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Alternatives to the Spam Diet
By Christina Quick | May 29, 2008
Sales of the canned meat product Spam are on the rise, according to an Associated Press story. The writer attributes the increased popularity of the processed pork in part to higher food costs.
“The Austin, Minn.-based company, also known for the Jennie-O Turkey Store, has embarked on its first national advertising campaign for the 71-year-old brand in several years,” the article says. “They’ve credited the sales increase to that, along with new products like individually packaged ‘Spam Singles’ slices. Also helping sales, executives said in an earnings conference call, was the fact that people looking to save money are skipping restaurant meals and eating more at home.”
According to the story, the average price of a 12-ounce can of Spam is $2.62.
I find this news disturbing, especially considering the high rates of obesity among children and adults. While it’s probably good that people are cutting back on eating out, especially where fast food is concerned, Spam is not what I would call a healthy alternative. The stuff is loaded with saturated fat, not to mention sodium and preservatives. Ingredients include pork parts, sugar, salt, starch and sodium nitrites. Not an ideal diet staple.
Hormel’s Spam Web site boasts, “In a perfect situation, Spam could last forever. It’s like meat with a pause button.”
I’m thinking “meat with a pause button” seems a bit frightening. Does a family really have to sacrifice nutrition to make ends meet? With a little creativity, no. For the benefit of those who may be considering stocking up on Spam, I’ve put together a list of things I do to cut grocery costs without relying on heavily processed foods. If you have some additional ideas, please share them with Refrigerator Art readers.
• Scan grocery ads. Some stores will match competitors’ sale prices on items like meat and produce.
• Use coupons wisely. They’re often issued by manufacturers of high-priced junk foods. Just because an item is 75 cents off doesn’t mean it’s the best value or healthiest choice.
• Shop the local farmer’s market. Not only are the fruits and vegetables fresher, they’re sometimes a fraction of the cost of supermarket produce.
• Select a whole chicken and cut it up rather than buying precut parts. Use the breast in a stir-fry, salad, or casserole and freeze the legs and thighs for later use. Boil what’s left and freeze the broth for soup.
• Have meatless meals, such as baked pasta and sauce topped with low-fat cheese.
• Plan meals that yield leftovers. This can spare you the expense of eating out for lunch the following day.
• Buy family packs of fresh meat when they’re on sale and freeze meal-sized portions.
• Grate your own cheese.
• Stretch a pound of ground beef into two meals by using half in spaghetti and saving the other half for pizza toppings.
• When forming hamburger patties, make the ground beef go farther by mixing in an egg and some oats or bread crumbs. (Chances are, your mom did it.)
• Before cooking a roast, slice off a piece of the meat to use later in fajitas.
• Instead of buying bottled water, invest in a reusable water bottle (be sure it’s BPA-free) and fill it with tap water.
• Plant a vegetable garden, or grow tomatoes in planters on the patio. Grow potted herbs in a windowsill.
• Use brown rice or beans as low-cost fillers in soups, wraps and casseroles.
• Give up sodas and substitute unsweetened iced tea or water with a fresh lemon slice
• To avoid the temptation of running to a restaurant when you’re pressed for time or dinner burns, keep ingredients on hand for at least one extra, easy-to-prepare meal. But please, no Spam. At least not very often.
Topics: Health |
May 30th, 2008 at 8:25 am
hot dogs,bologna sandwiches,SPAM,…Cheap food? not if you factor in the overall toll bad food takes on our health. Watching the news lately I’m glad to have any food it seems, riots in Haiti,starvation in Africa,it makes me want to water the garden and go deer hunting!
June 2nd, 2008 at 2:27 pm
It would take an awful lot to get me to turn to Spam. I think we’d call that a LAST RESORT.