Affordable Meal Guide

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Affordable meal guide

It can be challenging to eat a healthy diet on a budget. This guide can help!

Table of contents

Weekly meal plan ...... 3

Weekly grocery list ...... 4

Tips for eating healthy on a budget ...... 5

Recipes

Breakfast ...... 8

Lunch ...... 11

Dinner ...... 13

Sides and snacks ...... 17

Other resources ...... 19

Weekly meal plan

Day of week Breakfast Lunch Dinner Monday Cereal Chickpea salad Three Sisters Soup or Overnight oats or Burrito Bowls Tuesday Cereal Chickpea salad Three Sisters Soup or Overnight oats or Burrito Bowls Wednesday Eggs + toast Tuna salad sandwich Pasta Bolognese or Egg Bites Thursday Eggs + toast Tuna salad sandwich Pasta Bolognese or Egg Bites Friday Cereal Fresh wrap Vegetable rice or Overnight oats + Curried yogurt sauce Saturday Breakfast burritos Vegetable rice Tibs Sunday Breakfast burritos Fresh wrap Tibs + Curried yogurt sauce

Select a few items each day from the Sides and snacks section of this guide to help complete your meals.

Note: Alternative meals are listed in italics. You can find the ingredients for alternative meals under the Optional items on the shopping list.

The average cost of the main dishes listed above is $47 per week1 to feed 2 people. This does not include the snacks, sides, pantry staples or optional items listed in the shopping list.

Prices will vary based on location, season and sales.

1 Based on flyer prices in Toronto in July 2020.

Weekly grocery list

Grains Shelf items  Brown rice  Black beans or kidney beans  Cereal  Chickpeas  Large whole wheat tortillas or bread  Tomato pasta sauce  Whole wheat pasta  Vegetable broth  Yellow corn or hominy Fruits and vegetables  Bananas, apples, or other fruit of Pantry staples* choice  Brown sugar  Celery, carrots, and cucumber, or  Lemon juice (fresh or concentrate) vegetable of choice with crunch  Olive oil  Frozen vegetables  Paprika, cumin, chili, garlic, curry  Onion powder, cinnamon powder  Spinach or other dark lettuce  Squash of choice (butternut, acorn, Optional items* or pumpkin)  Cheddar cheese  Tomato  Chicken legs, thigh or breast  Crackers Meat and dairy  Dijon mustard  Canned fish (tuna, herring, or  Extra-firm tofu sardines)  Green chilies  Eggs  Nuts or dried fruit  Ground meat  Oats  Plain yogurt  Peanut butter  Skim milk  Potatoes  Stewing beef (chuck or round)  Prepared salsa  Quinoa  Red chili flakes  Tahini

* These items are not included in the estimated meal cost of $47 per week.

Tips for eating healthy on a budget

1. Shop for items in season and on sale Many recipes can be changed with different protein sources, fruits or vegetables.  Crunchy vegetables: carrots, cucumber, celery, peppers, broccoli, radishes  Leafy greens: spinach, kale, green leaf, spring mix, arugula  Protein: chicken cuts, ground meat, deli meat, rotisserie chicken, tofu, beans

2. Shop in bulk You can buy items like dry beans, spices, pasta, rice, and oats in smaller quantities and for lower prices at bulk stores, like Bulk Barn.

3. Add fruit Try to include at least 2 to 3 servings of fruit per day. For example:  1 apple, banana, or orange  1 cup berries or chopped melon  Blend overripe fruit into a smoothie with ice and milk

4. Eat lots of veggies With every meal, try to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables. This can include fresh and frozen vegetables that are baked, steamed, sautéed or eaten raw.

5. Regrow vegetables Place the root end of green onions, celery or romaine lettuce in a bowl of water. They will regrow within a few days to weeks. Transfer them to soil when roots form.

6. Personalize for you If living with diabetes, try choosing whole grain options (like whole wheat tortillas or pasta). Eat smaller meals with snacks in between. If trying to reduce sodium, reduce salt when cooking and look for low sodium labels when shopping.

7. Drink water Try to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. Avoid plastic water bottles, except in regions without clean drinking water. Limit sugary and alcoholic drinks.

8. Choose cheaper options for meat and other proteins:  Chicken thigh or leg  Flank steak  Ground meat  Frozen fish fillets like tilapia, sole, haddock  Canned fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, pickled herring  Canned oysters or mussels  Eggs  Organ meats like liver, heart, tongue  Tofu and beans (see below)

Buy items when on sale and freeze extras for later.

9. Use dry beans – they are a cheaper than canned beans

Step 1: Soak beans using one of the methods below

Overnight Method: combine 1 cup dry beans with 5 cups water in a large container. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours overnight.

Quick Soak Method: combine 1 cup dry beans with 5 cups water in a large pot and bring to boil. Cover and turn off heat. Let sit for 1 hour in the hot water.

