Contrary to popular belief, 'healthy' and 'affordable' foods aren't always at odds with each other! Eating on a budget does not mean you have to sacrifice nutrition. The Registered Dietitians at Vitality Nutrition are here to help with their top healthy-eating habits that won't break the bank. Let’s explore how our Dietitians meal plan, grocery-shop, budget, reduce food waste, and build a nourishing plate – all while keeping meals affordable, enjoyable, and fun!

PS: if you'd like to listen to this content instead, we invite you to check out our Podcast episode on this topic! You can listen here.

MEAL PLANNING TIPS

Planning your weekly meals will not only lead to a more thoughtful and satisfying menu, but can also help you save money on groceries. Meal planning reduces food waste and avoids the purchasing of expensive, unnecessary ingredients.  Our team of Dietitians have shared our top strategies for meal planning and planning easy dinners in previous posts! We've even discussed how to meal plan like a pro on the Podcast (listen here!). Today, we're here to share our favourite tips for affordable and budget-friendly meal planning! 
 

1. BE FLEXIBLE

When it comes to both nutrition and meal planning, a flexible mindset allows you to take advantage of budget-friendly foods and the ingredients that are easily accessible to you. For example:

• You can replace budget-friendly peanut butter for almond butter in energy bites, homemade granola, or as a topping for oatmeal.
• You can use any liquid sweetener as an option in a recipe. If you have honey in your cupboard but a recipe calls for maple syrup, simply swap it out! 
  
  

2. AUTOMATE YOUR MEALS

It can be overwhelming to meal plan breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for the entire week! If you are a beginner to meal planning, consider automating at least one meal in your day. For example, our Registered Dietitians encourage you to try the same breakfast for the week, or to pack the same lunch for work. By keeping one meal the same, you’ll bring a bit more ease to the menu planning process. You’ll also reduce the likelihood of food waste as you will be using your ingredients for more than one meal!

3. FIND A DUAL PURPOSE FOR INGREDIENTS

Our team of Dietitians strongly recommend that their clients shop for ingredients that can be used in multiple recipes. Doing so helps them save money as it enables them to buy in bulk and/or help avoid food waste! For example: 

• Greek yogurt: Can be used in a yogurt bowl, smoothie, or incorporated into muffins.
• Pulled chicken: Can be used in sandwiches, wraps, pita pizzas, or salads.
• Bananas: Can be enjoyed fresh or frozen to add to smoothies or muffins.
• Avocados: Can be spread on toast, incorporated into avocado crema, or added to a smoothie.
• Eggs: Can be used for a breakfast omelette, hard-boiled for a snack, or added to muffins!
  
  

4. CHOOSE SIMPLE RECIPES

Consider choosing simple recipes with whole food ingredients, spices, and seasonings that you can repurpose in future recipes. Recipes with lengthy ingredient lists are not only overwhelming to plan and prepare, but can increase the likelihood of spending money on extra ingredients that you won’t repurpose or that add little nutritional value to the meal itself. One of our favourite simple meals is shrimp tacos!

5. CHOOSE RECIPES THAT ALLOW YOU TO 'CLEAN THE FRIDGE'

Our team of Registered Dietitians love to make recipes that are flexible and allow them to use up perishable items like vegetables. For example, you can add almost any vegetable to a curry, soup, or stew!

GROCERY SHOPPINGS TIPS

Knowing how to shop in a budget-friendly way is a key strategy for saving money on groceries. Below are our team of nutritionists' top tips for keeping grocery trips affordable and fun!

1. MAKE A GROCERY LIST

Creating a grocery list with only the items you need for the week can help reduce food waste, avoid impulse purchases, and ensure that all of the ingredients you purchase are ones you plan on using! 

2. BEWARE OF HEALTH HALOS

Have you ever assumed a product was the 'healthier' choice because it was labelled 'gluten-free' or 'all-natural'? No judgement! Even Dietitians can get duped at the grocery store! Our automatic assumption here is often that these products are healthier (and worth the elevated price tag!), even though there may be no evidence to prove it. This phenomenon is known in nutritionist and Registered Dietitian circles as the 'Health Halo Effect'. Here, we find that strategic marketing and the use of trendy nutrition buzzwords leaves a halo or sense of 'goodness' cast upon a product. Oftentimes these products are more expensive convenience items that are not inherently better than their simple, whole food alternatives.

