My Top Ten Ways To Save On Groceries
I'm pretty sure "how to save money on groceries" is one of the most-googled frugal topics, and while I've blogged about tactics here and there, a reader recently reminded me that I haven't got my tips organized nicely into one handy spot.
So, I'm going to fix that today. Following are the basic ways that I keep our grocery budget under control (and luckily, none of them require coupons!)
Not all of them will be helpful to all of you, but hopefully you can pick a few nuggets of goodness out of the ideas I'm sharing.
1. Limit drink purchases.
90% of what we drink is (tap) water. It's nigh onto free, produces no plastic trash, and is the healthiest thing you can drink.
We also drink tea, which we brew from bags. This is so, so much cheaper than buying bottled tea or bottle tea concentrate.
The only splurge-y beverages we buy are the little Starbucks frappucinos from Costco, which Mr. FG drinks. However, these are WAY cheaper than actual Starbucks drinks and I'm not about to freak out on Mr. FG over a small coffee, especially since we buy so little in the way of drinks otherwise.
2. Don't buy individually packaged items.
Almost everything is more expensive in individual packages (chips, yogurt, cereal, drinks, meat, crackers, oatmeal, etc.) so your budget will go much farther if you buy the large container.
If you need to package items individually, choose reusable containers (as long as the lunch-carrier is responsible enough to bring the containers home!).
3. Buy basic foods.
Canisters of oatmeal, bags of rice and potatoes, gallons of milk, bulk packs of plain meat, blocks of cheese, and quart containers of yogurt are all examples of basic, staple foods that you can make into meals.
No matter where you live, a canister of oatmeal is always going to be cheaper than cereal, the quarts of yogurt will always be cheaper than the flavored packs, and the bag of rice is going to be cheaper than the boxes of seasoned rice.
4. Eat what's cheap.
As long as you're not compromising on nutrition, choose the least expensive option.
For example, eat oranges and bananas instead of kiwis, buy a whole ham instead of deli slices, choose a cheap beef cut and slow-roast it, buy pistachios instead of macademia nuts, and buy in-season produce (strawberries are expensive in December!).
Also, if you shop at a store that runs sales, base your menu on what's inexpensive that week. Why eat beef when chicken is on sale?
5. DIY.
Not everyone will have the time or inclination for it (you have to decide if you have more time or more money), but DIY-ing your food can really help your grocery budget stretch.
For example, we go through about 4 quarts of yogurt per week. That would cost me $12 if I bought quarts of store-brand yogurt, but I can make 4 quarts of plain yogurt for the cost of a gallon of milk ($2.50-$3.00 at Aldi).
That alone saves me $450/year and the savings are even greater when compared to individual cups of yogurt.
Baking my own bread also helps, especially when I bake things like hamburger buns or cinnamon bread.
Homemade granola costs a fraction of the store-bought price (what IS it with the price of boxed granola??), homemade bowls of oatmeal cost way less than the packets, homemade smoothies are cheaper than the bagged frozen kind that you throw into the blender, homemade spiced nuts cost less than the small cans of flavored nuts, and on and on.
You probably won't be able to DIY everything you eat, but if you pick one or two DIY projects that give you a lot of bang for your buck, you can save a lot without investing hours of time.
6. Get friendly with store brands.
Generic products have come a long, long way in the last 20 years, and many are really, really good. Give them a try, and you can easily shave your grocery budget down without spending any extra time (grabbing the store brand takes no longer than grabbing the name brand).
If you try a product and hate it, take advantage of the guarantee most store brands now offer and get your money back. No risk!
7. Plan a menu.
If you are floating along just fine without planning meals, carry on, sister! (or brother.)
But if you need help reducing your grocery budget, then try this. Make a meal plan, make a grocery list based on the plan, and THEN you can go shopping.
Knowing what you need means you are much more likely to only buy what you need.
Knowing is at least 75% of the battle.
8. Use your food; don't waste it!
All of your smart grocery shopping is for naught if you end up throwing away what you buy. The cost of food waste for American households is staggeringly high. On average, we throw away about $1300 worth of food every year.
If you'd rather have $1300 instead of a bunch of rotten food, check out my ten best tips for reducing your food waste and get started this week.
9. Switch up where you shop.
My top store advice? If you have an Aldi in your area, GO THERE. They have great food at ridiculously low prices and you never have to clip coupons or watch sale ads to save oodles of money.
Related: Why I like Aldi better than Walmart, plus what I buy (and don't buy) at Aldi
If you don't have an Aldi: check for a salvage grocer in your area. Buy your toiletries at Target. Check Amazon's Prime Pantry to see if it beats prices at regular stores. Check out other local grocery stores. Consider a Costco membership.
It may be that you're already shopping at the store with rock-bottom prices, but it's worth it to check around just to be sure.
