While cider has been produced for as far back as we know, craft cider has exploded in popularity over the last decade, especially where I live in Nova Scotia. 

I couldn’t have been more excited the first time I tried cider, I love the idea of locally made craft beers, but the taste just isn’t my thing. The sweetness of the apples plus with additions of other flavors makes it an ideal alternative to beer, plus it’s usually gluten free, so that’s a bonus for people with gluten sensitivities!

We grow apples in Nova Scotia, so it only makes sense that we have places that make cider! I’m going to share all of the places that I can find in Nova Scotia that make cider with you in this article, I hope you’ll check some out.

Halifax

Chain Yard Urban Cidery

2606 Agricola Street, Halifax

Chain Yard Urban Cidery, located in the North End of Halifax has a great tap room with delicious food. You can also pop in and grab some cider to bring home. 

We stopped in for dinner and got a tasting flight. I really enjoyed the Foundation, it’s a bit on the dry side. We got 3 other seasonal flavors (the easy breezy arctic kiwi was amazing). They rotate season flavors, so you never know what you’ll find. 

Lake City Cider

35 Portland Street, Dartmouth

Next we go across the bridge to Dartmouth to check out Lake City Cider (probably my personal favourite of all Nova Scotian cider!). They have a small tap room where you can get a drink or a tasting flight and some merch. You can also buy cider to bring home.

We got a tasting flight and I really enjoyed the Strawberry Redhead (cider mixed with fermented strawberries) and the Darkside Rose, which is cider blended with fruit wine. They have lots of flavor combinations to try.

Lake City Cider, Dartmouth Nova Scotia

Sourwood Cider

Sadly Sourwood Cider closed their taptoom in Halifax, however they are available for purchase at Rockhead, Harvest, Westside, and Bishops Cellar.

Chill Street Craft Beverage Co

Elmsdale Plaza (200 – 269, NS-214), Elmsdale

Located outside the downtown area, you’ll find this delightful cidery. In addition to cider Chill Street also makes craft soda that is non-alcoholic. While they don’t have a tap room, they do have a storefront where you can buy your cider to bring home.

There are so many different flavors to choose from, you’ll have a hard time deciding! 

Annapolis Valley

The Annapolis Valley is known for their apple trees, so it’s no surprise there are plenty of cider options here!

Annapolis Cider Company

388 Main Street, Wolfville

Located in the heart of Wolfville, I love stopping in to Annapolis Cider Co every time I’m in town. They have a storefront and taproom where you can get a sample flight or full size drink.

One of my favorite things about them is that they always have a “something different” on tap, it’s always an interesting flavour combo like cherry & thyme, or grape & mint! Something Differents are only available for a short time, and part of every sale goes to a local charity.

On their regular line, I enjoy “The Classic” cider, and Earl Blue (cider blended with blueberry juice and Earl Grey tea). Both of which are available at NSLC stores as well.

If you’re a super fan, you can join their Cider Club and get a selection of 6 different ciders every May and November. These ciders have either only been on tap as one of the “Something Different” series, or they are exclusively made for cider club members.

Read Also: What To Do, Eat & See in Wolfville NS

Paddy’s Brewpub

460 Main Street, Wolfville & 42 Aberdeen Street, Kentville

Paddy’s Brewpub has been a pioneer in craft brewing in Nova Scotia. They currently brew several varieties of beer, and one cider called Fitz’s Strong Country Cider. 

Available at their restaurants, and in cans for taking home. 

Maritime Express

325 Main St. Kentville

Maritime Express is located in what was once the stone patio of an iconic railway hotel, the setting is absolutely stunning. They have a full menu, which looks delicious, and a wide variety of ciders (including one that is non-alcoholic). 

You can buy their Dayliner cider at NSLC stores.

Elderkin’s Farm Market, Bakery & U-Pick

10362 Nova Scotia Trunk 1, Wolfville

Also located in Wolfville, Elderkin’s is an amazing place to spend a Fall day. They make cider from apples grown right there on the farm.

I highly recommend visiting for an afternoon of apple picking, and then picking up some cider and baked goods to enjoy at home after. 

Their cider is only available at their farm!

Meander River

906 Woodville Road, Ashdale

Meander River is not just a brewery/cidery, it’s a FARM! You can visit and actually volunteer to lend a hand at the farm by harvesting the hops, or helping to care for the animals. You can also take a guided tour, or simply have a pint of the beer or cider they make. 

Too far away? Meander River Farm Cider is available at NSLC.

