Eating healthy doesn't have to cost a fortune. Let's discuss ways to stretch your food budget with grocery shopping tricks and kitchen tips. You'll get the best approach for building a grocery list on a budget without letting go of healthy choices or flavor.

Important Education Takeaways

• Practice meal planning! Create a weekly menu, make a shopping list, and stick to it.

  • Planning ahead can help avoid impulsive and costly food choices.

  • Remember, you can freeze leftovers in individual portions for quick and convenient meals later.

• Batch cook staple foods. These can be used throughout the week and help kick-start your meals.

  • Rice, beans, roasted vegetables are great to make ahead of meals on the weekends or when you have time.

  • Check out our recipe collection for options to support batch cooking — Sheet Pan “Fried” Rice, Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls, and the Breakfast Bake are great options!

• Embrace plant-based proteins! Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and tofu are budget-friendly, while being high in protein and fiber.

  • These are great foods to keep on the menu as they can be cooked in a variety of ways.

  • Learn about the pros and cons of meat alternatives and ideas for homemade plant-based proteins in our Ask the RD blog.

• Aim for fresh and seasonal produce. In-season fruits and vegetables are often less expensive and taste better.

  • In-season produce is also often more nutritious because they’re harvested at their peak.

  • Local farmers’ markets offer great options direct from their fields, while also supporting the community.

  • Our Ask the RD blog chimed in on the topic of organic versus conventional produce.

• Snack wisely. Snacks like nuts, seeds, and yogurt can provide essential nutrients without breaking the bank.

  • Buying in bulk and blending your own trail mix, or making your own granola are great options.

  • You can find a heart-healthy and simple granola recipe on our website. Build your own yogurt parfait too!

• Stay hydrated with a reusable water bottle. Refilling throughout the day helps lower costs and supports overall health.

  • We answered the popular question around best beverages for hydration other than water in our Ask the RD blog.

Recipes

• Recipe of the month: Summer Strawberry Bowl

  • As always, this recipe is the showcase of our live taught, virtual cooking class. Our chef and registered dietitian bring the recipe to life as they walk you through food prep, swaps to meet dietary or taste preferences, plus tips and tools to support you being your own healthy chef at home.

• Bonus recipe: Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap

  • From Jamie’s kitchen to yours, our monthly bonus recipes are published on our website and social media the 4th Wednesday of each month. We invite you to browse our recipe collection and come back often to find more flavorful and heart-healthy recipes.

We invite you to join us for the live taught, virtual nutrition classes each month to gather more information on our nutrition topics. This is also an opportunity to ask topic-related questions of our experts as well as connect socially with attendees for idea sharing. As a registered participant for our In the Kitchen program, you receive a few reminders ahead of each scheduled monthly classes, but here’s an easy to remember schedule: Nutrition Education (30-minutes, 2nd Wednesday, 12pm), Cooking Class (up to 60-minutes, 3rd Monday, 12pm).

Contributing authors: Kayla Guillory, MS, RD, CDCES, diabetes educator, Providence Community Teaching Kitchen; Jamie Libera, RD, LD, CCTD, registered dietitian, Providence.