You probably already know that foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains should play a key role in your diet, but did you know there are some even healthier choices in these categories that you might not have considered. Here are three easy trade-ups to take your supermarket picks to the next level!

Trade-up green peppers (NuVal score: 94) to red peppers (NuVal score: 96)

“The crimson picks significant outrank their green cousins when it comes to heart-helping potassium, vitamin C, folate, and beta-carotene.”

Trade-up potatoes (NuVal score: 93) for sweet potatoes (NuVal score: 96)

A baked orange-fleshed potato has nearly 30 percent more fiber and almost three times more calcium than its white cousin, and it’s loaded with beta-carotene.”

Trade-up pecans (NuVal score: 65) to walnuts (NuVal score: 82)

“Walnuts are significantly lower in total fat and higher in calcium, magnesium and folate. They also contain lots of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.”

Quotations from allyou.com

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered this week’s giveaway! Here’s your winner:

Congrats,! Please email me at thaupert@nuval.com with your full name and mailing address to claim your prize.

When I starting thinking about the NuVal score for Kraft Sharp Cheddar Easy Cheese, it occurred to me that most store-bought cheeses on the market score in the same number range. Check out these examples:

• Laughing Cow Babybel Cheddar Cheese (NuVal score: 23)
• Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (NuVal score: 22)
• Kraft Natural Shredded Fat Free Cheddar Cheese (NuVal score: 27)
• Cracker Barrel Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices (NuVal score: 22)
• Kraft Singles Sharp Cheddar (NuVal score: 26)

As you can see, cheese generally hovers in the 20s on the NuVal scale. And, for the most part, it doesn’t matter whether it’s regular cheese, low-fat or fat-free cheese because the NuVal scores are usually in the 20 range, which is the case for Kraft Sharp Cheddar Easy Cheese too.

Kraft Sharp Cheddar Easy Cheese is cheese in a can, and, apparently, it’s just as nutritious as regular cheese. Who knew?

Have you ever tried Easy Cheese? If so, what’d you think?

Over the weekend when I was doing my grocery shopping, I stumbled upon a box of Honey Graham Oh’s. Do you remember this cereal? I don’t think I’ve seen it since I was a kid. I actually thought Quaker stopped making it, so I was sort of excited to see it on the grocery store shelf the other day. It was another childhood cereal favorite of mine.

Of course, as soon as I saw the box of Honey Graham Oh’s, I wondered how it scored on the NuVal scale. I figured it wouldn’t score too high, but I didn’t expect it to get an 11. Its low score made it wonder how Cinnamon Toast Crunch scored. I mean, “CTC” is packed with sugar!

Cinnamon Toast Crunch gets a 27 on the NuVal scale. Surprised? Me too!

The main reason that Cinnamon Toast Crunch scores higher than the Honey Graham Oh’s is because it’s made with whole grains and enriched with a variety of vitamins and minerals, which drives up the score. Interesting, right? Well, I’m glad that my beloved “CTC” doesn’t score at the bottom of the category. (The cold cereal category ranges from 2 to 96 with an average score of 27.)

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Here’s your chance to win a box of each of these cereals!

To enter: Just leave a comment on this post about your favorite childhood cereal. Earn an extra entry by including its NuVal score– just be sure to leave a second comment. I’ll randomly pick a winner on Thursday morning.

Good luck!

Here’s this week’s cart:

• Bananas (NuVal score: 91)
• Sweet potatoes (NuVal score: 96)
• Eggland’s Best Eggs (NuVal score: 44)
• Brussels sprouts (NuVal score: 94)
• Deli ham
• Deli Swiss cheese
• Van’s Gluten-Free Frozen Waffles (NuVal score: 24)
• Romaine hearts (NuVal score: 100)
• Store brand trail mix
• Store brand potato chips
• Chobani Non-Fat Strawberry Greek Yogurt (NuVal score: 28)
• Chobani Non-Fat Blueberry Greek Yogurt (NuVal score: 28)
• Chobani Non-Fat Pomegrante Greek Yogurt (NuVal score: 28)
• Chobani Non-Fat Black Cherry Greek Yogurt (NuVal score: 27)
• Chobani Non-Fat Blood Orange Greek Yogurt (NuVal score: 30)
• Chobani 2% Pineapple Greek Yogurt (NuVal score: 24)
• Store brand almond butter
• Silk Unsweetened Soymilk (NuVal score: 91)
• Almond Breeze Unsweetened Organic Non-Dairy Beverage (NuVal score: 90)
• Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Bread Soft Honey Whole Wheat (NuVal score: 33)
• Crest toothpaste
• Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix (NuVal score: 3)
• Pillsbury Funfetti frosting (NuVal score: 1)

Save

The best Save of the week: reduced bananas! Hooray! I stocked up and bought 20 bananas. No joke. (Yes, I am a crazy banana lady. I admit it.)

