According to 60 million consumers, the overall price of the shopping basket observed between May 2022 and May 2023 has increased by… 16.16%! In this context, how can you continue to eat well without spending too much and ideally while respecting the planet as much as possible? A few tips for dealing with this daunting challenge.
For Nicole Darmon, research director at the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) “below 3.50 to 4 € per day and per person, it is very difficult to have a diet that is both healthy and sustainable“.
Cooking yourself and in season… rather than buying ‘ready-made’, most often industrial. This is the number one tip for healthy eating. On the economic plan, “prefer seasonal products, which are often less expensive”, we read on the government site Mangerbouger.fr. And to justify:Seasonal fruits and vegetables are generally less expensive because they do not grow in heated greenhouses and can be grown close to home: they are harvested and then quickly consumed. They therefore do not require storage in a cold room and, generally, have traveled little. So many fewer costs that lower the final price“. The prices remain however linked to the abundance or not of the harvests…
Zero wasted!
Home-made sometimes generates leftovers… which can be perfectly cooked and improved. Enough to consider the main course of the next meal or an accompaniment. Also remember that the tops of many vegetables can turn into soup or sauce. Another tip: plan your menus in advance so you don’t forget anything or end up with extra food that may expire.
Target a few “cheap” foods
Even if it becomes complicated to talk about economical foods, some are still more advantageous than others for the wallet. This is the case for pulses (chickpeas, lentils, white beans, red beans, etc.). Rich in fiber and vegetables, they can be combined with whole grain products (rice, pasta, semolina), which are also relatively inexpensive. Something to prepare, for example, wholemeal pasta with zucchini pesto, chickpea curry and brown rice, semolina pudding with orange blossom…
Cunning…
At the supermarket, target so-called… ‘ugly’ fruits and vegetables! In other words, which do not meet industrial standards and calibers. Just as good as the others, they seem to be increasingly offered to the consumer at lower prices. What more to avoid waste. Otherwise, head to the local market… just before it closes. It happens that traders sell some stocks at low prices to avoid leaving with their merchandise. Finally of course, if you have the possibility, go directly to the producer. Depending on the case, you can even harvest fruits and other vegetables. On the basis of favorable prices.