If any of you had an electricity bill like mine last month, you'll be feeling the pinch. I'm still holding onto the vague hope that Belco have in fact made a mistake, and have asked them to inspect our meter.

I'm also considering installing a webcam to see if Jasper the golden retriever has learnt how to work the air con. If he's also having hot showers, playing with the light switches and watching seven hours of Animal Planet daily, we may have identified the problem. However, whether or not we do actually owe Belco a small fortune, there's no doubt that financial crises are hitting households far and wide. With an economic meltdown underway globally, families everywhere are tightening their belts.

The problem is that in Bermuda, almost everything is expensive. I just polled my friends and colleagues and aside from real estate and utility bills they also noted Miles' butcher counter, eco-friendly products, bread, asparagus, blueberries, red/yellow peppers and fresh produce generally, as outlandishly expensive. One friend also pointed out that Bermuda is the only country in the world where everything costs $2 – in the dollar store.

Conversely, everyone agreed that movie rentals, Whiskers' cat food, Pringles, barber shops, wine, hairdryers, gas, coleslaw mix and CK underwear were all a bargain – especially when compared to American and British prices. Although those that think movie rentals are cheap, clearly have a better record than me at returning them on time.

Of course I'm not about to suggest that you exist on a diet of cat food and Pringles. But one thing is clear here – to a significant degree, everyday expenses are often a matter of lifestyle choice and no one's giving you any financial sympathy if you buy your steaks from Miles. But at what point can people justifiably say, "I can't afford to eat healthily"?

There are certainly a huge number of people out there that find the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables prohibitive. As people struggle to meet their five-a-day target, I've been receiving e-mails about the nutritional value of tinned and frozen options. Some people want to know if they are nutritionally sound and others want recipes that help make frozen options tasty.

A word of caution here. Before writing off fresh produce, it's important to look at your overall grocery budget. I see an awful lot of carts full of sodas, frozen meals, white bread, potato chips, sugary yoghurts and cookies. The problem here is two-fold: firstly, many people are sacrificing fruit and veg for the sake of unhealthy snacks and sodas. Secondly, 'nutrient poor' junk food leaves your body still craving real nutrients, elevating your appetite artificially high and costing you more in the long-run.

It's also important to consider your grocery budget within the wider scheme of things. If you can't afford fruit and veg, but have a maximum cable package or park for work at City Hall rather than Bull's Head, it's time to rethink your priorities. With recent studies suggesting that over 70 percent of cancers are associated with diet and lifestyle, we have never been so forewarned about the implications of our choices – and yet, we have also never been so careless.

Please don't think I'm being dismissive of the reality facing many low-income families. Whilst I think many of us write-off fresh produce as too expensive too easily, there are many for whom healthy eating is considered a struggle. Despite Bermuda being relatively wealthy, there are many families that live without any luxuries at all and still can't afford to put fresh food on the table. So as every cent counts these days for everyone, here are some tips for making fresh fruit and veg more affordable:

• Firstly, the obvious! Take advantage of five percent discount days

• With yellow peppers costing up to $3 each and a peach coming in at $2.79, there are certainly some instances where cost renders healthy options unaffordable. But whilst it's easy to get distracted by more exotic options, remember that your standard apples/oranges/bananas are much cheaper.

• Melons/pineapples can seem expensive but tend to stretch a long way

• Single pieces of fruit or single vegetables are usually more expensive than pre-packed bags. A bag of six apples at Marketplace costs $6.99, whilst an individual apple costs 99 cents – so the bag saves you 75 cents.

• It's easy to overspend on protein and underspend on vegetables. A serving of meat, poultry or fish should take up approximately ¼ of your plate and be about the size of your palm. What you save on protein can be spent on veggies.

• Vegetarian sources of protein will often save you money. Vegetable omelets are cheap to make. Also remember that by combining brown rice with any bean or lentil, you get a good source of complex carb and protein combined. Again, what you save here can be spent on veggies.

• If you have fruit that is ripening too quickly, either keep it in the fridge or turn it into a fruit compote and freeze. Try simmering peeled, chopped apple/pear in a little water (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan) till the pieces are completely soft and serve on its own or with natural yoghurt. Blended well, this also makes great baby food for babies six months plus.

• Keep an eye out for specials but don't waste your time buying cheap, wilted fruit or veg. If the produce is wilted, it's safe to assume much of the nutrient content has been depleted.

• Be prepared to put in some effort. Someone pointed out to me that it's cheaper to buy a bag of fries than it is to buy lettuce. This can sometimes be the case, but it's cheaper still to buy a bag of whole potatoes, which are especially wholesome when served as baked potatoes. Don't use expensive lettuce as an excuse to turn on the deep-fat fryer!!

l Tinned may seem like the cheapest option, but although half the cost of frozen, you usually get half the quantity. Remember to compare drained weight.

• Tinned fruit and vegetables usually have added salt and sugar. The nutrient content is also often poor – for instance, compare the colour of tinned green beans to fresh or frozen. Avoid tinned where possible, except for tinned tomatoes and beans/lentils.

• Don't assume that frozen is always cheaper than fresh. At each store I went to, frozen broccoli was approximately the same price as fresh. However, frozen vegetables are a better option if the fresh equivalent is looking tired and old. Many vegetables are frozen very soon after picking, which means that more of the nutrients are retained.

• Frozen fruit is also often more expensive than fresh – certainly the case for mangoes and pineapple. However, frozen berries are a bargain and make a good add-in to plain yoghurt or smoothies. Also, though they are expensive, note that 1 tablespoon of blueberries contains just as many antioxidants as 10 tablespoons of broccoli, so a little go a long way!

Now, although the cost is sometimes comparable, frozen vegetables can be a great cheap option (especially peas and carrots). Here's a recipe to help you include them in your meals. Note that frozen fruit/veg are often more watery than fresh and as such, they are often best stirred into soups, risottos, sauces and casseroles to prevent them being an unappealing side.

Healthy chicken fried rice!

Ingredients per person:

¾ cup cooked brown rice

¾ cup cooked frozen green peas and carrots

1 small (palm-sized) chicken breast, diced

½ small onion, chopped

½ clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tomato, diced

Low-sodium soy sauce

Pinch dried basil or mixed herbs – optional

1 tsp sesame seeds – optional

1 wedge lemon

Black pepper

1. Soften the onion and garlic in a little olive oil and 1 tsp water on a medium heat

2. Add the chicken and cook through.

3. Add the brown rice, peas, carrots, tomato – toss and heat through

4. Season with a little low-salt soy sauce and black pepper. If you like, add the sesame seeds and herbs

5. Serve in a bowl with a wedge of lemon

Please note that the chicken can be replaced with kidney beans, chick peas, or tofu marinated in Braggs Amino Acids for a vegetarian option.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist. She can be contacted at clinicalnutrition@gmail.com