10. Use sales wisely.
If you have an Aldi near you, you won't be super dependent on sale cycles. However, if your main store is the type that runs sales, check the ad each week. Pay special attention to the front-page specials, because that's where the lowest prices usually are.
Plan your menu around what you see on sale, and if you see a really great price on something that's shelf stable or that you can freeze, buy extras and store/freeze for future use. Doing this regularly ensures that you always have sale-purchased items in stock at your house.
(Do make sure that you don't buy more than you can use, though! A great price on food is for naught if you end up throwing it away.)
________________________
Obviously, there are way more than 10 strategies for reducing grocery spending, but these are the ones that are most helpful to me.
What would YOU add to my top ten? Share in the comments!
Love this post! I have been reading your blog for years, and have been putting your tips to good use for a while.
Last week, however, I was shopping with my one year old son and he started excitedly yelling, "Strawbies! Strawbies!" So, I hesitantly put them in the cart, (who can say no to that cuteness?) but you are right--strawberries are crazy expensive in December! And not very tasty.
We don't have an Aldi close by, so my options are Walmart or Kroger. I downloaded a new app this month called Ibotta and it has earned me over $20 in food rebates on my regular shopping trips. They even give cash back for produce and generic brands. (You never find coupons for that stuff, which is why I don't coupon!) I hope you don't mind me dropping a referral link here for anyone who'd like to try it out. There is a $10 incentive for anyone who signs up after verifying their first rebate, and I get $5.
Here it is: Check out Ibotta to get cash back! Use my referral code, ncekyxm, and you can earn an extra $10. Sign up at https://ibotta.com/r/ncekyxm
I use Ibotta as well for the rebates on produce. It's not a lot but every little bit helps. Go through the referral link if you sign up because you'll get a bigger initial bonus.
Hi Kristen, I just found your site I have been reading all the posts incorporating what I can into my shopping. I moved to the US Virgin Islands last year and I am still in shock just about every time I go to the grocery store. A gallon of milk is $5.99. Strawberries for the small package is $5.89 and they aren't very pretty because they are shipped here. A loaf of bread is $3.49. I could go on. I would love to walk in to Aldi's or Weis, but the trade off is I do not need to deal with winter anymore and I am trying my hand at gardening. On the plus side I rarely buy junk food and as a consequence I have lost 20 pounds. But just thinking about Aldi's and Weis makes me tear up a little.(LOL)
Your prices seem to match ours. I live in Quebec, Canada.
I love this list! I like to think of it as buying "ingredients" rather than "food" - somehow the vocabulary helps to keep me going in the right direction.
We don't have Aldi here in Denver, but I think the chains with the most consistent low prices here would be Save-A-Lot and Sprouts. Sprouts is generally the best for produce, and Save-A-Lot for pretty much everything else. Trader Joe's recently opened a store on the other side of town, but I haven't ventured over there to check it out yet. Does anybody know how their prices compare?
I find their prices to generally beat the competition for staples like good quality coffee, 'real' peanut butter, lower sugar jam (not diet, just lower in sugar), coconut or almond milk, fancy cheeses, EVOO, and breads. They sell primarily their own brands, and pass the savings of being able to cut out the middle man along to their customers. The quality of their offerings, vs price paid is, IMHO, amazing. Kind of like Whole Foods on slow drive, if you will.
I buy my produce primarily at Sprouts, because their prices are simply unbeatable, and everything else at Trader Joes.
I'll also add I love, really love the attitude of their store employees, which has held true in every TJ's I've ever been in. It makes shopping there a real pleasure.
Ditto everything about TJ's -- although their prices have crept up, so have everyone else's. I do love the people there --most helpful! My only complaint -- falling in love with a product that gets discontinued -- but there's always something new. Also, the free samples 😉
Trader Joe's is a variation of Aldi's. There are/were two Aldi brothers and they split the stores, Aldi's in America is either North Aldi or South Aldi (I can't remember which) and Trader Joe's is the other Aldi. So there are some similarities between Aldi and Trader Joe's.
Your comment about trader joes discontinuing items made me remember this "commercial" for Trader Joes - it always makes me smile and the song gets stuck in my head, especially the refrain "that they don't have anymore!" 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdB7GDZY3Pk
I'm in the Denver area too and went to the Trader Joes off of Arapahoe-I thought the prices were a little more expensive than King Soopers, but less expensive than Whole Foods or the grocery aisles at Sprouts. Also, it is the only place in town I can find heavy whipping cream that doesn't have added gums or thickeners. It's pretty far away from me, so I don't go often, but I've found that for the QUALITY of the food I'm getting, the prices can't be beat.
I'm SO sad that there is no Aldi's here. I have a recurring fantasy that an Aldi's representative will see a post similar to yours/mine and say, "Denver! What a great place for an Aldi's," which will then result in an Aldi's right down the street from my house 🙂
They have been busily expanding westward, so perhaps they will make it out to Denver soon!