Casa Nova Fine Beverages

2635 Clementsvale Rd, Bear River

Ever since I visited in Summer 2020, Bear River is one of my favorite spots in Nova Scotia. Casa Nova is a delightful winery and cidery. They make several types of cider including Buddy’s Craft Cider, Blueberry Buddy’s Craft Cider, Cherry Cider, and Pear Cider. 

My personal favorite was the cherry cider. It was perfectly tart and bubbly. It’s also available at NSLC, as is the Buddy’s Craft Cider. 

Read Also: Visiting Digby & Bear River, Nova Scotia

South Shore

Saltbox Brewing

363 Main St, Mahone Bay

If you need a spot to spend an afternoon or evening meeting new people and having an all around great time, Saltbox Brewing is the place to be.

They make beer, cider, soda and wine, and my pal & co-host of the Travel Mug Podcast Meggan loved their Haskap cider – but be warned: it is strong! 

Read Also: Lunenburg & Mahone Bay Day Trip

Bulwark

7155 Highway 12, New Ross & 1518 Dresden Row, Halifax

Bulwark Blush was the first cider I fell in love with. It’s not too sweet, and I love the added flavour from the berries. In addition to blush, they have an original apple, a hopped version, and a version with fruit and honey added (yum!)

The original spot in New Ross is also Muwin Winery, so you’ll be able to sample both! The newer Bulwark Cider House in Halifax is a taproom with food as well! 

Bulwark cider varieties are available at NSLC as well!

Northumberland Shore

Malagash Cider

2859 Malagash Road, Malagash
Made at Vista Bella Farm, they made several small batch varieties, including a honey-ginger that sounds AMAZING! They also have a U-pick farm, and a farm store where you can grab fresh local produce.

Beehaven is available at NSLC stores!

Cape Breton

Island Folk Cider House

52 Nepean St, Sydney

Island Folk is the only craft cidery on Cape Breton Island! Their flagship cider, Good Company is my favorite, but I’d also like to try the Easy Beezy cider (with Cape Breton honey)! They have a brand new taproom that is beautiful, they host trivia nights and encourage you to pull up a chair and make new friends. 

Good Company is available at NSLC. 

Final Thoughts

If you’re a cider lover in Nova Scotia, I think I just gave you a pretty amazing bucket list of places to try!!

Let me know how many you’ve tried and which one is your fav!

Listen To The Travel Mug Podcast chat about Nova Scotia:

I like to think I grew out of that pickiness…

Anyway now I make grown up mac n cheese that doesn’t come from a box! Here’s my problem with most recipes; you bake the macaroni and the cheese sauce loses the creaminess. BUT I like the crunchy breadcrumb top. So I set out to fix this problem, and fix it I did.

Solving difficult problems one taste test at a time.

Here’s my super simple recipe for creamy macaroni and cheese. Don’t be intimidated by making the cheese sauce from scratch, it doesn’t take long and it’s really not that hard, pinky promise.

Also this recipe is super cheap: $0.93 per person!! This leaves lots of room for mix-ins or spices!

See my other Budget Bites recipes!

Ingredients & Cost

Serves 4. This recipe can be doubled, or halved! We make the half version all the time.

1 ½ tablespoons flour $0.01
1 ½ tablespoons butter or margarine $0.42 (butter) $0.13 (margarine)
1 ¼ cup cream $1.41
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese $1.28
1 ½ – 2 cups elbow macaroni $0.55
¼ cup breadcrumbs (we like panko) $0.33
Salt & pepper to taste $0.01
TOTAL: $3.72 = $0.93 per person

Optional: mix-ins like jalapeno pepper diced, caramelized onions, shredded chicken, sriracha, basically anything you want!

Saving money on groceries is our goal right now! Here are some tips for saving money on groceries without coupons!

[mv_create title=”Creamy Mac ‘n’ Cheese” type=”recipe” thumbnail=”https://willsavefortravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/mac_n_cheese.jpg” key=”16″]

Final Thoughts

If you haven’t learned by now, I love pasta! Homemade Mac n Cheese has been a staple at our house for as long as I’ve been an adult. It’s quick, easy, and versatile. Hope you love it as much as we do!

Another one of my favs! (will I say every recipe is my fav? Possibly). This one is great because you can cook the chicken inside if the weather is bad, or BBQ it outside for a nice summer meal.

Although I really feel like the rice is the star of the show here, with cheese, veggies and spices it’s a perfect side dish! Actually I’ve eaten just the rice for lunch; anyway onto the recipe.

