When price per pound doesn't prevail.
Generally speaking, when you're grocery shopping it's a good idea to look at the unit price (price per ounce, piece, or pound) of the food you're buying to determine what is a good deal and what is not. But sometimes, I think you have to look beyond that and take some other factors into consideration.
Consider this lone potato and these two mushrooms, which I bought for making Deep Dish Pizza.
The potato was $.99/lb and the mushrooms were $2.99/lb. This cost per pound is definitely higher than what I'd pay by buying a large bag of potatoes or a larger package of mushrooms, especially if I did so at Aldi.
But, we don't eat a lot of potatoes, and my husband is the only one in our family that relishes mushrooms. We could debate the merits of these eating habits in our home, of course, but the fact remains that we simply don't go through a lot of potatoes and mushrooms at this point in time.
So, odds are good that if I bought the big bag of potatoes and the larger container of mushrooms, we'd end up letting some go to waste, which means that some of the money I spent would also go to waste. That, or I'd be scrambling to find ways to use up the potatoes and mushrooms, and I prefer to avoid that as much as possible. I end up doing enough food-waste-related scrambling as it is!
I spent $.74 on my potato and $.45 on my mushrooms, which adds up to $1.19. For me, that was a better option than spending $4 ($3 for potatoes and $1 for mushrooms) on larger quantities of potatoes and mushrooms that we didn't really need.
This sort of thing doesn't happen all that often in our family, but I can imagine that for smaller families or for single people this principle holds true much more often, especially when it comes to perishable foods. Yes, a large container of strawberries from Costco costs less per pound than a small container from the grocery story, but the larger container isn't a good deal if the berries go bad before they get eaten. Even something relatively shelf-stable like a large container of oatmeal might go rancid before a small family or single person can use it up.
So, what do you think? Are there things that you purposely buy in smaller quantities so that you can avoid wasting food (and money!)?
Yes. Laundry soap bought by unit price makes sense in this house but produce and fruit items are much better bought by piece.
Yes, there are certainly a few things that we only need small quantities of. One for me is onions and green peppers. We never eat them, but occasionally there is a recipe that just isn't the same without them. One thing I use a LOT in helping me reduce waste is my freezer. Wouldn't work for everything, but it does work for things like mushrooms, green peppers, onions, etc. I buy 1 and then cut it up and freeze it. The quality is (I guess, arguably) the same, and I don't have wasted food on my conscious more than necessary. Anyway, may not work for everyone but it works for us.
I'm glad you mentioned this topic because I had this problem for a while. My fiance and I would buy items in bulk or stock up on sales but would never be able to use it all. I finally convinced him that it would be better to buy the smaller portions in items we don't use a lot and only bulk up slightly for the things we do.
For example, I used to buy organicgirl salad mix in the large container because it was cheaper per once. However, we could never get to the last bowl in time. (not a long shelf life on their mixes and there expiration dates are exact) We were able to use the size below it in time though and save $2 on the carton and not let any food go to waste.
I agree with you 100% - if you're not going to use much, don't buy much. When I'm cooking for one often it's the salad bar that is my best friend.
My related dilemma is when it's cheaper to buy more than I need, than to buy exactly what I need. When I can't give away the excess, which imperative do I follow: save money or waste less?
Eggs and herbs. I am the person that buys the half-dozen sized containers, because I simply don't get around to using them unless I have a recipe that calls for it. And I hate how herbs at the grocery store come in giant bundles when all I am using it for is a bit of garnish on the top. So I buy the organic ones that come in smaller packages, just because I'll use it all.
You can always freeze (prewashed of course) herbs that you buy in big bundles or place in a small vase with water on the counter. 🙂 Just a thought
I do the same thing as Melissa with the organic herbs. I'm always cooking for two (my husband and I), but I STILL have an impossible time using up those big bunches of parsley and cilantro! I end up opting for the 2 1/2 times more expensive packages of organic herbs more often than not, just because I know I won't waste them.
Yes, that's me...when I buy too much, it goes bad...so I find I buy less and it is eaten up. We have a family of 2, so small quantities work best for us.
I totally agree! I do this too on things we don't eat a lot of.
Thanks for this post. It makes me feel better to know that you struggle with this even as a family of 6! We produce a ridiculous amount of food waste due to food spoiling before we can eat it, although I'm really trying to improve. I'm constantly battling to strike a balance between price per pound and actual quantities that my husband and I consume. I feel guilty spending $60 on groceries when I know someone else may have been able to buy twice as much food for the same price.