The bananas on the reduced produce shelf didn’t even look that bad. They had a few bumps and bruises here and there, but nothing major. I actually prefer my bananas yellow and fairly ripe, so I bought a bunch to eat in the next few days with plans to make banana bread once they brown. I also plan to (peel and) freeze a bunch of them for smoothies.

Other great Saves on sale items include: Van’s Gluten-Free Frozen Waffles (NuVal score: 24), Eggland’s Best Eggs (NuVal score: 44), Almond Breeze Unsweetened Organic Non-Dairy Beverage (NuVal score: 90), and Crest toothpaste.

I actually scored the Almond Breeze Unsweetened Organic Non-Dairy Beverage (NuVal score: 90) and Crest toothpaste from the clearance section.

I love the clearance section– you never know what you’ll find there so it’s always worth a look.

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered last week’s giveaway! Here’s your winner:

15. tiffany

i’m frugal to begin with (and proud of it!), but also…i’m in college. enough said.

Congrats, Tiffany! Please email me at thaupert@nuval.com with your full name and mailing address to claim your prize.

I love strawberries. My favorite way to eat them is by themselves as a snack, but I also liked them mixed into yogurt, cereal, or oatmeal. I also like them in fresh salads, drizzled with balsamic vinegar, and cooked into baked goods. Mmm! The options are endless with strawberries!

With that said, here are two delicious and nutritious strawberry recipes to help you celebrate the month!

Green Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (NuVal score: 1)
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (NuVal score: 11)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper , to taste
• 3 cups baby spinach (NuVal score: 100)
• 3 cups watercress (NuVal score: 82), tough stems removed
• 2 1/2  cups sliced fresh strawberries (NuVal score: 100)
• 1/3 cup fresh chives (NuVal score: 96), cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans (NuVal score: 65)
• 1/4 cup Alouette Crumbled Goat Cheese (NuVal score: 23)

Preparation

Whisk maple syrup (or brown sugar), vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add spinach, watercress, strawberries and chives; toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 plates and top with pecans and goat cheese.

Strawberry & Cream Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Philadelphia Fat-Free Cream Cheese (NuVal score: 28)
• 1/4 teaspoon honey (NuVal score: 1)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
• 2 slices Vermont Bread Company Whole Grains Soft Whole Wheat Bread (NuVal score: 34)
• 2 medium strawberries, sliced (NuVal score: 100)

Preparation

Combine cream cheese, honey and orange zest in a bowl. Spread bread with the cheese mixture. Place sliced strawberries on 1 piece of bread, top with the other.

What’s your favorite strawberry recipe? 

Puree Green Pea Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts clear vegetable stock
• 2 onion (NuVal score: 93) chopped
• 1 head fennel (NuVal score: 91) chopped
• 3 tbsp. chopped garlic (NuVal score: 91)
• 1 pound potato (NuVal score: 93) peeled and chopped
• 4 pounds green peas (NuVal score: 96) (frozen ok)
• ½ tsp. Baking soda or baking powder
• 3 tbsp. Pritikin shake it table blend
• 3 tbsp. No salt added mustard
• 2-tbsp. Chopped fresh thyme leaves (NuVal score: 91)
• 2 tbsp. Chopped fresh basil (NuVal score: 100)
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill (NuVal score: 100)
• 1 tsp. Wasabi powder

Preparation:

1. In a stockpot sauté onion, garlic and fennel. Add vegetable stock and potato and cook until soft and potato begin to break apart.
2. Add thyme, mustard and shake-it blends and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Turn the flame off and add baking soda, when it begin to foam add green peas, wasabi powder and remaining ingredients. Let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Blend and serve.

Spinach Mashed Potatoes

Serves 18

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (NuVal score: 93) (If unavailable, any potato variety will work.)
• 2 cups frozen chopped spinach (NuVal score: 100), thawed and drained
• ¼ cup diced onion (NuVal score: 93) (optional)
• 2 cups nonfat milk (NuVal score: 91)
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup Breakstone’s reduced fat sour cream (NuVal score: 29)

Preparation:

1. Boil potatoes in water until soft (about 25 minutes).
2. Sauté spinach and onion in nonstick skillet until hot.  Add milk and nutmeg, and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mash potatoes with a wire whip.  Add spinach mixture and sour cream.  Whisk until potatoes are fluffy.  Serve immediately.

