Healthy eating on a budget

With grocery prices seeming to climb endlessly, clients are looking for strategies stick to their health goals without breaking the bank. Help your clients think outside the box to eat well and save money at the same time.

Here are 10 tips to get you started:

1. Make a plan: Create a weekly meal plan with a detailed grocery list prior to shopping to limit impulse buys and minimize food waste from excess groceries. Bonus tip- try to plan these meals around sale items at your local grocery store.

2. Use your freezer: Purchase frozen fruits or vegetables if they are cheaper- they will last longer and have the same nutritional content as fresh produce.

3. Try meatless Mondays: Legumes or legume products (beans, lentils, tofu) are often less expensive and can be bought in bulk with a longer shelf-life than animal-based protein. And as a bonus- they are a great source of fibre!

4. Use seasonal produce when possible: Local, in-season produce is typically less expensive than its imported counterparts. Websites like Canadian Food Focus’ “What’s in Season” page: https://canadianfoodfocus.org/whats-in-season/ are a great resource for in-season produce and recipes.

5. Try to avoid pre-prepared items when possible: Although they are time savers, choosing items like shredded cheese over block cheese, for example, will typically cost more than if you shred it yourself. Setting aside time to prepare items like this in batches for the week can set you up for success and save time later.

6. Make your leftovers work for you: Food waste is present in most households and is a direct way money is lost. Choosing recipes that can utilize leftovers is a great way to combat this. For example, if you roast a chicken one night, plan to have chicken soup the following night to use up any remaining pieces.

7. Utilize price matching: Many grocery stores will price match items found at competitor stores if proof is provided. This can be through paper flyers, or apps that will search for items and provide lower prices if they are available.

8. Choose store’s own brands: Although marketing teams would like you to believe otherwise, generic brands and name brands often are of the same quality, but with a different price tag. Look at the options available for an item and compare prices before making a decision. Examples of generic brands include: Compliments (Safeway), Great Value (Walmart), 365 (Whole Foods).

9. Shop when you’re full: Although it may seem like a small change, you are more likely to make impulse purchases that are outside of your meal plan and budget if you are grocery shopping while hungry. 

10. Choose simple ingredients: Planning your weekly meals around diverse ingredients that can be used in more than one way can help you stay ahead of food waste. Items like rice, potatoes, and beans can be transformed using herbs and spices to be the foundation of multiple recipes.

Healthy eating is not only about knowledge and motivation, it's also about accessibility. Let's remove the barriers that prevent clients from adopting healthy eating habits and empower them to thrive.