Our Residents

Grocery shopping can be confusing at best, especially when comparing brands and prices.

It gets even more so when items are switched from one aisle to the next – a move by marketers to keep shoppers in the store longer, hopefully to spend more cash.

At Springfield Housing Authority’s Forest Park Manor, residents are learning from an expert what to look for, and what to avoid.

“Make a list, and stick to it,” advised nutritionist Sarifa Khan on a recent visit to the  development for elderly and handicapped residents.

“Get in, get out. Go to the right aisles to find what you need. Buy what you need and stick to your budget,” she added.

Forest Park Manor residents learn grocery shopping tips with UMass Extension Service nutritionist Sarifa Khan, who is seated at right.

Khan’s ‘Kitchen Calypso’ session at Forest Park came courtesy of the University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program, which provides educational services across the region to promote healthy eating habits. At Forest Park, that means visits by Khan to guide residents as they shop, cook and eat in their homes.

Some handy tips offered by Khan include:

• When making your grocery list, open cabinets,      refrigerator, and bathroom storage areas to see what’s running low or out.
• For each item on your list, ask yourself, ‘Do I      want it?’ and ‘Do I need it?’
• Watch for unit price versus retail price, and figure      out where the deals lie.
• Look at labels for nutrition information: Avoid      the salty, sweet and chemical-laden products.
• Check out calorie counts and ‘serving size’ on      the label as well.
• Also check the ‘sell by’ and ‘use by’ dates.
• Find the best bargains, checking store ads and flyers      for sales.
• Use coupons.
• Avoid the grocery store on an empty stomach.
• Buy fresh fruit and vegetables instead of the      canned stuff.
• Shop around the periphery of a grocery store –      the outer aisles have the healthiest, freshest and least processed choices.
• Watch the register to be sure items ring up at      the right price.

SHA Resident Services Coordinator Candra Cripps, left, and UMass Extension Service Nutritionist Sarifa Khan, right, prepare the healthy lunch.

All that being said, Khan admits that grocery shopping can be the kind of adventure one doesn’t necessarily look forward to.

“It’s very hard today to look at everything that’s out there and make the good choices,” she said.

But it can be done, with diligence and smarts.

“My goal is to help the elderly be successful with healthy shopping and healthy eating. We want smart shoppers,” Khan added.

Guests also received cooking tips and recipes for healthy meals. After the discussion, all were treated to a healthy chicken taco lunch.

The visit produced a solid group of interested residents, who said they appreciate the tips.

“I like this, it’s very good,” said Lorraine Shaw, who’s been living at Forest Park the past 16 years.

“We learned to look closely at the packages, see how much is in there and what’s in there,” she said. “We’re thinking about how to shop smart. This will help me when I’m out there shopping – I’ll think about this stuff.”

Forest Park Manor residents gather after the nutrition session.

Shaw lives alone, so normally cooks for herself. But she has young adult visitors, people she babysat for when they were children, who sometimes stay the night and love to share meals and snacks with her.

“When they come, I know I’ll need more food,” she said.

Xuoi Co also attended the session, and said she’ll use the tips on her shopping trips.

“It was very helpful,” said Co, a resident of Forest Park Manor the past 16 months.

“She explained how to shop smart and eat healthy, and how to buy things that are good for you. She told us to be careful how we spend our grocery money,” Co added.

SHA Resident Services Coordinator Candra Cripps organized the nutrition sessions at Forest Park, noting that they are available at other developments on request. The aim, she said, is to keep elderly and handicapped residents living independently, and in good health, in their owns homes.

“We have many people living on their own, and as they age, they say ‘I’m not going to cook any more. It’s not worth it.’ Programs like this give them ideas for shopping, and for cooking easy and healthy recipes, that are affordable on a fixed income,” Cripps noted.