Celebrating Nutrition Month: Making the most of your grocery budget

March 27, 2023

This Nutrition Month, WCH dietitians are focusing on making the most of your grocery budgets to sustain healthy habits. With the rising cost of food, making healthy choices for yourself can be more of a challenge. Take a look at the tips below to help you maximize your grocery budget and stay healthy.

Plan ahead before you shop. Before doing your weekly grocery shop, make a menu for the week ahead, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Create your grocery list from the items you’ll need to complete your menu.
Plan your meals around sale items. Using apps like Flipp or reebee can be helpful for finding grocery items that are on sale. If possible, plan your meals around sales to stretch your budget further.
Plan plant-based meals during the week. Incorporating plant-based meals into your weekly menu can help ensure you’re getting your greens. Some grocery stores mark down prices on expiring produce that can be frozen or used the same night.
Look for seasonal recipes. By utilizing foods and produce that are currently in season in your meal planning, you can cut down on costs while maximizing your budget to get as many healthy options as possible.
Create a list and stick to it. Writing your own grocery lists or using apps like AnyList can help you or whoever is grocery shopping in your family stick to your plan. This not only helps you stay on budget, but will make sure none of your healthy choices are forgotten and swapped for less healthy options.
Buy produce from smaller produce stands/stores. While it’s not currently farmers market season, there are many small, independently owned produce stores in Toronto that stock fresh produce, alongside other grocery staples, for much lower prices than bigger grocery stores.

Dietitians of Canada have also provided resources around food security and making the most of your grocery budget:

This year, Dietitians of Canada are also promoting the importance of dietitians and how you can find one. Visit their nutrition month website for more information about finding a dietitian.