Eating Healthy on a Budget in 2022
Eating well in the New Year is enough of a challenge without rising grocery costs adding to your stress. 
According to the 12th edition of Canada’s Food Price Report, family grocery bills are predicted to increase $966 in 2022, as the result of inflation, supply chain issues, adverse weather, and labour market and transportation challenges. 
Among the price hikes, dairy is expected to undergo the highest increase (6%-8%), followed by vegetables (5%-7%), fruit (3%-5%), and meat and seafood (up to 2%). 
The good news is, there are some handy budgeting hacks we can employ to help keep our families (and ourselves) eating well all year long! 
The following are some of my Top Tips for eating healthy AND keeping that weekly grocery bill in check, even amidst Canada’s soaring food costs:
Buy Local & In-Season 
Produce, eggs, dairy, and other items are often cheaper when you purchase from local farmers versus food stores (and we are blessed in Windsor-Essex to have access to a wide variety of local farms, even in the winter); as an added bonus, nutritional content of food is higher when it has not been imported/shipped/preserved for weeks at a time!
Try Plant-Based Proteins 
You may not think so, but plant-based foods like grains, beans, and legumes are some of the cheapest on the planet. A 2-serving package of tofu costs around $3, whereas the same number of servings of boneless skinless chicken breasts will run you at least double that. Even better, a hearty nourish bowl of rice, broccoli, roasted chickpeas, and tahini sauce contains all of the essential amino acids to provide a complete (and delicious) protein source. 
Prioritize Your Organics 
Despite what you may have been told, it is not 100% essential to buy ALL of your produce organic (or any of it at all). If you are someone who values the nutritional quality of organics, but you are also looking to save money, the most important foods to buy organic are leafy greens, or fruits and vegetables of which you eat the skin (think apples, tomatoes, berries, etc). You can access a list of these “Dirty Dozen” foods here.
Buy More Frozen Veg 
Frozen vegetables are not only cheaper; they last longer, result in less waste, and because they were frozen and packaged almost immediately after harvesting, their nutritional content is higher than fresh vegetables (which have been sitting on a truck, and then a supermarket shelf for who knows how long).
Plan Your Meals, and Grocery Shop Once a Week 
Set aside some time each week to sit down and plan out what recipes you would like to make (factor in busy days, leftovers, and ingredients that can be reused). Don’t forget to batch-cook and freeze big recipes for quick and easy meals in the future, and have a “clean-out” day at the end of each week; take all of your lonely leftover ingredients, assemble them in a pretty way ontop of some grains or greens, add a yummy sauce and call it a “Buddha Bowl”! I promise no one will be the wiser.