Healthy Eating on a Budget

What you will be able to do

• follow Canada's Food Guide plate using low-cost vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods and protein foods.
• spot where your food money goes and make changes that save the most.
• plan a week of balanced meals around your budget and the food you already have.
• work out the cost per portion of a meal and compare value.
• shop smarter using lists, unit prices, store brands, and frozen and canned foods.
• cook, freeze, defrost and reheat batch meals and leftovers safely.
• find out about food support in Canada, such as prenatal nutrition programs, school food programs, food banks and 211.

1. 1Healthy eating on a budget: the basics

   See why a healthy diet does not have to cost more, find out where your food money really goes, and learn the cheapest ways to fill each part of Canada's Food Guide plate.

   • Healthy food can cost less
   • Where your food money really goes
   • The budget-friendly Canada's Food Guide plate

   Weekly budget meal planner

2. 2Plan before you shop

   Plan a week of meals around your budget, work out what each meal really costs and build a bank of cheap, healthy favourites.

   • Meal planning that saves money
   • Working out the cost per meal
   • Cheap, healthy meal ideas

   Weekly budget meal plannerCost-per-meal calculator

3. 3Smart shopping

   Shop with a list, use unit prices and store brands, avoid sale traps and make the most of frozen, canned and marked-down foods.

   • Your list and pantry staples
   • Unit prices, store brands and sales
   • Frozen, canned and marked-down: just as good

   Budget shopping list

4. 4Cheap protein and filling foods

   Get enough protein for less by using beans, lentils, eggs, canned fish and smart meat choices, and fill up on whole grain staples.

   • Beans, lentils and other legumes
   • Eggs, fish, meat and dairy for less
   • Filling staples: oats, potatoes, rice and pasta

   Cheap protein list

5. 5Batch cooking, freezing and less waste

   Cook once and eat several times, freeze and reheat food safely, and stop throwing away food you have paid for.

   • Batch cooking made simple
   • Freezing, defrosting and leftovers safely
   • Waste less, save more

   Freezer and batch plan

6. 6Feeding the family and getting help

   Feed children well for less, find out about prenatal nutrition programs, school food programs, food banks and other support in Canada, and build your 4-week budget plan.

   • Feeding children well on a budget
   • Help with food costs in Canada
   • Your 4-week budget eating plan

   Weekly budget meal plannerFood support finder (signpost)Freezer and batch planCost-per-meal calculator

• PlannerWeekly budget meal plannerPlan a week of balanced, low-cost meals around what you already have and your weekly food budget.
• CalculatorCost-per-meal calculatorWork out what a home-cooked meal costs per portion, per family meal and per week, so you can compare options and stick to your budget.
• ListBudget shopping listAn editable weekly shopping list of low-cost, healthy staples, grouped by area of the store, to adapt from your meal plan.
• ListCheap protein listA reference list of low-cost protein foods with simple ways to use them, so you can build filling meals for less.
• PlannerFreezer and batch planPlan a month of batch cooking, track what is in your freezer and set defrost days so nothing gets wasted.
• CheckerFood support finder (signpost)A quick guide to which Canadian food support programs and community services may be worth looking into, with where to check the official details.