Milk is a great example. Our consumption of milk is very erratic, and it's always a tough decision-- do I spend $5 on one gallon that we may or may not use up before it spoils, or $3.00/$3.50 for a 1/2 gallon we'll definitely use?
I have even frozen milk. I didn't notice a bad flavor when I thawed it.
Pretty much anything I cannot freeze for future use, I'll buy in smaller quantities ... unless it's something my family loves, like strawberries, carrots, and grapes.
Clamshells of spinach/spring mix are enjoyed in my house, too, but can never be eaten in time, therefore, I only purchase this when hosting a dinner party. Potatos don't get eaten very quickly, either, but I'll purchase a large bag with recipes in mind. I'll prepare the dishes, and freeze all but one. Easy and cheap!
I think Costco is great for purchasing nuts, fresh salsa/chips, fish, pharmaceuticals, and large cakes (which are out of this world!), but, for the most part, the regular grocery store is easier on your wallet ... thanks to sales and coupons! 😉
Hope today is a great one for you, FG!
We buy smaller containers of specialty sauces and condiments (i.e., "oyster sauce" and sesame oil) because we rarely need a large bottle. Fancy mushrooms and other such produce make out list, too. Only what we need, even if the c-p-p is higher.
Here's a silly little short film from 1950 that teaches this very concept. Strange that people haven't wised up as a whole. 🙂
http://www.archive.org/details/buying_food
Ha, thanks for posting! It was fun to watch and remember that kind of films I saw when I was in school in the 50's and 60's!
Although I don't drink much pop anymore--I switched to iced tea--when I do buy it for myself, I like to get it in cans or even those little cans. If I buy a 2 liter bottle it goes to waste because I don't drink half of it before it goes flat.
I am weird in that I don't like pop in a glass lol I prefer diet in a can or bottle.
One other area where I'll sometimes pay a higher cost per unit is when the cheaper per-unit quantity would totally blow my budget. For instance, my husband prefers the Fusion razor blades. Those things are horrendously expensive! But he's got a stiff beard AND he makes a blade last for a long time, so I don't have to buy them that often.
Last week, however, it was time to buy more. I could have bought a pack of 8 for about $25. Or I could have bought a new razor, which came with 2 blades, for about $7. The 2 blades cost more individually, but I didn't have room in my budget for $25 in razor blades. My other dilemma was, he really didn't need a new razor because his old one was still perfectly good. Plus there was lots more packaging surrounding the new razor set compared to the refill blades. But I couldn't afford $25 for razor blades. So I bought the $7 razor and blades.
Or toothbrushes--you can buy a multi-pack at Costco for a cheaper price-per-toothbrush, but it's easier on the budget to buy them 1 at a time, even if they end up being 50 cents more per brush.
Too many dilemmas if one wants to be a frugal and responsible shopper!
We do not purchase gallons of milk, even though we are a family of 6. The amount of spillage that was taking place as the children wielded the heavy gallon wasted too much money! So, I buy more expensive half gallons. I hope to eventually invest in a glass half gallon container that I can refill from a gallon container as needed.
Yes! This is what I tell people all the time and one of the chief reasons I like shopping at the farmer's market or Whole Foods. I can get meat and all sorts of product or bulk spices and nuts in just the quantity I need.
I shop like you do and will pay more per pound for something I only need a few of versus buying a large bag or amount to save money.
I've noticed that several stores in our area are offering more produce at a per item price; that it, peppers for 59 cents each, or a cucumber for 48 cents, or bananas for 19 cents each (sometimes I can find them for 10 cents each!) and so forth. I like this because I don't have to weigh, etc. and can pick out a larger item without worrying about the price. Usually the per item price is very competitive with or lower than the per pound price.
I think items like strawberries can be bought in bulk even with smaller families. If I see that my husband and I are not eating ripe fruit in time I either freeze it or use my dehydrator to preserve it. Other than that I totally agree with you.
I shop at sams but don't buy some veggies because they get wasted before I can use them up. I will instead buy one pepper at a higher price so I can use it all. If I buy say a large bag of carrots then I try to cook enough recipes to use them up. Like others have said this is where the freezer comes in handy. I freeze extras or leftovers for use later. This week I'm working on cleaning out the freezer of leftovers. Its going well stuff we were tired of taste better now and I'm getting a break from cooking.
