When your pantry and freezer hold a few reliable staples, a good dinner is rarely more than a few steps away. Stocking up wisely also protects you from last-minute, high-cost shopping trips.
How to buy staples for less
Canada's Food Guide and Saskatchewan Health Authority materials offer several practical tips:
- Compare unit prices. The unit price on the shelf label shows which product costs less per kilogram, litre, or 100 grams.
- Consider buying larger sizes of dry, canned, or frozen foods you will actually use, since they often cost less per unit. Don't buy more than you can use, because that leads to waste.
- Compare store brands and name brands. Check the prices side by side, since the difference can be significant.
- Look at frozen and canned produce. The Food Guide notes these are healthy options and can cost less than fresh produce when it is out of season.
- Watch for reduced-price items. Products close to their best before dates or slightly bruised produce may be discounted, and the Food Guide notes they can be just as healthy.
A starter list
This is a suggested list, so adjust it for your family and for any allergies:
- Grains: rice, pasta, oats
- Protein: dried or canned beans and lentils, eggs, canned fish
- Vegetables and fruit: frozen vegetables, frozen fruit, canned tomatoes, onions, potatoes
- Flavour: broth, spices, garlic, vinegar, oil
- Freezer: bread, a few portions of meat bought on sale, leftover soup or sauce
Meals you can make from staples
- Chili from canned tomatoes, beans, and onion
- Pasta with tomato sauce and frozen vegetables
- Fried rice with eggs and frozen vegetables
- Lentil soup
- Oatmeal with frozen fruit
Keep it rotating
Check dates, move older items to the front, and use up what you have before you buy more. A pantry works for you only when you use it.
The bottom line
Staples let you take advantage of sales without running out of options. Buy the ones your family actually eats, watch unit prices, and keep a short list of meals you can make from them. ShoppedOut's flyer comparison can help you time your stock-up trips.
Sources
- Health Canada, Canada's Food Guide, "Healthy eating on a budget": https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthy-eating/healthy-eating-budget
- Saskatchewan Health Authority, "Getting the most out of your food budget": https://www.saskhealthauthority.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Handout-NFS-Most-Out-of-Your-Food-Budget.pdf