Healthy eating on a budget

Charleswood

I don’t think I know anyone who has not noticed the tremendous cost of groceries these days. You spend almost $100 and come out of the store with barely a few bags!

There is no doubt that many Canadians are struggling with the high food costs, especially seniors on fixed incomes or those barely scraping by. My goodness, my husband and I make excellent salaries and find it ridiculous.

Despite this, there are still ways to shop economically and put decent food on the table. Certainly, curbing back on eating out will help your wallet and waistline. Be aware of your food prices. You can compare flyers online to see who has the best prices overall. Be sure to look at quantity for the price. Be wary too of store pricing, because sometimes you must buy three or more to get a discount. I really dislike that, as I find it deceptive. Usually, generic brands are offered at a lower price.

Plan your meals and lunches ahead, or even making a menu for the week, can help you shop for the best bargains. Make simple recipes with ingredients that you will use over and over again. There are plenty of basic healthy recipes online and you can also check out the Dietitians of Canada website. Make a grocery list and stick to it.

Stay out of tempting aisles that offer junk food, like cookies, chips, chocolate bars, candies, pop. Often, I see people load up their cart with processed and junk foods that are not only unhealthy but very pricey.

Since meat, especially red meat, is so expensive, have some vegetarian meals once or twice a week. Having pasta, brown rice, egg dishes like frittatas, canned tuna or salmon, chicken thighs, legumes (chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, brown beans) added to your weekly menu can stretch your food dollars. For example, making a simple dish of pasta, homemade tomato sauce mixed in with some shredded chicken or tuna makes a quick, simple and healthy meal. Casseroles, chili, hearty soups and stews go a long way, and you can mix up the ingredients.

Choose fruits and vegetables that are in season. Have frozen varieties on hand. Sometimes purchasing a bag of avocados or pears is cheaper than purchasing them individually.

Use plain quick oats and top with unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon. Try making homemade muffins or loaves vs buying them. I’m always freezing overripe bananas, and I make a variety of muffins, cakes and loaves with them.

Prepared foods are more costly and most often have more salt and fat. For most, bottled water is not necessary. To flavour water, try lemon or lime juice instead of buying special flavor packets. Using a slow cooker is great. You can throw together a quick meal and it always tastes delicious. A quick slow cooker lasagna works great and is cost efficient.

If a sale item is not in stock, ask for a rain check.

Happy cooking!