5 ways to take a bite out your grocery bill

As the Canadian dollar sinks, food prices are on the rise. The University of Guelph's Food Institute predicts the cost produce could increasefive to seven per cent this year, as a result.Other imported foods like seafood, nuts and some specialty cheeses will also be affected by the weak Canadian dollar.

With that in mind, CBC Kitchener Waterloo spoke with dietitians, food waste experts and people living on restricted incomes for their tips on how to eat well, for less.

1. Shop frequently

By going to the grocery store several times a week, you'll be less likely to lose track of what's in your fridge, and it willlet see food go bad. If frequent shopping trips are toomuch trouble, opt to shop once a week and reach for theunder-ripeproduce to reduce spoiling, says MikeVonMassow, the co-author of the 2015 food price forecast fromthe Food Institute at the University of Guelph.

2. Embrace the deep freeze

Taking full advantage of grocery store sales is a lot easier if you have a secondary freezer. There is an upfront cost of course, but it will pay off in the long run, according toregistereddietitianCharlaAdams. "Bagged milk is generally cheaper than a 2-litre [carton], if you have the space, you can freeze those bags," she said. "It tastes the same. When it comes out, you put it in the fridge to let it defrost. You've got to shake it up a bit, but it tastes the same."

3. Take it slow

Cheaper cuts of meat are easily tenderized by marinating or cooking in a slow cooker. The time investment is worth it, says Adams. "When you slowly cook it, or in a moist heat, it actually helps to give it more moisture, more flavour."

"I have a couple of crock pots at home. What I do is a lot of times I start off with a soup base and I add whatever vegetables I might have at home," suggests JohnVanderzand, a community nutrition worker in Kitchener who runs cooking classes for people like him who live on restricted budgets.

"I'll have it going for a week or more sometimes, but as it starts getting lower I start adding more stuff to it. So it's not like it ends up being exactly the same meal."

4. Buy in bulk, but only what you need

Bulk food stores offer more flexibility, says Adams. "You can get the amount that you want. Often times, if you only needed a little bit ofquinoa, you can get the little bit that you needed and their prices are very reasonable."

5.Have a plan

"We're not all organized, but we can all plan," addsVonMassow. "Look at what you have on hand. Be selective with what you buy and take advantage of the specials when they're there. That will help cushion the blow of the increased prices."

"I think in my case, most of the money I get comes from my disability pension, so it almost has to be a monthly plan," saysVanderzand.

He pays close attention to store sales, writing out grocery lists, or stashing the flyers in his backpack.