Cheap (But Good) Eats

A couple of interesting studies have popped up in the last few weeks, shedding some light on our eating habits during a time when many of us are trying to trim family finances.

One study published by The NDP Group, called EPIC (for Eating Patterns in Canada), revealed that 88 per cent of respondents to a survey intended to decrease the amount of time and money spent eating in restaurants, preferring to eat at home instead. Apparently there was significant growth in the purchasing of whole grain, trans-fat free and low fat items.

It sounds positive. But while this survey tells us that more Canadians are eating at home, it doesn't necessarily tell us that more Canadians are cooking at home.

According to a recent piece in the Globe and Mail, Wal-Mart Canada's sales were up nearly 10 per cent between late August and late October, largely in part to higher food sales at their supercentres, which feature grocery stores. The article also reported that Kraft Foods items like KD, Delissio pizza, Velveeta, Jell-O and Kool-Aid are selling well as of late, with the company's net revenues increasing by almost 20 per cent between July and late September.

Sales of canned and microwaveable Campbell's Soup are up, too. And, if you can believe it, factory workers are putting in overtime to keep up with demand for Spam.

Like the economic downturn itself, it's fairly depressing.

If you're eating prepared foods all the time, you're not getting much of anything fresh. You're also not really aware of what it is you're consuming because you haven't put it together yourself.

"Processed foods typically include refined carbohydrates, which many North Americans overconsume," University of Guelph nutrition professor Andrea Buchholz told me in a email last week.

"The issue with refined carbohydrates is they can cause large fluctuations in your blood sugar. When your blood sugar dips, you experience hunger and therefore people have a tendency to overeat when their diets are rich in refined carbohydrates. There are also other ingredients in processed foods which we might be interested in staying away from, including sodium, additives and preservatives."

How, then, can we eat at home and spend less money without resorting to cans of mushroom soup?

Fairly easily, it turns out. Here are some tips:

1. Try eating less meat. Mark Bittman, food writer for the New York Times, advocates "less meatarianism" in his new book, Food Matters, largely because it lightens our carbon footprint.

As he discovered, "A typical family-of-four steak dinner is the rough equivalent, energy-wise, of driving around in a sport-utility vehicle for three hours while leaving all the lights on at home."

Eating meat only after 6 p.m., Bittman says, has improved his health. It also makes for a cheaper bill at the supermarket.

Buchholz says legumes are a great alternative to meat because they're an inexpensive source of protein. If you're put off by soaking and cooking dried beans, buy them canned. Just be sure to rinse them to get rid of excess sodium. I made a great dinner of black bean, tomato and tortilla soup last week that took little time and had neither my husband nor me lamenting the fact that it was meatless. And we were good and full when the meal was over.

2. Befriend a butcher. Local chef Jody O'Malley, who teaches demonstration cooking classes at Entertaining Elements in St. Jacobs, says using the same butcher and getting to know them well is a great idea.

"They'll give you ideas on what to make and how to make things to extend your budget," she says. Buying a cut from "the next section over" on the animal, for example, can get you great quality meat at a lower price.

Marinating helps soften tougher, less pricey cuts, as does cutting meat against the grain (which tenderizes it). There's also braising and slow cooking. Bust out the crock pot. "Braising shoulder takes a lot longer, but you can enjoy the smell all day and you get to have a treat at the end of it," O'Malley says.

There's also the option of sharing a steak (or other piece of meat) between two or three people and loading up on vegetables and salad. This is more in line, nutritionally-speaking, with what your plate should look like, anyway.

3. Shop at farmer's markets. There are good deals to be had. You'll find both local and imported produce at this time of year. Local produce always tastes better but, indeed, you'll find the pickings are a bit slimmer in the depths of winter. Nevertheless, there are carrots, apples and pears and other local items to be found. And good deals on imports like lemons, grapes and oranges.

Not only this, but you're supporting local economy by giving your money to regional farmers and food purveyors.

"You get your best quality and your best flavour, too," O'Malley says, of eating local produce. "Don't be buying watermelons now. Wait until summer."

4. Make plans to can and freeze next summer. I did a little bit of this last fall and I am happily reaping the rewards now.

Everytime I open a jar of homemade tomato sauce, I am transported to a warm, August afternoon. I could happily eat it out of the jar with a spoon. I also oven-roasted and froze some of the gazillions of wee heirloom tomatoes my parents grew, which cost me next to nothing. We're eating them on homemade pizza this winter along with frozen roasted peppers.

"Invest the time in summer when we've got lots of food," says O'Malley. "This way you can enjoy things like tomatoes year round when they're at their peak."

5. Mix frozen vegetables with fresh. Buchholz says that while canned veg is higher in sodium, frozen produce is usually high in nutritional quality. You can buy frozen vegetables at the supermarket, of course. And, looking at planning ahead, you can get it cheap when it's abundant this summer and freeze some yourself.

6. Buy in bulk and make food in larger quantities. Look for deals and sales and remember that buying larger amounts of things can cost less, even if it seems to cost more in the short term. Cooking something that will stretch you for two meals helps, too.