The sudden increase in the price of fresh produce can be particularly difficult to assimilate for people on a fixed income, like many seniors.
While the reasons for this price increase are varied – from the lower loonie, to serious drought conditions in California (a key growing region for our fruits and vegetables), to consumer changing tastes and food choices, the price increase can make it more difficult to eat healthy foods.
Eating fruits and vegetables is essential for health. Our bodies need the nutrients that can be found in fruits and vegetables. Seniors in particular need a diet rich in a wide variety of nutrients that come from fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and fish because of the connection between these nutrients and brain health.
The good news is that there are some steps people can take to buy affordable, nutritious food:
Choose seasonal fruits and vegetables
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are cheaper than out-of-season options. Over the winter months choose cabbage, carrots, parsnips, winter squash, potatoes, apples, clementines, oranges, and pears. Out-of-season fruits and vegetables need to travel long distances (sometimes from the other side of the world) before making it to our supermarkets, which is why they are often more expensive; while seasonal vegetables are grown closer to home and have lower transportation costs added to their cost.
Buy frozen
Frozen fruits and vegetables are often a more economical way to add essential nutrients to your diet. Berries in particular freeze very well and retain their polyphenols, antioxidants believed to protect the brain. Also great frozen are a number of leafy green vegetables like kale, collards and Swiss chard.
Choose foods that have higher nutrient contents
Choose brown rice over white rice. Opt for romaine, green or red leaf, or butterhead lettuce rather than iceberg lettuce.
Consider meat-less protein
Dried legumes (or pulses) are an excellent source of vegetable protein and can be purchased dried or canned. Not only are they a healthy replacement for meat-derived protein, pulses are also rich in folate, potassium, magnesium, and iron.
Don’t pay for added packaging
In other words: buy bulk. Cereals, dried legumes (also called pulses), brown rice, nuts and seeds can be bought from the bulk bins at a discount. Not only will you be saving money, with reduced packaging, you will also be reducing the amount of waste. Another added benefit is that buying in bulk allows you to buy only what you need or what you have room to store.