Your Health: Healthy eating on a budget

Healthy eating on a budget

by Tara Sallee, MS, RD, LD

There are many ways to save money on your grocery bill and also eat healthier. Here are five budgetfriendly shopping tips:

Plan to Save Your Pennies: Meal planning and weight management go hand in hand, but meal planning can also help you save your hard-earned paycheck. Planning meals helps as you compile your grocery list and makes shopping more efficient. Without a plan, you’re more likely to purchase extra items or not enough – and then takeout becomes more tempting. Pro tip: Don’t shop on an empty stomach – hitting the store while hungry will push you over your budget faster than you can say “junk food.”

Buy Whole Foods: It’s no secret that some foods are less expensive in a less processed form. For example, a block of cheese is cheaper than shredded cheese, and a canister of oats is less expensive than a box of instant oatmeal packets. Of course conveniently cut up fruit and portioned yogurt saves you time, but this is an area that can save you some extra dough. And speaking of dough – when selecting grains, like bread, choose the whole-wheat options, rather than their white counterparts. This small swap will provide you a healthier nutritional profile without spending more.

Shop Smart to Fill Your Cart: At HyVee, we offer our own private label That’s Smart! brand for nearly any product you can think of. Full Circle is Hy -Vee’s organic brand, which can be found in the HealthMarket. Store brands offer the same quality; they’re just less expensive. Be on the lookout for these and watch your savings add up.

Stock Up on Sales: We all love a good deal, but it can backfire. Ask yourself: “Is this item something I’d normally buy, or am I just interested in it because it looks like a steal?” Pro tip: Make sure a product is going to last for a while (if not using soon), because it won’t save you money if you end up throwing it out later.

Frozen Produce is Your Finance’s Best Friend: We all have good intentions of using the head of broccoli staring at us each time we open the fridge, but as the week goes on, unfortunately so does the quality. That’s where frozen vegetables come into play – they are convenient and an easy addition to any meal. The freezer is also the perfect place to house make-ahead meals, which you’ll need ample room for after attending one of our Family Friendly Freezer Meal Classes. Free up time in your week by prepping ahead in this virtual class held by one of your Hy-Vee dietitians. In under an hour, prepare five freezer meals to feed 4-6 people. Sign up for this freezer meal class by visiting hy-vee.com/health. Or reach out to your local Hy-Vee dietitian for more expert healthy budget-friendly tips.

The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice

Tara Sallee is a Hy-Vee corporate dietitian dedicated to helping people live healthier and happier lives. Tara received a Bachelor degree in dietetics and nutrition from Missouri State University. Tara went on to attend Kansas University Medical Center where she received her Master of Science degree in dietetics and nutrition and completed her dietetics internship. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. With a passion for nutrition and wellness, Tara is dedicated to educating customers and promoting healthy lifestyles. .

