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Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Cereal Cost Comparison

I usually have ready-to-eat cereal for breakfast. In fact, my family eats a lot of cereal. We not only have it for breakfast but also for between meal snacks, bedtime snacks and when we are really lazy, we eat it for supper. Over the years it has been my most common response to my children’s complaint of “I’m hungry, what’s to eat around here?”

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Healthy Homemade Gift

Are you searching for a healthy gift for a senior, camper, traveler, college student? Consider Crispy Granola, our featured recipe this month. It’s a good snack or breakfast cereal, and makes a great topping for fruit, yogurt, or  ice cream.

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

5 Minute Meal Makeovers

Have you ever started out your week with the best intentions of eating healthier but had the realities of life get in the way? If setting and maintaining healthy habits was simple, we would not struggle with it so much. The realities of limited time, picky eaters and tight budgets create challenges for all of us. Why not build healthy meals around these challenges? Click the links below to find healthy meal makeovers for family favorites that take no more than 5 minutes and a dollar or two.

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Cheesy Pasta with Summer Veggies

Our yummy Cheesy Pasta with Summer Veggies recipe is filled with vegetables, whole grain, and is low in calories.  Plus it is very versatile, so you can use any vegetable that you have on hand.  In the summer I make it with garden vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini, peppers, carrots and fresh tomatoes.  In the winter I use a frozen vegetable mix and drained, canned tomatoes.   If I have some leftover meat or beans in the refrigerator, I add that along with the vegetables.

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Whole Grain Bread…The Basics

Half the grain products we eat are supposed to be whole grain. We aren’t there yet, but according to a July study about 55% of us have switched from white bread to whole grain bread.

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Is Corn a Whole Grain?

I’ve been asked recently by a few people if corn is a whole grain. According to the Whole Grains Council, fresh corn is usually classified as a vegetable and dried corn (including popcorn) as a grain.

Banana Oatmeal Bread Web

Oatmeal for Breakfast – A New Way!

In the winter months, I crave a hot bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. I love to sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts, and sliced bananas. But in the summer, I rarely want a hot breakfast. I like to have something on hand that the children and I can eat quickly so we can get outside and enjoy the day before it gets too hot.

Sandwiches with peanut butter and fruits isolated on white background.

Top your Toast

croutons

Pantry Picks – Whole Wheat Bread

We are excited to announce a new feature on Spend Smart. Eat Smart. called Pantry Picks. Pantry Picks provide tips on nutrition, storage, and preparation for foods that you might commonly find in your pantry or cupboard. Each week this month, we are going to look at a different Pantry Pick. We hope you learn some new ways to use these staple foods.