Yes there are so many way to save on food, the list can go on and on. Coupons are a big one! One thing I don't like about coupons is that, most of them are for unnecessary, sugary, salty, unhealthy food items. Not all of them but most!! So what about people, like me that want to stay in a budget but cook, healthy food?! Well I have several way I save money.
1. Plan. Yes, more time you don't have. I have found a great site that gives you recipes to the foods that are on sale at your grocery store. Its quite nice! In about 10 minutes or less you can have dinner plans for the week, have the grocery list and recipes printed out or sent to you. Nice!
2. Recycle Food. Not just eating or creating options with leftovers but actually growing your own! At this site I learned you can regrow your variety of onions and to make bean sprouts.
3. Grow your own food! Its cheap to get herbs and grow them, instead of spending $2.00 every time you need a sprig of Rosemary. Decide what level of commitment you have as well as the area you are going to plant, then make a list. Don't forget to find out what grows best in your area by going here! Try finding already grown plants on free-cycle, craigslist or family. See if your area has a community garden. If you start with seeds, be sure they are good ones!
4. Go early early!! Most grocery stores mark down things such as meat first thing in the morning. Last week I was able to get Organic Beef (variety of packages, I got about 8) from stew meat to steaks, all under $5.00 for a package! At the commissary I use to go to, they would mark down produce that was getting ready to go bad. I would get a bunch, prepare and freeze it!
5. Get your bread items from a bakery outlet. In the area I live now, I don't have one, so I try to make my own as much as possible or go early for the fresh baked bread from Kroger that will be marked down.
6. Buy in bulk! Only get the stuff you use frequently and that can stay fresh. I get dry beans and rice in bulk.
7. Go to the Farmers Market. Not only are you helping local farmers, cutting down on greenhouse affects, but you can get great deals! Plus you can talk to the people who picked your food! You can ask all the important questions, such as pesticides, when was it picked and when is it at its best. Also try, pick your own! I love to pick my own berries. In SC, the place we would go to, had a lot of pick your own with great prices. Plus it's fun!
8. When its on sale, stock up. For Ty's lunch, I always pack him Horizon Organic individual Milk boxes in his lunch. At Kroger they go for about $1.50 each, last week they were on sale for $1.00. I got about 4 weeks worth (20). Which cost me $20.00 instead of $30.00.
9. Get frozen vegetable and fruits. They last have the same health benefits and cost efficient. We get several bags of frozen fruit and vegetables a month to make smoothies. They taste great! I always get the Organic, no sugar added for optimal quality.
10. Don't buy everything Organic. As much as I love buying Organic foods, sometimes its hard when its twice the price. So know the dirty dozen and clean 15!! This will cut down cost!
11. Stay away for the stuff you don't need!! You don't need soda, cookies, cakes, basically unhealthy bad for you foods! Very rarely do you need junk food! Cut it down to, 1 dessert a week. This will trim your waistline as well as your grocery bill.
12. Shop for one week at at time. This helps prevent spoilage and helps you stay focused.
13. Go through your list at home, make sure you are not buying more than you need. If you only need one box of flour and have one at home, then don't buy it.
14. Go buy yourself! More people usually means more food! Before you know it, everyone has thrown in a one or two items that is not on your list.
15. Don't go hungry!! This seems pretty basic, but it will really affect your grocery bill. I know from experience!!
16. Get ONLY what is on your list....nothing more!!
17. Pay with cash. If you have cash you are more likely to pay attention to what is going in your basket. If you pay with card, you spend more.
18. Get a rewards card, if your store has one. Most places you can even scan your coupons on it!!!
19. Don't get something you don't need, just because you have a coupon! I get my list, get my coupons out, then I go shopping. If not, I start to look at all the "savings" I could be saving with my coupons...not really thinking I am spending more money, because I don't need it.
