Eating Healthy on a Budget in Winter

When it comes to choosing vegetables and fruits to eat, a variety is best. By choosing a variety, you’ll be packing your diet with fibre, vitamins, and minerals. At mealtime, try to fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits.

Fresh produce is always a healthy choice, but canned and frozen vegetables and fruits are also good options. Canned vegetables and fruits can last for months and can be just as nutritious as fresh – plus, they may cost less. They are also pre-washed, cut, and cooked, saving you time when making meals.

Many types of frozen and canned produce are available throughout the year, so even when produce is not in season, there are lots of options to choose from.

Here are a few of our favourite ways to use canned vegetables and fruits:

• Use frozen fruits in baking.
• Thaw frozen fruit such as peach slices, and then add to yogurt or oatmeal for a breakfast or snack.
• Make an easy side dish from steamed frozen vegetables.
• Use frozen vegetables such as peppers when making a stir fry.
• When boiling pasta, add frozen vegetables such as broccoli to the pot near the end of cooking, and then top with pasta sauce after draining.
• Use frozen dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach in an omelet or smoothie.
• Use canned vegetables such as green beans, asparagus, carrots, and peas in pasta dishes or an omelet.
• Combine canned vegetables and canned beans for a quick lunch.
• Use canned corn, peas, or tomatoes in a stir fry.
• Use canned mushrooms or other vegetables in a chili.
• Add canned corn to a quesadilla.
• Make a quick vegetable soup by adding canned corn, tomatoes, and pinto beans to low-sodium chicken broth.
• Top your favourite canned fruit with some yogurt for dessert.

Be aware of the sodium (salt) and sugar content in canned or frozen vegetables. Choose canned vegetables with low-, reduced-, or no added sodium and then rinse the vegetables before using to lower the sodium content further.

Choose fruit canned in water instead of syrup or rinse it if it’s in syrup. Choose frozen vegetables and fruit without added seasonings, breading, sauces, or sugars.

The nutrition facts table can always be used to compare similar foods. Aim for products that have less than 15 percent DV (daily value) in sodium or sugar.