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It explains how to calculate an appropriate budget using USDA’s Low-Cost Food Plan and emphasizes actionable shopping and meal-planning habits. Recommendations include buying in season, using coupons and store brands, reducing waste, and freezing prepared foods, along with creative ways to prepare produce at home.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/national-fruits-veggiesmore-matters-month-september-create-a-healthy-food-budget/535564/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/national-fruits-veggiesmore-matters-month-september-create-a-healthy-food-budget/535564.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Sarah ","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-10",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":19},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"How can families calculate a healthy food budget for fruits and vegetables?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Use the calculator based on USDA’s Low-Cost Food Plan. The tool helps estimate a reasonable amount to spend to feed your family healthy meals.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What shopping strategies help stretch the fruit and vegetable budget?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Buy fruits and vegetables in season, look for sales and coupons, choose store brands, avoid single servings, and shop at larger discount or grocery stores when possible.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How can leftover fruits and vegetables be used to save money?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Cook enough for several meals and freeze leftovers, store produce promptly in the refrigerator or freezer, label foods with contents and dates, and use leftovers creatively such as making salsa or smoothies.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},535564,1792452233,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":19,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":14,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":24,"preview_page_count":4},962085320529,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","National Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® Month • September  \nto Stretch  \nYour Fruit & Vegetable Budget  \nWayS in  \n1  \nCalculate an appropriate Healthy Food Budget for your family, based on USDA’s Low- Cost Food Plan. This easy-to-use calculator, offered by Iowa State University Extension, helps to create a budget for what is a reasonable amount to spend to feed your family healthy meals. (www.extension.iastate. edu/foodsavings/fooddollar/) .  \n\n| 2 | Cook enough for several meals and freeze leftovers. Place enough food for 1-2 meals in each container. |\n| --- | --- |\n| 3 | Create a meal plan for the week that uses similar fruits and vegetables, prepared in different ways. Make the most out of the produce that you buy. |\n| 4 | Buy fruits and vegetables in season at farmers’markets or at your local grocery store. |\n| 5 | Grow your own vegetables. Invest a little in seeds, and get a lot of vegetables in return. Try indoor pots or greenhouse growing for the cooler months. Visit [www.cdc.gov/Features/GrowingVegetables/](www.cdc.gov/Features/GrowingVegetables/ for more)[ for more](www.cdc.gov/Features/GrowingVegetables/ for more) information. |\n| 6 | Mix it yourself. 100% juice from frozen concentrate is often less expensive per serving than pre-bottled juice. |\n| 7 | Minimize waste, by buying only the amounts your family will eat. |\n| 8 | Learn basic food math. Taking the time to make a food budget before grocery trips can make food buying decisions easier. Simple food math can help you decide if the watermelon or the bunch of grapes is a better buy. |\n| 9 | Enjoy the comforts of home more often. Eating at restaurants can increase the amount you spend on food. Include fruits and vegetables in quick, simple meals that you prepare at home. Visit [http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/](http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/)[ ](http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/)[index.php?mode=pick_search&theme=2&cost_serving_num=&cost_recipe_](index.php?mode=pick_search&theme=2&cost_serving_num=&cost_recipe_)[num=&submit=Search](num=&submit=Search for more information.)[ for more information.](num=&submit=Search for more information.) |\n\n10 Be creative! To get the most out of your purchase, enjoy your fruits  \nand vegetables in different ways. For example, you can use fruits for dessert. Try baking apples or poaching pears with some cinnamon. Visit [http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnparecipe/RecipeSearch.aspx](http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnparecipe/RecipeSearch.aspx and www)[ and ](http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnparecipe/RecipeSearch.aspx and www)[www](http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnparecipe/RecipeSearch.aspx and www).  \n[fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=10](fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=10 for more)[ for more](fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=10 for more) information.  \nNational Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® Month • September  \n\n| 11 | Homemade soup is a healthy and tasty way to use vegetables. Make a big batch and freeze leftovers in small lunch-size containers. |\n| --- | --- |\n| 12 | Look for sales and deals on fruits & vegetables atthe grocery store or through coupons. |\n| 13 | Cut your fruits and vegetables at home. Pre-cut produce can cost much more than whole fruits and vegetables. |\n| 14 | Don’t shop hungry. Eat a healthy snack, such asan apple, before going to the grocery store so that you stick to your budget and avoid spending money set aside for fruit and vegetables on less healthy temptations. |\n| 15 | Maximize your time and money. Cut coupons for foods, such as fruits and vegetables, only on your grocery list. |\n| 16 | Canned fruits and vegetables will last a long time and can be a healthy addition to a variety of meals. Choose canned vegetables that have no added salt and fruit that is canned in 100% fruit juice. |\n| 17 | Frozen fruit and vegetables store well in the freezer until you’re ready to add them to a meal. |\n| 18 | Pick your own at local farms. Late summer and early fall is a great time to pick your own fruits and vegetable","cbCailoJAPXdj4Cu","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCailoJAPXdj4Cu","pdf",261446,"English","# September Month Focus: Stretch Your Fruit & Vegetable Budget\n## USDA-based budget calculation\n## Budget-stretching strategies for shopping and cooking\n## Storage, leftovers, and meal ideas","[{\"question\":\"How can families calculate a healthy food budget for fruits and vegetables?\",\"answer\":\"Use the calculator based on USDA’s Low-Cost Food Plan. The tool helps estimate a reasonable amount to spend to feed your family healthy meals.\"},{\"question\":\"What shopping strategies help stretch the fruit and vegetable budget?\",\"answer\":\"Buy fruits and vegetables in season, look for sales and coupons, choose store brands, avoid single servings, and shop at larger discount or grocery stores when possible.\"},{\"question\":\"How can leftover fruits and vegetables be used to save money?\",\"answer\":\"Cook enough for several meals and freeze leftovers, store produce promptly in the refrigerator or freezer, label foods with contents and dates, and use leftovers creatively such as making salsa or smoothies.\"}]","National Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® Month - September - Create a Healthy Food Budget | PDF",1791600660]