Nutrition on a Budget: Stretching Your Food Dollars

Are you trying to find ways to reduce your food costs, yet still eat well?  The most obvious way to reduce costs is by eating out less, cooking from scratch, and taking a lunch to work.  It sounds like a lot of work but with a little planning  you can reduce the time spent in the kitchen by cooking in large quantities and freezing the left overs.

Start by reading your weekly grocery ads to see where the bargains are.  My husband and I usually spend Saturday afternoons going to several grocery stores and only buying what’s on sale.  We stock up on the really good buys (having a freezer helps).    Costco can also be a great place to shop for certain things, but be careful – everything is not a bargain!  Sometimes you can get a better buy at the grocery store. 

Before you step out the door to do your shopping there are three things you need to do:   spend some time planning your meals for the week, based on the weekly sales.  Once you complete your meal plans (including lunches!) then check your cupboards to see what ingredients you need and make your grocery list for each store you will be visiting.  Thirdly, make sure you eat before you leave the house to reduce impulse spending!  When you get to the grocery store, try to shop the outer perimeters as much as possible.  That’s where you will find the less refined and processed foods. 

Stretch your food dollars by fixing soups with lots of vegetables, casseroles, bean dishes, and reducing the amount of meat in your recipes.  Instead of buying a lot of snacks such as potato chips and corn chips, switch to popcorn -  not the microwave variety – but the kind you pop yourself.  It’s much healthier, less expensive and actually tastes better.  Add a little butter if you must and a little sea salt and you have a delicious snack.

To eat well it is imperative to READ YOUR FOOD LABELS!  Many items that we think of as healthy for us, simply are not.  For example, many of us think of yogurt as a healthy snack.  However, it’s usually loaded with sugar.  You’re also lucky if you can find a brand that does not contain high fructose corn syrup.  This is an ingredient that you definitely want to stay away from.  Your better off buying some plain non-fat or low-fat yogurt and adding your own fruit, honey, and/or nuts.  In addition to  high fructose corn syrup you will want to stay away from hydrogenated oils or trans fats.  Focus on less refined, whole grain products as much as possible, lots of fruits and vegetables, and limiting red meat consumption.   And please don’t cut out entire food groups, such as carbohydrates.  A great place to learn more about healthy eating is www.mypyramid.gov.

One last tip is to buy in-season and locally grown foods.  The food will be cheaper and fresher.  Farmers markets are great places to pick up locally grown food – or better yet - grow it yourself!