Grocery Shopping on a Budget
Tips when grocery shopping:
- Generic brands (ex: Members Mark, Kirkland, etc.) vs. brand names (Ziplock, Bounty, Niagara, etc.) can often be the same product with different packaging! Choose the product that is better quality for less, rather than choosing a product for its name.
- When purchasing berries, go organic if you can! If purchasing produce with thick skin (like bananas), inorganic is okay. However, organic foods are always the best choice if you can!
- Buy perishable foods (food that can go bad quickly) in quantities you’ll use. Only buy what you need, otherwise perishable foods will rot and go to waste if not consumed quickly!
- Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season. In season fruits and vegetables are usually cheaper and better tasting!
- Always shop with a list and never go on an empty stomach. Don’t let your eyes be bigger than your stomach and only buy what you need!
- After creating a grocery list, look for coupons that may relate to your list! However, do not stray from your grocery list when couponing, otherwise you will buy things you don’t need.
- If possible, shop at one store. Shopping at one store saves gas and time!
- Be aware of sales gimmicks. Don’t fall for the “buy one get one free” because you will end up purchasing foods you won’t eat. Sometimes, these sales overcharge/inflate the price for the “buy item” in order to pay for the discounted product.
- Ex: buy one get one free… (you may be paying for more.)
- You buy things you may not actually use
- Only buy ready-to-eat foods when necessary! (ex: pre-cut, pre-cooked, pre-assembled sandwiches, etc.)
- Ready-to-cook foods are great for convenience, but it is wayyy more expensive. Grating your own cheese or cutting your own chicken may take you a couple of minutes more, but it can save you lots in the long run!
- Leftovers are amazing! Don’t overlook them.
- Not only do you waste food by throwing away leftovers, but you also waste money!
- You can spice up your leftovers to make different meals such as soups or omelettes! This is the time to use your creativity. The meals are endless with leftovers.
- Food that is a day old at your house is the same thing as food a day old at the grocery store!
- Did you know that ⅓ of food produced in the world goes to waste? So, let’s be anti-waste.
- Sometimes there will be deals for food that is close to its expirations date. Don’t shy away from these deals! It is okay to purchase food close to its expiration date as long as you plan on using it before that expiration date!
- Here are some ways you can be anti-waste:
- There is an app called Too Good to Go which offers deals on day-old food/meals from your local grocery store, restaurants, bakeries, etc.
- How cool is that?
- There are also day-old bakeries that may sell pastries or bread for 50% off the original price!
- There is an app called Too Good to Go which offers deals on day-old food/meals from your local grocery store, restaurants, bakeries, etc.
- Portion controlled snack packs DO NOT mean that they are healthier
- First off, portion controlled snack packs are expensive for less food!
- The packaging is often advertised as “healthy”, but that is not always the case. Just because the packaging says “Fat-free” or “Sugar-free” does not mean it’s good for you. In fact, these snack packs may not have the nutrients that your body needs.
Sites used:
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/10-expert-tips-grocery-shopping-budget/