Green Options

Chicago’s health commissioner recently urged Windy City denizens to give up meat for the entire month of January, in a bid to improve locals’ health. Getting residents of Chicago—a city famed for its sausages—to go vegetarian for a month, or even a week, may seem like a tall order. Heck, I’m a vegetarian-leaning omnivore and it seems a bit challenging even for me!

However, the guy’s got a point.

Want to eat well but while keeping an eye on your budget? Not to worry—you don’t have to empty your wallet at Whole Paycheck Whole Foods in order to do so. Here are some tips on how to parlay your greenbacks into more affordable green eating.

Prioritize your purchases. Buying organic makes for healthier, tastier food, but it can come at a steep price. However, The Daily Green has published two helpful guides to navigating this dilemma: a list of 12 key foods to buy organic, as well as of the 10 safest non-organic grocery purchases.

Know which aisles to shop. The bulk section of health-food stores is a goldmine of good buys: grains, cereals, dried beans, nuts, flour, sugar, and herbs and spices. Buying in bulk is less expensive than buying packaged goods and allows you to get just the right amount.

Today the Obama transition team announced the President Elect’s newest addition to his Cabinet: Tom Vilsack will be the Secretary of Agriculture.

Selecting the former governor of Iowa, one of the nation’s top agriculture-based economies, seems natural. As the economic crisis has exacerbated the tumult that had already begun plaguing the American farming industry, Vilsack is in a unique position to understand the related issues that will no doubt influence Obama’s new economic stimulus package. Moreover, Vilsack is a vocal supporter of combating global warming, finding alternative energy sources, and investing in biofuels—issues that must take center stage in the reshaping of agricultural policy.

However, Vilsack’s appointment could be a mixed bag.

Winter veggies usually get short shrift, but there are many reasons to savor them. They add loads of vitamins and nutrients to our diets, do wonders for our immunity, and are wonderfully versatile. Plus, eating seasonally is eating green: as it takes us back to the old days of eating only the freshest available products, it’s a more sustainable eating model and it’s better for reducing our carbon footprints.

Here’s my guide to making the most of these five fabulous winter veggies:

1. Play Squash

I actually look forward to winter just for its squash varieties. Acorn, banana, butternut, spaghetti, delicata, hubbard, sweet dumpling, buttercup, and turban squashes—not to mention pumpkin—add a colorful and sweet accent to your plate. Plus, they are among the healthiest types of complex carbohydrates (the best kind of carbs), with high fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C content. Roast ‘em, mash ‘em, or slow cook ‘em into a heaping bowl of soupy goodness for the perfect warm winter meal.