Healthy Economy: Nutrition and Shopping Strategies

Vegetables and Fruit

• Eat whole fruit more often. Whole fruit may cost more than juice, but you'll get the added benefits of fibre and, in some cases, more vitamins and minerals.

• Use canned fruit in yogurt, smoothies, milk shakes, puddings and fruit salads and on fruit plates. Toss mandarin orange segments and toasted walnuts into green salads. Nutritionally speaking, canned, fresh and frozen produce are all approximately the same.

• Plain frozen vegetables are a good buy because they're quick and easy to prepare, with less waste.

• Cut up your own celery and carrots; it's much more economical than buying precut. As well, precut vegetables are prone to quicker nutrient loss because more of their surface area is exposed to the air.