Heather Little-White, PhD, Contributor
As food prices increase and you find that you your food budget is shrinking, it means that you will have to find creative ways to spend less and at the same time create more sensational meals for your family to enjoy. You may have to trim your food budget of the flab even though you may have been using it for years. This can be financially rewarding and exciting for your family members and friends.
Tip # 1: Track all your expenses related to food, even if it is a small snack on you way home for work or the leftover dish that you have to discard because it was not utilised. This is throwing your money out with the garbage. The savings may be small but it adds up at the end of a week or month. Writing down your food expenses will help you to develop a mindset, alerting you to be economical when you can.
Tip # 2: Make a list before you go to supermarket or other places for food shopping. Stick to your list to avoid impulse purchases. If you are tempted to stray ask yourselves these questions before you buy:
Do I really need this?
What can I substitute?
Can I get it for less elsewhere?
Can I buy a store brand instead of a top-of-the-line brand name?
For time management, keep a running list on the refrigerator and then check those items you need to replace and organise your list by categories, for example, dairy, produce, meats and grocery items.
Tip #3: Do not shop when you are hungry as you will more likely buy on impulse, buying items that are more expensive and less nutritious.
Tip # 4: Try to make bulk purchases at the wholesale and membership store. You may pool your purchases with family, friends or co-workers.
Tip # 5: Check specials advertised in the Food section of local newspapers and look at coupons that may be promoted by marketing agencies.
Tip # 6: Watch spending on fast food. To stave off hunger, it is advisable to keep snacks in your bag or your car. Pack snacks for the children to keep them until they can get home for a home cooked meal.
Tip # 5: Watch charges as you pay for your food items, especially at the cash register. Your receipt should be checked against items purchased. Do not be shy to ask for redress from the store manager or supervisor if you notice inaccuracies in your bill. It is not uncommon for computerised billing systems to generate errors. For example, an item labelled 'sale' on the shelf may not be scanned for the sale price at the cash register. Always count your change as the person cashing could make a mistake.
Tip # 6: Go potluck. This is a native American tradition where gatherings are arranged for a meal and each person is expected to carry a different dish to provide variety in entréees, salads, desserts and beverages. This is easy to do for Sunday dinners when families and friends can get to get together at church or after church.
Tip #7: Foods prepared for convenience as in pre-seasoned, pre-sliced or pre-cooked are usually cost more.
Tip # 8: Look at buying items in smaller packages if you live alone or have a small family. Large package items if not used quickly will spoil after a while and waste your money.
Tip # 9: Decide on the quality food you need in making certain dishes. For example, if you are making a casserole, chunky tuna instead of solid-pack tuna works well.
Tip # 10: Do not deprive yourself even though you are saving on the food budget. There is no need to eliminate the dishes you love but find more economical ways to prepare them. If you enjoy eating out with friends, find less expensive restaurants to dine or meeting for brunch on weekends or have lunch at convenient times. After-work meetings can also be economical. The comfort you find from certain foods like chocolates, ice cream, cheesecake, trifle or pizza can still factor into your food budget.
It is a common misconception to think that holding food costs to a minimum will compromise healthy eating. In reality, healthy eating on a budget requires trying new recipes or creating your own with the basic products you have in your kitchen. While some persons may frown on cornmeal for example, there is no better supper than cornmeal turned with coconut milk and assorted vegetables added and topped with cheese and paprika in a casserole dish for 10 minutes in the oven or serving straight from the pot to the table. Served with a hearty green salad, this meal provides a bounty of nutrients and is loaded with fibre.
Making alterations to your menu to reduce food costs do not have to be a stressful activity. Think of all the nutritional needs of the family and make plans to integrate them into meal planning which can be part of the family's entertainment.
Heather Little-White, PhD, is a nutrition and lifestyle consultant in Kingston . Send comments to editor@gleanerjm.com or fax 922-6223.
