Its amazing how habits formed in childhood continue to persist well into adulthood. Unfortunately, many bad habits related to food and finances persist into adulthood as well.

Here are a few ways to teach your kids some great habits that will save them money and promote good health as they grow into adulthood.

Serve Dinner on a Smaller Plate

At one time or another we’ve all heard that familiar phrase spoken by mom’s nationwide, “You can’t leave the table until you finish your plate.” The problem is that we’re forcing our kids to finish off larger and larger plates.

Like everything else, our plates and cups have become super-sized. In the past, 10.5 inch dinner plates were common. Now 12.5 inch dinner plates are commonly used. Its no wonder that the levels of child obesity have exploded over the last decade.

Purchase smaller dinner plates or reduce portion sizes by making sure food covers only 2/3 of their plate (if your kids are still hungry they’ll ask for more). This will both save you money, and more importantly, it will get your kids in the habit of consuming appropriate meal portions.

Serve Water with One Meal a Day

Drinking the appropriate amount of water is key to healthy living. Serve water instead of juice with the same meal every day. It will save you money and develop healthy drinking habits in your children. Alternatively, insist that your children drink water instead of juice with their between meal snacks.

Dilute Your Children’s Juice

Consider this. The average juice drink is chock full of sugar and artificial flavors and colorings. Simply dilute your juice by adding 20% water. Your children will hardly notice the difference and you’ll instantly save money.

Have Your Children Pay for Junk Food

As a parent it can be difficult controlling the amount of junk food your kids eat. You can provide cheap, healthy junk food alternatives like raisins and hot air popped popcorn. Still, from time to time, your children are going to crave those candy bars, cookies, and chips that seem to be everywhere.

Try this. Don’t ban junk food from your home. Instead allow your children to buy these treats using money from their own allowances.  You may soon realize how much they like the healthy alternatives after all.

Make a Game Out of Grocery Shopping

Many financial experts say that you should leave your kids at home when you shop for groceries because children cause you to spend more. I tend to think that, with kids who are a little older, you can create a great learning environment by having them join you when you shop. They key is to make it fun. Kids love games.

Have them search the store for the lowest priced dish detergent or lowest priced cereal. If the kids are older give them a small calculator and let them find the lowest priced cereal per unit cost.

Make a guessing game out of how much all of the purchases in your grocery cart will ring up for at the register. The child closest to the actually amount wins. Alternatively, make a game out of finding which crackers have the lowest amount of salt or which cookies have the lowest amount of cholesterol.

Even consider providing your child with a small purchase as a reward if they do an especially good job. You can make shopping a fun experience for your children, while at the same time teaching them effective lessons and habits in frugal, healthy shopping.

What do you think? Do you have food habits that you’ve fostered in your children to make them healthier and more financially fit? Leave a comment below.

Update: We’d like to thank the Expanding Life website for including this article in the Carnival of Family Life blog carnival.

In previous posts of our High Price of Convenience Series we examined how we pay an extraordinarily high price for items that are not much more convenient to prepare than their conventional counterparts.

Today we take a look at the high cost of microwaveable popcorn.

It seems that with the advent of the microwave, we’ve lost the art of making popcorn the old fashion ways – either on the stove top or with a hot air popcorn popper. On first look it just seems that throwing a package of microwaveable popcorn into the microwave is the easier and quicker route. But as we’ll see this is not the case – not to mention that microwave popcorn is much more expensive.

We compare the cost and preparation times of popcorn kernels purchased in a bag with those bought in microwaveable popcorn packages.

Microwave Popcorn: Priced at $2.10 our Pop Secret microwave popcorn contains 3 packets of microwaveable popcorn – a total of 298 grams of popcorn at .7 cents per gram. To prepare the popcorn you simply take a pack out of the box, remove the outer plastic wrapping and place it in the microwave. It took about 10 seconds to get the popcorn package into the microwave and another 2 minutes and 45 seconds to cook completely, making the total preparation time for our microwave popcorn 2 minutes and 55 seconds.

Popcorn Kernels in a Bag: Our Jolly Time Popcorn came in a 907 gram (2lb) bag at a cost of $1.79. This comes out to .2 cents per gram of popcorn or one third the cost of microwave popcorn. To pop the popcorn kernels you need an air popper. These can be purchased from your local Target or Wal-Mart for around $15 to $20.