There's one as close as Salina, Kansas. Hoping for some Northridge expansion, too. 🙂
Er, northish -- darn autocorrect.
Thanks guys! Whole Foods without the "Whole Paycheck" sounds good to me. And thanks Beth, I didn't realize they'd opened more than just the Colo Blvd location - still gonna be an expedition any way you slice it (I'm near Belmar) but perhaps on a day when I'm either up for a drive or willing to deal with Capitol Hill traffic...
Ha! My kids gripe that all we have are "ingredients" in the house, and no "food." 🙂
Great post! I already do most of the things you listed, but it's still nice to read someone else's take on things. We just got an Aldi in our area. I went there Sunday just to walk around. It wasn't quite what I expected and it's not close to my house but I will be going back. My favorite place to shop is Kroger because of the gas points and they send me coupons all the time, taylored to what I buy.
You have been my bread inspiration! Your hamburger bun recipe is one I use quite often and though it's time consuming, it's really easy to make.
Thank you for all the time you put in to your posts and for the helpful information you provide. My favorites of your regular posts are Food Waste Friday and any of the grocery shopping ones.
Excellent advice in all areas!
I'll add my two minor addendums;
-along the lines of avoiding a lot of packaged foods/treats, I've found some quick to make recipes for lunch/dessert snacks. Cookies are great, but forming them is time consuming, so I stick to "pan" treats like chocolate chip bars (Google Toll House bar recipe), brownies, oatmeal bars and a simple cake (not made in two round pans or cupcakes) but quicker poured into a 9x11 pan. Also much quicker to ice than 2 layers or cupcakes.
- I use only clear food storage containers (mostly Pyrex or the like) so I can see exactly what I have for leftovers.
I have a smaller than average fridge for the 3 of us, and it actually helps me manage my leftovers and use them up before they go bad.
These tips will help a lot of people!
I'd add that buying meat in bulk will save you a lot of money in the long run. Up front it may be expensive to pay for a side of beef or a whole hog, but you will feel the savings when you don't need to buy meat for a year!
I am fortunate to have grown up on a family farm that my dad and brothers and I still run...so we get chickens, pigs, and cows whenever we need them 🙂
I totally agree! We live near a local farm that we trust and the price per pound for meat is comparable to the organic meats you would normally buy at a store.
Also, I love all of the tips in this article! I follow every one of these tips and our grocery budget is minimal because of it.
Great list! I pretty much do all those things....this morning I brought my homemade instant oatmeal packet to work. I put half a cup of quick oats (not instant) and a handful of raisins in a container. Add that to one cup of water and microwave for 1 min 45 sec. Stir and there you go! Sometimes after its cooked I add some nuts or a little brown sugar/cinnamon. It's just about as fast as those instant packets and so much better for you.
I do use coupons sometimes, but usually when they can be doubled and then only for things that we normally buy.
I do this too! I'll also add a spoonful of peanut butter for extra sticking power.
Love the reminder to eat oats for breakfast. So many stirs-ins that are just sitting around needing to be used up anyway..Ex jelly, yogurt, brown sugar, cereal, fruit, nuts, peanut butter or any nut butter, chocolate chips, cinnamon, raisins,milk.. The possibilities are endless. I frequently chop an apple then put cinnamon and honey on top and cook it that way for the kids. The apple softens similar to a baked apple and it's delicious.
For those of us who don't bake our own bread, I would like to add how I purchase bread and bakery items. While Aldi has great prices and an often eclectic selection, the dollar stores, particularly Dollar Tree has the best overall prices on standard bread items: white, wheat, potato hamburger rolls, tortillas, bagels and thin pizza crusts. What's not to like about $1 bread products? My other suggestion is to google bakery thrift stores in your area. Sadly, the two in my area have closed but there a still a lot around and if you're taking a trip, you may want to stop in for the deals which are usually great. Here are two I like...
https://bimbobakeriesusa.com/outlet-locator
http://www.nicklesbakery.com/
Dollar tree has more expensive, high quality breads like Natures Own. Also, there are frequently coupons available for Nature's Own bread. I don't bake bread very often so this is my go to also.
All your tips +
- Buy from the reduced rack
Tamara- I totally agree on the positive attitude of Trader Joes employees. If I'm staring at a shelf searching for something, it's very common that an employee will approach me and ask if they can help me find something.
Plus, they just seem so cool- and we have nice chats during the checkout process!
Other than the excellent tips already shared, I also break down leftovers into dinner sized packets and freeze for later usage. It helps avoid the monotony of eating through all the leftovers on subsequent days, and saves me on nights I don't have time to put something together from scratch. I reheat in the oven or on the stove, not (!) the microwave, and round out with fresh produce and bread. It comes to the table without feeling like leftovers this way.
