If inflation has got you nervous to look at your next credit card bill considering the high prices we’re paying at the gas pumps and in stores, you’re probably contemplating any small changes you can make to save money. Canada’s Food Price Report estimates that the price of food will rise by five to seven per cent in the coming year. If you have a more specialized diet, prices could be even higher. I was shocked when the average price of a block of tofu (a staple food of mine) went up from $2.00 to $3.50. It’s a shame that even when food is so expensive, there is still a considerable amount of wasted food that costs the average Canadian household $1,300 a year. The National Zero Waste Council found that 2.3 million tons of edible food is wasted every year in Canada. Wasted food is not just bad for your wallet, but it’s terrible for the environment. When we waste food, we are wasting all of the resources that went into growing, processing, distributing, selling, and buying that food.
Here are some easy tips you can use to spend less on your sustenance:
- Learn how to store your produce so that it lasts longer. Store your onions and potatoes in separate locations. Store kale, cilantro, carrots, and celery in jars of water as if they were flowers. Wash your fresh herbs, leafy greens, and berries well, then dry them, and store them in airtight containers wrapped in paper towels to absorb moisture.
- “Best before” dates are not expiration dates. Don’t throw something out immediately after its best before date. That date just signifies when that product is at its peak quality, many foods are still edible and tasty long after their best before date. Use your nose to judge whether or not something is still fresh, not a date on a can.
- Plan your meals and buy ingredients accordingly. Meal preps not only save time as you make a week’s worth of meals in one go, but can save money as you look for meal ideas that revolve around using up leftover ingredients in your fridge and pantry. Making a grocery list is essential to spending less money at the grocery store if you’re prone to aimlessly wandering around the aisles.
- The freezer is your best friend. Freeze everything you can and it will last longer. Bread, meat, vegetables (blanch them first), berries, and many meals like soups, stir fries, and curries last much longer in the freezer and still taste great re-heated.
- Shop around; try not to buy everything at the same store for the sake of convenience. I get all my fruits and vegetables from markets like Howard Wong Farms, SKT, and Fruiticana. Check out the food aisle at the dollar store for some cheap pantry staples. Share a Costco membership with a friend and split large quantities of food for cheaper than what you’d spend at the supermarket.
- Download the Flashfood app to see which grocery stores are selling discounted food. You can buy marked down food right from the app and pick it up at the store whenever you want.
- Join the Bulk Buy Collective to save money on produce. Archway community services offers this program in which you pick up a bag of fruits and vegetables for $15 once a month; in exchange, you volunteer on a rotational basis to put together bags and distribute food.
- Soak your beans. Beans are a cheap source of protein and fiber, and if you buy massive bags of dried beans, they’re even cheaper than if you were to buy cans of them. Soak your dried beans overnight, then boil them the next day until soft. Store these beans in jars in the freezer until ready to use in a recipe.
- Never go to the grocery store hungry. Trust me on this one. I’ve made more impulsive purchases at the grocery store out of hunger than I care to admit. Eat a protein bar or something before walking through those sliding doors, and you’ll save that sweet cash you worked so hard for.
Andrea Sadowski is working towards her BA in Global Development Studies, with a minor in anthropology and Mennonite studies. When she's not sitting in front of her computer, Andrea enjoys climbing mountains, sleeping outside, cooking delicious plant-based food, talking to animals, and dismantling the patriarchy.