Halifax dietitian shares tips for saving money on food

Registered dietitian Laurie Barker Jackman shares tips to stretch your food dollar at home and in the grocery store.

As grocery prices continue to climb Canadian consumers are searching for ways to save money on food.

Laurie Barker Jackman is a registered dietitian. She said saving money starts with “shopping your kitchen” – checking your pantry, fridge and freezer for what you have on hand before you go to the grocery store.

“I really challenge you to see if you can make some meals without even heading to the grocery store or market,” Barker Jackman said during an interview with CTV’s Crystal Garrett. “This is a really fun challenge on social media that you’ll see sometimes.”

Barker Jackman said shopping the kitchen reminds you to use canned goods and other items that have forgotten expiry dates.

“It’s really important to start to kind of rotate these,” she said.

After you’ve taken inventory, Barker Jackman said it’s time to turn to the apps and flyers. You can search deals on apps but for people who like to keep it “old school,” she said the best deals are on the first and last pages of the flyer.

After you know what’s on sale and what you have on hand, Barker Jackman said you can start planning your meals and making your grocery list.

“If you go to the grocery store without a list, you’re going to have a lot of impulse purchases, which really spikes that grocery bill,” she said.

To take the math out of your shopping when comparing products that vary by brand or size, Barker Jackman said you need to look at unit pricing.

“It compares products per 100 mls (millilitres) or 100 grams,” Barker Jackman said. She said the unit price is usually found on the shelf tag and it shows which product is the better value even if its purchase price is higher.

To save money after you leave the grocery store, Barker Jackman said it’s important to reduce food waste.

“The number one category thrown out: fruits and vegetables,” she said. “Why? We don’t see them.”

Barker Jackman said the main reason we eat foods is because we see them. She said fruits and vegetables get forgotten in the crisper so store them in clear containers you see when you open the fridge.

To get the longest life out of your fruits and vegetables Barker Jackman said it’s important to know how to store them – some on the counter, others in the fridge.

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