5 ways to stretch your grocery dollars

Community kitchens
A community kitchen is a group of individuals who meet regularly to cook healthy, nutritious meals. They make meals planning easier for families across the country. The goal of most community kitchens is to save money by pooling resources, such as money, time and culinary traditions.

Who: Diane Collis, coordinator for Vancouver Community Kitchen Project, and three women she met through their children’s school. Her group is self-directed, meaning that everything is organized and financed by the four members.

When: They meet on the last Wednesday of every month for four hours.

Where: The women, who have become friends, meet at a different member’s home each time.

What: During a recent session, Collis took enough chicken and salmon patties to freeze and use for five meals as well as a tray of shepherd’s pie and five tubes of cookie dough to freeze for later use.

Why: “I’m in a community kitchen for lots of different reasons, but a spin-off is lower costs because we’re buying in bulk and using food and herbs from our gardens, and an increase in nutrition because I’m diversifying my food intake. I’m also making a social connection with people,” says Collis.

Quick tips
Quick tip 1: Eat before you shop
When it comes to shopping smart, hunger can affect spending. “When we’re hungry, we’re drawn to everything,” says Tracey Darbyk-Zirk, a professional economist.

Quick tip 2: Spend wisely
Betty Burwell, a home economist and money-management counselor, estimates that a reasonable amount for a family of four to spend on groceries per month is $700; for a single mother and one teenage boy, it’s about $400 per month.

Quick tip 3: Be choosy
Balance your time, money and energy. “If you want to save time, you’re going to spend more money, and if you want to save money, you’re going to need more time and energy,” says Edna Schutz, a facilitator with Home Economics for Living Project.

Quick tip 4: Treats are OK
If you really enjoy ice cream, for example, then buy it less often but still treat yourself, says Edna Schutz, a facilitator with Home Economics for Living Project. “Just recognize that foods that aren’t so good for you need to be a treat, not something for every day.”

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