My small herb garden has been life changing, and saved me a lot of money. For an ititial investment of .99 cents per pot, I now have year round access to parsley, rosemary, thyme, chives, and oregano. I also buy a potted basil each year for @ $2.99, which I clip as needed, then prune back to zero when it's run through it's lifecycle, making and freezing a big batch of pesto.
#5 is probably my go-to when it comes to saving on groceries. We feed our family of 4 on less than $300/mo and we eat mostly organic foods. I just make almost everything from scratch (tortillas are one thing we just can't go back to store bought!!). We also limit our meat consumption. It allows us to buy better, higher quality meat that we know is raised ethically.
Wow - homemade tortillas!! that is excellent!
I second homemade tortillas. I bought my press at a thrift store. You feel like a rock star when serving homemade tortillas to guests and they are easy (and cheap!) to make.
I agree about the tortilla, ick!! Store bought ones have a really weird smell and chemical taste to them. I could never go back. I keep looking for a tortilla press at our goodwill but haven't come across one yet. Until then, I will continue to roll them out by hand. They still taste good even if they are shaped like amoebas.
Loved this post --- so much great information! And in the comments, too 🙂 thank you!!
Would just add that for those without an Aldi's like me 🙁 do check the Ralphs or Vons (Krogers and Safeway elsewhere?) mark down sections. I have hit the jackpot recently. My local Ralphs is "redoing" something or other and closing out stuff plus just clearing out all the holiday excess. I have been able to pick up apples, oranges, and big bags of nuts for 99 cents. The fujis worked out to 17 cents per -- unblemished and crispy. The tangerines were 7 cents a piece.
In the boxed area found lots of holiday cooking ingredients 2/3 off and more. Shampoos, mustards, the area was overflowing. Oh, and diet stuff -- yikes! protein powders, bars, vitamins. True, it's always a treasure hunt -- pickin's are slim some times but it bears checking regularly and even finding out when they issue the mark downs.
Would just add that I REALLY tried not to get stuff I didn't need. There was some exuberant, ahem, purchasing (did we NEED Hersheys's dark chocolate chips 2/3 off? a philosophical question, for sure) because, as you've pointed out many times, it's not a savings if you don't need or use it. I am really done now!
Did you need dark chocolate chips?
Yes. Always yes. 😉
Hah! 🙂
I want to love Aldi, but I just don't. I have tried many things and have gone to a few different stores, and just decided it's not worth the drive for stuff I'm just not overly crazy about. So I shop sales, Walmart and Costco. We also buy our beef and pork from local farms. I make a lot from scratch. We also eat a lot of frozen produce this time of year.
I think that's a-ok. You gotta do what works for you, and shopping at a store you hate isn't a good long-term plan, you know?
I agree on Aldi's. We have 2 by us and as much as I want to love them, I just don't. I've tried several times but usually end up disappointed.
I know Aldi stores do vary. The older ones with the low ceilings and dark lights...those ones are kind of creepy. Luckily for me, my Aldi is a newish one, so it's bright and fresh.
Lol....ours would definitely fall under the "creepy" category. They even often have a guard at the door.
Ohhh, then I don't blame you at all! I try really hard never to stop in at the creepy one in my area.
everything plus:
- buy real carrots, not the pre-peeled baby ones that they wash in a bleach solution. really, it doesn't take much time to peel a carrot and sometimes, i don't bother...i just wash them.
- find out what day your store marks down their meat. I bought a pork roast the other day and paid about $3. I had the butcher cut it in half, threw one half in the crock pot for pulled pork and then vacuum froze the other half. At least 8-12 meals in all for $3! (2-3 servings for meal, 2-3 for leftovers for each half - maybe more).
- before getting in the check out, look in your cart. is there something that you picked up extra that you don't really need? hand it to the cashier to put back. I typically save 3 or 4 bucks each time. (i don't need that bag of Utz extra dark pretzels when i can buy the store brand bag for 1/3 the price -even though the ED pretzels are my FAVE).
by the way....i made your hamburger buns the other day. OMG SO GOOD!!! and I LOVE Aldi's! their Clancy's tortilla chips are my favorite chip.
How about doing that when you put them in the cart? I hate it when people wait til they get to the register to decide if they "really" want to buy something.
I like your comment about single ingredients, rather than prepackaged stuff. My guy does grocery shopping and the bulk of the cooking, which is great because while I am mixed about hating to admit and at the same brag about it, he is a better cook than me. He buys rice, barley, oats, quinoa, flour and other staples from the bulk bins, then puts them in glass storage jars. Keeps them fresher and you can see what is in it. He hates prepackaged "non-food" as he calls them, and he has showed me how the cost per ounce on them is insane! Especially single serve packs, some are higher than lobster. And we avoid the dyes, as well as the soy and high fructose corn syrup. He says he shops for food, not non-foods. He is so funny when he gets in discussions with other customers in the grocery store about the junk in the packaged foods, some are even more passionate about it than him.
