6 More Ways to Handle Food Price Inflation
If you've been paying attention at all while you shop for food, you've probably noticed that grocery prices have been going up in the last year or so.
This is not your imagination! Groceries are actually, factually more expensive than they were a year or two ago.
Specifically, in 2020, grocery prices increased 3.5%, which is 75% more than what we usually see.
And that doesn't seem super likely to change in the very near future.
(Here's some detailed information from the USDA about rising food prices.)
You can't really do anything to change the price of groceries (the prices are what the prices are) so you might be feeling a little helpless.
And as I've said before, it often helps if I make a list of things I CAN do, rather than focusing on what I can't do.
So, I thought it would be good to do that here in a blog post, focusing on food prices.
I made a list like this in 2020, so this is part two!
1. Eat at home more
Grocery prices may have gone up, but still, pretty much everything at the grocery store is a screaming bargain compared to anything you buy from a restaurant.
So, if you have been eating out, switch to eating at home for at least some of those meals.
And feel free to buy convenient grocery foods if that's what you need to do.
A bag of ravioli, a jar of sauce, and a bagged salad are fine.
A refrigerated container of pulled pork + a package of buns is more expensive than the homemade version, but it is bound to be cheaper than the restaurant version.
A rotisserie chicken, a salad kit, and a loaf of bread will be cheaper than almost any takeout.
You seriously can buy almost anything at the grocery store and still save money over restaurant food.
2. Change where you shop
If you've been sticking with a store that's a little more expensive, consider trying a cheaper store.
This would be a great time to finally check out Aldi or Lidl.
(I'm here to tell you that groceries are still ridiculously affordable at Aldi!)
You could join a bulk membership club near you, such as BJs, Costco, or Sam's Club.
Or you could try Hungry Harvest or Misfits Market.
3. Try some DIY
If you have more money than time, skip this tip.
But if you can find some time to spend on cooking/food prep, add some DIY food into your routine.
A few DIY food ideas:
Homemade granola costs pennies on the dollar compared to store-bought.
Try this no-stir recipe that won't get oats all over your oven floor!
Homemade yogurt costs less than $1/quart.
Try this homemade yogurt recipe that requires no special equipment.
Homemade pizzas are cheaper than even frozen pizzas. In fact, homemade pizzas cost $1.87.
And here are five reasons your homemade pizzas are not as tasty as you'd like.
4. Look for deals, like gift certificates and cashback
There are some small things you can do to eke a few more dollars out of your grocery budget.
For example:
- If you are a responsible credit card user, make sure to swipe a rewards credit card to do your grocery shopping. Considering signing up for a credit card that offers particularly good rewards for grocery purchases.
- Buy some grocery cards through Gift Card Granny
- Scan your receipts through an app like Ibotta or Fetch Rewards* to get points toward gift certificates
*If you sign up for Fetch, use code QG8V2 for a 4,000 point sign-up bonus.
5. Be a flexible eater
If you have a rigid set of items you want to eat, and you want to eat those items in specific combinations, it'll be tough to save money on groceries.
But if you are flexible, that can help in a multitude of ways.
For instance, a flexible person can:
- eat what's on sale
- eat what's in season
- eat extras given by another household (or extras from food pantry volunteering, like we do)
- eat leftovers
- eat clearance items
- eat odds and ends from the fridge, freezer, or pantry
- eat generic brand foods
- substitute ingredients in recipes to use what they have or what's cheap
6. Reset your thinking about food prices
According to Monthly Labor Review, households in 1917-1919 spent 41% of their income on food.
And according to the USDA, in 1960, the average American household spend 17% of their disposable income on food.
But in 2019, that average was down to less than 10%.
When you look at it like that, it's a little harder to feel sorry for ourselves about how expensive food is.
What did I miss? Add some more ideas to my list!
P.S. In case you missed it, here are the original five food inflation tips I published.
I love your way of thinking! We eat what’s on sale too. Right now I’m waiting for ‘beef for stew’ to come down to $4.99 a pound so we can have stroganoff! Last week I just laughed when I saw the price of $8.99/lb. LOL
@Becky, Ds who is at college sent me a text yesterday and said the beef stroganoff in the dining hall was "a disgrace compared to mine". I haven't made it probably 6 - 8 months because beef was so high. Guess who's getting a big pot of beef stroganoff next time he comes home?!? I'll stock up when there's a sale.
@Jennifer, share your recipe?
@Jennifer, meat prices are so extreme now -- I keep scouring the market for the reduced sales that have to be frozen or used right away but they aren't always available. And your son will be so happy!
@Holly,
2# chuck roast cut into 1 1/2" cubes, 4 TBSP butter, 3cans Campbell's beef consomme, 13 oz can sliced mushrooms, 1# bag of extra wide noodles, 16 oz sour cream, 4 TBSP all purpose flour
Brown beef cubes in butter until brown on most sides. Cover with consomme and add one can of water and mushrooms. Bake at 350ⁿ for at least two hours or longer until meat is tender. Boil noodles as directed. Take pot out of oven put on stove burner. In a separate bowl, mix sour cream and flour together. Bring pot to a medium bowl and stir to keep lumps from forming. The sauce should thicken within 5 - 7 MI grew, but could take a few more. When sauce is thickened, take off heat and add noodles. Enjoy!
