Ramadan on a budget: How to eat healthy amid soaring grocery prices – National | 24CA News
As Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan in Canada, maintaining the grocery payments in examine might be a problem amid hovering meals costs.
Ramadan, which started Thursday, is the fasting month for Muslims, throughout which they chorus from consuming, ingesting and smoking from daybreak to sundown.
From making ready wholesome, filling meals to internet hosting iftar events, “Ramadan can be a very overwhelming time,” stated private finance professional Rubina Ahmed-Haq, who additionally hosts For What It’s Worth on the Corus Entertainment radio community. Corus is the guardian firm of Global News.
That’s why Ahmed-Haq says a little bit of planning can go a good distance.
Here are some useful tricks to get you thru the month.
What to eat and what to keep away from
In Canada this yr, the fasts are going to be about 13 and a half hours to fifteen hours lengthy, relying on which a part of the nation you’re in.
For suhoor, the morning meal eaten earlier than daybreak, a balanced mixture of advanced carbohydrates, protein, wholesome fat and fibre will assist you really feel energized all through the day, stated Nazima Qureshi, a registered dietician and co-author of The Healthy Ramadan Guide.
If you’re on the lookout for wholesome suhoor concepts, Qureshi suggests in a single day oats or a vegetable omelette with whole-grain toast and a serving of fruit.
To maintain your self hydrated, drink about half a litre of water within the morning, she stated.
After a protracted day of fasting, one could be tempted to overeat or eat too rapidly at iftar – the night meal eaten after sundown. That could make you are feeling drained and trigger digestive discomfort, Qureshi stated.
To keep away from this, she advises breaking the quick with dates, water and a small bowl of fruit. Then, after prayers, have your major meal, together with protein, carbs and greens.
“Being more mindful about your portion sizes and how you break your fast will really impact your energy levels and how you feel,” she stated.
How to save cash on Ramadan groceries
Canadians proceed to face excessive prices at grocery shops.
Even although the annual price of inflation has cooled, the worth of meals bought from the grocery retailer was up 10.6 per cent year-over-year final month, based on Statistics Canada’s newest Consumer Price Index report, launched Tuesday.
Food value progress slowed on some key objects in February equivalent to meat, greens, dairy merchandise and bakery merchandise. But costs for objects like cereal merchandise, sugar and confectionary, fish and different seafood accelerated on a year-to-year foundation final month.
“One of the perks of Ramadan is you are eating (fewer) meals so you don’t have to worry about … that middle meal and the extra snacks, so that’s one way to save money,” Qureshi stated.
When you exit purchasing, Ahmed-Haq advises making a grocery checklist and sticking to it to keep away from overspending on additional objects.
There are additionally totally different apps that may assist you get monetary savings.
Flashfood, for instance, helps you to find discounted objects which are nearing their best-before date at grocery shops throughout Canada and the United States.
Price matching apps — like Reebee, Flipp, Flyerify, SmartCanucks — are a helpful solution to examine if the objects in your cart are cheaper at one other grocery retailer, Ahmed-Haq stated.
But you additionally need to just remember to solely purchase stuff that you simply want, not simply because it’s on sale, she added.
“Be mindful of the things you’re bringing home, making sure you’re getting the best price.”
Beans and lentils are filled with protein and fibre. Both are wholesome, inexpensive choices that may assist bulk up curries and stews, Qureshi stated.
She additionally suggested shopping for contemporary fruits which are in season whereas these which are out of season may be purchased frozen as an alternative.
“For example, berries right now (are) not in season in Canada, so they’re very pricey.”
Managing meals throughout Ramadan
When fasting throughout Ramadan, individuals are likely to eat much less, so they need to arrange their meals and prepare dinner accordingly, Ahmed-Haq stated.
Cutting down on meals waste will even minimize prices, so leftovers needs to be used up rapidly or repurposed the following morning for suhoor or the next iftar, each Qureshi and Ahmed-Haq stated.
When placing meals in a fridge, retailer it the place it is going to keep contemporary longer to assist in the reduction of on meals waste.
This means greens ought to go within the crisper drawer. Dairy and meat — which may spoil extra rapidly — needs to be stored in the back of the fridge, Ahmed-Haq stated.
“Even simple things like that can really save you money.”
Iftar events and dinners are widespread throughout Ramadan, so as an alternative of the host taking up the monetary burden of making ready your entire meal, having a potluck is an effective choice.
“Making it a potluck, especially during these times where the cost of living is going up and grocery prices remain persistently high, I think it’s a completely reasonable ask,” Ahmed-Haq stated.