He does a garden each year and brings pots of herbs in during the winter. Fresh organic herbs add great flavor to any meal. We also dry varieties than are not practical to bring in, the cost per ounce on some spices are over a hundred dollars. So growing your own is a great deal.
One thing I do is to stretch the meat I buy a little. I generally take 3 pounds hamburger and divide it into four 3/4-pound sections. Each section is still enough meat for a meal, but then I have 4 meals instead of 3 (this doesn't generally work for things like meatloaf, for tacos, spaghetti, casseroles, sloppy joes, soups, etc... it works great). Also, I tend to add other things to meat (beans to beef or chicken for any type of Mexican, extra veggies and cheese to Italian, etc...).
I do this too! For our family of three (two adults and a picky toddler), I use 1/2 pound of hamburger in recipes instead of a full pound (leaving other ingredients the same) My husband doesn't even the difference. Sometimes I'll bulk up spaghetti sauce by adding more fresh mushrooms and spinach.
Now that we buy local meat, though, I plan on double and freezing my recipes using the full pound....since having it processed and frozen in 1/2 pound sections would be too expensive. Saving time and money = win win!
I do this too. Sometimes I use so little meat that it's almost meatless. I have found that when I cook ground beef if I leave the pieces a little bigger then it feels like more meat as opposed to really breaking the meat up while cooking.
I DIY a lot of our food, sometimes I give myself a little break though because I spend SO much time in the kitchen. I know how to make yogurt and bread, I just don't very often. The thing is, we don't eat that much bread, UNLESS I make it. So then we gobble it all down and that is just too many carbs for me!
Otherwise, I do everything on your list. I am always disappointed when I read a list like this and don't find anything new to try. 😀
Off topic, the ad on your sidebar by Trends Al is not something I expected to see on your site when I came to leave a comment. Pretty yuck and not something I want my 6-year old to see as I sit here typing.
Funny, I never see any ads when I visit this site. Maybe I downloaded a free ad blocker once upon a time. It cuts out so much advertising so efficiently that I've practically forgotten about it. I'm also surprised that a six-year-old is paying such close attention to you as you type a comment on TFG. Just sayin'.
I'm sorry about the ad. The ads cycle through in an unpredictable manner, so what pops up for you may not be what pops up for me. Which makes it extremely difficult to weed individual ads out.
I do opt out of all the possibly offensive ad categories that I can (gambling, "adult" ads, political ads) but opting out of clothing ads isn't possible (they only make categories for things that are typically offensive.). So, apologies that you saw one that bothered you.
No worries. I didn't realize it was something that was cycling through until I posted my comment. And yes to the previous commenter, my daughter does pay attention to what I'm doing on my computer. 🙂
I would like to add shopping with cash to the list. I have found that since we switched to the cash envelope system for groceries (and eating out) our spending is more under control. I'm a lot less likely to buy things we really don't need when I'm looking at how much cash is left in my envelope versus using the debit card.
I live in the western part of the United States. In this part of the country we have Winco, that is comparable to Aldi. Their prices are low and they have a fabulous bulk food section. I buy most of my pantry staples in bulk. Most bulk items are cheaper, minimal packaging and I can control how much I purchase. Buying spices in bulk saves me a ton of money.
We also have a smaller regional grocery chain that offers case lot sales twice a year. I use those sales to stock up on 25 pound bags of rice, beans, flour, and sugar, oatmeal, and wheat. They also offer low prices on cases of canned fruit,veggies, beans, tuna, tomatoes, soups, as well as, oil, dried fruits and vegetables.
I also grow a garden and can or freeze the excess to use through the winter. I also buy fresh fruit from local growers in season and can or freeze them to use throughout the year.
Oh yes, I am jealous of you people with Winco, from what I hear. We're a little lacking in terms of a good bulk food store on my side of the country.
*sobs* I lived in an area with a Winco for one year. One measly little year. 😉 It doesn't compare to Aldi at all. Aldi is great and all, but Winco is awesome. If I had to choose, I'd choose Winco.
Just curious, is there a reason why you don't use loose tea, since it's usually much cheaper? I admit sometime I prefer tea bags (either for convenience or because the kind of tea I want isn't available loose), but you really can't beat the price of loose leaf tea!
Also, bulk spices are SO MUCH cheaper than prepackaged, plus if you tend to not use a lot of certain spices, you can just buy a small amount and not waste any.
Oh, interesting! All the places I've seen loose tea are gourmet shops and it's really expensive there. The bags have been much cheaper, in my experience.
