When gas prices jump, we not only feel the pain at the pump, but the cost of food is fueled by the escalating price of gasoline. The food you purchase costs more, because transporting grocery products to the grocers costs more. Unfortunately, that’s not the only factor for the gigantic grocery inflation we’re experiencing.

The scarcity in our wheat supply is a result of farmers, who have stopped growing wheat in favor of corn for the bio-fuel industry, a shortage of wheat in Australia, and increased demands for wheat from India and China. When the price of wheat rises…what wheat goes into, goes up, too. The price of wheat affects the price of just about everything. You might not first think that beef, pork, and chicken would be affected by the price of wheat, but wheat is used in animal feeds. The rising cost of wheat and corn supplies also has an effect on the price of dairy products for the same reason. Analysts say strong food price inflation is likely to last through 2008. This means huge price increases for ALL families at the grocery store.

Steadily rising food costs affect us all. A recent article in the Rocky Mountain News, said that families were coping with higher prices by eating out less and cutting back on meat, fruit, and veggies. Eating out is expensive and the first place you should cut to make your food dollar stretch. Cutting back on meat isn’t all that bad, if you compensate with whole grains. Cutting back on fruit and veggies are not the place you’ll ultimately save.

Before we economize at the grocers, let’s define a couple of terms. First, what is food? Food is a substance eaten for nourishment. The best food is unprocessed and as natural as possible. Unfortunately, many “natural” foods are grown with synthetic fertilizers, chemical pesticides, or “sewer sludge” (human waste that’s been treated to remove harmful bacteria) and animals are given antibiotics and hormones which are passed along in their meat and milk. Food may be genetically modified and irradiated. For the biggest bang for your nutritional buck, try to purchase organic products.

What is fake food? Fake food looks and tastes like food, but offers no nutrition whatsoever. Today, there are over 3,000 additives found in food. And yet, people are genetically designed to thrive on a naturally derived diet. Processed fake food is category where we can save the most grocery dollars.

We were given an appetite so that we would feed our bodies the nourishment it needs. When we feel hunger, we eat until we feel satiated. In the end, fake foods don’t satisfy. Fake foods offer fullness, but don’t provide any nutrients (i.e.: crackers, chips, boxed mixes, instant anything, sugar, white versions of rice and wheat, and soda pop). Your body will tell you that it needs nourishment shortly after eating and you’ll feel hungry again. In the end, fake foods will break your grocery budget (and your health).

If you want to remain healthy, feel full longer, and save grocery dollars, eat whole foods!

It’s true, we’re seeing the worst food inflation in 20 years. People on a fixed income are the hardest hit. Although, it’s very possible to eat whole, and even organic, foods on an extremely tight food budget. To save time and money always use a grocery list. Using a list will make it more probable that you’ll actually come out of the store with the items needed for the week, avoiding repeat trips—saving gas.

Read all labels! That’s the only way to be sure you’re purchasing the most nutritious item possible. (Click on  Horrible Foods to avoid purchasing unhealthy food items.) You’ll be surprised at how many items are loaded with added sugars, altered fats, and other additives. Be persistent, you’ll find one that’s sugar and additive free. Purchase dairy and produce first. Then staples like wheat flour to make your own pancakes, old fashioned rolled oats, peanut butter, extra virgin olive oil and vinegar (for salad dressings), and applesauce. Stay away from pre-made anything. It’ll cost more and processed foods are usually loaded with additives.

Finally, meat doesn’t have to be the main attraction at every meal. You’ll use less meat when you make casseroles and vegetarian dishes. You’ll find lots of family-friendly (low meat) recipes in my book, Baby Bites: Transforming a Picky Eater into a Healthy Eater. Buy the Book at the Baby Bites Store Now! Click Here

For the best value:

• Use a shopping list and shop at a discount grocers once a week.
• Purchase the largest size staple item you can afford.
• Purchase fruit and vegetables in season.
• Purchase nutrition-packed whole foods for health.

 7 Tips for Lower Grocery Bills

Enough bad news! We have to eat, don’t we? It’s difficult to make adjustments for higher food prices when everything cost more! We’ve made a lot of expensive unhealthy food choices at the grocery store, we waste too much, and we’ve been used to low food prices.

My husband, Dick, and I grew up in low-income families. There wasn’t a lot to eat in either household. Snacking was for other families. If you missed dinner… you missed dinner. There were never any leftovers. At the same time, there was little waste and moms learned how to squeeze the most nutrition out of a small grocery budget. Is your glass half-empty?

