Whole Foods event to teach saving on healthy food

Whole Foods Market will host “Ballin’ on a Budget: The Basics and Batch” event today. The event will present cheap healthy eating alternatives.

Mary Russ, healthy eating specialist for Whole Foods Market, said this event is aimed toward college students in the Tallahassee area.

Participants will be taught how to “batch cook” whole grains and dried legumes. These tips will allow them to make multiple simple recipes for a week’s worth of healthy eating.

All participants must pre-register for prior to the start of the free class.

Sakinah El-Fakhri, a senior sociology student from Fairfax, Va., said most college students avoid shopping at places like Whole Foods because they believe the products are more expensive compared to other grocery stores.

“I don’t shop at Whole Foods because it’s expensive,” El-Fakhri said. “I do find ways to eat healthy, but I only eat organic when I go back home.”

The “Ballin’ on a Budget” event will teach participants how to get in the habit of reading the labels and ingredients on the foods they purchase.

“So many people think that they’re making healthy choices, but they’re not reading the labels,” Russ said.

Chaunterria Jackson, a senior political science student from Jacksonville, said classes like this should be held more often.

“College students believe that healthy food is expensive, so we lean towards unhealthy foods that are more available to us,” Jackson said.

Russ said she is expecting about 20 people so far. The class still has spots available for people to sign up.

The class starts at 6:30 p.m. at Whole Foods Market, located at 1817 Thomasville Road.