You can't afford to go food shopping without a plan in hand. With grocery prices higher than ever, it’s simply too costly to just start tossing items into your cart. Save more by shopping smarter, which means rethinking when and where you shop and how you use what you buy. Put these ideas into action to get the most for your money.
1. Shop alone. Too many hands make for long register receipts. Kids and husbands often coerce you into buying more than you want to, especially junk foods.
2. Buy only what you need. Most people load up on tomatoes, zucchini and peppers, put them in the fridge and then forget about them. Plan menus before you go, and buy only a few days’ worth of fruit and vegetables. You’ll be surprised how much money you save when you stop throwing stuff away.
3. Supersize. The best meat prices are on larger cuts, so have the butcher cut a large roast into steaks, stew meat and a small roast. Ground meat is usually cheaper in family-size packs; you can repackage and freeze it. Check the freezer section for large bags of poultry and seafood, too.
4. DIY and save. While the marinated roasts or chicken breasts in the meat department may look tasty, you pay a high price for all that liquid and seasoning. Instead, soak chicken breasts or inexpensive cuts of meat in lemon juice or Italian salad dressing for a few hours before cooking, or freeze in plastic freezer bags with some marinade. Instead of buying chicken nuggets, bread your own chicken strips to cook or freeze for later.
5. Don’t over-purchase. Just because an item on sale will save you money doesn’t make it worth buying dozens. Limit yourself to a reasonable number of boxes, bottles or cans of any one item in your pantry, fridge or freezer at a time. Many products expire before you’ll ever use them, and stores typically run sales on specific items periodically, so you can replenish later. A lot of people shop for a snowstorm when it’s really not necessary.
6. Say so long to snack packs. Single servings of cookies, chips, crackers and juice may be very convenient, but they’re no value on a volume basis. If you buy sandwich bags or use small containers to create your own snack packages, not only will you save money, but you’ll also have more control over how much—and what—your kids eat.
7. Weigh your choices. When purchasing prebagged produce, such as apples, oranges or potatoes, put several bags on the scale to find the heaviest. Sometimes they can vary by as much as a pound.
8. Go generic. In many cases, generic and store-label food and household items are identical to or as good as name-brand products. Cereals, crackers, chips, napkins and paper towels are usually dependable and cost 20 to 30% less; stick to name brands for ketchup and pasta sauces.
9. Compare cost per pound or cost per unit. Be sure to check the unit cost. Sometimes the “economy” size isn’t always the best bargain, especially when a smaller size is on sale.
10. Make friends with the butcher. Ask him what day of the week and time they stock the “reduced for quick sale” area. You’ll get substantial savings, sometimes $2 a pound or up to 50% off.
11. Check out the chicks. A roasting chicken is merely a large fryer, relabeled and sold at a higher price. Don’t pay more for a different label; find the biggest fryer for roasting.
12. Think ahead. Proper preparation can turn would-be waste into a fresh new meal. If your family never finishes that last third of lasagna, for instance, cut out a third before serving and freeze it.
13. Invest in a second freezer. You’ll save big on meat by stocking up on specials.
14. Shop with leftovers in mind. Some foods are perfect for an encore performance the following day, especially if you can present them differently.
15. Learn when to leave leftovers behind. Not all meals are as appealing on day two, so don’t buy more than you can eat in one sitting. For instance, fish or dressed salad just isn’t as good the next day, so buy and prepare just what you need.
16. Count on discount and clearance stores. Merchants such as Big Lots frequently offer cut-price groceries and paper products.
17. Visit price clubs with a friend. Take a supply of boxes, bags and resealable containers, and split purchases that you both want, especially items like fresh fruit and spices.
18. Buy the Wednesday paper. That’s the day newspapers typically include a food section where supermarkets advertise sales.
19. Cut corners on clipping coupons. Check out websites that offer printable manufacturer coupons. (To find, type “grocery coupons” into your search engine.)
20. Stock up on local, in-season fruits and veggies. Markets may import out-of-season produce from other countries, but the price usually reflects the airfare. If you’re going to cook the items, then freezing in-season produce saves you money.
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