Today, the advice for saving at the grocery store is many times useless. Coupons are often the first suggestion. I believe that coupons are a trap for higher priced processed foods, with little nutritional value. Let’s get real, when’s the last time you saw a coupon for celery, carrots, or a bag of apples? You’ll save at the grocery store when you purchase whole foods and your family will be healthier for it.

1)  Avoid “crisis” cooking. Plan ahead for nutrition. When you plan your meals in advance, you’ll be saner. And you won’t be tempted to purchase more expensive items when you’re in a hurry. You’ll want whole grains, like brown rice and old fashioned rolled oats on your grocery list.

With beef and chicken prices rising, incorporate vegetarian dishes into your mealtime routine. Also include casseroles which take advantage of grains and use little meat. In my book, Baby Bites: Transforming a Picky Eater into a Healthy Eater you’ll find my favorite meatless dishes, as well as thrifty casseroles.

The stand-by combo of brown rice and beans make limitless nutritious protein-filled casseroles. For even more savings, don’t purchase canned beans, but cook your own.

2) Shop the outer aisles. That’s because higher priced processed food items cost more than whole foods and they’re located in the middle of the store.

Avoid all boxed food, and don’t buy instant anything. For example, boxed and instant cereals are usually full of sugar and additives with the nutrition of the cardboard box it came in. Purchase less expensive old fashioned rolled oats, brown rice, and other whole grains. Mix with a little fruit and you’re got a nourishing breakfast. Make your own pancakes from scratch. It doesn’t take any more time than the boxed variety. You can find a yummy recipe for my favorite pancakes in the recipe section of this website.

For an economical snack, pop your own popcorn, not in the microwave, either. Microwave popcorn is expensive and loaded with salt and altered fats. Snack on fruit and veggies. Skip expensive chips, crackers, and cookies.

3) Keep your priorities straight, purchase whole grain bread. Wheat prices are going through the roof! But bread is the staff of life, at least whole grain bread is. White bread is mostly chemicals. Stay away from fluffy white breads with the nutritional value of a birthday cake . They have no nutritional value. The money you save on white breads will be spent several times over in health care.

Make every crumb count. I never purchase prepared bread crumbs, I think they’re a waste of money. Save stale bread and the ends or heals (if you don’t usually eat them) to make bread crumbs. If you have a bread maker, dust it off and use it. I admit, I never was able to get mine to work properly, it may have to do with the high altitude, I live in Colorado. I bake bread the o’l fashioned way, but many people love them.

4) Bag it. Prepared foods in the supermarket, like pre-made sandwiches, are expensive. Avoid fast food restaurants which aren’t a good nutritional choice. This will not only help your food budget, but you’ll be healthier for it. Processed luncheon meats are expensive any way you look at it. They’re also loaded with nitrates. Purchase canned tuna and chicken to make your own sandwich spreads (a great use of a blender or food processor). Don’t forget egg salad and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, either. They’re nutritional bargains when made with whole grain bread.

5) Pinch pennies. You’ll save time and money when you’re in the grocery store if you use a grocery list. You can find a helpful grocery list on this website in Nonna’s Kitchen. When a frequently used item is on sale, stock up. Purchase fresh produce in season. It’ll be less expensive.

I think a blender is one of the most valuable assets found in a kitchen. It not only makes tasty fruit smoothies, but it takes only seconds to make your own salad dressings, dips, soups, and sandwich spreads. Purchasing these items already “prepared” adds to your food budget. Make your own and save.

You can further pinch pennies by permanently scratching off a couple of liquid items from your grocery list. The first is soda pop. This is money down the drain. A can of pop contains between 10 and 14 teaspoons of sugar and it’s loaded with chemicals. Drink water, but not bottled water. Bottled water is another needless added expense. Purchase the most efficient water purifier you can afford. If you can’t afford a water purifier, most bottled water is no better than the water from your tap. So drink tap water and save.

6) Be green. Plant a vegetable garden. You’ll save big dollars when you make your own cleaning supplies from vinegar and other common household items. You don’t need a dozen expensive cleaning products. The money you save when by not purchasing these products can be spent on whole foods. REally be green, make your own cleaning products.

7) Know the tricks of the trade. The priciest items are placed chest high on the grocer’s shelves. Look at the higher and lower shelves for the best-priced items. Read labels and don’t be afraid of store brands. Purchase mark-downs when you can. Be sure to watch the scanner and check your receipts, mistakes happen.

Your glass should be half-full by now! Your family will be healthier, when your grocery dollars are purchasing whole foods. You still have the same food budget, but now you know how to stretch it to the max at the grocer’s.