Join me for a FREE WEBINAR on Monday, November 27, 2023. In this seminar, we will discuss healthy eating on a budget and provide tips for planning and preparing nutritious meals without spending too much. Learn how to save money at the grocery store and discover cost-effective ingredient substitutes for your favorite recipes, including protein-rich alternatives to animal foods. Click here to register!

Food is an essential necessity in our lives that cannot be compromised. While we may be able to reduce expenses on other non-essential items, such as clothing or indulgences, the importance of nourishing ourselves remains constant. But, over the past two years, the sticker shock at the supermarket has introduced a new reality, causing us to make more conscious choices when it comes to our food expenditures.

A new report from RBC economists predicts food inflation will slow in Canada, but prices will remain high. Bittersweet news, considering food costs have risen a whopping 18% over the past two years.

While Canadian consumers come to terms with paying more than $9.00 for a pound of butter and $3.99 for a bottle of hot sauce that, not too long ago cost only $0.99, we have changed our habits—dining out and entertaining less, sacrificing splurges, and hunting for deals.

To put things into perspective, a family of four can expect to spend up to $16,288 on food in 2023. Translating to a monthly cost of $1,357 (up from $1,231 in 2022)—that’s a weekly expense of $313 (up from $284 in 2022)—it’s clear that making every dollar count is essential in today’s food landscape.

For many well-intentioned people, healthy eating has taken a hit, but it is possible to maintain a healthy diet without breaking the bank.

The first step is to create a food budget.

Surprisingly, despite the fact that food is our third biggest expense after housing and transportation, many Canadians don’t have any idea how much they spend on food. If you’re trying to save money on food and eat healthy too, it’s crucial to be aware of your spending and to have a grocery budget.

What is a reasonable monthly grocery budget? There is no right answer. Your food budget will be unique to your family, life situation, dietary needs and where you live.

First things first, let’s face the numbers. For the next month (or two if you don’t shop often), keep track of how much money you spend at the grocery store and what types of items you usually buy. Keep every receipt from the grocery store, coffee runs, and dining out. At the end of the month (or two):

• Add up all the receipts. The sum will give you an idea of how much you’re spending on food per month. Once you have the monthly total, divide it by the number of weeks in that period to find out how much you spend during an average week.

• Categorize. Break down your spending into categories using those receipts. Meat, produce, dairy, non-perishables, treats, alcohol… This exercise will reveal where you’re wisely investing and where your hard-earned money is being wasted. Keep a separate list for toiletries and household items too.

• Establish your budget: Now, armed with your spending insights, you can establish a budget. Determine how much money you can allocate for food each week and month. Repeat this process with all of your receipts (including coffee, snacks, work lunches and alcohol). This total might surprise you!

The next step is to create a weekly meal plan.

Coming up with what to make for dinner after a long workday can be a more onerous task than the cooking process itself, especially when you’re low on ingredients.

Plan a menu for the week. This important step saves time, money, and food waste, since you can make use of leftovers for the next day’s meal. Preparing a weekly meal plan also means you’re less likely to stop for take-out. On the weekend or a quiet evening, brainstorm lunches and dinners for the upcoming week. A variety of printable menu planning templates can be found on Pinterest or check out meal planning apps like Mealime.

If you find the task of meal planning overwhelming, start here:

• Take inventory: Look through your fridge, freezer and cupboards to identify what you already have. Incorporate as many items as possible into your menu.
• Choose 2 to 3 weekly themes to incorporate over the next month to cut down on the brain strain (Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, Slow Cooker Saturday…).
• Focus on dinners (and plan to make extra food for the next day’s lunches). Breakfast is typically an easy choice.
• Keep a running list of favourite meals and keep it within reach—on your mobile device, home computer, or taped to the refrigerator. When you’ve jotted down a few meals, use it as inspiration for your weekly menu.

Now, create a grocery list.

As you prepare your weekly menu, make your grocery list. Jot down the items you will need to prepare the foods on your menu and cross out items you already have at home. Prioritize! What are your must-have items? Sticking to a set grocery list will help you buy only what you actually need. It will also keep you from buying foods that aren’t on the list.

Cut down on food waste.

The average household wastes about 32% of the food it buys, costing about $1,866 annually per household.

Fruits and vegetables, dairy products, bread, and meat are discarded most often, but meat has the greatest impact. In terms of the water it takes to produce beef, throwing out a hamburger is equivalent to taking a 90-minute shower.

Rotate the foods in your fridge. As you unload newly purchased groceries into the fridge, place them in the back, behind other food that was previously purchased. Keep fresh fruits, vegetables, leftovers, or anything with a looming expiration date at eye level and at the front of the fridge to ensure they’re used up.

Proper storage of food increases its longevity. To minimize spoilage, separate fresh produce in dedicated crisper drawers within your refrigerator, ensuring that ethylene-producing foods are kept separate from ethylene-sensitive produce.

Options for overripe vegetables:

• Lightly steam wilting leafy greens (kale, spinach, arugula).
• Sauté aging veggies and add to omelets, quiche, and tortilla wraps.
• Store them in a freezer bag and use them to make veggie stock/broth.

For overripe fruits:

• Add to smoothies or make jam.
• Rinsing berries with vinegar eliminates bacteria and mold spores, helping them last. Add 1 cup of vinegar and 3 cups of water in a bowl and add berries. Drain and rinse to remove the vinegar taste. Pat dry or use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture and store.

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