about nutrition
Are you feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Recent consumer studies by the Bellevue-based Hartman Group found that rising prices are changing the way people shop, with some people with lower incomes buying less food overall and others switching to lower-cost items, including of own brands. Here are some proven tips to make your grocery budget go further.
Go out to eat less and cook more at home
There’s no getting around the fact that home-prepared meals are generally less expensive (and often more nutritious) than restaurant meals. If you’re back to enjoying dining out with friends, consider getting together for barbecues, picnics or shared meals.
Eat more meatless meals
Beans are a low-cost, nutrient powerhouse rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, whether make them from scratch by soaking and cooking dried beans or opt for canned beans. Dried lentils are also an option that doesn’t require soaking and has a shorter cooking time. When eating meat, poultry, and fish, try adding small amounts to the main course of salads, stir-fries, soups, or pasta sauces.
Ignore dietary dogma
Many fad diets demonize perfectly nutritious and inexpensive foods like potatoes, pasta, rice, and frozen and canned goods. Too bad, because combining leftover vegetables and meat or poultry with a pot of pasta or rice can be a quick and cheap dinner. Even beans get thrown under the bus on extremely low-carb diets. While you can certainly find research supporting low-fat diets, low-carb diets, and everything in between, the most compelling evidence comes from research showing that the quality of our food counts more for nutrition and health than any specific proportion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Reduce food waste
When you have to throw away food you spent good money on, guilt often accompanies you, no matter what your food budget is. If you’re in the habit of reaching for “convenience items” like pre-washed salad greens and pre-cut fruits and vegetables, consider that these ready-to-eat items typically cost more and spoil faster than whole produce. If you need convenience plus shelf life, canned and frozen items are options. They tend to cost less and require less preparation than fresh produce, and are just as nutritious, sometimes even plus nutritious, because they are frozen or canned immediately after harvest.
Have a plan
Making a weekly meal plan — at least one loose — and creating a flexible shopping list can help you take advantage of sales and take advantage of leftovers. That reduces food waste and saves money. Your list should cover what you need without being limited to specific brands or varieties. For example, if you need to buy fruit, put it on your list and then buy what’s on sale (as long as it’s something you like). Having a plan and a list can also prevent you from overbuying. That’s important, because if you buy more than you can use, that “good buy” simply becomes food waste.
To make it easy to use fresh fruits and vegetables, take the time to wash and prepare your fruits and vegetables when you get home from the store. You still have some vegetables from your previous shopping trip that are looking a bit tired? Add them to a stir-fry or a pot of soup or chili.
Need a resource for tasty, nutritious and affordable recipes? I often recommend the “Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day” cookbook from leanne brownwhich is available as Free downloadable PDF.
