How to Eat Healthy on EBT

Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, is an electronic food stamp distribution system.

A monthly allotment predetermined by a state food stamp program is transferred into each recipient's account each month to be used on uncooked food items. Providing healthy meals on an EBT budget can be an easy task when armed with proper information. Eating healthy is not about how much is spent so much as what is bought. Knowing what foods are healthiest makes it easier to make the right choices when shopping despite budget restrictions.

Things You'll Need

• EBT card
• Grocery list
• Grocery store circulars
• Coupons

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Instructions

Plan Ahead

• 1

  Plan your menus. Opt for wholesome cereals and snacks that have not been sweetened. Plan to prepare meals from scratch rather than serving prepackaged meals that are full of artificial preservatives. Add plenty of fruits and vegetables.

• 2

  Note the items in your kitchen to prevent duplicate purchases.

  Take inventory of your refrigerator and cabinet contents. Make a grocery list before each visit to the store. Write only the healthy foods necessary to prepare your planned meals on your list.

• 3

  Coupons make a wider variety of healthy choices affordable.

  Buy a Sunday newspaper. They usually contain grocery store circulars. Use coupons and plan to patronize the grocery store with the best sales for foods on your list.

Shopping Tips

• 4

  Fruits that are in season cost less and are fresher than out-of-season fruits.

  Buy the fruits and vegetables that are in season or on sale. Select fruits that are bagged like apples, oranges and pears, as these cost less than fruit sold by the pound. Buy items like onions, garlic and potatoes in bulk, especially if on sale, because they have a long shelf life.

• 5

  Ingredients on food labels are listed in order from highest content to lowest.

  Read food labels. Avoid foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup, modified corn starch, food coloring and bleached ingredients. Buy brown or parboiled rice instead of white rice. Use wheat bread rather than white bread. Purchase 100-percent fruit juices that do not have added sugars or corn syrup.

• 6

  Chuck or sirloin cuts of beef are leaner and healthier than prime cuts.

  Substitute the fattier meats on your menu with leaner meats or fish. Buy low-fat ground turkey or chicken rather than ground beef. Check the labels and avoid prime cuts of meat, which usually contain more fat. Cut any excess fats from meat before cooking. Bake, roast, pan-broil or steam rather than frying meats.

• 7

  Choose frozen rather than canned vegetables as frozen veggies are fresher and often less expensive. Avoid frozen dinner entrees. It is cheaper and healthier to prepare most meals from scratch. Note the ingredients on boxed meals. They usually consist of only a rice or pasta, seasonings and preservatives, and they cost more than it would to buy those ingredients separately.

• 8

  Nuts reduce diabetes risk in women by 30 percent when eaten five times per week.

  Allow yourself one or two wholesome treats. Opt for the healthiest options. Buy baked potato chips rather than ones that are fried. Choose dried fruits, nuts and whole wheat crackers over the alternatives. Satisfy a sweet tooth with yogurts, granola or sugar-free cookies. Create your own trail mix by combining your favorite dried fruits and nuts.