The Skinny Chef
Jennifer Iserloh

Just this past week I was hanging out with my friend Joy Bauer, the nutritionist for the Today Show and best-selling author of books like "Food Cures" and "Joy's Life Diet".

While I was preparing her recipes to go out on the set of "The View," she was sharing smart advice on how to eat inexpensively and trim your waistline at the same time. Her tips included some of the cheapest produce, drinks, bulk items and many of the foods you eat each and every day.

Joy and I have worked together on several book projects over the years and we've had fun times cooking together. I have learned so much about nutrition working with her -- not just because she is a goldmine of knowledge, but because her energy is so infectious. I think the reason she has been able to help so many people is because she eats exactly what she preaches and she's passionate about teaching people how to be healthy.

Read on for a few terms that not only describe her personality, but also her eating habits.

Smart
Find out more about what you're eating on a regular basis. Learning how to read a food label isn't as hard as you think. Joy takes a peek at the label to make smarter food choices.

Light Hearted
Protect your heart by adding foods to your grocery list that are low in saturated fat -- that's the fat you'll find in things like butter, bacon, processed baked goods and ground beef. Foods that are high in saturated fat can ultimately lead to heart disease. Craving meatloaf or a burger? Joy chooses all-white-meat ground turkey.

Beautiful
Want to look your best? Get gorgeous skin by eating foods that are high in antioxidants like Vitamin C and Omega-3! Joy's picks are oranges and ground flax.

Supportive
Support your immune system by eating more foods that are naturally high in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, like fresh fruits, veggies, low-fat fresh dairy and whole grains. They've got what your body needs to protect itself against disease. Joy supports her health by creating recipes from these food groups.

Energized
Eating the right portion size can not only help you lose or maintain weight, but it can also give you more energy to do all the things you've always wanted to do. So if a portion is about 1 cup, Joy says it's roughly the size of a baseball.

P.S. Catch Joy Bauer's appearance on "The View."