AVOID PROCESSED FOOD : Watch your wallet *and* waistline! : 10 Easy Ways to Living Affordably Organic

Today marks the start of Week 2 of a 10-week series: 10 Easy Ways to Living Affordably Organic! 

In Week 1 we learned that a big key to living Affordably Organic is to KNOW YOUR FOOD.  Week 2 covers another great way to save money and eat healthy:

AVOID READY-MADE and PROCESSED FOOD.

Ready-made and processed foods are almost always higher in:

- Cost

- Sugar

- Fat

- Mystery ingredients

- Amount of ingredients

Check out your typical, name brand “energy” bar, which costs about $1.50 when sold individually:

DRY ROASTED ALMONDS AND PEANUTS, BROWN RICE SYRUP, SOY CRISPS (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, TAPIOCA STARCH, SALT), RICE CRISPS (RICE FLOUR, RICE BRAN, ROSEMARY EXTRACT), EVAPORATED CANE JUICE SYRUP, DRIED FRUIT BLEND (STRAWBERRIES, CRANBERRIES, SUGAR, RICE FLOUR, SUNFLOWER OIL), WHOLE OATS, HIGH OLEIC CANOLA OIL, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, AND LESS THAN 1.5% OF INULIN (FROM CHICORY), SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR, SOY LECITHIN, NONFAT MILK. MINERALS: CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, FERROUS FUMARATE (IRON). VITAMINS: ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), VITAMIN B6 HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1).

Did you count the ingredients?

30.

30 INGREDIENTS.  (And I can’t even pronounce some of that stuff…)

Here’s more info:

Calories = 210

Sugar = 9 grams (that’s a little over TWO teaspoons of sugar)

Fat = 10 g

(source:  www.powerbar.com)

Zoinks.

It’s basically a really expensive, chewy slab of sugar, that’s got a little bit of protein and fiber thrown in.

The good news is that you have options.  Lots of tasty, wholesome, easy-to-make options.  Instead of reaching for the processed stuff, make healthier versions at home.  Sure, making substitutes may take a little more of your time but it will also take big stress off your wallet and waistline.  This goes for spreads, dips and sauces (like hummus and pesto); salsa; granola; breads; and yes, energy bars.

Try my popular recipe for healthy, SEVEN-ingredient energy bars below. (My kiddos call them Super Bars because it makes them feel like super heros!  This is the snack that was featured recently on The Patch, and that I brought to the Georgia Organics Annual Conference a couple weeks ago.  People went bananas.) 

This no-brainer bar cost about 75% less than your average store-bought energy bar. That's a huge savings....  It only takes 10 minutes to assemble and an hour to bake.  Easy peasy.

Check back this week for more easy recipes for making healthy substitutes to processed foods.  (Breads and pesto and artichoke hummus - oh my!)

Organically yours,

Minde

P.s. Join Affordably Organic on Facebook!

(What are YOUR favorite subs for processed foods?  I want to hear about it...)


SUPER BARS

• 1 cup nuts, chopped (use almonds, walnuts or a mix of whatever suits your fancy… You can also use banana chips for a nut-free option.)

• 1 cup organic oats, quick-cooking

• ¼  cup sesame seeds

• 1 cup organic dried berries

• 1 t. cinnamon

• ¾ - 1 cup organic sweetener - honey or maple syrup

• 1 t. vanilla (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees.  

Lightly grease or spray 9x13" baking pan.  

Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl, stir together.  

Add sweetener and mix thoroughly. (Use your hands.)  

Using wet spatula or hands, press mixture firmly and evenly into pan. 

Bake for one hour.

Allow to fully cool before cutting.

Easy-to-make Super Bar ingredients:

I prefer using organic oats but use Quaker in a pinch...

Yummy, healthy, portable (great on-the-go snack food) and easy on the wallet!