Stop Wasting! How Understanding Food Labels Can Save You $$$

For many people, understanding food labels past the basic calorie amounts is an unknown. However, being an educated consumer and understanding food labels can save you both money and your health. Let’s dive into some of the specifics that could help you make better choices for you and your family.

Serving Size

Serving sizes are one of the most skipped over and misunderstood parts of a food label for various reasons. There is no standard serving size when printing food labels on the groceries you buy. One manufacturer might give you the nutrition facts and figures for a 1⁄2 cup serving of a food, while another measures amounts by a serving size of 3⁄4 cup. So while the calories (and other amounts) may look higher for a product that reads a 3⁄4 cup serving, it doesn’t necessarily mean that that particular food contains more calories at all when you consider the serving size. You will also want to pay attention to how many servings are in a container and use that when comparing to other options to see which container gives you the best bang for the buck per serving when comparing amounts. Also, compare the serving sizes to the total contents, usually measured in ounces for many foods. Some grocery stores will put a cost per ounce breakdown on the tag to help with comparison, but many do not make changes to account for sales- you may have to calculate that on your own.

Fiber Content

Fiber is well known for giving you that “full” feeling after you eat, making it a sought after ingredient for those who are dieting or looking to lose weight. But loading up on fiber rich products can not only help you trim your waistline, but your expenses as well. Feeling full on less food can translate into eating a lower quantity of food (snacks and convenience foods in particular), helping you save money at the register. We are in no way advocating starving yourself to save money, rather stating that it is possible to eat less and still have high-quality food that improves your health and your wallet at the same time while keeping you satiated.

Ingredients

Companies have done a great job over the years of making the consumer feel like they need their particular product to be successful, healthy, beautiful, etc. This is done on purpose to make you buy products and drive a company's success. While there are plenty of good quality products out there worth buying, there are also many that you could simply make yourself with simple ingredients and a little know-how- saving you loads of money and unnecessary preservatives in the end. Make a habit of checking food labels for ingredients to items you may be able to prepare yourself. Chances are there will be a number of ingredients you can exclude from your own recipes (think chemicals and preservatives), but certain spices or ingredients that can help you nail the flavors when making something yourself. Beware, when reading the ingredients list there will likely be a number of things you may not even be able to pronounce. Do some research and find out what the purpose of those items are and if they are necessary for you to use or if there may be substitutes you can sub in. You will be amazed at how much power you actually have to prepare food and feed your family healthy meals and snacks and for less money than it would cost you otherwise.

On top of any immediate cost savings you may experience, being diligent about your health and understanding food labels will not only save you money now but in the long run as well. Eating better and being an advocate for your health can lower healthcare costs now and in the future, for both you and your entire family. That is worth the time to research alone.