The Best Life Blog

Smart Buys at Starbucks

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Coffee shops are like a second office to me when I'm on the road—I can find a Starbucks almost anywhere in the country and they offer reliable internet. In fact, there are days like today when I find myself having one or two meals or snacks there. Thankfully, they have lots of great tasting, healthy, and surprisingly affordable, choices. Here are two meals that I had today along with the calorie and cost breakdown:

Breakfast
Spinach, Roasted Tomato, Feta and Egg Wrap (270 calories, 8 grams fiber) with a tall coffee with about three ounces nonfat milk (about 15 calories)
Cost: $3.95 (Combo meal)

Lunch
Turkey and Swiss sandwich with light mayo (390 calories, 2 grams fiber) with a Grande ice water (0 calories)
Cost: $4.95
Total cost: $ 8.90 (without tax)

I'm a huge fan of meals at home because I have control over my ingredients and can make a great meal for a low cost.  But when that's not an option, it's nice to know that you can get two healthy meals for less than $10 at your local Starbucks.

And here's a waist-friendly and wallet-friendly snack idea: A tall nonfat latte with a piece of fruit. In the mood for something sweet?  Instead of going overboard with a giant cookie or apple fritter (both more than 400 calories!), spend just 80 calories for a small double chocolate brownie cookie with your latte.  

Budget Cuts: Keep or Cancel Your Gym Membership?

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Finances are tight for a lot of Americans, and as a result, many people have started to try to figure out where they can make cuts to save cash. My husband and I have had our own budget discussions recently, and we've debated whether our gym memberships are worth it. Of course, I never want to skimp on my health so I carefully weighed the pros and cons of keeping the membership.

While I was busy considering what I loved and hated about the gym, I started to think about setting up a home gym. I wondered if we had the room for it, how much it would cost and whether or not I was crazy to even consider it. I quickly scoured the articles in TheBestLife.com's library, which feature home workout routines (both cardio and strength training) as well as tips on essential and inexpensive equipment, and realized I could not only build a home workout space, but be successful if we needed to. Ultimately, we decided to stick with our memberships for now, but I know that if we ever do need to take a break, we could skip the gym, save some cash and still stay fit.

When to Go Organic

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Wondering whether you should go organic? There are benefits to choosing organic foods over conventionally grown products; for instance, organic fruits and veggies help reduce your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. And organic farming is better for the environment.

But in these tough economic times, buying organic isn't always an option. So, what should you do? Limit your organic produce purchases to only the most contaminated fruits and veggies. According to the nonprofit organization, Environmental Working Group (EWG), you can lower your pesticide exposure by a whopping 90 percent if you avoid (or buy only organic alternatives of) the produce they refer to as the "The Dirty Dozen," the 12 most contaminated fruits and veggies.

The following table from the EWG will help you decide which organic produce purchases to make. For even more help you can print out the EWG's pocket-size Shopper's Guide to Pesticides.

Source: Environmental Working Group

For more info on healthy eating and weight loss, check out TheBestLife.com.

Save While You Shop

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You can pinch pennies and still fill your cart with healthy picks using use these tips, which come from my ebook, The Grocery Cart Makeover (www.grocerycartmakeover.com).

1. Log on. Check out websites like mygrocerydeals.com or even the site of your local grocery store to find sales and coupons. A savings of $10 per week adds up to $80 over two months. For double savings, pair your coupons with a weekly store sale and bag serious bargains.

2. Be loyal. Most grocery stores have loyalty programs—join and receive personalized savings on the things you buy the most. Some stores even offer discounts on gas, free movie tickets, airline miles, and more!

3. Make a list. Build a weekly menu, then construct a grocery list based on the foods you need for your menu. Shopping from a strategic list ensures avoiding extra trips to the store for forgotten items, and it also keeps your goals in clear view, cutting the temptation to buy extras not on your list. 

4. Plan weekly trips. Go more than once a week to the grocery store, and you'll end up with expensive and empty-calorie extras you don't need. But if you shop every other week, you won't be able to stock up on healthy fresh foods, like milk and produce. Once a week is just right.

5. Go solo. Whether it's your sweetie or your toddler, bringing companions to the store makes it harder for you to stick to your list and can add up to extra cash at the checkout.  

6.  Stick with the basics. Commit to a cart full of healthy foods and leave the rest on the shelf—it's a mindset that will save you money and keep your health on track. Filling your cart with mostly processed, empty-calorie foods will cost you—not only cash, but your health, too.

7. Look high and low. Some grocery stores stock their most expensive items at eye level, so scope the shelves up and down where you'll likely find the less expensive store brands and sale items. Store brand secret: Generic replicas are often made by the name brand companies.

8. Go meatless. Substitute beans, tofu, eggs, nuts, or peanut butter for meat two to three times a week. Meatless protein substitutes are often less expensive and healthier, too.

