Ask a Dietitian
"Diana, just a quick heads up to let you know we are still using your cookbook and the guys will often be heard saying what would Diana say about this or that....really good feed back... I made your potato salad and the oriental coleslaw on Sat. for a family luncheon and had rave reviews so thanks again."
BC Hydro
Healthy Eating on a Budget
There are several things you can do to help keep your family grocery bill on budget.
1. Buy seasonal produce.
Vegetables: cabbage, cauliflower, winter squash, Brussels sprouts, carrots, kale, potatoes, turnips, parsnips, beets, broccoli, leeks, celery root, rapini, onions, sweet potato, fennel
Fruit: apples, kiwi, pears, cranberries, grapefruit, oranges, lemons
2. Plan Ahead.
Use the store flyer when planning your dinners for the upcoming week. By selecting foods that are on sale and supplementing with seasonal produce you can same money at the till.
3. Use a list.
Write a grocery list of the ingredients you will need for your dinners, lunches and breakfast foods. Stick to it and avoid impulse purchases. Using a list will also ensure you don’t forget anything and will reduce unnecessary trips to the store later in the week.
4. Eat before you shop.
The hungrier you are the harder it is to stick to the list. At least have an apple before you go.
5. Shop Alone.
Avoid outside pressures from the kids to purchase unnecessary treats. Snack foods are usually expensive.
6. Choose Store Brands
Often the store brand will be the best price for that food item.
7. Look for deals in-store.
Read the signage carefully. Be sure you are actually getting a deal and the sign isn’t just promoting everyday low prices.
8. Use coupons.
Be sure you only use coupons to buy things you need.
9. Limit convenience items.
Packaged seasoned rice mixes, sauces and pre-cooked deli items tend to be more expensive that making food from scratch.
10. Buy only what you need.
Often a smaller package is more expensive than the larger one but if you end up tossing some out because you couldn’t finish it then it was a waste of money.
11. Buy Day Old Bread.
Often the day old bread is sold for less. Just toss it in the freezer until you are ready to eat it.
12. Make leftovers.
Cooking in bulk with encourage you to take some for your lunch or have leftovers for dinner. This in turn reduces “take-out” meals and saves you money.
13. Buy Bulk.
Buy snack foods such as nuts and dried fruit in bulk and package the up into small containers. Individually wrapped snacks are more expensive that buying bulk.
14. Roast a whole chicken.
Use leftover chicken meat for sandwiches instead of buying expensive deli meats.
15. Cook Vegetarian meals.
Meat is more expensive that beans and lentils. Consider making vegetarian chili, soups and stews a few times a week.
16. Save on Meat.
Eat smaller portions of meat and make it stretch. Buy meat in family packs and divide into smaller portions to freeze at home.