Eating Well On a Budget: 5 Tips From a Registered Dietitian

It’s no secret that food prices have increased astronomically. For many families, this causes a significant amount of stress when trying to put food on the table. So, how can we feed our families in a way that is budget friendly and nutritious? Let’s review my top tips. 

1. Start with a budget 

You might be thinking that this is obvious, but the reality is that for many, the real struggle is sticking to a budget. Ever gone grocery shopping hungry? If so, you know the struggle! Having a budget is the absolute best place to start before diving into meal planning or heading to the store.

It may be helpful to set aside some time and take a look at your historical food costs. Where did you shop? What was purchased and how often? Is there anything that you could prepare yourself (e.g. soups, sauces etc.), or maybe that you could grow at home (e.g. herbs) that would save money? Are you buying things frequently that are not totally necessary? I know I’m guilty of this!

2. Have a plan

We’ve all been there before; panic buying ALL OF THE THINGS because you don’t know what you’ll need. Or ordering take out last minute because you don’t have the ingredients, time, or energy. 

There’s nothing worse than showing up at the grocery store not knowing what to get. This leads to buying things that aren’t necessary or missing out on sales, and that is definitely not the best way to stick to a budget.  Not to mention, having your food planned out eliminates stress during the week and helps encourage a more balanced and healthy diet!

Make a meal plan and write your grocery list. A tip I have is to include any treats or extras in the list. These are often left out of the list but good to plan for. Everything in moderation! 

3. Shop around (with a full stomach!) 

If there is one positive thing that came from the pandemic for my household, it’s online grocery shopping. This can be SO helpful when trying to stick to your grocery list (say goodbye to being tempted by the look or smell of things around the store). One other benefit of online shopping is that you can easily search for deals and compare prices.  

4. My three “S” rule

Stay seasonal: Sticking to foods that are in season can really help to reduce food cost and also ensure that you are eating top quality produce. If you aren’t sure what’s  in season, Foodland Ontario has a great Availability Guide that I encourage you to check out: https://www.ontario.ca/foodland/page/availability-guide. 

Stick to sales: I know this might sound obvious, but letting food sales inspire your weekly menu is a wonderful way to stretch your food budget. I like to start by checking out meat or protein sales, and let that inspire the meal. If you are feeling stuck, check out Pinterest or food blogs for more ideas. 

Cook from scratch: If you have the time, cooking meals from scratch using whole food ingredients is often much more cost effective than purchasing prepared meals. This also includes sauces and dressings. You’d be surprised how easy these can be to whip up and often include many ingredients that you already have on hand. 

Pro tip: Try to set aside some time on the weekend to get a head start. If you know you are going to need certain vegetables washed and chopped, or sauces and dressings made, it can be super helpful to prep these ahead of time. 

5. Consider your alternatives 

It might not be for everyone, but if you are open to it, having some meatless meals during the week is much more cost effective. Think beans, lentils, tofu, and tempeh. These foods pack a nutritional punch, tend to last longer, and are much more affordable than animal based proteins. 

Another great hack is shopping for frozen produce. A common misconception I hear all of the time is that fresh is always better than frozen. This is absolutely not the case! Frozen foods are picked and flash frozen when they are perfectly ripe, meaning they sometimes actually offer more nutritional value than fresh produce. Not to mention, a bag of frozen berries in the winter is far more cost effective than fresh berries that often taste bland and go rancid within a couple of days. 

That’s a wrap!

I hope that you found this information helpful and can take away at least one or two things to start incorporating in your weekly routine.

Do you have any awesome tips to add? Let me know in the comments!

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P.S. If you haven’t already - make sure to download my FREE guide to reducing food waste. It’s packed with more tips to help you save money and minimize food waste.