See More Budget Friendly Recipes!

Ingredients & Cost

4 Chicken thighs or 2 chicken breasts $4 approx
4 tablespoons BBQ sauce (we use sweet baby rays) $0.42
½ onion diced $0.15
½ red pepper $0.75
½ can corn $0.50
½ cup cheddar cheese $0.64
½ cup basmati rice $0.51
1 cube chicken bouillon $0.25
1 teaspoon thyme $0.04
1 teaspoon parsley $0.07
2 tablespoon oil $0.09

TOTAL PRICE = $7.42            $3.71 per person

Read More: How We Save Money On Groceries

[mv_create title=”BBQ Chicken & Cheesy Rice” type=”recipe” thumbnail=”https://willsavefortravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/BBQ_Chicken_Cheesy_rice.jpg” key=”2″]

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! It’s a staple in our house, we usually make it once a week or so! Let me know what you think.

This spicy chicken burger recipe has become one of our go-to meals since we got it in a Hello Fresh box a while ago. Although we have changed the recipe a little bit to fit our needs. 

These burgers are just a little bit spicy from the sriracha mayo, and are delicious for lunch or dinner. They are made with ground chicken or turkey, which makes them a little healthier than beef or deep fried burgers.

This recipe is a little more on the expensive side, coming in at $4.87 for 2 people. If you can get the ground chicken or turkey on sale then they become a bit cheaper. 

We usually serve these with some baked (or air fried) fries.

See More Budget Recipes!

Ingredients & Cost

227g Ground Chicken or Turkey $3.49
⅓ -¼ cup (50g) Red onion $0.22
Garlic clove 1 $0.04
1 tablespoon soy sauce $0.08
½ tablespoon canola oil $0.02
1 ½ teaspoon Sriracha (to taste) $0.05
4 tablespoon mayonnaise $0.19
Spring mix or spinach $0.16
2 Burger buns $0.62

TOTAL $4.87 – $2.44 per serving

Read More: How We Save Money On Groceries

[mv_create title=”Spicy Chicken Burgers” type=”recipe” thumbnail=”https://willsavefortravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/spicy_chicken_burgers.jpg” key=”6″]

Final Thoughts

I hope you love these as much as we do! I love spicy food, what about you?

French onion soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. This recipe is so easy because you make it in your slow cooker! It is easily made vegetarian by swapping the broth type, which in my opinion doesn’t impact the flavor at all.

If you don’t already buy parmesan cheese you can leave it out. It is delicious but not 100% necessary. Is this the most authentic French onion soup recipe? Not even close, but it is yummy!

Since we are focusing on budget meals around here, this one comes out to about $1.53 per serving, that’s pretty good! 

See other budget recipes!

Ingredients & Cost

6 tablespoons butter or block margarine $1.68 (butter) $0.50 (margarine squares)
4 large yellow onions $1.20
1 tablespoon white sugar $0.02
2 cloves of garlic $0.08
½ cup cooking sherry or wine $1.67 approx
7 cups broth (chicken, beef or vegetable) $3.94
1 teaspoon salt $0.01
¼ teaspoon thyme $0.01
1 bay leaf $0.01
Baguette $1.49
1 cup mozzarella cheese $1.28
½ cup parmesan cheese $0.85

TOTAL: $12.24  — $1.53 per serving

Read More: How To Save Money On Groceries

[mv_create title=”Crockpot French Onion Soup” type=”recipe” thumbnail=”https://willsavefortravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/French_onion_soup_crockpot.jpg” key=”3″]Based on this recipe from All Recipes.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoy this recipe! As always, let me know what you think in the comments! 

Here’s the deal; everyone has to eat! When you’re making your monthly or biweekly budget you might be wondering how much you should budget for food or groceries. The actual number is individual, but here’s how to make a grocery budget, so that the rest of your money is free to buy other things (I’m looking at you, plane tickets!)

How Much Should We Spend On Food?

It depends… I know, not helpful! Obviously what we spend as a family of 2 adults will be different from you if you are single, or if you have children. It also depends heavily on where you live. Here in Canada, food tends to be a bit more expensive than the USA, and it is different all around the world. 

In 2017 Statistics Canada released that the average Canadian household spends about $495 on groceries a month, and about $216 a month on restaurant food. 

Most financial experts recommend spending about 10%-15% of your income on food for your family. 

We personally average $168 every 2 weeks for groceries, and $38 every 2 weeks for eating out for 2 adults. This represents about 9% of our overall budget.