Maybe I'm missing an obvious cheap place to buy loose leaf tea?
Me too! I'd LOVE to drink loose tea, but it's soooo expensive. What's the secret?
Our local health food store sells bulk tea at pretty reasonable prices. You can also buy bulk tea online in one-pound bags. The bulk price per pound may seem expensive, but the quality is much better. I generally get around 200 cups from one pound bought in bulk.
So, say a pound costs $15. That's 7.5 cents a cup. How much does a cup of tea cost using tea bags?
I agree with Tina. The loose leaf teas are much cheaper per pound than the bagged tea. Also, there is some evidence that brewing the loose tea releases more antioxidants as the tea is free to move more than while bagged. I also prefer not to use the bleached bags in my tea.
Hmm... I buy 100 tea bags (green tea) for about $2.50. Lots of good health reasons to buy loose, but still seems lots more expensive to me.
Wow, 100 tea bags for $2.50 is an amazing price. I usually see about 20 bags for that much, even at Trader Joe's (my local version of Aldi, which is unfortunately not as local as I would like).
I get my loose-leaf tea at the local natural foods co-op, and I've never actually looked at any of the other stores in the area that sell in bulk to see if they have tea in their bulk bins, so I don't know if Whole Foods (or anything else like it) has bulk tea, or how much it costs there. It looks really expensive at the co-op because it's labeled by the pound, but a giant jar of tea doesn't end up costing that much because tea isn't very heavy, and it lasts me forever.
I haven't gotten around to ordering any online, because I'm still working through my supply from the co-op that I bought a loooong time ago, but I may give it a try now that I'm starting to run low...
Oh, and one of the other reasons I like bulk (loose leaf) tea is that there is so much less waste. There will obviously be packaging if I order it, but when I buy it at the co-op I bring my own containers and there's no waste at all.
Thanks to your blog and influence I am freezing much more food than I used to and consequently wasting SO MUCH less food. Yay!
I made your hamburger bun recipe over the weekend finally, and I have to say, it was a multi-step process, and not necessarily quick....but I made 24 DELICIOUS buns for less than a couple bucks, whereas I would spend $3-5 on 6-8 really mediocre buns at the store. SO worth it to make it than to buy. We've eaten and given away several this week, but I think I put about 15 in the freezer for future use. YUM. So worth the effort for a better result with much more flavor and for muuuuuch less money!
Thanks for all you do Kristen!
Our big savings is cutting out the amount of meat we eat, and buying what we do direct in bulk from farmers. We eat vegetarian 4 or 5 meals per week, and save our meat for the weekend. We also eat more seasonally, so right now we're eating a lot of root and storage vegetables.
All good recommendations Kristin,
I have two thoughts to add:
#1 Find a store that has a bulk foods section. Compare prices, most often these prices are WAY better than packaged food. Another advantage is you can purchase exactly the amount you need. If you’re trying a new recipe that calls for a spice or herb that you don’t keep on hand, don’t buy a jar of it on the baking aisle for $$$, go to the bulk section and purchase just the 2 teaspoons you need for pennies.
#2 If you’re not near a Costco or Sam’s Club (or even if you are) look for a restaurant supply wholesaler. Most are open to the public. Again you MUST compare prices but you’ll find some great deals.
1. I LOL at your coupons remark. I would add do coupon if that's your cup of tea But be a responsible couponer, don't buy something just because you have a coupon for it.
Count me as one of the people that isn't all that impressed with Aldi. At the one near my house, all the produce comes on a Styrofoam plate, wrapped in plastic - and I refuse to buy produce that I can't look at on all sides. (Also I can't figure out how that quarter for a shopping cart thing works!) So, I usually bypass and go to a higher end regional grocery - Wegmans - a few blocks away. Much better quality = way less waste. One of the keys is know your local grocery stores and shop their strengths.
Oh, man, all of it is that way? At my Aldi there are bare-naked cucumbers, squash, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, and more.
And the grapes, onions, tomatoes, strawberries, and other berries are packaged the same as other stores (bags for onions and grapes, clamshell for berries and tomatoes).
There are some things in styrofoam that I'd prefer not to be, but I can usually pick those up at another grocery store.
Wegmans IS a really nice store! I find it to be almost overwhelmingly large, tho I hear there's an app to help locate things for newbies.
Hi Kristen, I am a big fan of loose tea. We do buy it at a specialty shop (though our supermarket carries some too, though the packaging doesn't suit). That being said, it's only 4 or 5 euros for 100 grams of tea. We steep a small amount (tiny actually) in a stainless steel basket directly in the teapot which makes 4 cups of tea. The loose tea plumps up to 4 times the original amount. And if we finish the first pot of tea and want more, we simply add another kettle of hot water to the dregs of the first batch and makes another flavorful pot of tea, just de-caf this time around 🙂 You may want to consider giving it a try, even just to compare how much mileage you get out of loose tea compared to bags. I feel like our loose tea lasts ages. Who knows, something that may start as a splurge could potentially turn into savings! Thanks so much for your wonderful blog, I always look forward to checking in.
