The Connection

Two women arrive 15 minutes early and are sitting at the table chatting about menus. They are waiting for the third class on April 6 in the six-week series on Eating Healthy, Be Active sponsored by the County Extension Service. Van Do, Family and Consumer Sciences SNAP-Ed Agent, for Virginia Cooperative Extension says, "Today's program focuses on eating healthy on a budget. “

Do has joined her two Master Food Volunteers in the kitchen at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center on Commonwealth Avenue where they are cutting celery strips to serve with a bean dip. Do started in her current position last October after graduating from Virginia Tech in Nutrition, Foods and Exercise. Do says she is responsible for Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax.

“Since it is just me, I can’t go into all of the schools to do programs,” she said. “But schools that have 50 percent free and reduced price lunches qualify for services. I offer training for the teacher with a model curriculum.” For grades K-2 it is Wise Guy; for grades 3-7 it is Healthy Weights for Healthy Kids and then comes Teen Cuisine. Do says at Hammond Middle School in a month she will be teaching how to cook and take it home. It is a lesson on fast food vs. home cooked food — for instance, fried French fries vs. baked sweet potatoes. She plans programs in community centers, “and I’ve noticed some of our participants like to go from rec center to rec center.”

Do speaks to members of the Del Ray Seniors Club, “Let’s recap what we learned last week. We talked about restaurants and how to eat healthy.” One of the group volunteers that they have their annual lunch next week and she will practice what Do told them. “That’s going to be hard,” another adds.

Master Food Volunteer Claudia Scott gives several tips for eating better on a budget. Be sure you have a list, try to shop for the week, find a way to use leftovers, buy cheaper house brands when you know they are quality, don't shop when you are hungry and don’t buy pre-cut vegetables that are much more expensive. Small changes can make a difference. One woman volunteers that her husband shopped at the commissary and brought home bags of onions and celery. “I would cut them myself and freeze them; then I could just pull them out.” Everyone nods they overbuy when they are hungry. One of the class members injects that she shops for two weeks at a time. Another says he prepares two large entrees and has four days of dinners, then fills in with other things.

Another theme is to use coupons when possible and to shop the grocery store weekly specials. But they are cautioned to use coupons carefully so they don't buy things they don't really want.

Master Food Volunteer Barbara Spangler says today they are going to do an exercise where they divide up in small groups to plan a dinner. Each subgroup is responsible for coming up with a dish based on the weekly grocery ad specials. Pages rustle as eyes focus on the grocery store ads. "Look yogurt is on sale, should we add bananas?" This group comes up with a banana-strawberry parfait with granola for dessert by taking advantage of specials for everything they have chosen. The main course is a pork tenderloin. "Look it's $1.68 a pound at Giant; that's a good price."

For today’s demonstration, Do explains they will start out with a large can of kidney beans that are rinsed to remove the sodium and then dumped into a blender.

Spangler, who is preparing the bean dip, says, "And now we add three-quarters tsp. chili powder and one-eighth tsp. ground cumin. How many of you use cumin?" Half of the hands go up, declaring it is a wonderful flavor. “Next we blend until smooth and then add grated onion and 8 ounces of reduced fat grated cheddar cheese. The recipe is in your packet of materials."

Do explains the volunteers suggested adding the recipes that were demonstrated in the classes so the attendees could make the recipe at home.

"Now we turn on the blender. It whirrs but the beans barely stir in the bottom of the blender. There is a lot of stirring and much speculation about causes their problem and finally the common wisdom is to add some more liquid to make the beans mix together."

Do hands out a notepad with grocery lists to each member of the class. She says, "Next week I want you to keep track of what you make for this week's meals and we'll discuss it." Eyebrows go up. All of a sudden this has gone from hypothetical and fun to real and serious."