We also only have two people in our family. Not to bring anything back up but this is another reason I don't use too many coupons. We can only use so much toothpaste and such.
I agree...we are a family of 2 and usually don't buy anything in bulk... except shortbread cookies that my husband likes and canned chili that he sometimes takes for his lunch when he doesn't take leftovers.
We do buy a lot of fruit, we eat it every day so it's like an endangered species around here!
I do the same thing, sometimes for quality. I used to buy the 3-lb bag of apples, but we always ended up with at least 1 (sometimes as many as 3) that weren't edible because of excessive bruising or something. Now I buy apples one at a time, by the pound, so I can pick better quality. I figure it's about the same in the long run, since we're now getting to eat the full 3 pounds!
Happy to see I'm not the only one who buys fruit (for me, it's lemons and limes) one at a time. 🙂
I have found that I really need to be careful with buying items at Costco. It's so important to check that unit price. It almost always seems that I can buy things cheaper at the grocery store with sales and coupons. It's just a matter of being patient and waiting for those sales and coupons. To me, the warehouse stores were worth it when I was buying diapers (and wipes) in huge quantities. Now that our youngest child is recently potty trained (yea!!), I'm thinking that I might cancel my store membership. I'm just not convinced that I'm saving $40 a year (to cover the membership fee).
I was wondering myself on the Sam's Membership...hmm...They should be cheaper, right? (frugal, a chem) if you have to pay to just get in, lol.
I get my sams membership free, its a business one and I'm the second card. My husband can get one from his job also a business card, its one of his perks. If you do want to cancel you might check if you can get a membership anywhere else.
This also made me think about all the benefits that some jobs have. Most people don't even know what they can get, it does pay to look into it.
I buy milk in smaller cartons even though the better deal is to buy 2 gallons. We just don't use enough of it each week to warrant buying 2 gallons at a time.
this is SUCH a relevant question for us right now. i moved back in with family 12 months ago when my husband left for a year in iraq. we got rid of SIX BAGS of unopened food...& in the process (we couldn't store anything opened or perishable) threw away a ridiculous amount of dressings, sauces, & opened-but-uneaten foods (think flour, rice, etc.) that local food pantries wouldn't accept. it broke my heart to see our hard-earned money literally throw in the trash.
which is when i realized that even IF i pay an equal amount (or sometimes more) for a smaller quantity of an item, i'm NOT doing myself a disservice. i just moved BACK to our original place of living to welcome my husband HOME from iraq (yay!). we'll only be here for 3 months before we move AGAIN. we are conscious of what we eat & when i went grocery shopping for our "staples", i purposely purchased the small soy sauce (which cost $.10 more than the giant size), the mini preserves (again, more expensive), & other varities of foods that came in smaller sizes.
i'm just learning & have a long ways to go, but for those of us who move often, purchasing smaller & swallowing the savings is friendlier for our packing purposes AND for the landfills 🙂
Jlyn, congrats on getting your husband back and my thanks to him for his service---and to you, too, for giving him up for a while so that all of us can benefit!
I would give the food to friends or find out from the wives club if someone could use some if not all of it.
It's so interesting that you chose this topic. I have been changing some of my purchases and paying more (unit price) for individual, but completely useful items. Items that end up in the trash or compost are wasted money...the point of your blog, I know but I'm a bit slow on the draw 🙂
Anyway, my family enjoys romaine lettuce but we struggle to use 3 heads (the way they are packaged here) so I invariably struggled to finish it all or ended up chucking it into compost. Although it isn't "cost effective," bagged, pre-cut lettuce on sale, is a better purchase for us. I have also been following your lead and buying specific produce for use one week at a time to avoid waste. Same with milk. 1/2 gallon at a time works better than throwing milk away. Congratulations on your continuing success and NEVER stop Wednesday baking.... I mean, please continue your Wednesday baking posts...ahem.
I tend to buy for our meals only for a day or two, but I keep the rest of the week in mind. For instance we spend 89 cents on a pack of mushrooms. Normally we are using the whole pack for a meal (mixing into pasta, sauteeing to add into something or stuffing), but occasionally we choose to only use a few at a time. What I do then is see how I can use them with other meals throughout the week.
This is such an important topic, I may need to do a whole blog post!
I buy small quantities of bulk items at Whole Foods all the time, especially expensive things we only use in small quantities anyway--spices in particular. I can afford 1 flavor-packed vanilla bean but I can't afford a package of several.