Edamame & Broccoli Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 pound shelled and cooked Sunrich Naturals Soybeans (Edamame) (NuVal score: 91)
• 1 pound over-cooked (softened) broccoli florets (NuVal score: 100)
• 3 tablespoons chopped Vidalia onion (NuVal score: 93)
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (NuVal score: 91)
• ¼ cup Breakstone’s reduced fat sour cream (NuVal score: 29)
• 3 tablespoons Chobani Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt (Nuval score: 91)
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped basil (NuVal score: 100)
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice (NuVal score: 99)

Preparation:

1. In a food processor, puree the Edamame beans, broccoli, onion, and garlic for 2 minutes.
2. Transfer to mixing bowl.  Add sour cream, yogurt, basil, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Add lemon juice to taste.
4. Serve with vegetable sticks, such as carrots, celery, and jicama, or with whole-wheat low-sodium chips.

Recipes from Chef Anthony Stewart of the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa

About Chef Anthony Stewart, Executive Chef: Chef Anthony Stewart has won accolades worldwide, including five gold medals in top culinary competitions, for his masterful use of foodstuffs like fresh seafood and tropical fruit from his native Jamaica. When not in the kitchen, he’s in the classroom, and has inspired thousands of Pritikin guests “to have some fun!”

It sounded like a neat opportunity, and I really had nothing to lose, so I agreed to contribute my recipe. I mean, my pancake recipe was going to end up in a frugal-focused cookbook! How cool is that!?!

There’s my recipe in a real, live cookbook! Awesome!

The Frugally Delicious cookbook was created with the help of 55 food bloggers (including yours truly), who donated their recipes for inclusion within the book. The recipes range from light bites and snacks to soups and salads to hearty main meals and, of course, desserts. There’s really something for everyone!

About Frugally Delicious cookbook:

Frugal = something which costs little, or is inexpensive.

Right now most of us are watching the pennies more closely, looking to save money where we can and live a little more frugally. With this cookbook we hope to help people do just that.

But ‘frugal’ needn’t equal drudgery. Frugally Delicious is a cook book chock-full of taste bud pleasing recipes made from great ingredients which won’t break the bank.

This isn’t a fancy ‘coffee-table’ cookbook.  It’s a cookbook for proper cooks, for people who want their food to do the talking.

If you love food, but not sky-high grocery prices, then Frugally Delicious is the cookbook for you.

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Here’s your chance to win a copy of the Frugally Delicious cookbook!

To enter the giveaway: Just leave a comment on this post about why you’d like to win a copy of this cookbook. Earn an extra entry by tweeting or posting this giveaway on Facebook. Just be sure to leave a second comment with your tweet or FB post. I’ll randomly pick a winner on Friday morning.

Good luck!

I love eggs. They’re delicious, nutritious, versatile, and budget-friendly, which means they are a staple in my daily eats. But, I know eggs have gotten a bad rap in the past. Doctors and other health professionals warned that eating too many eggs could raise one’s cholesterol and increase risk of heart disease. But, according to NuVal’s David Katz, MD, director of the Yale Prevention Research Center, “eggs are no longer the bad guy.”

In 2011, a U.S. Department of Agriculture analysis found that eggs are now on average 14% lower in cholesterol than when tested in 2002 (possible due to chickens being given healthier feed) [source]. Dr. Katz says, “recent data suggests that cholesterol in food only makes a negligible contribution to the cholesterol levels in our blood. Plus, the studies that have been done don’t show an association between eating eggs and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.”

According to Health (March 2012), inside each egg is an “impressive nutritional punch,” including vitamin D, all sorts of B vitamins, and 6 grams of protein. While most of the egg’s fat, calories, and cholesterol are found in the yoke, a good deal of important nutrients are found there too, so many experts believe the benefits outweigh the risks. “A whole egg or two a day in the context of a healthy diet is not a problem for most people,” says Dr. Katz. “And if you’re eating them instead of sugary muffin for breakfast? Well, then, you’re really trading up.” You hear that? Trade up your sugar muffin for some nutritious eggs!

Want even more reasons to eat eggs and their yolks? Oxygen Magazine recently wrote a piece about why you should eat the whole egg:

• Yolks build muscle
• Yolks boost brain power
• Yolks fend off sore muscles
• Yolks help you lose weight

As you can see, eggs rule.

Recipes

With all of this egg talk, I figured I should share some of my favorite egg-inspired recipes. All three of them can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Tortilla-Crusted Feta-and-Broccoli Quiche

Mini Tomato-Feta Frittatas

Polenta Breakfast Pizza

Now, go ahead and pick up a dozen at the grocery store!

