The cost of groceries is out of control, and it’s not looking like there will be much relief in the near future. It can be a challenge to eat well, not just cheaply, and I think people should be able to enjoy the foods they want. Eating good and tasty food is a great joy for me and many people.
These are 10 practical ways to lower your grocery bill. It can take a little planning ahead, but it is possible to manage lowering your food bill while having the foods you want.
1. Create shopping lists and meals around weekly sales
Check your store’s weekly flyer or app and build your list around what’s on sale.
2. Use the main ingredients in different recipes
For example, a beef roast can be used for pot roast with potatoes and carrots, beef and veggie stew, beef sandwiches or paninis, and a beef and rice bowl. One or two whole chickens can make a roast‑chicken dinner with potatoes, chicken salad sandwiches or wraps, and chicken noodle soup.
3. Use generic or store brands for some foods
Some brands are just better, but in many cases store‑brands are just as good. And, it turns out, things like pasta, rice, canned beans, milk, and frozen vegetables are often made in the same factories as name‑brand products, and the company just adds a store-brand label and reduces the cost by 20–50%. That way they can target all shoppers. It’s not right, but they do it.
4. Split/share bulk and family size items when you can
This is where GroceryShare comes in handy. It’s a way to connect with people in your community and split bulk items. Bulk stores and warehouse clubs can dramatically cut per‑unit costs for items you actually use often, but the quantities are too large for a single person – so, concider spliting the item.
5. Use frozen and seasonal produce
Frozen fruits and vegetables can be cheaper than fresh, nutritionally similar, and last much longer. Personally, I prefer frozen to canned for most items. I think the flavors are better preserved. For example, there is a big different between frozen and canned beans. I know everyone doesn’t have the freezer space, but if getting a small freezer on sale or used for the garage can pay for itself pretty quick. I did some research and found Antarctic-Star to have the best prices. Follow this link to a small freezer at Antarctic-Star.
6. Reduce waste by organizing your fridge and pantry
About one‑third of household food waste happens because people forget what they already have. (Right now I have 5 little jars of anchovies because I keep thinking I’m going to make a Caesar salad and forget I already have anchovies. lol)
Take 10 minutes before your shopping trip to check your fridge and pantry – this! – then plan meals around items that are about to expire and don’t keep buying jars of anchovies!
7. Freeze extra food
If a cut of meat or a box of breakfast sausage is on sale, buy it, portion it, and freeze it. This works well with bacon, too. And if you splurge on a bottle of real maple syrup, freeze it in ice cube trays. Unless you use it up fast, it will go bad in the refrigerator.
8. Convenience markups you can easily DIY
Pre‑cut fruits and vegetables, and pre‑made salads or heat‑and‑serve meals have big markups for the convenience of not having to prepare things yourself.
By doing the cutting, cooking, and packing yourself, you can still enjoy the same meals and snacks at a fraction of the cost. Plus, you’re more connected to the food you’re eating and preparing, and freezing meals saves a lot of money.
9. Use coupons on the things you already buy
Use store rewards, print and digital coupons, but only for items you’d buy anyway, not for creating new “needs.” Coupons are designed to make us want stuff we don’t need.
10. Pay with cash or set a hard spending limit per trip
When people pay with cash, they tend to spend less because handing over physical money feels more real.
And/or set a weekly grocery budget in your phone or budgeting app and stop shopping once you’re at the limit.
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