Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Cindy Francis, Dietetic Intern
University of Maryland, College Park

Developed by the Iowa State University Extension Program the Spend Smart Eat Smart Web site is an excellent resource for any consumer that is interested in saving money by learning how to shop smarter at the grocery store. This interactive resource takes you step by step through a range of activities from planning to shop to shopping at the store and preparing meals.

Information is broken down into three main categories of interest, Planning to Shop, Shopping the Store, and Preparing Meals. The Planning to Shop section provides several compelling links, one such link is ‘Figure Your Food Dollar’. This tool allows consumers to plug in specific information about themselves and their families which then is factored into the final estimated food dollar amount.  The final food dollar amount is broken down into weekly and monthly totals specific to the consumer so he or she can tailor his or her budget to what is estimated. Prices for this tool are based on the USDA Low Cost Food Plan, which utilizes current market prices.  Dating back to 1994, the USDA Low Cost Food Plan is configured monthly and identifies estimated food cost on a weekly and monthly basis. Four budgets ranging from thrifty food plans to liberal food plans are represented in the weekly and monthly breakdowns.  Age, gender and family size are also used to further adjust the food cost analysis.

The Shopping the Store section features an interactive grocery game with a focus on smart shopping. Shopping the Store also offers an aisle by aisle shopping guide teaching consumers what to look for and what to avoid in each aisle of the grocery store. The nutrition guidelines this Web site offers come from the MyPyramid recommendations.  A wealth of information is available on smart shopping including understanding unit pricing, reading nutrition facts labels, and avoiding paying premium prices for convenience foods.

The Preparing Meals section provides the last piece of the puzzle for smart eating.  This section encourages consumers to think about and plan meals ahead of time so they do not find themselves in the take out line day after day. For those who may choose to eat away from home on occasion, helpful tips are provided on how to eat smart and order smart when eating out.  This section further provides helpful information about preparing meals and snacks, as well as information on what to do with leftovers and food waste.

For consumers interested in sharing tips and recipes with nutrition professionals, the Web site offers a blog featuring such topics as “Vending Machines Eat Money,” and “Have a Super Bowl Party for 12 for $20.” Iowa State University Extension staff members provide weekly ideas and resources to help consumers feed their families for less. The blog can be read online or received in an email.

The Spend Smart. Eat Smart Web site is a great resource for general consumers and also for educators who wish to utilize the Web site to compile information and distribute it to their clients. This resource is well organized making it easy for educators to locate information they are searching for. The Spend Smart. Eat Smart.Web site provides educators with a variety of fun activities, ideas and tips for teaching classes on stretching the food dollar and eating smart on a budget.