With that said, here’s what’s on the menu for this week:

• Sunday: Crispy Chicken with roasted Brussels sprouts
• Monday: Annie’s Mac & Cheese with chicken and roasted broccoli
• Tuesday: American Chop Suey
• Wednesday: American Chop Suey
• Thursday: Lemony Shrimp with White Beans and Couscous
• Friday: Egg salad sandwiches
• Saturday: Wing it/out to dinner

• Bananas (NuVal score: 91)
• Sweet potatoes (NuVal score: 96)
• Store brand canned chickpeas
• Blue Diamond Original Unsweetened Almond Breeze (NuVal score: 91)
• Land O Lakes Omega 3 All Natural Eggs (NuVal score: 40)
• Brussels sprouts (NuVal score: 94)
• Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread (NuVal score: 24)
• Deli ham
• Deli cheddar cheese
• Teddie Super Chunky Peanut Butter (NuVal score: 38)
• Starkist Light Tuna in Water (NuVal score: 66)
• Van’s Gluten-Free Frozen Waffles (NuVal score: 24)
• Campbell’s Chicken Noodles Condensed Soup (NuVal score: 20)
• All Whites Liquid Egg Whites (NuVal score: 26)
• Silk Light Soy Milk (NuVal score: 82)
• P.F. Chang’s General Chang’s Chicken Frozen Meal (NuVal score: 25)
• Barilla Elbow Pasta (NuVal score: 61)
• Eight O’Clock Coffee

I still need to buy our meat for the week, which is chicken breast (NuVal score: 39) and ground beef (NuVal score: 30), but I plan to get them today.

Save

There were quite a few sales on some of our favorite items at the grocery store this week, so I took advantage and stocked up: Van’s Gluten-Free Frozen Waffles (NuVal score: 24), Starkist Light Tuna in Water (NuVal score: 66), and P.F. Chang’s General Chang’s Chicken Frozen Meal (NuVal score: 25), which I also had a coupon for. I don’t usually buy these kinds of frozen dinners– mostly because they’re not very healthy and they’re pretty expensive– but my husband and I tried this one a few months ago and really loved it, especially for a quick and easy Friday night dinner when neither of us feels like cooking. Basically, it’s a more affordable option for Friday night takeout.

The save that I was most excited about this week was a big bag of Eight O’Clock coffee. We just ran out of coffee the other day, so I needed to buy some at the grocery store this week. I was excited to see that one of our favorite brands was on sale, especially since it’s unit price was the lowest of all of the other coffees on the shelf!

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered last week’s giveaway! Here’s your winner: 27!

27. Sue C.

Cheerios has a NuVal score of 37.

Congrats, Sue! Please email me at thaupert@nuval.com with your full name and mailing address to claim your prize.

Ok, a 33 isn’t at the top of the cold cereal category– the cereal category ranges from 2 to 96 with an average score of 27– but Frosted Mini Wheats surprisingly score better than the average.

So, I bet you’re wondering what drives cereal scores up or down? Here’s what the dietitians at NuVal have to say:

Many people are on the look-out for sugar in their breakfast creal, but they usually don’t notice the hidden amounts of sodium.

Whole grains and fiber drive scores up. Sources include bran, whole oats, whole wheat, bulgur wheat, brown rice, kamut, millet, and buckwheat. Some products add flaxseed, a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which boosts their score.

Lower scoring products contain partially hydrogenated oils, a source of trans fat.

Interesting, right? Just to give you an idea how some of your favorite cold cereal score on the NuVal scale, here are a bunch of cereals with their scores:

• Post Shredded Wheat: 91
• Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs: 91
• Special K Protein Plus: 53
• Fiber One Original: 51
• Kashi Heart to Heart: 38
• Cheerios: 37
• Kashi Go Lean Crunch:  36
• General Mills Raisin Bran: 29
• Kashi Strawberry Fields: 11
• Cap’n Crunch: 10

Did you happen to notice those Kashi scores in the 30′s? Are you surprised that they don’t score all that much higher than the Frosted Mini Wheats? Even with sugary frosting on top, the Frosted Mini Wheats don’t do all that bad nutritionally. Of course, I don’t plan to eat Frosted Mini Wheats for breakfast every morning. There are definitely more nutritious cereal options on the market to start my day off on the right foot.

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Here’s your chance to win a box of Frosted Mini-Wheats and a great travel-friendly bowl/over-sized cup, which is perfect for an on-the-go breakfast!

To enter: Just leave a comment on this post with your favorite kind of cereal. Earn an extra entry by including its NuVal score– just be sure to leave a second comment. I’ll randomly pick a winner on Friday morning.

Good luck!