Eating Healthy on a Budget Trivia Quiz

Answer: Food waste

Avoidable food waste costs the average household (2.4 people) about £480 a year, based on WRAP's (Waste and Resources Action Programme) household food and drink waste report of 2009. Smaller households waste proportionally more than larger households, and this figure is based on avoidable waste.

A particular issue for smaller households are offers such as 'buy one, get one free'. Often it is cheaper to bulk buy, but if what is purchased is not consumed, it will end up costing more.

Food which has a limited shelf life, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, and bakery items such as bread, are both above average in the proportion of avoidable waste components.

The conclusion therefore would be to buy what you intend to use. Bulk buys can seem cost-effective, but if you know you can't get through the food before it goes off, reconsider.

Answer: Pasta sauces

They are pasta sauces. Both are tomato based. Pomodoro (literally meaning 'golden apple' in Italian) sauce is traditionally made from tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil, although onion is typically found as an ingredient as well. Meanwhile, marinara is much the same, but is less thick.

A basic pasta sauce is quick to cook, and a very popular meal, but the magic is that pasta sauces are very easily customisable. Experiment with different herbs and spices, serve with broccoli, cauliflower, perhaps add beans to the sauce, serve with a side salad, fish, bacon, chicken... the list goes on. The bigger variety of ingredients, the more nutritious your sauce will be, so try to aim for some diversity. Try to use wholemeal pasta over white pasta, as white pasta can lead to blood sugar spikes. And have fun experimenting!

Answer: False

Whilst trans fats naturally occur in small amounts in animal fats, the trans fats we are concerned with are the ones produced by hydrogenation.

Hydrogenation aims to add hydrogen atoms to unsaturated fat molecules, and this process increases the shelf life of oils (and thus the foods they are used in) and can give a desirable texture. They are used in the production of margarine and vegetable shortening, for example, and you can therefore expect to find them in fast food, particularly fried food, biscuits, frozen food (e.g. pizza), and crisps, to give a few examples.

But because it is an artificial fat, it has been suggested the body cannot synthesise it well, as enzymes like lipase work like jigsaw pieces, and the trans fats can be likened to a foreign object in a parts factory - does not compute.

So, why care about trans fats? Well, they have been shown to have no health benefit whatsoever, and both increase LDL (low density lipoprotein) whilst reducing HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol clogs our arteries, raises blood pressure, and thus trans fats have been correlated with the onset of heart disease.

No more than 2% of energy consumed a day should come from trans fats; that's about 5 grams. But, the less, the better, as trans fats aren't good in any case. Look out for 'partially hydrogenated oils' in ingredients!

Answer: Cointreau

Cointreau, introduced in 1849 by Adolphe Cointreau, is an orange liqueur based on a blend of sweet and bitter orange peels with pure alcohol. It has 40% alcohol by volume and can also be used in the Margarita cocktail, which is a mix of orange flavoured liqueur, tequila and lemon or lime, sometimes with salt on the rim of the glass.

BLT stands for 'Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato' which is self explanatory.
Panini is an Italian sandwich, made with a bread such as ciabatta. Inside it can go salami, mozzarella cheese, red peppers and tomato, for example. It is usually pressed or served warm.
A submarine sandwich is a long roll of bread split horizontally and filled with a variety of fillings including meat, vegetables, cheese and sauces. It goes by a large range of different names in the US, but is mostly roughly the same throughout.

Sandwiches can be healthy and affordable, but, being a convenience food sold in shops and food outlets, aren't always cheap. It's worth considering home making sandwiches as this can also be a way of guaranteeing a good mix of ingredients. Making your own bread can definitely save money, although it's not for everyone - but worth looking into if bread is a staple of your diet and you have some time to spare.

Answer: Atkins diet

The Atkins diet became very popular in 2003, although "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution" was published in 1972, so it had been around for a while beforehand.

The Subway diet was popularised by Jared Fogle who ate Subway sandwiches rather than other junk food and fast food.

The Mediterranean diet is focused on Greek and Southern Italian cuisine particularly, and olive oil is a popular aspect of the diet. Fruit and vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grain cereals are also key parts of the diet.

The Zone diet centers on a 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein and 30% fat diet.

If a diet is undertaken, research is advised. Employ some common sense and ask questions, as advertised quick fixes often don't work.