Reduce your risk of falling by taking these simple steps

(StatePoint) A fall can result in unwanted outcomes, including injury, loss of independence, and a decreased ability to do the things that are most important to you or a loved one. Each year, 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries. Even falls that don’t lead to injury can provoke a fear of falling that causes you to avoid the activities that keep you healthy, strong, and ultimately less likely to fall. While falls are dangerous, the good news is that experts say they’re largely preventable. “While many factors can contribute to our chances of falling as we get older, falling is not a normal part of aging,” says physical therapist and American Physical Therapy Association spokesperson Greg Hartley, PT, DPT. “Working with a physical therapist can empower you or a loved one to regain balance and strength.” The American Physical Therapy Association offers the following tips to help you reduce your risk of falling: 1. Get moving. For older adults, physical activity reduces the risk of falling and fall-related injuries. Stay active to maintain the strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance needed to prevent falls. From swimming to yoga to walking, take part in a variety of physical activities that you enjoy. Talk to your physical therapist to determine which activities are safe for you. 2. Know your risks. A physical therapist can help you assess your risk factors and develop a plan to address them so you can remain independent. Tell your doctor or physical therapist if you have any dizziness, loss of balance, or trouble seeing. Be sure to tell them whether you fell in the last year. 3. Check your medications. Many drugs can cause dizziness, loss of balance, blurry vision, and more. If you have any of these symptoms, review your medications with your pharmacist or doctor. 4. Assess your home’s safety. Assess your home to fix or remove anything that could cause trips or slips, such as throw rugs, clutter, poor lighting, and wobbly furniture or handrails. It’s also a good idea to install a secure grab bar in the shower and next to the toilet for sturdy support on slippery floors. If you can’t make these safety improvements yourself, ask a friend or family member to help. Check with your doctor, physical therapist, or area agency on aging for local programs that offer home safety assessments. 5. Work with a physical therapist. Physical therapy (with exercise) focused on balance, stability, and the ability to perform common tasks is recommended and can prevent falls, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Physical therapists are able to help you avoid a fall in the first place, as they are movement experts who can work with you to assess your fall risk factors and develop a plan to address them. They will advise you on making your home safer, educate you about medical risk factors linked to falls, and design a safe balance training program specific to you. To learn more about the hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement that a physical therapist can provide, visit ChoosePT.com, where you can contact a physical therapist directly for an evaluation. To find a physical therapist in your area, visit ChoosePT.com/FindaPT. With the right resources and support, you can reduce your risk of a fall and maintain your quality of life.

Capitol Report

Representative Jeff Coleman, District 32

Missouri Revenue Numbers Continue to Hold Steady The state continues to receive encouraging news in regard to economic activity. While general revenue collections were down slightly for the month of August, the state remains on track to collect sufficient revenue to fully fund the Fiscal Year 2022 state operating budget. The state’s August collections for 2021 came in at $962.2 million which is down slightly from the $991.6 million collected in August of last year. For the fiscal year to date, the state is also down with total collections coming in at $1.66 billion. The state had collected $2.15 billion at the same time last year. The drop in revenue collection was anticipated because last year’s numbers were inflated as the tax deadline was moved from April to July and many Missourians paid their taxes later than usual. The decrease in this year’s numbers is the result of fewer individual income tax collections and fewer corporate income and franchise tax collections in July and August. The good news is Missouri continues to see increases in sales and use tax collections, which indicate increased economic activity. For August, sales and use tax collections were up by 29.4 percent. For the fiscal year to date, collections are up by 23.9 percent. The state budget director for Missouri said, “The Missouri economy is still performing well and revenues are, even though they're down for the year, they're actually pretty strong when you look at them in the right context.”