Ok, so, the idea is that loose leaf is more expensive, but it goes farther than the bags do? Interesting.
So happy you are enjoying my blog! Thanks for the encouragement.
For me, I get a 1 lb bag of black tea on amazon for less than 15.00. Most tea bags come in a 1 oz box for anywhere from 2 dollars on up, making the cost at least double per oz of tea. Thats how I do my math anyway lol. I do think the quality is better and like I mentioned in an earlier comment I prefer not to used bleached tea bags if I can avoid it.
I keep a Costco shopping list on my phone. I just check off what I need in advance and then stick to my list. I also avoid the center sections of the store. But my tip is what I do before I go to Costco. Stop #1 is 99 Cents Only Store, stop #2 is the Grocery Outlet across the street and finally stop #3 is at Costco around the corner. Since I know my Costco prices, it's easy to spot true bargains at the other places. Insulated and regular shopping bags live in my car, so no worries if I buy frozen goods at my first stop.
I lo-o-o-o-ve Winco, but don't have one nearby. I hit them when I'm visiting a relative. Easy-peasy since they're open 24 hrs. We have a Sprouts within walking distance, which I use only for fresh produce fill-ins when I don't want to do my big loop.
I rarely shop at a "regular" grocery store. When I occasionally darken one's door, I am always shocked at the prices. And coupons and downloads? Not interested, thankyouverymuch.
No Aldi here and Walmart isn't remotely convenient either. We do have a rental property in an area where there's an Aldi coming. I am looking forward to it! Some Aldi is better than no Aldi, right?
So true -- if you have access to 99 cent store there are some awesome food prices. I do try not to buy produce from China, but there are usually many other choices.
Eat out of your deep freezer! We have a deep freezer which we take inventory of every few months. There's always meat in there that I've purchased on sale and forgotten about. We're currently on a no eating out stretch made possible by what is stocked in our deep freeze! Planning our menu around that.
Yes! Every couple of months I try to plan a week's worth of meals just from what's in the freezer.
Great list! I've been making our own yogurt (in my slow cooker) this year and went bake to baking our own bread. It does save us so much money! I'd add maintaining a stockpile. When I can find pasta at $0.50 a box (or less), I'm going to buy enough boxes to last me for a couple months. Or a great deal on peanut butter...or whatever it may be. It takes a bit of intention but a stockpile saves our family so much money!
I've bought loose tea before from STASH online, with sales. There are several bulk tea sellers online, as well as herb companies who sell teas. I started drinking tea through tisanes - plain herbs (mint for me!) rather than actual tea. It might be a good place to start. The loose teas I see in stores are almost always more expensive than online.
I second the loose tea. I buy tea at the grocery store sometimes, but I also order it -- Mark T. Wendell and Mountain Rose Herbs both have a good selection of loose tea, and I've heard World Market carries it in the stores. It takes only a teaspoon to equal a bag, and it can be less, depending on how one likes one's tea. I use a muslin bag to make large amounts and a tea ball for smaller amounts. Both are immensely re-usable.
My additions to the excellent list and other suggestions:
Know your prices -- make a price book if needed. I have found some surprising things that way, such as that some of the large economy sizes are more expensive per unit than smaller packages.
Split with a friend if there is a great deal but you know you can't use it all up before it goes bad. If you and friend/relative are watching for crazy good deals and contact each other, you can both save and have more eyes watching for the deals.
The menu plan is a great tool for a lot of people, but I actually shop more of the Tightwad Gazette pantry principle way -- I don't use a menu plan, but I know most of what I'll need. That idea seems to work for some of us.
I love your list. The only thing I would add is to know your store. How often do certain thing go on sale? Do they have a special place for markdowns? Do they have special sales that are one day only? Sometimes if you sign up for a stores mailing list you get special coupons or advanced notification of sales.
I unfortunately live in a place that our one major grocery chain uses coupons for their sales so I use them more than I would like.
Buy the large, family pack size of meats even if there are only two of you. Repackage and freeze extras. Or do a batch cooking then freeze to make dinners even easier later.
Great list Kristen, thank you you are right regarding the individual prices of items like yogurt, it sure does add up when you are buying a lot of them..will be swapping to the larger more economical tubs from now on!! Eggs and potatoes are two items I always have in the house, they are both cheap, easy, extremely versatile, filling and healthy.If all else fails, scrambled eggs can be whipped up in minutes, healthier and less expensive than takeaway..
Freezer meals.