Some words to watch for include:

• Keto
• Low-fat
• Gluten-free
• Organic
• All natural
• Refined-sugar free

While there is no problem with buying food products that you enjoy, we recommend ensuring the reason for buying the food itself is because you love it – not because the label is telling you it is superior. This is especially important if saving money at the grocery store is your priority!

3. LEARN TO LABEL READ

By learning to label read you will become a smart consumer who chooses budget-friendly, nutritious food items based on facts rather than marketing strategies or health halos. While some of the most nutritious foods don’t come with labels (hello, fresh produce!), here are two of our top tips for investigating nutrition facts tables:

• Carbs: Look for carb choices with >3g of fibre per 20-25g total carbohydrate. (Some budget-friendly, high-fibre carbs include beans, whole grain bread, lentils, popcorn, and bananas).
• Proteins: Look for proteins with >15g of protein per serving and <10g of fat. (Some examples of budget-friendly proteins include eggs, beans and lentils, lean ground beef, chicken thighs, and pork tenderloin).
  
  

4. DON’T SHOP HUNGRY!

When we are hungry, or our blood sugars drop, almost anything looks tasty! This can lead to impulse purchases or rushing at the grocery store in order to get home to eat. By ensuring you are well-fed before heading to the grocery store you are more likely to stick to your list, avoid impulse purchases, and be in a headspace to select budget-friendly ingredients and healthy produce.

DIETITIAN TIP: Keep portable snacks in your bag or car like protein bars, fruit, and nuts. These will ensure you have an option in the event that hunger strikes while running errands!

5. STRATEGICALLY BUY IN BULK

There is no doubt that buying in bulk can save you money per unit. However, buying unnecessary ingredients in bulk may lead to food waste or the consumption of foods you didn’t need in the first place (eg. the family size bag of chocolate from Costco!). When buying in bulk, consider purchasing ingredients that have a long shelf life or are staples you know you will use. We also like to go to bulk food stores in Saskatoon like Bulk Barn to buy smaller amounts of items we use less of. For example, buying just enough of a nut, seed, or speciality ingredient to prepare our recipe of choice ensures we aren't investing in a large serving of an ingredient we aren't sure we will use!

6. STOCK UP ON SALES

If you have a favourite product or staple that you use frequently, take advantage and stock up when it's on sale! Our Registered Dietitians just remind you to make sure that it will last for a while and won’t expire in the meantime! For example, pick up an extra jar of all-natural peanut butter when it goes on sale.

7. DROP IT LOW

Getting low isn’t just for the dance floor! Companies pay grocery stores to place their items at eye-level, making it more likely that consumers will see and purchase the products. Cheaper items are often found on the lower shelves!
 

8. OPT FOR THE ‘HOUSE’ BRAND

While some brand name versions are tastier than their house brand counter-parts, there can be a time and place to take advantage of lower priced ‘house’ brands. The products themselves undergo a similar manufacturing process and the mark-up on branded versions are driven by marketing, labelling, and their location on the shelf. For example, oftentimes canned beans and tomatoes, frozen vegetables and fruit, cheese, and plain Greek yogurt taste no different than their brand-name counterparts.

9. SHOP AT BUDGET-FRIENDLY GROCERY STORES

Certain grocery stores invest less money into the ambiance of the store, allowing them to sell groceries at a lower price. In Saskatchewan, grocery stores like Superstore, Costco, No Frills, Fresh Co, and Wholesale Club will offer grocery items at a much lower price. While there may still be specialty items you need to purchase at higher-end grocers, consider doing the bulk of your shopping at budget-friendly grocery stores!

10. BEWARE YOU PAY FOR CONVENIENCE

Be aware that convenience costs more, and that you can often save money if you are willing to do a little work! For example, shredding or grating your own cheese, purchasing oats in bulk instead of individual packets, soaking dried beans instead of using canned varieties, or popping your own popcorn kernels instead of purchasing bagged popcorn are all relatively simple ways to save money on the healthy foods you love!

11. OPT FOR ‘IMPERFECT’ PRODUCE & INGREDIENTS

Don't be scared of expiration dates or food that looks less than perfect. Oftentimes foods are still safe and edible past the expiration date – so do a little investigation before throwing it out! Additionally, some grocery stores sell discounted produce that is misshapen. For example, check out the ‘Naturally Imperfect’ line at Superstore which has great deals on avocado, bell peppers, apples, potatoes, and frozen berries.

