Grocery prices have increased significantly in recent years, making it more important than ever to find ways to manage food costs while maintaining a nutritious diet. Here are some strategies to help you save money without compromising your health.

Incorporate Plant-based Proteins in Your Diet

Plant-based proteins tend to be more affordable than meat (1). Options like beans, lentils, chickpeas, and tofu provide essential protein while also offering more fibre and less saturated fat and less cholesterol. This can help with managing blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and overall health (2, 3).

Plant proteins are available in various forms, including canned, frozen, fresh, and dried, making them versatile and accessible.

You can take a look at our vegan and vegetarian recipes to learn how to use plant proteins in different dishes.

Ways to introduce plant-based proteins into your meals:

• Plan at least one meat-free lunch or dinner each week. Our shepherd’s pie and stuffed bell peppers recipes are a great place to start.

• Stretch your meat supply by mixing it with plant-based proteins. Try our chicken chickpea coleslaw or crustless chicken pot pie recipes for inspiration.

Choose Frozen or Canned Produce

Fresh fruits and vegetables are sometimes seen as healthier than canned or frozen produce. However, frozen fruits and vegetables are nutritious, just like fresh fruits and vegetables (4).

Benefits of canned and frozen produce:

• Long shelf life reduces food waste and saves money in the long run.

  • Frozen fruits and vegetables should be used within 8-12 months for the best quality (5).

• Produce maintain its nutritional value after it is canned or frozen (5,6)

When buying canned produce, look for options labeled “no sugar added,” “no salt added,” or “packed in water” to avoid excess sodium and sugars. Rinsing canned fruits and vegetables can further reduce these additives.

Learn more about the best ways to freeze, store, and thaw different foods here.

Plan Your Meals

Meal planning makes grocery shopping and cooking easier while helping you stick to a budget.

• Use grocery store apps to check for sales before shopping.

• Choose proteins, grains, and produce based on what’s on sale and what your family enjoys.

• Use these main proteins, grains, fruits, and vegetables to plan your meals for the upcoming week.

• Plan meals around these ingredients and create a grocery list to prevent unnecessary purchases and food waste.

Use My Viva Plan

• My Viva Plan can simplify meal planning with personalized meal plans tailored to your health goals. The Grocery list feature helps you buy only what you need, reducing waste and keeping costs down. Learn more about My Viva Plan here.

Use These Other Apps for Food Savings

Apps like Flashfood, Too Good to Go, reebee, and Flipp help you find discounts on grocery items and restaurant meals while reducing food waste. These apps allow you to:

• Buy discounted food that may otherwise be thrown away due to small imperfections.

• Find grocery store deals to maximize your savings.

• Buy food nearing its “best before” date, which refers to quality rather than safety. Most foods remain safe to eat past this date if stored properly (7).

• You can visit this page to learn more about proper food storage (8).

Balance Convenience and Price

Foods that are already cut, mixed, flavoured, or cooked often come at a higher cost due to the convenience. However, convenience can increase the chance of actually preparing and eating food before it spoils. Consider the trade-offs and see if a more affordable item will truly reduce costs in the end.

While there are some strategies to reduce costs at the grocery store, this is not always enough. In 2022, 18% of families living in Canadian provinces experienced household food insecurity, an increase from 16% in 2021 (9). This is the highest rate of food insecurity recorded since the government of Canada began collecting this data in 2005. At the end of this blog, we have compiled a list with specific resources in Alberta for those struggling with food insecurity.

Contact Faith-Based Organizations

Many centres of worship and religious organizations, including churches, mosques, and gurdwaras, provide food for those in need, regardless of their religion. You can find some of these organizations by searching the InformAlberta and 211 websites and filtering by city or town.

Contact Food Banks

Reaching out to a food bank can be a daunting, but it is important to recognize that food banks can be invaluable if you are experiencing food insecurity. Staff and volunteers are there to help and will not judge those in need. With rates of food insecurity being higher than ever recorded, needing assistance with things like food, toiletries, pet food, and other essentials is more common than ever before. To find your closest food bank, visit Food Banks Canada’s website. You will find their contact information and how to get your first food hamper.

With the use of food banks increasing significantly, volunteering at food banks can be a way to help others in your community.

If you have been experiencing food insecurity in recent months or for a longer amount of time, you are not alone. There are resources available. We have compiled a list of community resources at the bottom of the article.

If you are interested in working with one of our dietitians on strategies to create, tasty, nutritious, convenient, and low-cost meals, book a free discovery call here to learn more. You can also watch or listen to our podcast episode on rising food costs to learn more about managing these costs.

Resources

Apps and Websites

• Flipp
• Flash Food
• Too Good to Go
• Budget Bytes
• Cookspiration

Find Nearby Resources

• 211 – Free Food and Basic Needs
• Family and Community Support Services Association of Alberta
• Find Your Local Food Bank
• Food Banks Alberta
• Free Food in Alberta by Zone
• InformAlberta: (provincial service directory)

Meals on Wheels

• Airdrie
• Edmonton
• Calgary
• Red Deer

Campus Food Banks

• NAIT Students’ Association Emergency Food Centre
• SAIT Students’ Association Emergency Food Fund
• Students’ Association of Mount Royal University Care Cupboards
• Students’ Union of MacEwan University Pantry
• University of Alberta Campus Food Bank
• University of Calgary Campus Food Bank
• University of Lethbridge Students’ Union Campus Food Bank

References

1. Statistics Canada (2024, June 14). Monthly average retail prices for selected products Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1810024501

2. The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health. The EAT-Lancet Commission Summary Report. https://eatforum.org/content/uploads/2019/07/EAT-Lancet_Commission_Summary_Report.pdf

3. The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health. (2019, January). EAT-Lancet Commission brief for Everyone. Website name. https://eatforum.org/content/uploads/2019/01/EAT_brief_everyone.pdf

4. Li, L., Pegg, R. B., Eitenmiller, R. R., Chun, J.-Y., & Kerrihard, A. L. (2017). Selected nutrient analyses of fresh, fresh-stored, and frozen fruits and vegetables. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 59, 8–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2017.02.002

5. University of Georgia. (n.d.). How Long Can I Store Frozen Foods. National Center for Home Food Preservation. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/freeze-general-information/how-long-can-i-store-frozen-foods/#gsc.tab=0

6. University of Georgia. (n.d.). How Canning Preserves Food. National Centre for Home Food Preservation. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/general-information/how-canning-preserves-foods/

7. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (2023, August 23). https://inspection.canada.ca/food-labels/labelling/consumers/understanding-the-date-labels-on-your-food/eng/1332357469487/1332357545633#a1

8. Government of Canada (2024, April 11). Safe food storage. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/safe-food-storage.html

9. Statistics Canada (2023, November 14). Food insecurity among Canadian Families. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2023001/article/00013-eng.htm.