Missouri Office of Childhood Now Providing Assistance to Children and Families On August 28 the new Office of Childhood officially began work in Missouri to ensure children and families across the state have better access to more consistent, quality programs and services. The new office was created by an executive order issued by the governor that consolidated several early childhood programs across state government into a single office. Missouri’s previous early childhood system had been ranked 45th in governance by the Bipartisan Policy Center, which made the system one of the least coordinated in the country. Knowing that early childhood education delivers one of the greatest returns on investment of taxpayer dollars, state leaders sought solutions to strengthen Missouri’s system. The move to one office gives Missouri an improved structure to support, coordinate, and monitor programs and activities, including an enhanced ability to share goals and best practices across programs. The change is meant to promote effectiveness, excellence, and equity for Missouri children. At the time the new office was announced, Gov. Parson said, “Missouri families deserve the best early childhood system our state can provide. This is also a critical area of workforce development for our state. We must see to it that the workforce of tomorrow starts off on the right foot, and that means better support for Missouri children and their families.” The Office of Childhood consists of approximately 145 employees across the state. The office has a Fiscal Year 2022 budget of approximately $660 million. For more information on the new office, please visit https:// earlyconnections.mo.gov/who-we-are/ new-office-childhood. College Savings Month Kicks Off September 1 marked the beginning of College Savings Month to encourage Missourians to start saving for college now. State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick has joined with the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MDHEWD) to encourage savings for education. Treasurer Fitzpatrick said, “Data demonstrates that having an education savings account makes it more likely a child will attend a higher education institution. Data also shows that education influences socioeconomic mobility. This is why I have worked to lower accounts fees and to make MOST 529 as versatile as possible. Regardless of what higher education looks like for you—college, trade school, an apprenticeship—being financially prepared is necessary to avoid burdensome debt down the road.” In partnership with Sallie Mae and the MOST 529 Education Plan, Treasurer Fitzpatrick and MDHEWD will host a webinar providing information about saving for higher education and finding scholarship opportunities. How to Find Free Money and Save for College will take place on Tuesday, September 21 at 6 p.m. The free virtual event will feature speakers from Sallie Mae, a nationwide consumer banking institution specializing in private student loans, and MOST, Missouri’s 529 Education Plan. Those who wish to participate can register at https://ascensus.zoom.us/ webinar/register/ WN_330RHUExRMSmLeZt5mGd_w. MOST, Missouri’s 529 Education Plan, is a tax-advantaged savings plan for education expenses. Money in MOST accounts can be used to pay for K-12 tuition and apprenticeships, trade, college, and graduate school tuition and expenses. Contributions are eligible for state tax deductions, which can save families up to $864 a year, and assets in MOST 529 accounts grow tax-free. More information about MOST 529 can be found missourimost.org. Missourians can also visit the treasurer’s Financial Literacy Portal for information about saving for higher education and paying for higher education. The Financial Literacy Portal can be accessed at https://treasurer.mo.gov/financialliteracy/. Please let me know If you have other concerns and suggestions. If you would like to schedule a specific time to meet locally, please call my office at 573-7511487, or email my office at jeff.coleman@house.mo.gov.

Best regards, Jeff Coleman Missouri State Representative District 32

Find the best places for viewing fall foliage with fall color report

by Michael Smith

Missouri is blessed with a variety of trees, shrubs, and vines that make the fall season come alive with color. You can find best places to view the changing foliage using the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) fall color report at mdc.mo.gov/fallcolor. “Our fall color report is updated weekly from MDC foresters all over the state,” explained MDC Community Forester Ann Koenig. “Users can see where trees are beginning to turn and get recommendations on great places to view the changing leaves.” Leaves change color at different times, so a fall color season in Missouri may last four-to-six weeks. Missouri trees first begin changing color in the northern part of the state, then move southward. Sassafras, sumac, and Virginia creeper are some of the earliest to change, beginning in mid-September. By late September, black gum, bittersweet, and dogwood are turning. Generally, the color change is predictable, but much depends on the weather. Chilly fall nights play a big role in the color display. Sugars produced by photosynthesis become trapped inside leaves. Those sugars are the building blocks for the rich red, yellow, orange, and purple pigments. Cooler nights cause the breakdown of green pigments, allowing fall colors to show through. Koenig noted bright, cloudless fall days are ideal for a good display of autumn color. “As a general rule, the third week in October is a good time to pay attention to fall color in Mid-Missouri,” she said. “Colors are usually fading and leaves are falling by the end of the month.” Missouri’s fall color can be enjoyed from nearly everywhere. MDC conservation areas or Missouri state parks offer scenic views to enjoy the changing leaves. Prairies and roadsides will even display beautiful shades of gold, purple, olive, and auburn with autumn wildflowers, shrubs, and grasses. View MDC’s weekly fall color update at mdc.mo.gov/fallcolor. The updates run September through November. View MDC’s weekly fall color update at mdc.mo.gov/fallcolor. The updates run September through November. Photo credit: MDC