12. BE STRATEGIC WHEN PURCHASING PERISHABLE ITEMS

An easy way to lose money is by buying too many perishable items that end up going unused. To get the most out of your purchase, buy only those perishable items that you’re sure you’ll use in time. If buying more than this amount, consider freezing these items to make them last longer!

13. NEED OR WANT?

There are a lot of delicious ingredients at the grocery store that can enhance our meals or are enjoyable to eat or drink. However, some of these add-ons may not be necessary for the recipe or essential to meeting your nutrient intake. For example, fresh herbs add a wonderful flavour and garnish to a dish but can be skipped to save money; sparkling water is a nice alternative to plain water but costs more for no added nutritional benefits. While we encourage our clients to enjoy desserts and snack foods on occasion, regularly purchasing these ‘fun extras’ can increase your consumption of less nutritious foods and sky-rocket your grocery bill. If your goal is to save money at the grocery store, it may be worthwhile to be strategic as you consider when to purchase these items and how you incorporate them in your balanced nutrition strategy!

BUDGET TIPS

These financial tips will help you save money on food so that you have more money to spend on activities, items, and experiences that you value most!

 
1. EAT OUT WITH INTENTION

As Registered Dietitians, we appreciate the value that food brings to our lives beyond the nutritional content alone. For this reason, we absolutely love to dine out and enjoy tasty meals at restaurants. That being said, eating at a restaurant is expensive. Our strategy is to ‘save’ eating out for special occasions where we are able to connect and mindfully enjoy the meal. For example, instead of grabbing something on-the-go for lunch, we’d rather save a lunch out for a time we can dine in and savour the experience!

2. MAKE YOUR OWN COFFEE & TEA

If your daily Starbucks run brings you joy then it might be a worthwhile investment! That being said, you can save a lot of money by preparing your own coffee or tea at home or at the office.

3. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF POINTS PROGRAM

Some grocery stores have a points program that you can put towards your grocery bill or other household necessities. For example, check out the PC Optimum points program at Loblaw’s stores to get the most bang for your buck!

4. USE COUPONS WISELY

Even our team of Registered Dietitians have been duped into buying unnecessary items only to gain extra points or redeem a coupon - haha! While coupons are a great way to save some money, just be sure to use them wisely! We recommend sorting out the relevant deals and stocking up on food and household staples that you’ll definitely use. 

5. DOWNLOAD THE FLASH FOODS APP

Flash Foods is an App that syncs with specific grocery stores offering discounted ingredients that are close to expiry or $5 produce boxes. In Saskatoon, you can use the Flash Foods App at Superstore and Independent Grocers. You'll purchase the groceries on the App and pick them up in store!

6. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SPENDING

Tracking your grocery costs in a spreadsheet will bring awareness to your spending habits and provide better insight into how you can adjust your purchasing to fit your personal budget.

TIP: One strategy to budget for the month is to take out the amount you plan to spend on groceries in cash and use that for all of your purchases. This can keep you accountable to your budget and bring awareness to your spending!

REDUCE FOOD WASTE

Reducing food waste is one of the most effective ways to make the most of the money you spend on groceries. Read on to learn the top tips Registered Dietitians use to avoid throwing away food to make the most of their grocery budget! 

1. INVEST IN A DEEP FREEZE

Investing in a deep freeze will cost you money up front but is a great way to save money as it allows you to stock up on bulk items you love! In addition, deep freezes do not circulate the air in the same way as your fridge freezer does, which keeps your ingredients fresh for longer! A deep freeze allows you to take advantage of sales on frozen products you are sure to use. You can also use your deep freeze to reduce food waste and preserve a variety of otherwise perishable foods. For example:

• Freeze bananas to use in muffins or smoothies
• Freeze cooked grains to thaw and use later
• Freeze bread and toast as needed
• Freeze leftover chili and soup for a quick lunch
• Store nuts and seeds in them freezer to keep them fresh for longer
• Freeze avocado to add to smoothies
• Freeze fresh spinach to add to smoothies
  
  

2. PORTION YOUR FOOD 

Use a food scale or cups and measuring spoons to portion more expensive ingredients like meat, cheese, Greek yogurt, and nuts. This can ensure the ingredients you purchased last for the week, potentially extending your grocery budget! Portion awareness can also be a helpful strategy for anyone with goals related to body composition and performance.

