most difficult. I certainly give the individuals whom actually have to live on this restrictive budget a firm handshake. I see first hand how it is incredible easy to fall into eating highly processed foods because they are cheap and they keep you full which I believe is a major driving force behind Americans with this kind of food budget. The availability of many store, fast food, and manufactures incentives and coupons are often readily available on these prepared and processed foods which is why it is easy to purchase that instead of fresh or frozen fruits, veggies, and lean protein sources when they oftentimes cost more and are less filling. Hopefully members with facing this tight food budget utilize one of the numerous Government funded programs that aid in the financial barriers with purchasing food alone as well as healthy foods.

7. What did you learn about the MyPlate guidelines, Thrifty Food Plan, and eating healthy? How would you use this experience in counseling persons with limited incomes?
I believe this experience helps us as future dietitians mold our knowledge and personal experience of trying to eat healthy while being on a very restrictive budget is a excellent bargaining chip as we enter the dietetic counseling field. I believe, being able to personally place ourselves the same situation, as these low-income individuals will help them build trust and companionship with us in trying to help/educate them. Personally, I found this assignment to be challenging to meet my nutrient needs even with my heightened knowledge about food and nutrition which goes to show how this experience is even more of a challenge for low income individuals whom do not have the knowledge nor resources as we (as dietetic students) have. Some additional barriers these low-income individuals encounter are the limited access to healthy foods (often times residing in food desert), limited transportation, increased medical concerns and many more financial barriers.

EXAMPLE Thrifty Meal Plans using MyPlate Guidelines

Menu Plan Day 1 Menu EXAMPLE Generic 2 c. Bran flakes 1c. w/skim milk & 1 small Banana L 1 oz. ham on 2 slices. white bread Medium Apple D- 1 c. Macaroni and cheese (from box, made with water) with 2.5 oz. canned tuna 2 c. Tossed salad w/ 1 tsp oil and 1 tsp vinegar Snack smoothie: 1 medium banana & 1 c. skim milk, 1 cup baby carrot sticks (precut), 4 whole grain crackers

Food Group Grains Fruits Vegetables Dairy Meat/Subs Other

Total Total Cost Actual Intake (if different than Servings per plan) food group 7 svg .77 I ran out of cereal so I only had 1 cup for breakfast instead of 2 cups. 3 .50 2 .83 2 .90 6 1.80 Had same item for dinner each day (1, 3 oz can tuna was .90 cents. 4 .60 3 sugar subs, mustard, and oil Grand Total $5.40 Slightly over second day so used for day lower cost meat subs third day

Comments/Reflections: I was able to get the macaroni and cheese at buy one get one free so it saved money. I chose to eat that another day for that reason. My MyPlate tracker said that I needed 4 servings of vegetables in a day but I couldnt afford to buy any more and I could only eat a cup of carrots. If I bought the carrots whole (and not as baby carrots), I couldve saved a dollar. Bananas are cheap and thats why I had 2 in one day to meet my fruit goal.

Thrifty Meal Plans using MyPlate Guidelines Menu Plan Day 1 BREKFAST: 8 oz. OJ (from carton fortified with Vit. D & Calcium), 1 fat- free peach Greek Yogurt & 100 % WW Toast 1 slice AM SNACK: 1 banana LUNCH: 100% WW bread slices (2), 3T peanut butter (non hydrogenated), 3 fresh strawberries (thinly sliced to place on sandwich), & baby carrots 3 oz. PM SNACK: 16 individual Animal Crackers DINNER: 12 oz. Unsweet brewed Ice Tea, 1 c. brown rice cooked with 2 c. frozen broccoli florets-roasted with whole lemon- juiced, & Tofu (firm) 3 oz. DESSERT: 6 oz. Chocolate Soy Milk Comments/Reflections: Fresh strawberries are in season so I incorporated them into the PB sandwich substituting for jelly. A one- pound bag Animal Crackers were on sale for $1. The lunch is based on being portable and non-refrigerated so I can consume on campus between classes. Greek yogurt was on sale for 10 for $10, excellent bargain. Food Groups Grains

Total Servings per food group

6.5 oz.

