Dr Candida Khan
Healthy eating is often associated with expensive ingredients, speciality products and complicated meal plans. Eating well does not have to strain the household budget. The truth is that these tips should help you better approach a grocery shopping experience to prepare nutritious, satisfying meals while spending less.
The key is to stop thinking that you have to spend more money to eat “healthy foods.”
1) Start with a plan: When you shop without a plan, you usually might overspend. Before leaving home, check the refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Note what you have and what you need, then create a simple grocery shopping list based on what meals and snacks are needed during the week. We can reduce impulse purchases. Try these categories below:
i. Vegetables List
ii. Fruit List
iii. Protein List
iv. Carbohydrate List
v. Healthy fats
2) If you walk into the supermarket hungry, you might fill your basket with convenient snacks and foods that were not part of the budget. Instead, try to snack or ensure that you eat a meal before leaving home.
3) Buying seasonal and local foods when possible can make choices more affordable. Seasonal produce can offer great value while being locally available. If you are flexible with your choices, one item that is expensive can be substituted by another that is more affordable; for example, foreign fresh berries versus watermelon as a local fruit. The objective is to include more fruits and vegetables, not to purchase the most expensive variety.
4) Frozen produce can include convenient and nutritious options to reduce wastage! They can remain in the freezer until needed.
5) Compare prices, not brands or packages. A larger or prettier package does not automatically mean that it’s a better deal. Look at the price per unit to determine which product offers the better value. If something is on sale in a large volume, ask yourself how quickly this will be consumed instead of buying it and wasting it. Food wastage is a hidden cost of grocery shopping.
6) Bulk buying can be useful for foods that have a long shelf life and that your household consumes regularly, for example, oats, rice, nuts and seeds.
Overall, create a grocery store test and, before buying, ask yourself three questions:
a) Do I need it?
b) Will I use it?
c) Does it support the way I want to eat?
Healthy grocery shopping should be focused on making mindful choices with the funds available. Plan before you shop. Compare prices, reduce waste and keep affordable items available.
As your Doctor in Nutrition and Diet Therapy, I want you to remember this: healthy eating is not about buying the most expensive foods; it is about making the most effective choices with the resources you have.
Start planning, make smart comparisons, make seasonal choices, and focus on nutrient-dense foods to nourish yourself and your family, while staying within your budget.
Dr Candida Khan (Dr Didi), PhD Nutrition & Diet Therapy is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
She is also the CEO of Didi’s Nutrition Consultancy: didisnutritionconsultancy.com
