Calgary foods teacher has tips to cut food costs without drastic diet changes

With Canadian inflation hitting highs not seen in 30 years, many Calgarians picking up groceries are feeling a full serving of sticker shock. 

The need to save money on the weekly food bill could mean making different decisions in the kitchen. Erin Boukall, a Calgary-based food blogger and foods teacher at Lester B. Pearson High School says people can cut costs without making drastic diet changes. 

A key part of her process is preparation. 

"First off, don't go grocery shopping hungry because your stomach's going to start buying for you," Boukall said. 

She credits a switch to online shopping for helping her to start quickly comparing prices, as well as doubling as a shopping list to avoid redundantly buying staples like garlic or onion. 

She says meal planning can also help to avoid an impulse takeout run. 

Saving at the store 

Cutting costs isn't just about what to buy, but where to buy as well.

"One of the best ways to save with meat or veggies or dairy or anything like that is actually going straight to the producer," recommended Boukall. 

"So if you're cutting out the middleman, you're going to save." 

For many Canadians, animal protein can take up a sizeable slice of the bill. 

Besides planning for a few more vegetarian meals each week, you can still eat meat for less by picking up cheaper cuts. 

"Moist heat cooking methods will really help to break down that connective tissue of the cheaper cuts, which is actually going to equal more flavour in the long run," advised Boukall. 

"So things like instant pots and slow cookers and stuff like that can be really great tools for if you're super busy but you want to get the most out of the meat and the cheaper cuts." 

She also recommends The Butchery, a student-run market at SAIT, for purchasing meat.

Unfortunately, for those already struggling with rising prices, Sylvain Charlebois, a professor at Dalhousie University, has forecast further rises in both the bakery and dairy sections of the store. 

"I think everyone has actually noticed that meat prices have gone up in the last 12 months, but we are expecting over the next 12 months to see dairy products become more expensive," Charlebois noted. 

"And already we've been seeing dairy products increase dramatically since the start of the year."  

While high costs might have shoppers looking for a good deal, Charlebois says there won't be many sales to look forward to for the time being. 

"Promotions are discouraged right now in the food industry, so to save money on anything has become way more difficult," said Charlebois. 

"The only way to save substantially as a consumer is to reduce waste at home." 

For Boukall, saving is also about what she's choosing not to buy. 

"When you go back to those basics and you start making things from as far from scratch as possible, once again, it's that middle man you're cutting out, so you're not paying those premiums of someone doing it for you," said Boukall.

Cutting costs at home 

Boukall makes marinades and pasta sauces from scratch then freezes leftovers, aiming to put wilting produce to good use. 

"Having a repurposing plan, or an idea of what you could do with produce that is starting to go past its prime, if you're turning them into soups or stocks or something like that," advised Boukall. 

Learning new techniques or trying new foods can be intimidating, but Boukall recommends signing up for a cooking class to spark inspiration. 

She says to think twice before tossing an item based on its printed expiry. 

"An expiration date on a food label is actually the date that that product is at its peak freshness, so it's kind of the opposite of what some people think." 

Reducing waste is a change that Charlebois agrees can make the biggest difference. 

"I would say right now, to save money, you have to save money on the back end, not on the front end in the store," Charlebois said.