(Stephanie Russel| Photos courtesy of Synergy Health & Wellness)
When working with clients to improve their nutrition or address medical concerns through nutrition therapy, our focus is always on what we can add to the diet to support health—rather than what we remove. A common concern we hear from clients is: “Healthy eating is so expensive!”
Our goal is to show that all foods can fit into a balanced diet, and eating well doesn’t have to cost a lot. Keep these tips in mind to help stretch your food dollars without sacrificing taste or nutrition:
Plan ahead to save more and waste less
One of the most effective strategies for stretching food dollars is to plan ahead. This means taking just a little time to create a shopping list before heading to the grocery store. Before creating your list, be sure to check the fridge and pantry for ingredients you have on hand. Doing this will ensure you don’t purchase unnecessary items and determine the meals and recipes you want to purchase new ingredients for. Be sure to take note of any coupons or store deals before heading to the store, this way you can ensure these ingredients (and savings!) make your list.
Choose ingredients that are versatile
When planning meals, consider ingredients that can be used in a variety of different recipes. This helps keep costs low while keeping meals interesting. For example, chicken and broccoli can be used in soups, casseroles, stir-fries, wraps, pastas, and rice bowls. The more flexibility an ingredient has the more meals you can create with it! Choose recipes that are easy to adapt and be creative mixing and matching the ingredients you have available. Want to save time, too? Plan for leftovers! You may have heard that utilizing leftovers is a great way to reduce food waste, but did you know planning for leftovers can save you time and money? Select recipes and meals that you or your family enjoy eating often and make larger batches to store in the refrigerator or freeze for later. This may take a little more prep time initially, but it will save tons of time, energy, and money in the long run.
Shop Smart! Check in-store deals and unit prices
Before throwing items in the grocery cart, take a pause to compare product pricing. Store brand items are often less expensive but always check prices to know for sure. Grocery stores often have in-store deals that may only be apparent when you check the price tag. Paying attention to unit prices can also mean big savings. Unit prices are typically found at the bottom of an item’s retail price tag but may be in a different location. The unit price tells you what an item costs per its unit of measurement, such as an ounce or pound. For example, if a 6 ounce container of yogurt has a retail price of $.69 and a unit price of $.12 per ounce and a 32-ounce container of yogurt has a retail price of $2.99 and a unit price of $.09 per ounce, purchasing the 32-ounce container will give you more for your money.
Buying Fruit and Veggies
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, plan meals and snacks based on what’s seasonal in your area. Buying local, in-season produce not only saves money, but often means better taste quality, and nutritional value, too! Look for locally-grown fruits and vegetables at farmers markets, farm stands, and your local grocery store. Or try growing your own!
Don’t have outdoor space for growing? Many vegetables and herbs can be grown in a small container on a windowsill, with adequate sunlight. Keep in mind that produce doesn’t always have to be fresh. There’s plenty of nutrition in frozen and canned fruits and vegetables, and these options may offer flexibility in food storage, usage, and cost. Check the Nutrition Facts label on the back of food packages to select options that are low in sodium and added sugars.
Stephanie Russel is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) at Synergy Health and Wellness with 20 years education and experience in community and public health nutrition settings. At Synergy she supports clients of all ages in improving metabolic health, and their relationship with food and body.
Synergy Health & Wellness is a comprehensive clinic for diabetes and nutrition counseling, along with professional massage therapy services. With an AADE Accredited Diabetes program led by a team of experienced Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, including a CDE RDN, Synergy offers both individual and group training sessions. As the largest private clinic in Central Oregon dedicated to diabetes care, Synergy also addresses a range of other health concerns, including gastrointestinal and kidney disorders, hypertension, eating disorders, body image, and weight concerns.
More tips and resources to help stretch food dollars from Synergy’s Dietitians . . .
Rosalie Tierney: “Fresh isn’t always best — I love using frozen and canned foods to make cooking easy and affordable.”
Corrin Kalinich: “More foods can be frozen than you think, which can help prevent wasting money when the food turns bad. Consider freezing bread, cheese, butter, nuts, cooked grains and pasta, fruit, fresh herbs, baked goods, and leafy greens.”
Lucy Ramquist: “Store brands are often just as good as the popular name brands, but much cheaper.”
RanDee Anshutz: “Don’t shy away from the clearance meats section! These protein sources just need to be frozen or cooked and used quickly. This can save you a lot of money on meat. Don’t worry too much about the safety of the meat–if something is opened, has a strong odor, leaking blood, or the appearance of an oil slick/shiny then I’d put it back. Otherwise well sealed foods are fair game.”
