Frontline Initiative: Health and Wellness
Cooperative Extension Supports Your Wellness Journey
$5.00 for a dozen eggs! $4.00 for a loaf of bread! As food prices continue to rise, many of the people you support may be looking for ideas to stretch their food dollars. Here are five simple things you can do to encourage them to save money on food. An added bonus is that you can use the tips to stretch your own food dollar, too!
1. Plan
Plan meals for the week. If the people you support are not used to planning meals ahead of time, start small. Plan one or two meals for the week and gradually increase. Looking for a menu that is ready to go? Take the guesswork out of meal planning by using this 2-week menu kit , which includes a two-week menu, shopping list, and recipes.
2. Shop
Make a shopping list and stick to it. Learn more about creating a shopping list at Real Life, Good Food . You will find tasty, healthy, and low-cost recipes, plus tips for making healthy living fit into real life. Check out the step-by-step recipe videos for quick meal preparation.
3. Cook
Instead of eating out, cooking at home saves money. The Real Life, Good Food webpage has recipes and cooking tips. Many of the recipes even have step-by-step videos to guide you. Try the breakfast burrito (recipe below) for an easy and delicious meal at any time of day.
4. Check out SNAP-Ed
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed ) program offers nutrition education to eligible, low-income individuals and families. SNAP-Ed staff teach those using or eligible for SNAP about good nutrition and how to stretch their food dollars further. SNAP-Ed participants also learn to be physically active.
SNAP-Ed in your state might support your program with nutrition education classes and strategies for building healthy environments for clients and staff. Find more information on SNAP-Ed nationwide and state programming .
5. Learn more
University of Minnesota Extension provides resources to help you and the people you support in health and wellness. Nourish and Flourish is a website that highlights the voices of individuals who attend community support programs, describing how they envision health and self-care. Health can mean something different to everyone. We all come from different backgrounds and experiences. Many of us have different needs to be cared for in different ways. Explore the Nourish and Flourish site with the people you support . Sign-up now to receive the Nourish and Flourish discussion guide when it is released in Fall 2023. You can use the discussion guide with the people you support to explore health and wellness through conversation and nonjudgmental support.
Breakfast burrito recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 egg
Chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa to taste
1 whole wheat tortilla
DIRECTIONS
- Heat oil in fry pan on medium heat. In a separate bowl, whisk egg (add water or milk to taste).
- Cook onion in oil until translucent, add egg, salt and pepper, and cook while stirring until egg is set.
- Meanwhile, lay tortilla on a large plate. When egg is cooked, spoon it onto the tortilla, along the middle. Sprinkle with cheese and add salsa to taste.
- Roll into a burrito to serve: Fold up the lower edge of the tortilla, fold one side over the egg then fold the other side on top.
These are just a few of the health and wellness resources you will find through the University of Minnesota Extension. Learn more about Extension in your state .