How to Make Meals Affordable

Have you noticed the price of vegetables, dairy and especially meat these days? Oh, by the way, that’s all the good healthy foods we are supposed to eat. How do we stretch a dollar when food prices have escalated? How can we make meals affordable?
- Look for sales or promotions (weekly flyers still exist!!)
- Pay attention to prices, buy bulk, portion and freeze or store e.g. Cut a roast into steaks
- Make value driven choices aka pick inexpensive options – instead of beef strip steak, purchase pork shoulder steak
- Choose food you can prepare rather than pre-packaged meals
- Find discount or local grocers – in Calgary, shout out to Freestone Produce, Lucky Supermarket, Tops Supermarket, Lambda, H-Mart and the Blackfoot farmers markets
One of my favorite choices for family meals lately, is pork. Did you know that Canada produces such high quality pork, that it meets the stringent specifications of Asia and global demand that ~70% of Canada’s pork production is exported? Pork is one of the most affordable protein sources available and it’s readily available. Pork is nutritious, lean and when cooked properly, is delicious and juicy.
There are more cuts available than just pork chops and sausage. I’m super excited to share some of my favorite grilled or BBQ tips and recipes to make this a staple in your home The flavors and sauces can be interchangeably used across the various pork cuts in the recipes listed:
Smoked Center Cut Pork Loin with Apple & Cider Vinegar Sauce