Some budget periods are higher and some are lower depending on the time of year and what we have planned!

How To Make A Food Budget

Step 1 – Determine Your Variable Expenses Budget

The first part of any budget is to add up your income and subtract fixed expenses like your mortgage or rent, insurance premiums and utilities. This will give you the amount you have to divide up between your variable expenses like groceries, eating out, clothing, gifts, and pets.

Read More: How To Make A Zero Based Budget

Step 2 – Review Old Purchases

Reviewing what you’ve been spending on food may be painful. Add up everything food related (groceries and takeout) that you’ve spent in the last few months to get a realistic picture. Decide if that amount is reasonable, or if you need to reduce the amount you are spending.

I recommend adjusting your budget slowly (unless you are spending more than you earn). If you try to go from spending $600 a month to $200 a month you likely won’t be successful and get discouraged. Try going from $600 to $500 and decreasing over time as you get better at budgeting and estimating costs.

Step 3 – Meal Plan

Meal planning will help you with your budget because it will help you make a list of what you need to buy! You can meal plan based on sales to save money on meat, etc. I have a master list of all our regular and fav meals, so that if I’m having trouble meal planning I can refer back to the list for some inspiration! You might want to plan meals that cost relatively little per person, in order to stay on budget!

Meal planning may include eating out – and that’s totally okay as long as it’s within your budget! 

Step 4 – Estimate Costs Based On Facts

When making your budget, it’s not helpful to just write down a random number without looking at the facts. Estimate your budget based on your meal plan, and what you’ve spent in the past. 

Don’t forget to look at your calendar to see if you have any plans like dinner out, or hosting a family dinner, this will impact your budget.

Step 5 – Test And Adjust

A budget is a fluid thing, changing based on what is going on in your life. Test your budget for a few weeks or months and see if it is working. If you are always going over budget, try to see where and why, then adjust your budget (or your behavior) accordingly.

We personally follow a value-based spending philosophy, so we sometimes spend more on something like local meat, which isn’t the most cost effective, but it is based on our values. It’s okay not to buy the cheapest item available! 

Read More: How To Save Money On Groceries Without Coupons

How To Stick To Your Grocery Budget

Use Cash For A While

We used to take cash out of the bank every month when we first started budgeting. Psychologically it is harder for most people to spend cash vs swiping your debit card. It’s also easier to see how much you have remaining in your budget when you look at the cash in your envelope.

You may want to try using cash if you are consistently going over budget. 

Track Your Spending Weekly

Your budget might not be the same every month or week and that’s okay! Budgets aren’t meant to be the same every month! Tracking your spending at the end of every week will help you see how much you’ve spent and how much you have left to spend for the remaining period (month or biweekly). 

Remember Why You Are Doing It

With any budget, it’s important to remember why you are doing this in the first place. Staying within your grocery budget means that the rest of your money can be used somewhere else: to become debt free, to pay for that vacation you’ve always wanted to take, or to retire early to spend more time with your family. 

Read More: My Why – A Personal Post

Final Thoughts

I know it can be a frustrating experience to budget, especially if you go over budget, but it’s worth it! Do you have any tips for creating a grocery or food budget?

Groceries, and food in general, are no doubt one of the largest parts of our variable budgets. Everyone has to eat! 

Right now our grocery budget is $150 every 2 weeks, for 2 adults. That includes household items like cleaners and toilet paper. We often come in under budget, but sometimes we go over too! 

I want to show you how we save money on groceries and eat healthy, and we do it without coupons!

How To Save Money On Healthy Food

Meal Plan

Meal planning is a great way to save money and avoid the “what’s for dinner” conversation. When I make a meal plan I first look at what I have left in the fridge to use up before it goes bad, and make a plan to use that soon. Then I plan other meals after looking at the sales flyer. Don’t forget about breakfast, lunches and snacks. Plan to make extras at dinner so you have leftovers for lunch!

Meals With Fewer Ingredients

The fewer the ingredients in a meal, usually the less it will cost to make. Look at simple recipes without a long list of ingredients. Also meal plan around meals that will use many of the same ingredients. You can use that baby spinach in a salad, then a pasta recipe, and in wraps. That way you are buying one vegetable and using it all up!

Buy Whole Fruits and Vegetables

Precut vegetables and fruits, and premade salads are definitely convenient but they always cost a bit more. Buying whole produce will help you save money (plus then you won’t be buying it in plastic packaging!)

Buy In Season

Buying produce in season always helps you save money because it is not shipped from far away, therefore costing the supermarkets less to stock that item. “In season” will depend on where you live!

