Everyone wants to eat well on a budget and not make compromises in taste and nutrition. With the price of fuel rising and food costs along with it, it can be hard to figure out how to shop and what to eat. Add to that the fact that we have more choices now than ever in history, and the options can be downright confusing! With these tips for shopping at City Market, you can learn how to make your dollar stretch and feel good about what you’re eating.

Top 5 Ways to Eat Well on a Budget at City Market:

1. Become a member of the Co-op by investing $15/year (or $200 total) in the Co-op. This amount is fully refundable any time you decide to leave. You can save money by doing member-work for a discount on your groceries (2 hours/month for a 7% discount or 4 hours/month for a 12% discount).

Co-op members also receive a patronage refund, which means you earn dollars back based on a percentage of your total purchases during the years the Co-op makes a profit. Sign up at the Customer Service Desk.

You can also become a member of the Co-op through the Food for All program and pay no membership fee. If you qualify for Food Stamps, WIC, or Disability, you can receive a 10% discount for 6 months (can be renewed). Just show documentation at the Customer Service Desk to become activated.
 

2. Use the Monthly Sales Flyer available in Aisle 1, or below, to shop for changing specials by the day, week, and month. Plan your meals ahead to stretch your dollar. Or, when you see staple items on sale you use frequently, like frozen or canned foods or dry goods, stock up that month!

3. Look for the state of Vermont symbol to shop for fruits and vegetables that are in season. In spring find great deals on heads of lettuce, Swiss chard, and kale. In summer, look for tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, watermelon, and berries. In the fall, look for squash, pumpkins, apples, cranberries, potatoes, and onions.

When Vermont produce isn’t readily available, like the winter, the best deals in Produce are usually:
Potatoes, onions, green and red cabbage, apples, bananas, squash, lettuce, broccoli, and carrots.

Frozen vegetables like peas, beans, and corn are healthier and more flavorful than canned vegetables and often cost less than fresh.

You can also visit the Northeast Organic Farming Association website to see a listing of Vermont farmers' markets!  

4. Shop for flour, pasta, beans, grains, and spices in the Bulk section. Scoop out as little or as much as you want from the bulk bins and save big by 1) buying just the amount you need, 2) not paying for extra packaging, and 3) buying less processed foods (you pay more for all those additives).

Examples of items in bulk bins are: spices, tea, coffee, pasta, granola, dried fruit and nuts, beans, whole grains, rolled oats, sugar, chocolate chips, flour, peanut butter, maple syrup, honey, oil, hand and dish detergent.

Compare unit pricing to see how much you’re saving. Unit price is the cost per pound rather than cost per can, bag, or box.

5. Collect recipes using simple pantry ingredients and cook from scratch as much as possible. Keep pantry foods on hand: beans, pasta, rice, tomato sauce, cans of tuna or salmon in the pantry; bags of vegetables and tortillas in the freezer; long-storing vegetables like potatoes, onions, apples, cabbage, and carrots in the fridge, plus milk and cheese. Find recipes with alternative sources of protein, such as salmon patties, whole grain salads, black bean nachos, and egg and cheese frittatas to save money on meat.

We also have instructional brochures on canning (pdf 126kb) and freezing (pdf 112kb) food!  

We also have quite a few sample recipes available online!