Find a few recipes that you like and make double/triple batches to freeze. Last time I did it, I asked my Grandma and Mom if they wanted some too- and between them, they paid for my grocery cost because I put them together for them. It is cost effective to buy a bit larger quantities and use all of it, and it cuts back on any impulse buys for convenience food, because it is already in my freezer.
I usually do at least 2 soups, enchiladas, rice side dish, a pasta dish, a crock-pot chicken of some type to serve with rice or cous cous, macaroni and cheese, and packets of veggies for a roast (roast is already in the freezer from 1/4 beef).
Do make sure you like the meals that you freeze. My recipes are all tried and true, and hold up in the freezer well. I have made some duds, and was glad I didn't go all out and make 5 of each!
I selectively buy at SAM'S Club (I'd love to go to Costco instead but it is just far enough away that I wouldn't do it). Two pound bags of yeast are an amazing deal and the big containers of spices are as cheap as the small ones at the grocery store. If you have someone to split it with that's great.
I am so-so on Aldi. I mostly buy produce there (they have a great sale this week, if I'm able to get there pre or post blizzard).
Have you ever done a price comparison of homemade granola versus store bought regular cereal? The price of almonds has gotten so high that I feel like the costs are getting awfully close to each other.
As a shoutout to Aldi, today I got milk for $1.49, bread and buns for a quarter (I've stopped making my own bread since I got pregnant and need to nap daily), and a ham for $2.25! I'm geeked about it. 🙂
Yay about the ham!
I've not compared granola to regular cereal, just granola to granola. I'm not sure it's completely fair to compare granola to cereal, given that most cereals don't have nutritious things like almonds in them, you know?
That makes sense. I know that my homemade granola is definitely healthier than regular cereal. Thanks for your feedback!
Kristen, thanks so much for taking the time to create such an inspiring blog. I've really enjoyed your posts this year! Great comments from everyone! Thank you. One thing that I learned to do many years ago was to shop ethnic markets for certain items. (I lived with an exchange student one year in college.) Our family loves to make Indian food, including homemade chapati and naan. We homeschool, too, so can build a little baking into our day. The Indian market near us sells bags of fresh spices and large inexpensive bags of high quality basmati rice. At Christmas, we love to give homemade gifts, so I purchase our cloves and cinnamon sticks in bulk there. They have wonderful prices on mangoes when in season, too, and you don't have to buy the whole box, like in Costco. Does anyone else shop ethnic markets? What are your best finds?
I love this post!
If I could add, shopping in the bulk bins. Oatmeal in the bulk bin is usually cheaper than the box.
Great post Kristen, I live alone & I actually have a Costco membership, it works out to about $4.50 monthly & even if I only go once a month I save way more than that. Just on the bagged Strawberries & blueberries for my smoothies alone. They are about $10.00 a bag for 5 & 6 lbs. Also the good brands of bread are great to get & put in the freezer & I like their apples. Also chocolate chips in the large bags for cookies & real butter. Cheaper than my grocery store. I also get items like ibuprofen & Tums etc there. Other things occasionally but it does save me money. I live in Anchorage, Ak where things are a bit more expensive, especially fresh food. We don't have an Aldis or Trader Joes or anything like that. I don't have a vehicle so walk to a Safeway 2 blocks from where I live. I use a wheelie bag to haul stuff home in. I find if I go twice weekly (due to weight reasons of what I get) I can find clearances in their freezer clearance & frequently get half price juice etc. I also only get stuff on sale/clearance. I use the weekly flier & sometimes if I see a really good price on something I'll google for coupons on that item. I occasionally get 12 0z bags of Seattles Best coffee that is $5.00 on "$5.00 Friday" for $3.00 a bag using $2.00 coupons. Once I was able to get 4 bags for $3.00 a bag. I really like their "$5.00 Friday" deals, usually 1 or 2 things I can really use.
I've gotten the very best oats for oatmeal on amazon, it's called "Bob's Red Mill" & the price is great & it tastes much better than the "regular rolled oats" from the grocery store. I make it in the microwave & add stuff. It's awesome. That brand also has the very best popping corn, I got a special microwave popcorn bowl on amazon, it's made in Barcelona, Spain, it doesn't need any special cardboard things like one bowl I tried years ago. It works so well, just use a tiny bit of real butter & it's much better & cheaper than the regular microwave popcorn.
I'm also "mostly" vegetarian, grew up veggie & now I eat very occasional fish, chicken, turkey but very little. I really like the Morningstar Farms veggie foods but only on sale. They are really good but expensive. I stock up on Progresso Lentil soup when it's 4 for $5.00 or so. It's my favorite soup & I know lentils are easy & much cheaper to make from scratch but I do like microwave cooking. I have chronic pain, (fibromyalgia) so my energy for cooking flags sometimes.
Really enjoyed reading all of the posts here, thank you for what you do.