I was surprised at how easy and quick it is to make popcorn using an air popper. Simply use the small measuring cup on top of the air popper to scoop the right amount of popcorn kernels out of the bag. Place the popcorn into the air popper and plug the unit in. Within 2 minutes and 22 seconds we had a full bowl of popped popcorn. Amazingly, the air popper cooked the popcorn more quickly than the microwave!

Add the time it took to measure and place popcorn into the air popper (24 seconds) along with the time it took to wipe clean the air popper after we were finished (30 seconds) and the total start to finish time for making a bowl of popcorn using the air popper was 3 minutes and 18 seconds.  This compares to a total preparation time of 2 minutes and 55 seconds for the microwave popcorn.

The air popped corn tasted extremely fresh. No slight artificial butter aftertaste as was the case with the microwave popcorn. The high fiber popcorn out of the bag is one of the healthiest snacks you can eat. You can, however,  season the air popped popcorn  to your taste. Add salt, seasoned salt, even melted butter. Or eat it in its healthiest form right out of the air popper with no added salt or butter.

Ingredient comparison of the two forms of popcorn seem to bear out that air popped popcorn may be the healthier choice.

Pop Secret Microwave popcorn ingredients: Whole Grain Popcorn, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Color Added Non-Fat Milk, Freshness Preserved by Propyl Gallate and Citric Acid.

Jolly Time Popcorn Kernel ingredients: Yellow Popcorn

Conclusion: Microwave popcorn is not much more convenient to make than air popped popcorn. The microwave popcorn took a total of 2 minutes and 55 seconds to prepare while preparation time for the air popped popcorn was 3 minutes and 18 seconds.

Yet at .7 cents per gram of popcorn the microwave popcorn was over three times more expensive than the air popped popcorn. Furthermore, the air popped popcorn tasted fresher and could be seasoned to your own liking.

Yet again this shows the high price we pay for an almost insignificant amount of convenience.

Starbucks announced that since the September introduction its “Perfect Oatmeal” has been the single highest volume food item in Starbuck’s history. Just this month, Jamba Juice joined Starbucks and Corner Bakery by adding oatmeal to its menu.

Food chains like Starbucks, Corner Bakery, and Jamba Juice are realizing what mothers have known for decades. People love the taste of oatmeal, especially in the dead of winter.

Not only can oatmeal provide a hot and tasty morning meal, but it’s also the perfect food for the health conscious. High in fiber, low in fat, oatmeal lowers cholesterol associated with heart disease.

Yet companies like Starbucks aren’t introducing oatmeal just because it tastes good or because its so healthy, but more likely because of the high profit margins. Simply put, restaurants can charge a lot of money for a product that’s relatively cheap to make.

The basic ingredients – oatmeal, water or milk, brown sugar, and a few pieces of fruit cost very little (less than 50 cents) per serving but places like Starbucks and Corner Bakery charge 2.99 to $3.25 per serving!

Use what these food chains know to serve your family a cheap and delicious comfort food. Skip those packets of instant oatmeal. In a previous post we showed that these are much more expensive than regular oatmeal and not that much more convenient.

Instead, purchase a large tub of regular Quaker oatmeal. For $3.49 at a local supermarket we were able to buy a large 42 oz tub of regular Quaker oatmeal that produces 30 servings. This about the same price as a single serving of oatmeal at Starbucks!

This store bought oatmeal is quick to make. Simply pour some oatmeal into a cup, add milk or water, and microwave for 2-3 minutes. Add some butter, brown sugar, and a few slices of banana, some raisins, or other fruit and you have a delicious meal at a fraction of the cost.

In fact, oatmeal at 11.6 cents per serving is one of the cheapest breakfast foods you can make – much cheaper than processed boxed kids cereals, even when these cereals are on sale!

So to help save money in difficult economic times consider cheap, but tasty oatmeal made quickly in your own kitchen. Remember, in the time it takes to park at Starbucks, stand in line, hand over your cash, and receive your oatmeal you could have made your own delicious oatmeal at home.

The bone crushing chill of 20 degree weather lets you know that its winter time here in Chicago. But just as indicative of winter as the frigid wind-chill and snow is the sky high price of local supermarket produce. The sticker shock is enough to make anyone’s jaw drop. Fresh fruits and vegetables have reached astronomical prices.

