It’s expensive being a health-conscious plant-eater in 2024. Food prices are expected to climb even more in 2024. I don’t know about you but I’ve had to cut down on my grocery spending and be very mindful of what goes into my shopping cart.
I’ve always been mindful of food prices because of my upbringing. Despite the surge in fresh produce and food costs, I will stick to having my morning or post-workout smoothies. Now I ‘d like to share with you some of my favourite smoothie hacks to help you save time and money.
Here are 5 of my favourite smoothie hacks:
- Buy large bags of frozen fruit: I always have at least two kinds of frozen fruit in my freezer: mango, and blueberry. Sometimes I will buy mixed fruit depending on price. I usually buy at Walmart or Costco for anywhere between $10 and $12 for 2 kg. I rarely buy from Safeway or Co-op because the frozen fruit is usually $2 to $3 more.
- Add tofu: Forget the overly expensive protein powder. There’s 10 grams of protein in 100 grams of tofu. That’s about half a block of tofu. Because tofu has no taste, you won’t even know it’s in your smoothie after you blend it up with your favourite ingredients. I use anything from soft to hard tofu in my smoothies. One package of tofu can be anywhere from $2 to $4. I like to shop at T&T for my tofu because I can usually get a good deal on different kinds of tofu.
- Buy baking bananas: You can usually find baking bananas for super cheap prices. I recently bought two big bags for $1 at Co-op. I peeled and popped them in the freezer.
- Discount areas in grocery store: There is usually a section in every grocery store that has older or less sexy fruit and vegetables. You can often find good deals.
- Use leftovers: If you have a high speed blender, you can put just about anything in your smoothie. I’ve used left over uncooked cabbage, cauliflower, plain white beans. Generally the fruit will mask the taste of veg like cabbage. I often use one or two dates to add sweetness to my smoothies.
What are your favourite smoothie hacks? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.