Eating Well As We Age - Problem Solver

Not having enough money to buy enough food can keep you from eating well.

What to do:

• Buy low-cost food, such as dried beans and peas, rice, and pasta. Or buy food that contain items, such as split pea soup, canned beans, and rice.
• Use coupons for money off on foods you like.
• Buy foods on sale. Also buy store-brand foods. They often cost less.
• Find out if your local church or synagogue offers free or low-cost meals.
• Take part in group meal programs, offered through local senior citizen programs. Or have meals brought to your home.
• Get food stamps. Call the food stamp office listed under your county government in the blue pages of the phone book.

Read Food Labels

Look for words that say something healthy about the food. Examples are: "Low Fat," "Cholesterol Free," and "Good Source of Fiber."

Also look for words that tell about the relation of food to a disease. A low-fat food may say:

"While many factors affect heart disease, diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of this disease."

The words may be on the front or side of the food package. The FDA makes sure these words are true.

Look For ‘Nutrition Facts'

Most food labels tell what kinds and amounts of vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and other nutrients are in food.

This information is called "Nutrition Facts."

• Look at the serving size.
• Find the % Daily Value. The numbers underneath tell how much of each nutrient listed is in one serving.
• About 100% of each nutrient every day is usually healthful. If you're on a special diet, such as a low-sodium or low-fat diet, use the % numbers to pick low-sodium and low-fat food.