Back to Basics to Cut Food Costs

April 15th, 2009 at 10:14am Betsy A. Hornick, MS, RD

How are you coping with higher grocery bills in these tough economic times? As of September 2008, food prices have risen, on average, a staggering 13 percent over three years. Often when food prices increase, the first items that grocery shoppers leave out of their carts are healthy foods—like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and lean meats. Instead, it’s tempting to buy more calorie-dense foods loaded with sugar or fat to fill hungry stomachs. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Use these difficult times to your nutritional advantage—and re-learn basic skills with these tips for stretching your food dollar:

• Buy locally grown produce. You’ll help support local farmers—and the environment.
• Grow some of your own food. There is nothing more rewarding than picking and eating your own produce. You’ll find many web sites and books to help you get started—or to expand your growings.
• Brush up on your cooking skills. Don’t be intimidated by cooking– be adventurous and try new recipes. There are loads of great online recipe sites, like Allrecipes.com, or subscribe to one of my favorite online recipe newsletters, Kraft Food & Family, for some simple and tasty recipes.  Be sure to check out Supercook.com, where you enter ingredients you have on hand and get ideas for dishes you can make from them.
• Try economizing on dining out, which can also save on gas. Instead, go back to basics with cooking more at home and packing your lunch. It may take a bit more time for planning, but is well worth it when it comes to eating more healthfully while saving money.
• Use coupons wisely. Remember, coupons are most economical when you use them for foods you normally buy. Try not to impulse buy based on coupons, but be willing to try a new brand if it’s a food you buy anyway.
• Fight the urge to buy—impulse buying is most dangerous when you’re hungry and when you shop without a list. Have a healthy snack before you shop—and make a list and stick to it!  

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