Senior Living

Lowering Your Food Bill

There are many causes for our budgets to be tight right now. One area is our food budget. Once a month, shopping is a far less expensive way to purchase food. When trying to save money, your diet may look slightly different from what it usually does. Remember, your goal is to eat as well as possible within a strict budget. Here's how to navigate the basic food groups so you will know what to look for and how to trim your costs while you are shopping.

PROTEIN:

MEAT - When your budget is super tight, don't expect meat to be the main dish. You don't have to go vegetarian, but calorie for calorie, meat is very expensive. Use less meat than you usually would and make it an ingredient instead of the star of the meal. Go with less expensive cuts, such as stew beef, 70/30 ground beef, chicken quarters, and chicken thighs. You can also buy an inexpensive beef roast and an inexpensive whole chicken that will get you through several meals if carefully portioned.

EGGS - are a very inexpensive and healthy source of protein. Many stores have huge flats with thirty eggs for a very reasonable price - grab a few of those and think about breakfast for dinner.

PEANUT BUTTER - Grab a huge jar and, if possible, for one that is more natural. These will have fewer additives or high amounts of sugar. Think outside of the usual peanut butter sandwich. Celery sticks with peanut butter and apple slices with peanut butter are some excellent choices.

BEANS - These are highly nutritious and convenient. Beans can be used in soups, refried beans, bean dip with veggies, etc. The dried beans have the more significant savings.

CANNED TUNA - This pantry staple offers a convenient (and cheap) way to add much-needed protein. Think Tuna Casserole!

PRODUCE:

APPLES - If the price is reasonable, grab a large bag of apples. Keep them refrigerated to extend their life as long as possible, and you can always turn any extras into homemade applesauce.

CANNED FRUIT - Get fruit canned in the lightest syrup possible or fruit canned in juice, so you are not overeating sugar. Canned fruit is an excellent addition to pancakes, waffles, or oatmeal. Reserve the juice for baking.

BANANAS - You can make so many wonderful things with bananas…smoothies, banana bread, good for you ice cream sliced with peanut butter. Bananas are great for creating treats!

CARROTS - Pick up one of those huge bags of grown-up carrots, peel them, and keep them in a bowl of water in your fridge for yummy and healthy, snacking.

POTATOES - A couple of bags of potatoes can get you through a rough time. Potatoes are filling and can be cooked in many different ways, and most folks love them. Leave the peel on for added fiber. Store them in a cool, dark place away from onions for the longest life. Even when they are sprouting eyes, you can still eat them. Just cut out the sprouting parts.

ONIONS - A big bag of onions will help you flavor up your home cooking during the month.

CABBAGE - Depending on the time of year, a few heads of cabbage will get you far for very little money. You can use cabbage in coleslaw, salads, soup, or casseroles. You don't need to get fancy. Just go with the plain, ordinary green heads of cabbage.

FROZEN VEGETABLES - When they are on sale, you can sometimes get bags of frozen vegetables for as little as a dollar each. If you have freezer space, this is the way to go. Great ones to have on hand are peas and carrots, green peas, corn, cauliflower, broccoli, chopped spinach, Brussels sprouts, mixed vegetables, and green beans. With an assortment of frozen vegetables, you can make great stuff.

CANNED TOMATOES - Get a variety of whole, crushed, stewed, and diced ones. These can be used in soups, chili, casseroles, and sauces. Canned tomatoes are a nutritional powerhouse. A can of stewed tomatoes with a dab of butter and salt and pepper makes a great quick lunch.

BREAD, PASTA, and RICE

Find a quick healthy bread recipe that you like online and make your bread. Flour and water are relatively cheap. Purchase Pasta in different shapes and sizes and keep them in jars on a shelf. You can purchase rice in substantial quantities at your local grocery store.

Doing your shopping once per month will help keep you from making those impulse purchases that always seem to hop into the cart. It will be easier to keep track of your spending if it is all in one big trip.

With each trip, you will predict what you need to run your household for an entire month, so this gets easier each month. With this kind of planning, you can cut your future grocery bills by buying only what you need to get you through the month. Enjoy the process!