THEME: THE 1990s

ACROSS 1. Ridden or pushed around yard 6. Chlorofluorocarbon 9. Spiral-horned antelope 13. Make a canyon, e.g. 14. Much of this about nothing? 15. Forest destroyers 16. Basic belief 17. Popular pickup 18. Lake scum 19. *Popular email service eventually bought by Microsoft 21. *CD "maker" 23. FEMA's assistance 24. Musician's time to shine 25. Stephen King's Christine, e.g. 28. Plural of locus 30. Mongolian monetary unit 35. Wraths 37. Jar covers 39. Like yellow polka dot bikini? 40. Desert in China and Mongolia 41. Knight's mount 43. Cogito ____ sum 44. Change the Constitution, e.g. 46. Ready and eager 47. Table mineral 48. *Jennifer Aniston-inspired haircut, with "the" 50. Bank on 52. Modern prefix 53. Beacon light 55. Oolong, e.g. 57. *____ Sese Seko, overthrown Zairian dictator 60. *African National Congress leader released from prison 64. Like a candle? 65. *1997's "Fly" by Sugar ____ 67. Lowest point 68. Smart ____ 69. Marching insect 70. Opposite of digest 71. *Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan's domain 72. Employer Assisted Housing, acr. 73. Fender bender consequences DOWN 1. Crystalline hydrochloride, colloquially 2. Nabisco top best-seller 3. Refuses to 4. Bodily swelling 5. Not wholesale 6. Lewis of sprinting and long jumping fame 7. Vaccine-approving agency, acr. 8. Burger, fries and soda 9. Brick-drying oven 10. It's hard to resist 11. Precedes Abby 12. Consume, as in drugs 15. Slang for radical or cool, 2 words 20. America's singer choices 22. Last, abbr. 24. Weapon in a holster 25. Fidel Castro's smoke 26. Pleasant odor 27. Renaissance instrument resembling a violin 29. *TV hit "Sex and the ____" 31. "Bee ____" 32. What many TV hits have done 33. Fireplace 34. *_____ Protocol, climate change-related international treaty 36. Hyperbolic sine 38. Withered 42. COVID-19 variant 45. Expose the falseness 49. "____ the Games Begin!" 51. Pined 54. Sign of a saint, pl. 56. "Bad news travels fast," e.g. 57. Algeria's neighbor 58. Plow-pulling duo 59. *"Where It's At" singer 60. Urban story 61. Adam and Eve's garden 62. *Oscar winner "Schindler's ____" 63. A in BA 64. *Gulf ____ or Bosnian ____ 66. American Nurses Association

Sports 13

Small but mighty swim team setting big goals for season

Coming off a first place Purple Division win at the Pirate Invitational in Belton last weekend, the Boys Swim and Dive team was back at practice this week preparing for a Wednesday meet in Belton and the Independence Invitational this weekend. “I’m really proud of them, for as small as we are, they have held their own. The improvement from last year is just great to see. They’re a great group of guys and they work really hard. They hold each other accountable and push each other,” Head Coach Kara Liddle said. Seniors Isaac Burd and Riley Fangman said the team is strengthened by the number of upperclassmen on the roster. “We are driven to do our best every day. We have a lot of older swimmers that has helped quite a bit,” Burd said. “One of our main goals is to keep cutting time toward state times, and we are all pushing each other toward that goal,” Fangman said. The team begins practice each day at 5:30am, and keep each other motivated with a loud sing-a-long halfway through practice. They may not win any singing competitions with their daily renditions, but according to Liddle, it is another example of how the team has taken ownership of the camaraderie needed to be successful. In addition to the first place team win at Belton, the 200 free relay team of Burd, Fangman, Evan Reich, and Tom Fligg came in 2nd last weekend. Burd placed 1st in the 50 yard free with a time of 24.79 and 2nd in the 100 yard free with a time of 53.82. Fangman placed 3rd in the 200 yard free with a time of 2:15.62, and 3rd in the 100 fly with a time of 1:07.04. Junior Evan Reich placed 4th in the 100 yard free with a time of 57.27. After graduation, both Burd and Fangman are planning to head to community college through the A+ program. Fangman plans to pursue a degree in marine biology.

Seniors Isacc Burd (left) and Riley Fangman (right) have their sights set on State, and are off to a good start after a successful meet last weekend in Belton. Photo credit: Valley News staff

Following a first place win at the Pirate Invitational in Belton last weekend, the Boys Swim and Dive team were back in the pool this week preparing for another visit to Belton on Wednesday and an invitational in Independence this weekend. Photo credit: Valley News staff