I also buy many grains and pasta from the bulk bins at Whole foods--they are inevitably cheaper than packaged items at the regular grocery store, often organic, and I buy just what we need.
Janknitz, I just wanted to mention one thing to you regarding vanilla beans. If you go to saffron.com (I do not work for them, and though I wish they'd give me incentive to give them props, they don't), you can get high quality beans, in small-to-large quantities for VERY cheap. I usually buy them a quarter pound at a time (for as little as $10, depending on the type I'm getting). It's a LOT of beans, but I store most of them in a clean gallon-sized pickle jar and cover them with sugar. In a couple weeks, I have a gallon of vanilla sugar in addition to enough beans to last me ages. You can refill the sugar too if it starts to get low, and it'll keep infusing for quite a long time. The rest of the beans I split and toss in a bottle of vodka (as well as any spent beans after cooking) to get homemade vanilla extract.
I just figured you'd want to know a frugal way to supply all of your vanilla bean needs for WAY less than it usually costs to buy 4-5 of them in the store.
(their saffron is also inexpensive and high quality, and all of their extracts except, oddly enough, the vanilla, are really good quality as well)
When I make the deep dish pizza recipe, I actually make extra potatoes and freeze them, just like you freeze your banana mash. Then when I want to make pizza, I don't have to dirty a pan everytime. Plus it saves me a lot of time when I want to get the pizza done quickly. Next time you see a deal on potatoes, you might want to consider freezing. It's nice to have a few months worth of potatoes in the freezer for pizza.
As someone who has been practically living on baked potatoes, oven fries, and potato soup trying to use up a 5# bag, I am totally with you. I buy mushrooms 1 or 2 at a time, and those teeny-tiny cans of tomato sauce for making pizza. I also buy milk by the quart, and a few slices of lunch meat or bacon at the deli counter because it will take forever to go through an 8 oz package of turkey slices or a pound of bacon.
We buy milk by the quart now too, because my husband and I both gave up drinking it because of how the cows are treated...I still keep it on hand though because my son (8) is addicted to Annie's boxed macaroni and cheese and soy milk just doesn't cut it for that! He'll occasionally use it in cereal too, but that's a treat. So if we end up with leftover milk, I'll make up a big pot of mashed potatoes---my favorite comfort food and the only food made with milk I allow myself to eat because it just doesn't taste the same otherwise. Hey, at least I know I'm a hypocrite on this issue! 🙂
I recommend using the charts at the Cornucopia Institute site to help find milk and egg choices about which one can feel comfortable.
http://www.cornucopia.org/
I buy small containers of olive oil, mayonaise and peanut butter. With just the hubby and I, we do not go through it quickly enough to keep it from going rancid.
one of the benefits of a coop is splitting large orders.
Or buying small quanities of junk food so you don't eat the entire bag of 48oz jelly beans that you caught on sale...^_^
AMEN.
I'm single, and my roommate and I cook separately. (We don't like each other's cooking, which is unfortunate...I'm just not into authentic Chinese cooking.)
Luckily the grocery store sells single carrots. Unfortunately, they do not sell single celery sticks. I go without celery a lot. Although occasionally we do share a head of lettuce or a pack of lemons or something. Rarely do we cook with the same ingredients.
One of the most important changes by the supermarket chains is the selling of things like oranges and apples BY THE POUND. It used to be by the dozen... or each. But, the profit is much better by the pound. Even though, in the case of Navel oranges... the skin probably is 10-15 percent of the weight, and so on. This fact has not eluded the supermarket folks. Have you noticed lately how long the thick green stocks are that are being left on the broccoli? Same thing with the stems on mushrooms... noticeably longer. How about all the packages that have been reduced in size. I had a bottle of energy drink the other day and the contents were 15 ounces. Why? And, it ain't to save us money. Half gallons of ice cream... still look (kinda) like half gallons but are really, 1 quart/1pint (48 ounces instead of 64). The new one is the toilet paper. Now about 1/2 inch less in width. This weight manipulation is not to save us money. I saw a Coca Cola package yesterday... it was 20 12-ounce cans... not 12, not 24... and the price was $5.99. It was the same when they went to 8-packs and were getting $2.50 (which, at the time... was what 12-packs were costing. No savings there! Well, anyway... you get the idea. Call your politicians and raise hell with 'em. If we annoy them enough, maybe they'll fix it to get rid of us.