Cost WW bread (3): $.66 Crackers: $.10, Brown Rice: $.36, OJ: $.55 Banana: $.34 Strawberries: $.21 Yogurt $1 Chocolate Soy Milk: $.24 Carrots: $.44 Broccoli: $.62 Peanut Butter: $.75 Tofu: $.66 Tea: $.01 Lemon: $.12 TOTAL: $6.06

Actual intake (if different than plan)

Fruits Dairy Vegetables

3 cups 1 cups 2 cups

Strawberries vary in size so price/nutrition may slightly vary

Meat/Substitutes 6.5 oz. Other Oils: 6 tsp Sat Fat: 10 g Sodium: 1994 mg

Menu Plan Day 2 BREAKFAST: 8 oz. Organic Fat-Free Milk, grapefruit, & 2 hard-boiled eggs. AM SNACK: 7 Whole Wheat Saltine Crackers LUNCH: 1 whole sweet potato, & 1 oz. roasted unsalted almonds. PM SNACK: 1 banana, 1 Chewy Granola Bar, & 12 oz. Unsweet brewed Ice Tea DINNER: 4 large cheese ravioli, 2/3 cups frozen green peas w/ 1 tsp. pepper, 1.4 tsp. salt & 8 oz. Naturally Flavored Seltzer Water. DESSERT: 8 oz. Chocolate Soy Milk, 16 Animal Crackers, 2 T peanut butter (non- hydrogenated).

Food Groups Grains

Total Servings Cost per food group

6 oz. WW cracker $.12 Ravioli $.75 Animal Crackers $.10

Actual intake (if different than plan)

Fruits Dairy Vegetables Meat/Substitutes Other

2 cups

Grapefruit $.50 Banana $.34 2 cups Org. Milk $.50 Chocolate Soy Milk $.33 2 cups Sweet Potato $1 Peas $.32 7 oz. Egg $.17 (each egg) Almonds $.42 PB $.50 Oils: 6 tsp. Granola Bar $.66 Sat Fat: 17 g Tea $.01 Sodium: 2536 mg Seltzer Water $.24 TOTAL: $5.96

Comments/Reflections: Fresh Red grapefruit is in season thus it is incorporated into meal plan. Almond is categorized as a protein source due to the vegetarian food plan.

Menu Plan Day 3 BREAKFAST: 8 oz. OJ (from carton fortified with Vit. D & Calcium), 1.5 c. Original Cheerios (unsweetened) with 4 oz. Organic Fat-free milk, & 1 banana AM SNACK: fresh strawberries (8) LUNCH: 100% WW bread slices (2), 3T peanut butter (non-hydrogenated), 1 banana, 3 oz. baby carrots. PM SNACK: 16 Animal crackers DINNER: c. brown rice w/ 2/3 c. frozen green peas, 1.5 c. mixed salad greens with 1.5 oz. baby carrots, 3 oz., 2 hard boiled egg- sliced, 1 tsp olive oil, lemon, freshly squeezed, & 12 oz. unsweet brewed Ice Tea. DESSERT: 8 oz. Chocolate Soy Milk and 16 animal crackers.

Food Groups Grains

Total Servings Cost per food group

5.5 oz. Cheerios $.42 WW bread (2)$.44 Animal Crackers $.20 Brown Rice $.01 OJ $.55 2 bananas $.68 Strawberries $.55 Milk $.25 Chocolate Soy Milk $.33 Baby carrots $.60 Green Peas $.32 Mixed Greens $. 40 PB $.75 Egg $.35 Tea $.01 Lemon $.12

Actual intake (if different than plan)

Fruits Dairy Vegetables Meat/Substitutes Other

3 cups 1 cups 2 cups 7 oz.

Oils: 5 tsp. Sat Fat: 19 g Sodium:1381 mg TOTAL: $5.98

Comments/Reflections: In the PB sandwich, banana was used instead of strawberries like 2 days ago to provide variety. The same 2 fruits are commonly interchanged in the menu to provide variety, reduce spoilage of fruit and both fruits are inexpensive. Peanut butter is categorized under meat and substitutes due to its fairly high protein content in this vegetarian menu.


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: