by Peg Lewis

Created on: August 06, 2008   Last Updated: August 22, 2008

With food prices rising, what can the savvy consumer do to save at the grocery store?

Food is for building healthy bodies as well as socializing and enjoying interesting tastes, so keep in mind what nutrients your dollars are buying.

The highest concentration of nutrients is found in real food, not manufactured food products. Nabisco and Kellogg's are in business to make a profit. Each time they 'add value' to a food by changing its shape, adding flavoring, or concocting a whole new 'food', it is to make a profit.

These foods are not the highest in nutrients, though: real foods, especially the freshest and least processed foods, are the best value, as are those that have traveled the least distance.

Today's consumer has become used to having any food anywhere at any time: summer squash in winter, apples in spring, coconuts is Saskatchewan, and salmon in Oklahoma. These foods travel long distances. They are either out of season, not fresh and tasty any more (like that mushy apple you ate in June), or processed to help them hold up.

The highest value for your grocery dollar is going to be found in fresh, local foods eaten in season.

Some foods must be processed. Milk is a good example. Laws require that it be pasteurized. But avoid ultra-pasteurization, an extra step that adds cost even while it makes a more durable product (and less digestible) product.

Look at the ingredients of everything you buy, even in the meat department: prepackaged pork products have injected broth made from artificial flavor enhancers and preservatives. Avoid them! They don't taste like pork, your body doesn't need the additives, and you pay extra: You're purchasing water and chemicals instead of meat.

Frozen foods are a way of getting 'fresh' produce, but to save money, avoid any with many ingredients. Pre-made dinners are convenient but not a good dollar value.

Some canned goods can save you money. Of course they come with added costs for processing and transporting the can. In a few circumstances the extra cost may be justified. Canned beans for example: To cook beans at home, you must use a lot of energy because of the long cooking time. Canned beans are just as nutritious.

Other good canned foods are one-food products, such as olives or pickles, that cannot be purchased in any other way. Applesauce and other fruits, as long as they are packed in fruit juice, and canned tomatoes, may be good buys at times when fresh local fruit isn't available. Canned salmon, tuna, and sardines are also good buys: the canning is done where the fishing boats come in, preserving freshness and avoiding the cost of refrigerated transportation.

The best rule of thumb for saving money at the grocery store is to think about how the food got from where it was grown to you. If it went through a lot of transportation, refrigeration, or manufacture, it is not usually a good buy. Fresh foods, locally grown, in season, still have the best value.

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