3. TAKE INVENTORY

Before planning your meals, we recommend taking inventory of your pantry, freezer, and fridge. Integrating items that you’ve already purchased will prevent food waste,  saving you money in the long run!

4. IMPLEMENT A ‘NO SPEND’ WEEK

If you have a loaded freezer, pantry, and fridge take on the challenge of not buying new ingredients for a week or more. This will help prevent food waste and save money when grocery shopping!

NUTRITION TIPS

Many people think that eating a nutritious diet is inherently expensive. While there is a cost to eating well, consider these tips to save money while keeping your health and wellness goals top of mind!

1. EAT SEASONALLY

Local produce that’s in season is generally more affordable than out-of-season options. It’s also usually at its peak in both nutrients and flavour! Produce that’s not in season has often been transported from far away to get to your store, which isn’t good for either the environment or your budget.

2. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FROZEN AND CANNED PRODUCE

Fresh fruits, berries, and vegetables are usually in season for only a few months per year, and they’re sometimes rather expensive. Frozen produce is usually just as nutritious. It’s also cheaper, available all year, and usually sold in large bags. Frozen produce is great to use when cooking, making smoothies, or as toppings for oatmeal or yogurt. Plus, you gain the advantage of being able to take out only what you’re about to use. 

3. GROW A GARDEN

If you can, it’s a great idea to grow your own produce or join a community garden. Seeds are very inexpensive to buy, and with some time and effort, you may be able to grow your own herbs, sprouts, tomatoes, onions, and many more delicious crops. Having a continuous supply at home saves you money at the store. Not to mention, home-grown produce may also taste a lot better than the store-bought varieties. 

4. KNOW WHEN TO INVEST

Sometimes it is worth it to spend extra for high quality products – and other times it isn’t! For example, you might decide it is a priority for you to spend a little extra on sustainably-raised meat, poultry, and fish. However, other ingredients at the grocery store might not be worth the splurge. For example, omega-3 eggs are expensive and offer little nutritional benefit compared to regular eggs. This is because the omega-3 in eggs is from the ALA form accomplished by feeding the chickens flaxseed versus the more beneficial form of omega-3s from EPA and DHA which is found exclusively in marine life.

5. USE LESS EXPENSIVE MEATS

Fresh meat and poultry can be quite expensive. However, you can find many cuts of meat that cost much less. For example, ground beef, canned tuna, whole chickens, or pork tenderloin which can be used in a variety of meals including burritos, casseroles, stews, and soups!

6. EMBRACE VEGETARIAN MEALS

Vegetarian protein sources are far cheaper than meat, poultry, and fish. Embrace vegetarian eating without compromising your protein intake by selecting high protein, plant-based options like:

• Beans
• Lentils
• Bean-Based Pastas
• Peanut Butter
• Sprouted Grain Breads
  
  

7. OPT FOR NUTRITIOUS, LOW-COST INGREDIENTS

Our Dietitians love to help their clients better recognize the ingredients that are very nutritious but also budget friendly within each of the food groups. This can ensure they eat nutritionally balanced while keeping their budget in mind!

• Volume (ie., veggies): Cabbage, carrots, beets, onions, squash, broccoli, as well as canned or frozen options. Most of the time, local and in-season produce is more affordable than imported vegetables and fruits.
• Carb: Oats, barley, beans, lentils, potatoes, oranges, bananas, apples
• Fats: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, whole eggs, peanut butter
• Protein:
• Plant-based protein: Canned or dry beans and lentils, tofu, edamame 
• Animal-based protein: Eggs, chicken thighs, flank steak, ground beef, stewing meat, white fish, store-brand plain Greek yogurt in large tubs, or canned tuna and salmon
  
  

8. CHECK YOUR INSURANCE COVERAGE & WORK WITH A REGISTERED DIETITIAN!

Check your insurance coverage to see if you have coverage to work with a Registered Dietitian in your area! A Dietitian can help you meal plan and optimize your meals and snacks to support your wellness goals while keeping your budget in mind!

BOTTOM-LINE:

You don’t have to break the bank to eat well. In fact, there are many ways to eat nutrient-rich foods even on a tighter budget. By planning your meals in advance, grocery shopping with intention, budgeting, and reducing food waste you can save money and eat well!