By: N.  Orisajo

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, basic needs such as food, water, shelter and security are essential in order for an individual to obtain self-actualization.  In such a time, when the global economy has slowed considerably, millions of people have lost their jobs, and when opportunities are scarce, it is imperative that we use our resources (money) wisely in order for us to meet our basic needs.  In this article, we will provide some tips as to how you can fulfill your basic food needs during this turbulent time.

1. Make a budget and stick to it: It is important that you understand how much you can spend on food. When your money is tight, it is imperative to create a personal budget.  Understanding your overall personal budget can help you better plan your grocery store run.  If you know that your budget only allows you to spend a maximum of $100, try your best to spend only that amount because you can be taking money from elsewhere in your budget such as your energy bills or rent.

2. Do not shop when you are hungry: Many times, when we shop when we are hungry, we tend to purchase more items than what we need, which can cause us to exceed our established food budget. Based on a recent study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shopping when hungry has made people purchase more food.   Considering this, ensuring that you eat something before going to your local grocery store would help.

3. Purchase Generic Brands: You may constantly purchase that brand-name paper towel that you love, however, it takes up a significant portion of your budget.  In an effort to reduce your expenses, choose a brand that is similar to the brand you love, but is much cheaper.  You may be surprised that it may taste or work even better than the brand you are accustomed to purchasing! Taking a chance on lesser known brands, can help you achieve savings while getting the performance you require. 

4. Obtain essential ingredients that you can use to make more that one dish: When you have little money, it is important to purchase items that you can use to make a variety of dishes. Please see a list of this below:

• • • Flour—You can make Johnny Cakes (or Bakes), dumplings, fritters, cakes, dumb bread, etc.

    • Cornmeal: You can make, cornmeal porridge, corn-cake, etc.

    • Rice—You can make peas and rice and seasoned rice.

    • Eggs—You can make a variety of breakfast meals.

    • Salt-fish—You can make pick up salt-fish, salt-fish cakes, salt fish and dumplings, and much more.

We hope that the above tips are helpful when you go on your next grocery run.