On a budget? 6 tips to save on the grocery bill

Food is a basic need and the rising cost of putting it on your table is making it harder than ever to stick to a budget.
But there are a few tricks to keep in mind that can keep your meals healthy and affordable.

Nicole Pulvermacher is a nutrition consultant. Here are six ways she suggests to get the most from your grocery dollar:

• Select whole, unprocessed food. The more work someone else has done for you in preparing the food, the more you can expect to pay. "You're probably going to pay about twice as much because someone else has peeled those carrots for you," Pulvermacher notes. "For some people that's worth the cost, but if you're watching your budget, it's probably worth the five minutes to just peel them yourself."
• Look for seasonal fresh food items. Try to buy what's in season. For Saskatchewan's climate, that means some items will be much more expensive in the winter months. Consider a vegetable like squash, easily done in the oven. "We don't get a whole lot of fresh seasonal food but winter squash is one thing you can buy and prepare quite easily," Pulvermacher says.
• Purchase fruits and vegetables in quantity. One way to save on some items is to buy them by the bag instead of individually."Bags of fruit will tend to be a better unit price," Pulvermacher says. "You [can] get three pounds of apples for less than if you bought them individually and these tend to last quite awhile in your fridge."
• Look for sales on meat and use your freezer. Meat is often very expensive. Watch for sales and store them in the freezer. Another way to save on meat is to buy a whole chicken. And fish is usually cheaper in the frozen food section of the grocery store. Some cuts of meat are very affordable and excellent for the diet. "One of my favourites is actually ... a meat like liver," Pulvermacher says. "You don't want it every day but the price is really good and you are getting a lot of nutrition in liver. It's high in vitamin A, iron and other things that your body does need."
• Consider a vegetarian meal. If you are a regular meat eater, try going vegetarian a couple nights a week. "The alternative would be beans," Pulvermacher says. "They are both cheap and very healthy. For example red kidney beans."
• Do-it-yourself. The more you can grow and prepare yourself, the more you will save. One example is to bake your own bread. "Whether you have a bread machine at home or you learn how to make some biscuits or bannock, that can be a quick way to save some money," Pulvermacher says. "Because you are just buying some ingredients."

Pulvermacher sums it all up by pointing out that there is a lot to choose from at the grocery store. If you are diligent about only buying what you need, that too will lead to savings. Work in a few of the tips, and you'll be enjoying healthy meals without breaking the bank.