(MSNBC) Food prices are soaring. Find out how to save without sacrificing nutrition.
The weekly trip to the grocery store is getting more expensive and there’s no relief in sight, experts say. Many shoppers are wondering how to save on their food bills, without sacrificing nutrition.
There are some strategies you can follow to help avoid grocery sticker shock, says Phil Lempert, TODAY food editor. Here's what he suggests:
List it:
Shopping with a list can save you 10 percent on unnecessary items like junk food.
Buy in bulk:
But don’t buy more than you’ll use. Waste is costly too.
Simpler is better:
The more processed the food, the more it costs—and, generally, the less healthy it is.
Dodge impulse traps:
Stores are set up to spur impulse buying. Focus on staples such as milk, eggs, bread and canned or frozen veggies and avoid tempting cookies and cakes in the deli section.
Use coupons:
Store discount programs and supercenters such as Wal-mart and Costco can also help generate significant savings. By being flexible and planning meals around what’s on sale, you can lower your grocery bills. “To save money, you need to switch brands and types of foods,” substituting less expensive meats or fish, and trading beans and eggs for meat, says Phil Lempert.
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Milk
Buy store brands
Milk’s price has climbed 13 percent in the past year, according to the USDA, so it’s worth saving as much as a dollar on a store-brand gallon. Even at 25 cents a cup, milk is loaded with calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D so it's still a pretty good deal. As always, choose 1 percent or skim milk, which is the same price as whole milk and healthier for your heart.
Try powdered or evaporated
To lower the cost and retain the nutritional value, consider powdered versions. If you don’t like the taste, add the reconstituted milk to mashed potatoes, soups or casseroles.
Rather than cutting back on healthy staples, click on the items at the left to learn how to get the most nutrition bang for your grocery buck.
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Eggs
Go for bulk
A dozen eggs costs 75 cents more than it did two years ago, so seek sales and buy eggs in economical 18- or 24-packs if you’re planning to use a lot of them. Even if you don't finish them quickly, eggs are still good for up to a month after the expiration date. Be aware that while organic eggs have the same levels of cholesterol and nutrition as regular eggs, they can cost up to twice as much.
Not just for breakfast
At an estimated 20 cents a serving, eggs make for a much cheaper source of protein than meat. Substitute frittatas, omelets and other such egg-based foods for meat at main meals. There’s controversy over how many eggs a week can be eaten safely, but nutrition experts say an egg a day can be part of a heart-healthy diet. If you're watching your cholesterol, avoid the yolk and just use the whites.
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Pasta
Buy Italian
Brands from Italy such as Torino and La Molisana are often cheaper because the Italian government subsidizes pasta, and they’re just as healthy as domestic brands.
Stay dry
Fresh pasta can cost twice as much and is no better nutritionally than the good quality dried varieties.
Make your own sauce
Buy a can of crushed tomatoes, then add herbs and a little olive oil. You’ll have a quick-and-easy sauce that’s half the price of prepared brands and lower in calories because it isn’t sweetened with heavy corn syrup.
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Bread
Buy second day
With a 15 percent price hike in the past year and a short shelf life, bread is no bargain. But stores want it sold before it spoils, so try to time your purchase with clearance price-slashing. You can stock up and freeze it for later use.
Change it up
Whole wheat bread’s fiber and grains make it the choice of nutritionists, but it can cost up to a dollar more than white bread. If the cost is a problem, consider alternating whole wheat with white bread that is enriched with folic acid.
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Cereal
Go basic
Pick old fashioned oatmeal or cornflakes over fancy commercial cereals. Oatmeal typically contains fewer additives, can help lower bad cholesterol and is less expensive per pound than higher-priced cereals.
Choose store brands
You’ll save around a dollar a box and get the same nutritional value as a more expensive brand.
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Rice
Choose raw
You’ll get more for your money than with precooked brands such as instant rice.
Buy brown
Though it costs about 25 percent more, brown beats white for its valuable fiber and fatty acids. Brown rice will turn rancid over time, so refrigerate it for storage up to six months. By purchasing brown rice in bulk and refrigerating it, you can save significantly.
Try barley
If rice prices have skyrocketed in your area, consider dry barley. It's packed with even more nutrients than brown rice and is about 40 percent cheaper. Use it like rice in soups or casseroles. Toss it into a salad with tomatoes and almonds.
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Produce
Be seasonal
Produce is the most flavorful and economical when it is in season. In the summer, corn, peaches and plums are most plentiful, so that’s when they’re cheapest — and also at their most fresh and nutritious. For a guide to what’s in season throughout the year, visit the Produce for Better Health Foundation Web site. Click here for the seasonal list.
Choose locally grown
In general, produce grown closer to you will cost less and be fresher because it has traveled less. The same isn’t true for organic produce though; it’ll cost up to twice as much no matter where it’s grown.
Think frozen
Frozen produce is preserved at its nutritional peak, yet sells for a quarter of what it costs fresh. So stock up on frozen to save money and reap nutritional benefits.
Pick canned
Canning also preserves nutrition and cuts costs — just beware of fruits packed in heavy syrup or veggies soaked in sodium. Look for reduced sugar or salt options, or drain and rinse items before serving.
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Fish
Don’t be a fish snob
Lower-end fish like catfish and mullet can offer cost savings over the likes of grouper or salmon — without sacrificing nutrients.
Fresh isn’t all that
Once caught, all fish is iced. So fish on the frozen aisle is really fresher and cheaper than what the store thaws and peddles as fresh.
Pick canned
Canned tuna or herring is cheaper than fresh or frozen and equally packed with healthy omega-3s. Varieties canned in water are lower in fat and calories than those packed in oil.
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Meat
Buy whole and store
Skin and de-bone a whole chicken to save between $1.50 and $4 a pound. Or buy 10 chicken breasts and freeze them in individual bags, but use them within a year before freezer burn sets in.
Rethink your cut
With beef, for example, downgrade from tenderloin and rib-eye cuts to chuck or shanks, a good choice because it’s lean. Less expensive cuts should be cooked longer to maximize tenderness.
Marinate it
Tenderize and add flavor to your less expensive cuts by soaking them in marinade. But skip sugary store-bought marinades and make your own with vinegar and tomato for more tender, healthful meat.
Stretch it
Make your meat go further by slicing it into stews or salads. That way you get your veggies too.
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Beans
Boost your intake
Whether canned or dried, beans pack valuable protein, fiber, folate and iron for a cost effective $1 per 16-ounce can or bag, often much less when on sale. They’re a healthy substitution for, or addition to, meat in any hot dish or salad.
Save time
If you don’t have time to soak dried beans overnight and then cook them for an hour or more, canned varieties are as nutritious and take only minutes to heat. Black beans or lentils can be added to pasta sauces, soups and casseroles for an affordable, nutritious meal. Chickpeas add low-fat protein to green salads.