Step 2: Cook beans  Rinse and drain your soaked beans  Put beans in pot and cover with few inches of water. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer  Check texture of beans until they are to your liking (most will take between 45 minutes to 2 hours to cook)

10. Use tofu as a low-cost source of protein

You can replace the protein in each meal with tofu. You do not have to cook it and can use it right from the package.

If you do want to cook tofu, here is one method:  Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C  Drain extra-firm tofu from package and place between two towels. Place a heavy pan or object on top of tofu to help drain out more water  Let dry for 15 minutes and then chop into cubes  Place on greased baking pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and firmer  Let stand for 30 minutes. Toss with favourite seasoning or sauce. Use in any wraps, salads, or stir fries

Breakfast

Cereal

Here are tips to help pick healthier cereal options:  Look for whole grains or bran on the ingredient list  Limit added sugars - try to pick cereals with less than 10 grams of sugar per serving  Look for fiber - aim for greater than 4 grams of fiber per serving  Double check the serving size. You might need less than you think!  Use skim milk instead of 2% or full fat milk  Top cereal with fresh fruit or yogurt for variety

In your morning coffee or tea, use skim milk instead of cream, and limit the amount of sugar you add.

Overnight Oats*

Ingredients  ½ cup oats  1 cup skim milk

Some topping options:  ½ sliced banana, apple or fruit of choice  1 tbsp peanut butter or chopped nuts  Sprinkle with raisins or dried fruit

Directions:  Combine oats, milk and toppings in Tupperware container  Place in refrigerator overnight  The next day, stir to combine and enjoy

8 = no stove needed = no or few fresh ingredients

Eggs and Toast

Ingredients  2 eggs  2 slices of whole wheat toast  Topping of choice for toast (for example: peanut butter or spinach and cheese)

Here are 2 different ways to prepare eggs:

 Boiled: place eggs in a pot add water until eggs are fully covered. Place on high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Turn heat off once boiling and cover pot. Let eggs sit for 7 minutes for soft boiled, and 12 minutes for hard boiled. Put eggs in cold water and peel off shell.

 Scrambled: Crack 2 eggs into bowl. Add dash of skim milk, salt and pepper. Whisk everything together. In a pan on medium-high heat, add oil. Then pour egg mixture into pan. Once bottom starts to cook, turn off heat and scramble eggs in pan until fully cooked (30-45 seconds).

Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients Directions:  1 large whole wheat tortilla  Drain and rinse black beans  2 eggs  Scramble eggs in a pan to your liking  ¼ cup black beans from can, or  Add black beans to pan in last minute cooked from dry bean method of scrambling  2 tbsp pre-made salsa (optional)  Spread salsa on tortilla. Add eggs,  1 tbsp cheddar cheese, shredded beans and cheddar cheese (optional)  Roll up burrito-style and serve

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Egg Bites *

Makes 2 servings, 2 egg bites per serving

Ingredients  4 eggs  ¼ cup onion, chopped  ½ cup spinach, chopped  ¼ cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)  Olive oil to grease tray

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C. Lightly grease muffin tray with oil  In a large bowl, mix together eggs and onion  Pour egg mixture into muffin tray, filling each cup halfway  Add spinach and cheddar cheese to each muffin cup  Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked fully

Serve with slice of whole wheat toast and your preferred toppings (for example: ½ tbsp peanut butter and ½ a banana)

Egg Bites can be stored in the fridge and reheated to save time.

10 = no stove needed = no or few fresh ingredients

Lunch

Chickpea Salad Tuna Salad Sandwich Makes 4 servings Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients Ingredients  15 oz canned or cooked chickpeas,  1 can tuna in water, drain drained and rinsed (amount after  ¼ cup plain yogurt cooking 1 cup dried chickpeas)  2 tbsp onion, diced  1 cucumber, diced  2 tbsp celery, diced  ¼ cup onion  4 slices whole wheat toast  ½ cup chopped celery  ¼ cup lemon juice Optional  ¼ cup olive oil  Handful of spinach  Sliced cucumber to garnish Optional:  ½ cup cooked quinoa Directions:  ½ cup shredded carrot  In a large bowl, combine tuna,  2 tsp Dijon mustard yogurt, red onion, and celery  Spread mixture on toast Directions:  Top with spinach and cucumber  In a large bowl, combine and serve chickpeas, cucumber, onion, and

celery  Optional: add quinoa and carrot to salad  To make the dressing, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard  Pour dressing over salad, mix and

serve

For variety, turn these recipes into a pasta salad by replacing the quinoa in the salad or the toast in the sandwich with pasta.