But there is a simple way to beat the high cost of out-of-season produce. Just take a simple stroll over to the frozen food aisle. There you’ll find great deals on out-of-season produce. Skip the produce frozen in butter and special creams, and save even more money by focusing on store brands.  Similarly, check out canned versions of out-of-season produce where you’ll often find similar savings.

While conventional wisdom had held that fresh fruits and vegetables provided the greatest nutritional value, research at University of California – Davis concludes:

“By the time food is consumed, fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables may be nutritionally similar.”

The reason – freshly harvested fruits and vegetables rapidly lose many of their nutrients as a result of exposure to heat, light, and oxygen. In some cases this nutrient loss can be dramatic. Spinach and green beans, for instance, can lose 75% of their vitamin C within 7 days of being harvested.

The problem is compounded with out-of-season fresh fruits and vegetables as this produce is commonly shipped to supermarkets over long distances – even from foreign countries. The relatively long travel times result in additional nutrient losses from the fresh produce.

Canned and frozen foods are processed shortly after harvesting when the produce is at its peak of freshness. Although some nutrient value can be lost during the initial processing, the canning and freezing often help preserve the remaining nutritional value of the food. According to the UC- Davis study, canned tomatoes, for instance,  are reported to have higher levels of beta-carotene than fresh tomatoes.

So the next time you’re in the dead of winter and have a craving for out-of-season produce, head to your frozen food or canned food section. Here you’ll  save money without  short changing the nutritional health of your family.

According to the 2008 Food and Health Survey, 94% of Americans snack at least once a day. However, many of us snack on relatively expensive, high calorie, nutrition poor foods like chocolate chip cookies, Twinkies, potato chips, and fruit roll-ups. There are healthier and cheaper alternatives for those in between meal snacks.

Hard boiled eggs. Boiled eggs make a great snack. Just take a few minutes to boil 5 or 6, then stick them in the refrigerator for a future snack. However, eat in moderation as the yolk centers are extremely high in cholesterol.

Raisin bread toast. Raisin bread toast provides a great snack food crunch, but with a little added sweetness from the raisins. Forget the national brands of raisin breads and select the store brand. The store brand tastes just as good for less money. For even better savings, stop by a bakery outlet and pick up a couple of loaves of raisin bread. Contrary to popular belief, these outlets sell fresh bakery products.

Carrots. Carrots also provide a great snack food crunch. A one pound bag of carrots can be purchased for around a buck and a carrot takes less than 30 seconds to peel. If you like your carrots pre-peeled, then considered peeled baby carrots. Although a little more expensive, they taste great and actually can become quite addictive. Want a little change, dip your carrots in some salad dressing. Be careful with carrots and small children though, as they can pose a real choking hazard.

Raisins. Raisins make a great healthy snack. But forget those little snack size boxes and save money by purchasing larger containers of raisins. Don’t be afraid of store brand raisins. In Chicago, for example, you can purchase a large 1.5 pound container of store brand raisins for a little over three dollars, about the same price as a box of Fruit Roll-ups. These store brand raisins are just as plump and juicy as Sun-Maid raisins.

Air Popped Popcorn. Popcorn is healthy snack. We’re not talking about those expensive packages of microwave popcorn full of salt and artificial flavors. Its seems that with the popularity of microwave popcorn, we’ve lost the art of making popcorn the old fashion way.  Bags of popcorn kernels can be purchased quite cheaply and popped in  air popcorn poppers found at Target or Walgreens for around $15 – $20. Alternatively, cook popcorn on the stove top. Coat the bottom of the pan with oil, add your popcorn and cover. When you hear the corn start to pop, remove it from the burner and allow the popcorn to continue to pop.

Cucumber Slices. Large cucumbers can be purchased for 65 to 80 cents a piece, about the same price as a candy bar! For a little added punch soak the cucumber slices in a small diluted bowl of apple vinegar.

Apple Slices. Apples can be purchased relatively cheaply. Apple slices, like carrots and cucumbers, give you a great snack food crunch. Soak your apple slices in some orange juice or spread a small amount of peanut butter on your slices for some variety.

Pudding. Pudding makes for a delicious snack. But avoid those cute little plastic snack packs. Instead chose the cheaper option. Pick up a box of instant pudding mix. It takes only minutes to create pudding with these instant mixes. You do have to wait while your pudding gets cold in the refrigerator, but your reward is a great nutritious snack.