9. Chill out. Frozen fruit and vegetables are a great nutritious alternative to fresh. Frozen is just as healthy as fresh because fruit and veggies are flash-frozen shortly after harvest, preserving the nutrients. Same goes for canned vegetables without added salt and fruit canned in their own juice.

10. Be a windowsill gardener. Fresh herbs add flavor without fat and sodium, so use them generously. But buying fresh herbs in the grocery store can add up quickly, and they tend to go bad faster than you can use them. Buy a potted version and cultivate your own healthy garden to save yourself some money.

What you put in your cart is like making an investment; while junk food is risky, healthy bites are a safe bet for the long-term. In the end, filling your cart with nutritious picks is a much better bargain then filling it with junk. And if you use these tips, you won't have to spend a fortune to fill your fridge and cabinets with diet-friendly fare.

For more tips on losing weight and saving cash, check out TheBestLife.com.

Budget-Friendly Foods

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We're all looking for ways to pinch pennies in these tough economical times, and believe it or not, you can find some pretty big savings at your supermarket. Check out some of my favorite budget staples below. (Note: The prices reflect the Washington D.C. area where I live—prices in your area may vary.)

CABBAGE
Cost: $1.50 for a two-pound head (five cents per ounce)
Why it's a deal: Cabbage is chock-full of cancer-fighting phytonutrients and is a great source of vitamin C and fiber. Plus, there are so many ways to use it.

CHICKEN THIGHS
Cost: $1.89 per pound (12 cents per ounce)
Why it's a deal: Chicken breast gets all the glory because it's so lean, but even with double the fat and saturated fat, skinless thighs are still a lean meat, with just seven grams of fat and two grams of saturated fat per three ounces cooked.  They're so much moister that you don't have to worry they'll turn out dry. And, they're about half the price.

EGGS (supermarket brand)
Cost: $1.99 per dozen (17 cents per egg)
Why it's a good deal: Eggs offer the highest quality protein, and though they're high in cholesterol, it's usually not a problem for most people. That's because saturated fat in foods—not cholesterol—has a bigger effect on blood cholesterol. And the three grams of saturated fat in two eggs is not much. Looking to cut calories, try liquid eggs in a carton (AllWhites and Better'n Eggs carry the Best Life seal). While liquid eggs are pricier than whole eggs, it ends up costing nearly the same if you remove the yolk and make a cup-for-cup comparison. In other words, 1/4 cup liquid eggs is the equivalent of two large egg whites and costs nearly the same amount.  

FRESH TROUT, CATFISH OR TILAPIA
Cost: $6 to $7 per pound (38 to 44 cents per ounce)
Why it's a deal: Fresh fish can be very pricey. In fact, you can spend $17 or more per pound on some fish, but these three options are usually the least expensive. Trout is my favorite one, and it's also the highest in omega-3 fats.

IN-SEASON FRUIT
Cost: $1.25 per pound or more
Why it's a deal: You often pay less for in-season fruit because it doesn't have to be shipped in from far-away places. I'm lucky enough to have a farmer's market nearby, and I always find that prices are comparable or even a little less than the supermarket. And there's no comparison in taste!

LENTILS (supermarket brand)
Cost: 85 cents per one-pound bag (five cents per ounce)
Why it's a deal: Lentil soup, lentil chili, lentil stew, lentil curry, lentil salad with herbs and vinaigrette—there are so many delicious ways to make lentils. And, all legumes are fantastically nutritious—rich in fiber, iron, B vitamins and phytonutrients—and cook quickly.

OATMEAL (supermarket brand)
Cost: $2.99 per 48-ounce can (seven cents per ounce)
What it's a good deal: You can get your cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber for just 10 cents per 1/2 cup (dry) serving.

PEANUT BUTTER
Cost: $2.50 for an 18-ounce jar of regular (14 cents per ounce); brands that contain no partially or fully hydrogenated oil are usually a little more expensive
Why it's a good deal: Although high in fat, peanut butter contains mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, which don't raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and it's fairly high in protein. It also contains compounds that help lower blood pressure. And, who doesn't like peanut butter? Smart Balance peanut butter carries the Best Life Seal because of it's added health twist: Heart-healthy omega-3s, which in my opinion, more than justify its extra cost. It's still a low-cost, satisfying food.

SARDINES (Brunswick brand)
Cost: $1.49 per 3.75-ounce can (39 cents per ounce)
Why it's a good deal: Sardines are a very good source of omega-3s, and, if you buy them "bone-in" (most sardines come this way), you get more calcium in a 3.75-ounce can than you do in a cup of milk. Check out the "Crispbread Open-Faced Sandwich with Sardines and Sweet Pepper" in Bob's new The Best Life Diet Cookbook—it's really delicious and very easy to prepare.

For more healthy-eating advice, join Bob Greene's TheBestLife.com.