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Vegetable Rice Fresh Wrap Makes 4 servings with Curried Yogurt Sauce Makes 1 wrap Ingredients  2/3 cup dry brown rice (around Ingredients 2 cups cooked)  1 large whole wheat tortilla  1 tbsp olive oil  Protein of choice (for example:  2 eggs cooked chicken, prepared tofu, deli  ½ onion, diced meat, drained or cooked chickpeas)  2 cups frozen vegetables  Toppings of choice, such as: (for example: frozen peas and o Sliced cucumber, carrots, tomato carrots, stir fry mix, or broccoli and o Spinach cauliflower) o Shredded cheddar cheese  1 tsp garlic powder  Red chili flakes to taste (optional) Sauce ingredients  1 cup plain yogurt Directions:  1 tbsp lemon juice  Cook rice according to package  1 tbsp honey or brown sugar instructions and set aside  ½ tsp curry powder  In a pan on medium heat, add olive oil Directions:  Add onion, frozen vegetables, and  To make yogurt sauce: combine garlic powder. Cook until onion is yogurt, lemon, brown sugar and soft and vegetables thawed through curry powder  Crack eggs and rice into pan, and  Spread onto wrap before adding toss everything together until eggs other items, or dip wrap into sauce are scrambled and cooked  Add protein and toppings of choice  Optional: garnish with red chili

flakes and serve Curried yogurt sauce recipe courtesy of A World Within a Block: Diverse Foods from the St. James Town Community.

12 = no stove needed = no or few fresh ingredients

Dinner

The Three Sisters Soup is an Indigenous dish from the Haudenosaunee nation. It includes the 3 main crops of certain North American tribes: corn, squash and beans.

Three Sisters Soup Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients  1 tbsp olive oil  6 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth  2 cups of canned or cooked yellow or hominy corn, drained and rinsed  2 cups of canned or cooked kidney beans or black beans, drained and rinsed  ½ cup chopped onion  2 cups of squash (for example butternut squash, pumpkin, acorn squash) peeled and cubed  1 cup chopped carrot or potato (optional)  Optional: slice of toasted bread

Directions  In a large pot on medium heat, add olive oil  Add onion and carrots to pot. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until softened  Add broth and bring to a boil  Turn heat to medium-low. Add cubed squash and potato. Cover pot and simmer for 10 minutes or until squash and potato are soft.  Add beans and corn. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.  Optional: serve with a slice of toasted bread

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Burrito Bowls * Makes 4 servings

Ingredients  1 cup uncooked brown rice  2 cups chicken breast, thigh or leg, cut in small pieces (can replace chicken with ground meat, tofu, rotisserie meat)  ½ tbsp olive oil  2 cups spinach  1 ½ cup black beans, drained from can or cooked from dry beans  ½ cup prepared salsa (optional)  Lemon juice to taste (optional)

Spices:  1 tsp paprika  ½ tsp cumin  ½ tsp chili powder

Directions:  Cook brown rice per package directions and set aside  On medium heat pan, add oil and cook chicken or other protein of choice with spice mixtures (paprika, cumin, chili powder)  Assemble bowls with rice, chicken and beans, spinach, and salsa  Optional: Garnish with lemon juice

14 = no stove needed = no or few fresh ingredients

Pasta Bolognese Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients  1 16-ounce package of whole wheat pasta  1 bottle of prepared tomato pasta sauce  1 package lean ground beef (can replace with regular ground beef, ground turkey or chicken)  ½ tbsp olive oil  ½ onion, chopped  ½ cut shredded carrot  Shredded cheddar cheese to top (optional)

Directions:  In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions  In a pan on medium heat, add olive oil, onion, and carrot  Add ground meat. Break apart into small pieces, and cook thoroughly (about 7 minutes)  Add pasta sauce and simmer for another 2 minutes  Serve cooked pasta with sauce  Top with cheddar cheese

If you use regular ground meat, cook meat and then drain the excess fat from the pan

To make a seafood pasta, replace ground meat with canned oyster or mussels

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Tibs Makes 4 servings

Tibs is an Ethiopian beef stir fry and stew. It is usually served with injera flat bread.

Ingredients  1 tbsp olive oil  2 onions, diced  500 g stewing beef (round or chuck cut)  1 tomato, diced  2 tsp garlic powder  1-2 tsp chili powder (can substitute for 2 green chilies)  1 cup uncooked brown rice or 4 whole wheat tortillas

Directions:  If serving with brown rice, cook rice according to package instructions  In a pan on medium heat, add oil and cook onions until slightly brown  Cut beef into cubes and add to pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes  Add diced tomatoes and chili powder to pan and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes  Add water if stew becomes too thick  Remove off stove when beef is cooked and tender  Serve with brown rice or whole wheat tortillas

Tibs recipe courtesy of A World Within a Block: Diverse Foods from the St. James Town Community.

