Healthy Buck Stretchers

Call me thrifty, but hey, I like a good deal. Of course there are some things I won’t sacrifice to save a buck, nutrition being one of them. There are lots of things I do to save money and make sure my kids eat well. It’s not just what I buy, but it’s also making sure my kids participate so they actually eat what we make. Here are some of my favourite “healthy buck stretchers” – foods and tips to save money and get my kids involved.

Eggs – OK, so you probably already buy eggs but how often do you eat them? They are a cheap and versatile source of protein; vitamins A, D and E; folate; iron; zinc and choline – lots of good stuff that little growing bodies need. We eat them anytime, anyway – scrambled for breakfast, egg salad sandwiches at lunch, hard boiled for a snack, quiche for dinner, or as an omelette for the lazy Sunday morning brunch.  One of the first meals my kids ever made was scrambled eggs and we probably ate them for dinner, too. 

Chickpeas – We love chickpeas!  Hummus is a simple recipe that we do in big batches and freeze – the kids work the blender or pour in the oil.  Being nut-free, it’s a high fibre and protein food the kids can bring to school.  Sometimes we will marinate them in sesame oil and spices for an added kick. 

Tofu – I find lots of people still don’t quite know what to do with tofu.  We try to eat vegetarian more often, so we use it as a “meat extender”.  We cut firm tofu into cubes and “stirfry chicken” becomes “stirfry chicken and tofu”.  We mash medium firm tofu and “spaghetti with meat sauce” becomes “spaghetti with meat sauce and tofu”.  

Here are some other things we do to make our food dollars go farther:

Math is awesome – Just because something is on sale, the generic brand, in a bigger size or in bulk, doesn’t mean it’s cheaper.  When we shop I make my kids calculate the unit price to figure out which really is the best deal. 

cherriesHi ho, hi ho, it’s off to the farm we go – We are so lucky to live by so many farms.  Berry picking makes a great outing and gives the kids a chance to see where our food comes from. We buy flats of fruit in season and freeze them so we have fruit year-round.

Freeze please – We significantly cut down on our food waste by freezing our fruits and veggies that start to look a little old or wilted. Then we use them for soups, fruit smoothies or fruit smoothie popsicles. We’ll also often set aside an afternoon to cook in bulk and freeze meals we can easily reheat (a time and money saver – bonus!)

Quick sale discounts – 50 % off because it expires today?  Food doesn’t suddenly expire THAT day because the label says so. Buy the discount food and eat it right away.  Andi if you can’t, maybe you can freeze it. Can you tell I love my freezer?

 Waste not, want not – And lastly, we’ve all heard the stats. We waste tons of food. Here’s a list of 29 ways to cut down on food waste aka the best way to save money!

Deanna Tan is a New Westminster parent, Registered Dietician, and Community Health Specialist.