As food and gas prices have risen over the past several months, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee (SHFB) is offering budget-friendly grocery tips for neighbors trying to eat healthy on limited budgets.
“We know that budgets are tight for so many families in our community,” said Caroline Pullen, RD, Senior Manager, Health & Innovation at Second Harvest. “In addition to providing food for those in immediate need, we also want to serve as a resource for information and raise awareness of how to access healthy food with limited resources.”
According to Pullen, here are her Top-10 tips for healthy, budget-friendly grocery shopping:
- Make a plan before you go shopping and stick to it
- With spring now here, buy produce while in season
- Buy perishable foods, but in the quantities you will use
- Shop perimeter areas of grocery stores where fresh foods like dairy, meat, fruits, and vegetables are generally displayed
- Buy store-labeled brands – the food is often made in the same location as recognizable brands
- Compare unit prices between different brands and container sizes
- Buy meat and cereal in bulk
- Organic foods are a great option, but not always best economical choice
- Try non-meat protein such as eggs and beans.
- Incorporate fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables
Second Harvest officials also stressed that anyone in need of emergency food assistance in its 46-county service area can find the nearest food distribution by using the food bank’s Find Food tool at secondharvestmidtn.org/get-help, or by texting ‘FEEDS’ to 797979. In addition, Second Harvest staff are available to assist low-income families in signing up for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) federal benefits, formerly known as Food Stamps.
In Middle and West Tennessee, 1-in-8 people face food insecurity and are unsure of when or where their next meal will come from.
For more information about emergency food assistance, SHFB’s services, or to get involved, please visit secondharvestmidtn.org. •
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