Canada AM's nutrition expert Leslie Beck says saving money doesn't have to mean sacrificing healthy eating. Here are her tips for the "frugal foodie."
1. Plan ahead
This is a strategy that will save you money. Plan your meals and snacks for a few days or a week in advance. And then write out your grocery list. Having a list means you'll buy only what you need and won't have to spend time, gas and money returning to the store or forgotten items.
Having a plan also means you can shop less often - say once a week. The more times you visit the grocery store, the more money you're likely to spend.
Don't shop on an empty stomach when you're hungry - you'll end up buying more than you need and make impulse purchases - usually for foods that aren't particularly healthy.
2. Buy bulk when it makes sense
Foods like oats, dry pasta, rice, nuts and dried fruit can keep for a long time and are often cheaper when they're bought in bulk.
That said, not all economy-size food purchases will save you money. For instance, if those extra large packages of food you buy at Costco contain more food than your family typically eats, you may end up wasting unused portions - and money. Another example: extra large bottles of vegetable oil will turn rancid if you don't use them within a certain period of time.
And from a weight control standpoint, studies clearly show that we serve ourselves more from large packages. So buy bulk only when it makes sense to do so.
3. Rely less on convenience foods
Do it yourself more often! Convenience foods like frozen dinners, pre-cut vegetables and fruit, and packaged snack foods save you time, but they are more expensive because someone else has done the labour for you. Weigh the time and effort spent making foods from scratch against the cost, food value and taste of convenience foods. You need to think about which foods you will buy and which ones you will make yourself.
For example, orange juice made from concentrate or frozen orange juice concentrate? Do you really want to pay extra to have someone add the water for you? Shredded cheese or a whole piece? Once you compare prices you might be surprised at how much extra you pay for preparation that you can easily - and quickly - do at home.
Making foods from scratch also extends to eating in restaurants less often and bringing your lunch to work. You'll not only save money, you'll also save sodium, fat and calories.
4. Buy local produce
You will save money if you buy fruits and vegetables that are locally grown in season. You won't be paying for transportation costs to bring produce from California - or Chile for that matter - to your grocery store. I would avoid imported, out-of-season items. When something it out of season, you'll save money buying frozen.
5. Eat less meat
Meat adds considerably to your food bill. To manage the amount of money you spend on meat, eat smaller portions or use meat in dishes that contain other ingredients like stir-fries, pastas, and casseroles.
Another way to cut down on meat - which helps to lower the risk of colon cancer - is to incorporate more plant protein into your diet. Substitute legumes, lentils or soy foods for meat or poultry a few meals each week. Not only are these foods less expensive than animal protein, eating them more often also helps you increase your fibre and lower your saturated fat intake.