16 = no stove needed = no or few fresh ingredients

Sides and snacks

Here are some extra snack ideas to help use up any left over ingredients and help complete your meals: . Sliced vegetables with dip (hummus or yogurt dip) . ⅓ cup homemade granola with plain yogurt . ¼ cup roasted chickpeas alone or on a salad . Sweet spinach salad with sandwich or wrap

Hummus Chickpea Dip Crackers and Dip Makes 4 servings Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients Ingredients  15 oz canned or cooked chickpeas,  1 can of fish for example herring,  drained and rinsed (amount after sardines, or tuna) cooking 1 cup dried chickpeas)  ¼ cup plain yogurt  ¼ cup lemon juice  ¼ cup cucumber, diced  ¼ cup tahini (optional)  ¼ cup onion, diced  ½ tsp garlic powder  Crackers (optional)  ½ tsp cumin Directions:  2 tbsp olive oil  Drain fish from can. Chop into  2 to3 tbsp water to thin out mixture small pieces if needed. Directions:  Mix fish with yogurt, cucumber,  In a food processor or blender, and onion combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic  Serve on top of crackers powder, cumin, and olive oil  Blend until well combined and fluffy Canned herring and sardines are  Add chickpeas ½ cup at a time to higher in omega 3 and are cheaper mixture, and blend until smooth. than tuna. Add water if mixture becomes too thick to blend You can buy tahini in small amounts at bulk food stores.  Use as a dip for snacks, or in sandwiches and wraps

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Sweet Spinach Salad Homemade Granola Makes 6 servings Ingredients  Spinach Ingredients  Sliced onions  ¼ cup oil or melted butter  Fruit, sliced (eg. apple, orange,  2 cups oats cantaloupe)  ¼ cup brown sugar or honey Optional ingredients  ¼ tsp cinnamon  Nuts (eg: peanuts, almonds, walnuts) Optional toppings:  Dried fruit (eg. raisins, cranberries)  1 cup of nuts of choice (eg.  Feta or shredded cheese almonds, peanuts)  1 cup dried fruit (eg. raisins, Dressing (can replace with store bought cranberries) dressing of choice)  1 tbsp olive oil Directions:  ½ tbsp lemon juice  Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large  ½ tsp Dijon mustard (optional) baking sheet with parchment paper.  Combine oats and nuts in a mixing Directions: bowl  Combine salad ingredients together  Add oil and brown sugar to bowl.  Mix olive oil, lemon juice, and Stir to combine. Dijon mustard to make dressing  Spread out granola evenly on  Pour dressing over salad and toss baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.

 Remove from oven and stir in any dried fruit or other toppings  Can be eaten alone, or served on yogurt

18 = no stove needed = no or few fresh ingredients

Roasted Chickpeas Makes 1 cup, 4 servings

Ingredients  1 cup of chickpeas, canned or cooked dry chickpeas  1 tbsp olive oil  2-4 tsp of favourite spices (for example: chili powder, cumin, paprika, Italian seasoning)

Directions:  Heat oven to 400 F or 200 C.  Drain and rinse canned chickpeas. Pat chickpeas until dry to the touch. Let chickpeas air dry for a few minutes, and remove any skin that comes off  In a bowl, combine chickpeas with olive oil and salt  Place chickpeas on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Shake them around every 10 minutes. Bake until slightly dark and crispy on outside  Remove from oven, and toss them in spice mixture  Serve while warm and crispy

Roasted chickpeas can be eaten as a snack, or used in salads and soups to add crunch.

Other resources

Unlock Food Tips on saving money on food, recipes and weekly meal plans www.unlockfood.ca/en/Budget

Food choices when money is tight Tips on how to grocery shop on a budget and inexpensive recipes https://bit.ly/2SntVUz

How to prepare meals with non-perishable items https://bit.ly/2SmThlv

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Canada’s Food Guide: healthy eating on a budget https://bit.ly/33uyaUt

Aboriginal Nutrition Network: Indigenous recipe collection bit.ly/3eXb63s

Food banks are another way to access ingredients and meals at no or low cost. Visit 211ontario.ca/211-topics/food/food-banks-and-referrals/ to find one near you.

Do you have any questions or need more help? Make an appointment to see your nearest registered dietitian.

Tell us what you think!

We will use your feedback to make changes to future editions. Our goal is to make it available for others to adapt for other cultures or regions. Please be in touch if you have ideas or would like the template. Email one of the authors: [email protected] (MD), [email protected] (MD candidate) or [email protected] (RD)

We thank all those who have contributed to this project, including patient advisors, the Social Determinants of Health Committee, social work and registered dietitian teams.

Unity Health Toronto cares about your health. For health information you can trust, visit us online at unityhealth.to/learn.

This information does not replace the advice you receive from your health care provider. If you have questions, ask your health care team.

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