Answer: False

Breakfast is said to have the following health benefits:
a) Provides energy throughout the day
b) Aids concentration/alertness
c) Those who eat breakfast are, on average, slimmer than those who don't

A healthy breakfast, for example, could be as simple as a wholemeal cereal such as bran flakes, with fruit such as a banana. Fruit juice, muesli, oatmeal, wholegrain toast, fruit salad, and eggs are all good ideas.

Fruit is an appetite suppressant, and will release energy steadily. Other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, energy itself and fibre are pros to eating breakfast.
Those who don't eat breakfast are more likely to buy snacks, which, whilst tasty, are usually neither cost efficient or healthy.

Answer: 95 percent

As the RDA for a 2000 calorie per day diet is 20g saturated fat, the 19g from the "Double Quarter Pounder ++" is 95% of the day's limit.

Although the "Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese++" was chosen somewhat for shock factor, several of the other offered meals have some hefty stats associated with them. For example, the Big Mac has 540 calories, 29g fat (45% RDA), 10g saturated fat (50% RDA), and 1040 mg sodium (43% RDA).
Add some medium fries for 380 calories, 19g fat (29% RDA), of which 2.5g is saturated fat (13% RDA), and 270mg sodium (11% RDA), and things can quickly stack up.

This information was even gathered from their official website, and the RDA percentage values were directly taken from the table they provided. Based on a 2000 calorie diet, the RDA for normal fat is 65g and sodium (salt) 2400mg.

For those who are interested, a PDF file of McDonalds' range can be found here:
http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/food_quality/nutrition_choices.html

This knowledge probably doesn't shock people too much, but perhaps the extent to which fast food can hit our healthy limits quickly might surprise.

Answer: Eating lean meat

Fibre only comes from plant based foods. This can go to the wayside in a fast food filled diet, since grains are often refined and fruit can be sparse. Breakfast cereals are an excellent source of fibre - fruit and wholemeal produce particularly.

There are two types of dietary fibre. Insoluble fibre is the type that can't be absorbed by the body. It helps with digestion - helping to avoid constipation and regulate bowel movements, and also helps matter move through the intestines more quickly. Roughage, fruit skins and whole grain food are good sources of insoluble fibre.

Soluble fibre is absorbed by your body. It can help reduce blood cholesterol by binding to the cholesterol and preventing it being reabsorbed into the blood. It can also produce a gel which slows absorption of glucose, controlling blood sugars. Oats, beans, fruit and vegetables are good sources of soluble fibre.

Whilst it is possible to eat fibre enriched food and supplements, the two types of fibre work best together. Increasing fibre intake sharply can lead to discomfort, so a gradual approach is best.

Answer: Diced chicken fillets

Convenience foods are in an edible state with little to no preparation. If all you need to do is unwrap it, and, optionally, put it in an oven or microwave for a few minutes, the chances are it's a convenience food. Crisps you just open the packet, smoothies are ready to drink, and pizza goes in the oven for 15-20 minutes or so.

Even diced chicken fillets are somewhat pre-processed, as they are, as the name suggests, pre-diced. Naturally, expect the cost to you to increase for the convenience of someone else chopping the chicken. Grated cheese and pre-chopped vegetables also fit into this category, and provide avoidable costs. Getting a knife/grater/peeler out and using it will only be a couple of minutes of a time sink, which will be more cost effective than buying pre-chopped vegetables, for example. These little costs add up!

Are convenience foods all bad? No, but be discerning about which ones you choose to buy - if it's very cheap, there's probably a reason.

Answer: Many times more expensive than tap water

Bottled water is a big con. Whilst figures vary, let's say a litre of tap water costs 1p in 2011 (actually a little less). A bottle of bottled water generally costs 50p-£1.50. So, firstly, it's costing the consumer far more than it would to simply keep a flask of your own and refill with tap water. A water filter can be used if there are concerns over the tap water's quality - it turns out cheaper than buying bottled water over time.

Secondly, the plastic used in plastic bottles are made from finite fossil fuels. They are transported around using more fossil fuels. So, the environment isn't a huge fan of bottled water, either.

Finally, there's no evidence that bottled water is healthier than tap water. In fact, evidence has suggested some bottled water may be contaminated by the plastic bottles they are housed in.

Using and refilling a flask could also cut out some of the costs of fizzy drink, coffee, and other convenience drinks.