Inflation is hitting many people hard, but it doesn’t have to harm their nutritional health.

Eating healthy fresh foods is possible on a tight budget with a little planning, said Tiana Garber, a registered dietitian with Intermountain Healthcare.

“A lot of money can be saved by doing a few things at home before heading to the grocery store,” Garber said. “Planning meals and checking the pantry and fridge for what you already have can cut grocery bills. So you can cut some of the foods or make some simple sauces at home.

Garber gives the following tips:

• Plan weekly or monthly meals in advance.
• Make a grocery list — look for deals and plan meals around them — and stick to it.
• Before you go shopping, check which items you already have in stock.
• Buy seasonal fruits and vegetables and cut them yourself (pre-cut produce costs more). Or find canned options that are sugar-free, reduced-sodium, and packaged in water or 100% juice. Frozen products with no additives are also healthier and can be more cost-effective options.
• Buy groceries in bulk – if this is too much food to eat before it spoils, share with a friend.
• Buy dried herbs instead of fresh ones, especially if they’re not in season.
• Make homemade soups, pasta sauces and salad dressings.
• Buy blocks of cheese instead of grated, grated, or sliced.
• Reuse.
• Buy extra when meat, poultry or fish is on sale. Divide portions into smaller containers and freeze for future use.

“Another tip that can help: compare shop, even within the same store,” Garber said. “Sometimes looking at the unit price of groceries and choosing the cheaper option can result in significant savings.”

For more information, see IntermountainHealthcare.org/live-well.

About Intermountain Healthcare

Based in Utah with locations in seven states and additional offices throughout…