Frugality and Calorie Control
Published February 18th, 2008
So, this article is a throwback to my university days–but healthier. Like many women, who live with a partner, I feel that finding a balance between healthy eating, portion control, and saving money can be difficult to reconcile between both people. I can’t count the amount of times earlier on in my relationship that my now husband would sweetly bring home a giant box of donuts, or a whole cake when all I really needed was a little piece. Ofcourse, when the temptation is right there in front of you, it can be difficult to say no to the calories and the unnecessary cost.
When money is tight, some of these standbys are what we go to. As we get older, we realize that comfort food may be easy, and taste good, but often leads to weight gain, or just never being able to lose those few pounds. So I’ve come up with some simple but creative ways that we can enjoy some of the more calorie indulgent things in our diet in smaller portions, while still feeling satisfied and saving a few pennies here and there.
Pillsbury (or generic brand of premade cookie dough)
I only ever buy this if it’s on sale for cheaper than making it myself. Generally, the instructions say one package makes 18 big or 28 smaller cookies. I’ve found that buy using about a teaspoon at a time of dough, and flattening it a bit before putting it into the oven I can get a whopping 60 cookies out of a packet. You can then enjoy having this indulgence, and not feel guilty if you want to eat 3 or 4 cookies at a time. Just be aware that if you make smaller cookies you’ll have to decrease the lower end of the cooking time by a couple of minutes.
Lunch meat
If you buy lunch meat, get shaved instead of sliced. For the same price you’ll get a larger volume of meat, which will make it easier to stretch out. You’ll also be able to enjoy a sandwich or fill a crepe with less meat than you would have otherwise.
Meat substitutes
If you are either a vegetarian or just want to cut back a bit on the amount of meat you need for any given dish, try substituting in one of the following to give your dish some of the heaviness and texture that meat adds without the cost and calories: Mushrooms of different varieties, beans, cheese, eggs, or eggplant. Ofcourse these aren’t meat, but they will help to fill the dish in a tasty way, and at least let you reduce the amount of meat necessary. I find these to be especially helpful substitutes in dishes like stir-fries, pasta dishes, shish kabobs, full dinner salads, and curries.
Grating cheese
If you cut cheese into shorter segments before grating, you’ll get more volume. Having shorter and smaller pieces really helps to get cheese in every bite, but not use as much. You’ll also get more of the flavour and less of the calories!
Pump up your macaroni and cheese
Every body loves mac and cheese, but what if right at the end of the boiling you threw in 1/2 a cup of teeny tiny cauliflower florets? Cauliflower goes well with cheese, is good for you, and has lots of fibre. Of course you could use more obvious veggies like peas and broccoli, but there’s no hiding them! You’ll probably get an extra serving out of this dish by adding the veggies, and if you cut every thing up really small, it won’t even alter the creamy texture.
Extra eggs
Many people do this anyway, but adding a good splash of milk or water to your egg mixture will help you to get more scrambled eggs or omelet. Personally I prefer the taste and texture of eggs that have milk added to them anyway
Pancakes with a twist
Adding some chopped fruits to your pancakes will make them delicious, more filling, and bump up their nutritional value. Some of my favourites are blueberry, banana, or strawberry pancakes. Since the berries can be acidic sometimes, you just many want to use smaller pieces in your mixture.
Cereal
Big boxes of the healthy cereal often go on sale for great prices, but not everybody wants to eat it. Try buying it, and then mixing it in with a similar cereal that’s more fun. For example, mix plain Cheerios in with the honey nut Cheerios or frosted ones. Mix cornflakes in with any of the “flakes, granola and nuts” type of cereals. Get creative and mix it up!
Yogurt
Make your yogurt more filling by adding fruit or granola to it. You can even make what looks like an indulgent dessert by layering everything in a martini glass!
Crusty bread
Instead of buying a huge loaf to make garlic bread or bruschetta, just buy a couple of crusty Panini or Calabrese rolls and cut them on a diagonal to get several pieces of bread. I can usually get 5 or 6 pieces out of one roll. I guess this is only a useful tip if you don’t have a huge family 
Serving and presentation
This is an old trick–but I mention it anyway. Use smaller dishes to give the illusion of more food. We are used to having our plates filled, so go for it. This way you also won’t feel guilty if you want to go back for seconds. Serving food in white dishes, and adding garnish to help fill the plate makes it more appetizing as well (why do you think restaurants do it….)
Well, I hope these tips help your pocketbook and your waistline. This is one way that being frugal can be good for your health!
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