How has your grocery list changed since COVID-19? Have you been able to get everything on your list on your weekly shopping trips? I’m sure you’ve noticed the lack of options on the pasta shelves and produce aisles, but even more narrow are your choices in the meat sections.
Local restaurants - limited to takeout and delivery - will continue to work diligently to safely serve food during the crisis. But for many people, playing it safe through social distancing may mean limiting going out. That inevitably means many people will cook more meals at home, either for financial reasons or because it makes them feel safer.
So, what can you do if you’re noticing your go-to grocery options have become a little too pricey to “stomach” and/or are not in stock?
Tips to Save Money on Groceries:
1. Make a list: Before heading out, walk through your kitchen and look at what you are running low on and what you need for the week. Also, consider how much space you have. Organize the list by area of store.
2. Shop coupons and deals: Look at your local grocery store’s weekly sales paper; either on-line or paper ads. Look at if your local grocer has rewards programs. Also, earn cash back on rebate apps like Checkout 51 and Ibotta.
3. Plan out your dinners for the week. This will help determine exactly what is needed at the store, and on your list. This will help reduce buying food that may go bad.
4. Use what you have first: Check your refrigerator and pantry frequently for items that are about to go bad. This is the time to use those products. Let’s get creative!
5. Do not buy prepared food. These types of foods go bad faster and cost more than if you made them yourself.
You can find more money-saving tips here: https://www.eatright.org/food/planning-and-prep/eat-right-on-a-budget/20-money-saving-grocery-shopping-tips
Food Substitutions
Below are some food substitutions for some common foods in your pantry.
Pasta:
Keep a few different types of pastas in your pantry to keep things from getting boring! Consider adding some rice noodles to the mix, especially for Asian-inspired dishes. Choosing pasta with protein is a great option for a meatless meal.
Rice:
The store is full of options. As with pasta, it’s nice to have a couple types around, including basmati for Indian food or Arborio for risotto, but if all you have is the store-bought long-grain, that works just fine for most recipes.
Stocks and Canned Tomatoes:
With some broth and canned tomatoes, you can create tons of different sauces, soups, stews or braised dishes. Look for no added salt or low-sodium broths.
Beans:
Dried or canned, beans are both nutritious and a good value. Eaten together with rice, they form a complete protein.
Seafood:
Fresh fish also can be frozen. Shrimp freezes especially well. Do not forget canned seafood. Aim for canned seafood in water. Clams for pasta and marinara, tuna for sandwiches or salmon for sautéed patties or burgers all are great pantry items to have on hand.
Frozen fruits and vegetables:
With a few exceptions, most fruits and vegetables are going to deteriorate or rot after a week. Frozen fruit is great in smoothies. Frozen vegetables often are almost as good as fresh in soups, stews and stir-fries.
Shelf-Stable Milk:
Look for Ultra High Temperature pasteurization milk down the aisles instead of in the dairy section. You can also try non-dairy beverage options as well. For example, soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, etc. Be sure to stick with unsweetened varieties and avoid added sugars. In addition, make sure the non-dairy milk is fortified with calcium and vitamin B12.
Meats:
Just about any meat you buy out of the fresh meat case can be successfully frozen. It might need a rewrap to remove oxygen and prevent freezer burn, but it will keep just fine in your freezer. Check the package dates, but in most cases fresh meats will keep in your fridge for three days. Also note that such cured meats as ham, salami and bacon keep well in the fridge. That’s also true of many other lunch meats — but check the labels, because some of them are loaded with preservatives.
Try meatless entrees instead! Umami (o͞oˈmämē) or savory is our fifth basic taste. Many foods consumed daily are rich in umami. Notably in fish, shellfish, cured meats, meat extracts, mushrooms, vegetables (e.g., ripe tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, celery, etc.) and fermented/aged products such as cheeses, fish sauce, soy sauce and nutritional yeast.
We wanted to leave you with a quick recipe that may change your pasta game! Rose Pencak, Registered Dietitian, shared her meatless marinara recipe with us!