Check Out Farmer’s Markets

To buy what is in season, check out your local farmer’s markets! Usually you can get a cheaper price buying directly from a farmer. 

Reduce Food Waste

Reducing food waste saves you money because when you throw any food away, you’re also throwing away the money you spent on it! Try to use all parts vegetables, save peeling to make broth, you can even use broccoli stems in salad! My friend over at Stop Trashing It made pesto with her carrot greens, there’s lots of ways to use food.

Eat less Meat

I’ll be honest, we don’t eat a lot of meat at our house, and I think that’s one reason our grocery bill is lower. If you’re a big meat lover try adopting meatless Mondays to slowly reduce the amount of meat that you buy. 

Drink Only Water

Drinking water is not only better for you, it’s way healthier! Don’t buy bottled water either unless you live somewhere where the drinking water is unsafe. We have a Brita filter, but you could drink straight from our tap as well! Pop and sugary drinks are way more expensive, but if you miss the bubbles consider a SodaStream. We’ve had one for over a year and one Co2 canister lasts us 2-3 months. 

Cook And Bake From Scratch

When you cook and bake from scratch you control what ingredients go in, and it will be so much cheaper than buying pre-made! You can make bread, pizza dough, soups, spaghetti sauce and more very simply!

Read More: How To Budget Biweekly

Food Shopping On A Budget

Choose Your Store Carefully

The store you choose to shop at can make or break your budget. I live in Canada and we usually shop for groceries at Walmart. No Frills is another great grocery chain for cheaper prices. 

Calculate As You Shop

To stay on budget, you may want to calculate as you shop. Use your phone calculator to add up the prices, and if you are going over budget then you might need to put something back. Adding as you shop keeps you from having to figure out what to do at the check-out. 

Consider Grocery Pick-up

I just used grocery pick-up for the first time this past week, and it was great! I knew how much my groceries would cost in advance, and was able to compare prices online. Although there can be a fee for this service, it can save some time and may help keep you on budget by helping you avoid impulse purchases.

Bulk Bin Shop

Shopping from the bulk bins can help you save money in 2 ways – sometimes it is cheaper to buy an item in the bulk bins, and sometimes it helps you save money because you can buy only what you need. For example I needed only ¼ cup of flax seeds for a recipe, so that’s all I bought and it cost me $0.13! A bag would have cost a few dollars and may have gone to waste in my pantry.

Read More: Can Going Green Save You Money?

Get Rainchecks

When an item is on sale, and there’s none left on the shelf, head to the customer service desk to get a rain check! That way you can still get the item on sale when it is back in stock even if the sale has ended.

Store Food Properly

Learning how to store food properly will help extend the life of your food! Love Food Hate Waste has a great resource section on how to store all types of foods.

Bring Your Own Bags

Here in our house we focus on saving money, and the environment and bringing your own bags accomplishes both! Most stores charge you to use their plastic bags, and some stores here don’t even have plastic bags for you to use! I know it’s usually only a few cents but it does add up.

Buy Generic

Generic or store brand items are usually the same quality as the brand name ones, but much cheaper! It’s an easy switch.

Shop The Sale And Clearance Sections

Don’t forget the sale sections for food that is close to it’s best before date. Things like meat or bread you can freeze. 

Look At Unit Prices

Sometimes it’s hard to tell what item is the best deal because the sizes aren’t the same. That’s when the unit prices come in handy! As you can see below, one box of spaghetti is twice the size so you might think it’s a better deal, but when you look at the unit prices, you are better off buying 2 of the smaller one!

How To Save On Household Items

Consider Making Your Own

There are a ton of recipes out there for homemade cleaners! We tend to use a lot of vinegar for cleaning.

Don’t Buy Disposables

Another one that saves money and the environment! We limit the use of paper towels to really gross stuff, and try to limit things like plastic wrap and tinfoil. We bought prep bowls with lids for storing food without plastic wrap, and use dish cloths to wipe the counters instead of paper towels.

Shop At Wholesale Stores

Places like Costco can be a great place to buy household items like toilet paper and laundry detergent. We usually buy laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent and paper towels here once every 9 months to a year or so, and it lasts us that long!

Subscribe and Save

Amazon offers a subscribe and save program for household products. You can save from 5% up to 15% off the price of the product!

Compare Products

Always remember to compare generic to brand name and check the unit prices!

Final Thoughts

Wow! That was a lot of ways to save money on groceries! I hope that helps you when you are trying to stay on budget with food.