Rising food prices will encourage us to find ways to reduce our food spending.
Switching to bologna from chicken breasts is not a healthy or realistic alternative.
Selecting food as close as possible to being whole, unrefined and unprocessed will save money and improve health.
You may have noticed that most of this kind of food is located on the outside perimeter of the grocery store. The bakery, produce, meat and dairy sections are most often located on the back and side walls, with the frozen food section close to these areas or in the middle of the store.
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To get to these healthy food sections, you may feel forced to travel through the processed, snack food and pop aisles, which encourages impulse purchases.
Plan to shop the pasta, whole grain, dried beans and canned fruit and vegetable aisles and then head to the store perimeter for the fresh and perishable food.
When buying fresh fruit and vegetables, purchase only what you can eat fresh to avoid waste.
Some food that is close to its best before date may be on sale. Check carefully to see if it is a food item you can use before it spoils.
An alternative is to buy the food and then freeze it for later use. For example, you can use ripe bananas to make banana loaf or freeze the whole banana for use in a fruit smoothie.
Planning ahead by checking flyers for specials and coupons is another way to help keep grocery spending under control.
Use items that are on sale and in season. Food that is out of season and imported will be more expensive.
Avoid processed meat and pre-made meals. They may have high levels of salt and preservatives and are more costly.
Have a basic staples list that you can keep on hand all the time, such as flour, sugar, seasonings, pasta, dried beans and canned or frozen vegetables. Watch for them to go on sale and plan to buy what you need until the next time they go on sale.
If you follow your flyers weekly, you will begin to see a pattern as to what food goes on sale when. Our local store has a warehouse sale three times a year. I often use the fall sale to restock the cupboards after a busy summer. It was also great for restocking our kids’ cupboards when they were at university.
Compare prices on different sizes of packaging. The general rule is the larger package should be cheaper, but the smaller size packages may be less expensive when on sale.
Compare the unit price by dividing the price of the item by the volume such as millilitres, weight such as grams or the number of items in the package.
Some stores provide a unit price on the shelf price sticker but often this information can be determined only be doing the math. Carry a little calculator to do quick checking.
Breakfast blues
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It gives the energy and nutrients we need to get us going. Studies have shown that children who do not eat breakfast have difficulties concentrating and learning.
Flaked or puffed cereals with milk are better than nothing, but a hearty cereal will provide more nutrients and help make you feel full longer.
Instant oatmeal products are quick and easy but expensive. This cereal, called better-than-instant oatmeal, uses more inexpensive rolled oats.
Quinoa flakes, which are added to give a nutrient and protein boost, have become more available. I have recently found them in bulk food stores and in the bulk food section of larger grocery stores.
They may seem expensive but they really aren’t because they provide good food value.
This cereal is also gluten free for those who need to be concerned about avoiding it in their diet. Leftover cereal can be refrigerated and then easily reheated in the microwave the next day.
BREAKFAST CEREAL
3 c. milk or soy beverage 750 mL
1 c. quick-cooking rolled oats 250 mL
1/2 c. flaked quinoa 125 mL
2 tbsp. packed brown sugar or pure maple syrup30 mL s1 tbsp. ground flaxseed 15 mL
1 tsp. butter or margarine 5 mL
1/2 tsp. ground 2 cinnamon (optional) mL cii
nch salt
1/3 c. raisins or dried 75cranberries (optional) mL cro
asted chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans (optional)
In a large saucepan, over medium-low heat, combine milk, oats, quinoa, brown sugar, flaxseed, butter, cinnamon and salt. Cook, stirring often for 10 to 15 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add dried fruit, if using. Let stand two minutes. Serve topped with nuts, if desired.
Adapted from Dietitians of Canada Simply Great Food. Makes four servings.
Breakfast is a good place to have a least one serving of fruit and vegetables during the day. One way to do this is a breakfast smoothie.
BANANA SMOOTHIE
1 ripe banana
1/2 c. low-fat plain yogurt
125 mL1/2 c. water
125 mL1/2 c. milk 3 ice cubes
125 mL2n a blender, on high speed, blend banana, yogurt, water, milk and ice for 45 seconds or until smooth.
Omit the ice if using a frozen banana. Add other fruit such as fresh, frozen or canned peaches or berries.
– Adapted from Dietitians of Canada Simply Great Food
Where is Sunny Boy?
Dear TEAM: I have a great muffin recipe that calls for Sunny Boy cereal, but I can’t find it anymore. Do you know if it’s still sold and where?– L.C., e-mail
Dear L.C.: I was able to contact the company at sunnyboyfoods.com.
Sunny Boy cereal is definitely still available. Safeway, Co-op stores, Overaitea, Save On Foods and some Costco stores have it available through their warehouses, but it may depend on the particular store as to whether they stock it.
The packaging has also recently changed, so you may be looking for the old packaging. Ask your favourite store to see if they do stock it.
If they don’t, ask if they can bring it in. If you have no luck, there are other stores that do stock it.
When I was talking to the Sunny Boy representative, she said the company also has an organic version as well as numerous other products.
Lynette Collier was kind enough to send in her Sunny Boy muffin recipe.
SUNNY BOY MUFFINS
3/4 c. quick oatmeal 175 mL
1/2 c. Sunny Boy cereal 125 mL
1 1/3 c. sour milk 25 mL
1 c. flour
250 mL1/2 c. brown sugar
125 mL[1 tsp. baking soda
5 mL
1 tsp. baking powder
5 mL
1/2 tsp. salt
2 mL
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 c. margarine or butter, melted
75 mL
1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
250 mL[
To make sour milk, add 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice to the fresh milk.
Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Combine the oatmeal, Sunny Boy nd milk and let stand together for 40 minutes. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in another bowl.
In a third bowl beat the egg. Add the melted butter or margarine to the cereal mixture, add the egg and mix. Add the cereal and egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir gently. Add the cranberries and mix lightly.
Spoon into a lightly oiled muffin pan and bake 20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.
Appreciation from reader
Dear TEAM: Thanks for all the interesting reading and “clipping out” that you have given me for 38 years. – Lynette Collier, Gull Lake, Sask.
We appreciate Lynette’s kind words about this column.
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
