Tips for Grocery Shopping on a Budget!

"Healthy eating is too expensive."

That is an excuse that FitNut's dietitians hear all the time when counselling clients – but it's not true! Here are some tips to help you get more nutrition for less:

Bulk Up!

Buy your grains, spices, legumes and basic cooking ingredients from the bulk section at your local grocery store. Not only can you control the amount you want to purchase, you can also save money.

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Save money by buying generic/store brands, which often do not taste very different from their more expensive brand name counterparts. In fact, many grocery stores are expanding their own product lines in hopes to attract more customers. When shopping look up and down the shelves - not in the middle. This is where you will find most of the generic items.

Become a Super Saver

Browse flyers and clip coupons from different supermarkets and note the best deals - this might even give you some inspiration to try foods and recipes that you haven't before! Take advantage of family-sized packages, especially for meats - you can always freeze it for later. Be careful to only buy types and amounts of foods that you and your family will eat. Foods that are on sale that you won't eat are an extra expense; not a deal.

Time is Money!

Some of the more expensive products on grocery store shelves are convenience products that help families save time, such as pre-cut vegetables and fruit, boneless cuts of meat and shredded cheese, to name a few. Save money by buying whole vegetables and fruit, blocks of cheese. For those who are really committed, take the time to learn how to separate a whole chicken into its parts!

Buy Local

Supporting local food doesn't have to mean spending a fortune at the farmers' market. Some grocery stores indicate where their produce comes from, and when in season, many local fruits and vegetables are cheaper because there are lower transportation costs. During the summer, go out to visit a farm to get cheap food direct from the farmer. It is also a great experience for the entire family to learn where their food comes from! To learn more about the Slow Food movement, check out our article featured in our June newsletter!

A Budget-Conscious Kitchen

Here are some must-haves to keep a budget-conscious family eating well, organized by food groups:

Vegetables and Fruit - Local, seasonal fresh vegetables and fruit, frozen vegetables and fruit, juice from concentrate

Grain Products - Whole wheat pastas, whole grains (i.e. oats, barley, brown rice), whole grain flours purchased in bulk

Milk and Alternatives - Milk, skim milk powder, generic brand yogurt and cheese

Meat and Alternatives - Eggs, legumes (i.e. beans, lentils, chickpeas), family-packs of meat (portion and freeze as soon as you get home), regular ground meat (cook separately and drain off all fat before adding to recipe)