Combat Rising Food Prices

In 2004, a gallon of milk was $1.63; now it is nearly $3, more if you buy organic. Food prices have gone up a whopping 4%, the worst inflation we've seen in almost 20 years. So if it has felt like you used to walk out with more bags of groceries for less money, you are right.

It's a conundrum: you want to feed your family healthy foods, but it can appear that purchasing less-healthful, prepared and packaged foods can save you money. Don't fall into this marketing trap! Keep the goal on price per nutritional calorie rather than paying for empty calories designed just to fill you up without any nutritional benefits.

Try these three strategies for making your food dollar go farther while eating healthily with whole foods.

Go to the bulk bins. Packaged and processed foods include the price of the wrapping, which then adds to our landfills. Buy rice, quinoa, couscous, pastas, and other grains in the bulk food bins and store in airtight containers. While you're in that section, consider adding some of the just-add-water, great-for-a-healthy-meal-or-snack options: a refried bean mix for burrito night (typically a low-sodium, low-saturated fat, and vegetarian offering), dried hummus powder, and even dehydrated split-pea soup.

Use frozen versions of out-of season vegetables. When green beans have to be shipped in from South America and look a little jet-weary, think instead of the bag of vegetables that were flash-frozen at the peak of ripeness and won't go bad before you get to use them. When cooked properly, frozen vegetables can be as appealing as fresh and don't contain any extra additives or preservatives.

Purchase meats in bulk and freeze in individual portions. Look in the warehouse stores for bags of frozen fish filets. Watch for sales on chicken, then clean and separate pieces for freezing in zip-top baggies. Take advantage of one-pot meals, like the one below, to toss in individual servings of frozen protein portions without thawing.

Quick Burgers

Serves 4

4 cups frozen corn kernels 4 hamburger patties, fresh or frozen (or 4 pieces of chicken, 4 fish fillets, 4 veggie burgers, etc.) 4 Tbsp. Italian salad dressing, divided 20-32 oz. frozen mixed vegetables

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray inside of 2-quart Dutch oven and lid with olive oil. Pour in corn kernels. Set patties atop corn layer and drizzle with 3 Tbsp. Italian dressing. Fill pot with mixed vegetables, as many as will fit. Drizzle with remaining Italian dressing.

Cover and bake for 25-40 minutes, depending upon the thickness of your patties, whether they are fresh or frozen, how rare or cooked you like them, and the type of meat or meat substitute used. You'll know it's ready about 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully-cooked meal escapes the oven.

Nutritional information per serving (based on using lean hamburger meat and Trader Vic's Italian salad dressing):

Calories 498
Protein 26g
Carbs 37
Fat 29g
Chol 85mg
Sodium 353mg
Fiber 4g

More You Might Like:
10 Easy Ways to Recycle Leftovers
Budget Stretching Advice for Organic Foods
Buying in Bulk
Have a Cool Glass of Cash!


About the Author:
Elizabeth Yarnell (www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com), is a Certified Nutritional Consultant, inventor and author of Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick & healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking. Recipes using her unique cooking technique are covered under US patent no. 6,846,504.