Bananas. These snacks come in their own environmentally friendly packaging. They are a little more expensive, commonly found at 70 cents to 90 cents per pound, but you can find them much cheaper at stores like Trader Joes, Aldi’s, or at ethnic food markets where the price can be as low as 50 cents per pound. If you find your bananas getting brown at home, remember that they can be turned into delicious smoothies.

You don’t have to ruin your budget to provide great nutritious snacks. Not only are these snacks healthier, but they’re also less expensive than many processed junk foods. Do you have a great cheap and healthy food tip? Let us know. Leave a comment below.

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When it makes sense to pay extra for organic fruits and vegetables.

Over the past five years the sales of organic fruits and vegetables has skyrocketed. Organics not only provide greater nutritional value, but the farming of organics is more environmentally friendly.  But is the higher price of organic produce worth it?

For one group the answer is yes. Pregnant women and young children may benefit from organic fruits and vegetables because US certified organic produce cannot be farmed with most synthetic pesticides.

Non-organic fruits and vegetables, grown by traditional farming methods, frequently contain pesticide residues. Even thorough washing and peeling fails to remove all pesticide residue. Government agencies claim that such low levels of pesticides have little or no effect on humans, although this is frequently debated.

Few studies, however,  have examined the effects of low levels of pesticides on developing children and fetuses.  Small children have immature and developing immunological, neurological, and reproductive systems. This makes them extremely susceptible to toxins. The concern among many is that even small levels of pesticides may have long term effects on these developing systems in children, as well as on the developing fetuses of pregnant women.

A University of Washington study found that the levels of pesticides in the urine of children decreased after these children were placed on an organic diet. The researchers also discovered that children eating a generally organic produce diet had one-sixth the amount of pesticides in their urine than children eating a regular diet.

While organic fruits and vegetables can help prevent pesticide exposure in young children, they can be extremely expensive costing 20% to 50% more than conventionally grown produce. This can place a tremendous strain on any budget!

On a limited budget, the best tactic may be to pay only for organic fruits and vegetables when the non-organic alternatives have relatively high levels of pesticides.

Some fruits and vegetables for example, have extremely low pesticide residues regardless of whether you eat the organic or non-organic version.  Bananas are a prime example, possibly due to their thick skins.  You may not want to pay extra for organic bananas which have similar low levels of pesticide residues as non-organic bananas.

You may, however, want to pay extra for those organic peaches when you realize that the non-organic peaches suck up a relatively high level of residual pesticides.

To help make such decisions easier, consider using the non-profit Environmental Working Group’s ranking of the pesticide loads of 43 commonly purchased fruits and vegetables. This ranking is based on 51,000 tests collected by the USDA and FDA between 2000 and 2005.  You can view the full Environmental Working Group list at www.foodnews.org.

Fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residues include: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, and spinach.

With these fruits and vegetables it makes since to buy the organic counterparts that are farmed without most synthetic pesticides.

Fruits and vegetables with the lowest pesticide loads include: onions, avocados, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, and bananas.

In these cases your budget may dictate whether the organic fruits and vegetables are worth the extra money, since the non-organic alternatives have relatively low levels of pesticide residues.

Update: I’d like to thank Hopeful Spirit at BloggersBase.com for including this article in the Carnival of Family Life blog carnival.

Why pay for expensive filet-mignon when you can enjoy an equally succulent, tender steak at a bargain basement price?  Thanks to the folks at the University of Florida and University of Nebraska its now possible due to the creation of a new steak called the Flat Iron Steak.

This cut of meat comes from deep within the shoulder muscle of the cow.  In the past, it was ground up to be used for hamburgers. The problem – a piece of connective tissue ran right through the middle of this cut of meat making it tough to chew.

The Cattlemen’s Beef Board in conjunction with the University of Florida and University of Nebraska, developed a new method for removing this tough connective tissue, leaving behind the tender flat iron steak. Flat iron steak is now considered to be the second most tender cut of beef.

Flat iron steak is a highly marbled, versatile piece of meat  which can be cooked by a variety of methods. Not only does it taste delicious on its own, but it can also be used as the meat component for other dishes.

Next time you’re in the mood for a rich, succulent steak, don’t pay $20 per pound for filet-mignon, try flat iron steak at the relatively bargain price of $3-$5 per pound.