20. Buy Name brand foods. I usually buy many items with Kroger's name on it.
21. Buy from the ethnic aisle. I always check the difference. Many times I find the sauces, spices and rice cheaper.
22. Don't be fooled in the sales!!! If something is $5 for 5, look at other brands!! I was getting avacadoes last week, which was on sale for 10 for $10, but I started to look around and found avacadoes for 79cents each!
23. Hunt for your own food! Yes it can be expensive to get started, but once you have all the weapons, deer hunting can provide a great source of meat all year long if you freeze it. Fishing is real cheap and if you leave near the oceans you can get a lot of seafood! Ian use to catch crab all the time in SC.
24. Find a few friends to buy a cow or pig with you. You can get great prices for great pieces of meat by doing this. Find a local farmer and find out what he charges for the cow then find a meat processing company and see what they charge. The farmer may do it or be able to recommend someone.
25. Use Unit Prices instead of the whole price. You will be amazed at what is cheaper! Make sure you always have a calculator on you at the grocery store.
26. Make sure your dinners have a variety, so you don't get bored of the same ol' foods.
27. Once a week have breakfast for dinner!! Breakfast is usually cheaper than dinner.
28. Once a week go vegetarian! Helps cut down on meat cost.
29. Make your own snacks! Its real easy and about half the price! Trail mix..variety of nuts and dried fruit, make homemade jerky, homemade fruit leather, energy bars, muffins, and much much more.
30. Pack your lunch! I make Ty's lunch every night. When Ian goes to the fire house, I pack him a lunch and dinner. This may consist of leftovers or making a 2nd dinner. Which is nice, because the next night I don't have to cook. Then, I don't have to waste the gas to bring him food.
31. Have food stashed at work. When we go grocery shopping I ways make sure to buy an extra box of cereal, milk, peanut butter, popcorn and other items to keep at the fire house for Ian. This makes sure I don't have to drop something off and he doesn't order out.
32. Make your own coffee and bring with you in a reusable cup. Every morning I get up and make Ian a coffee, even when he has to go to work. When he does, I pour it in this coffee mug. Get flavors, use milk, creamers and cocoa to make your favorite drink. It cost so much less then going to get a cup.
33. Have snacks and food prepared and available at all times. That way when you get the munchies, you have food. This helps cut down in fast food.
34. Don't eat out!!! This is a hard one!!! But make a deal! If you don't eat out for a month, then on day 31 you can go to any restaurant you want, like the expensive seafood restaurant. Right now, Ian and I have decided to only go once a payday! So twice a month! Think of how fattening, high cholesterol, high sodium and high sugar filled most foods are from restaurants. They make them taste good, but not in a way I would in my house. You just never know what you are eating at a restaurant.
35. Carry snacks with your where ever you go. Dried fruit, muffin or jerky should stay in your purse or vehicle.
36. If you want an adult drink, make them yourself and buy at grocery/beverage stores. Gas stations hike up the prices! A 6 pack of beer or bottle of wine will cost you way less if you buy it at the grocery store then a restaurant!
37. Pick fruit from wild bushes and trees. Down the street there is a bush full of blackberries that I have picked and next door to me (abandon house) there is a cumquat tree. Of course you want to make sure its not someone's property and be sure to properly clean the fruit before eating. Many people don't mind at all.
38. Try places such Share or other community based discounted food programs.
39. Get a few friends together to swap meals once a week. This helps cut down on cost and cooking.
40. Stock up on Ketchup and other condiments from fast food restaurant. When Ian and I first got together we could not afford sour cream for my baked potato, so I went to Wendy's and asked for some. They gave it to me. Now a days most places charge, but ketchup is always free. Don't throw it away, just place in your fridge for the next time you need it.
I hope this list helps everyone. Some may be new and others just a reminder. Food cost goes up every week, while most of us are still making the same money as we did last year. Live BELOW your means, so you have money for your savings account! I would love to hear all of your ideas and thoughts! Maybe you have a tip for me!
Here are a few websites with 1 bag for a weeks full of grocery's.
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