NOTE: You can use more beef. You can use other pasta - I've used rotini in a pinch.
@Jennifer, thx!
@Becky, I make beef stroganoff in my crock pot which allows me to use a cheaper cut of beef and still great results.
@Becky, we make our stroganoff with ground beef. No ones complained yet lol
I all too well remember our hardest years, financially, when I made everything from scratch, had "meatless Mondays," didn't buy any sodas, cereals, convenience or snack foods, and it was still a challenge to feed a family of four on our little food budget. From those days, and from The Tightwad Gazette, I can offer this:
Don't bother with store-brand or generic cereal. Non-instant oatmeal or rice is still cheaper than store-brand or generic cereal. If you can buy oatmeal in bulk, it's normally even cheaper than the cartons of oatmeal, and rice often is cheaper when bought in bulk, but always cheap, period. Rice with milk, cinnamon and sugar or honey was one of my favorite breakfasts growing up.
Powdered milk is not always cheaper than fresh - it depends on what the milk prices were when the powdered milk was produced, not the current milk price. If a box makes 4 quarts of milk, is the price of the box of powdered milk less than a best-price gallon of fresh? If it is cheaper, get some powdered milk and use the reconstituted milk in cooking or to add to fresh milk to increase your fresh milk supply while disguising that powdered milk taste. Bonus -- you always have milk handy.
If you can find spices sold in bulk, they are hugely cheaper than bottled. Food co-ops and health food stores can be a source. There are online companies selling good spices at good prices.
Buy smaller-sized fruits. People eating fresh fruit such as apples, oranges or bananas typically eat one fruit, whatever the size. Smaller fruits mean more servings per pound.
Check per ounce/pound/use prices on things you don't think about because you are so used to buying it only one way; for example, family sized tea bags vs. individual sized bags vs. loose tea.
See if you can use a little less of an item than you normally use. You may find it doesn't make any noticeable difference.
Keep a price book so you know when you've found a good price. I'm sure I'm not the only one who will suggest that!
@JD, That's genius on the smaller size fruit! You're right, people will only eat one fruit!
@Sarah C., Also, weigh your 3#, 5# or 10# bags of produce. It can't be less than the listed weight, but it can sure be more. I've regularly found half a pound extra on the 3# and 5# bags and over a pound on the 10# bags.
@Sarah C., Do keep the amount of waste in mind when calculating best prices. Meat bones, fruit and vegetable cores and rinds, etc., add weight and therefore cost, though it might be only a small amount.
If you're eating apples one at a time, I agree that people will eat smaller ones. If (prices being otherwise equal) you're cutting them up for pie, you want bigger ones, because the cores aren't usually used.
@JD,
Smaller size fruit is my favorite tip!
Thanks for these tips! Food prices are rising here where I live too. We will be going to the States soon and I realize that we will probably spend quit a bit more there on food. So I appreciate these ideas!
Perfect timing:) I was just having a little heart to heart with my children the other night. It was all about eating out and how we are going to cut back. We were really bad about it this summer. Stopping to get fancy drinks as well as restaurant meals. Even the drive through it super expensive anymore. I received an offer from my credit card that if I bought a costco membership I would get the cost back as a credit on my statement. I went ahead and ordered one online. I'm going to check it out this weekend. As well as taking a trip through Aldi. I love that store, but there isn't one in a convenient location on my way home from work. Love the article!
@Jackie, we live in close proximity to several Costcos which changes some of the considerations. However, my husband and I figured out what we will buy consistently at Costco and determined it more than pays for itself in savings. For us, our only buy at Costco list includes laundry and dishwasher detergent, dog food, and allergy medicine.
We do buy other things there from time to time, but have figured out these items cover our costs and then some without the temptation to overbuy every time we go. (I also fill up my gas at Costco when in the area. Our car requires premium gas and it is often 80 cents per gallon cheaper than regular gas stations)
Anyway, just some thoughts in case you’re wondering where to start without going overboard.
Not an option for everyone, but . . . buying a whole (or maybe even half or quarter, although I can't say from personal experience, because we always get a whole) animal directly from the farmer/rancher often works out to be much cheaper than the same meat from the grocery store, along with being much better quality, better for the local economy, etc. Last time we got a whole cow, it worked out to $4/lb. And that's for everything, including the premium steaks and so on.
@kristin @ going country,
I was going to suggest the same thing, I paid around $5/pound for my side of beef last fall. Also get everything you can from the animal, the butcher has always asked if I want the soup bones and short ribs and I say yes. I’m going to look into also buying a pig next year.
Popcorn kernels is about the cheapest thing you can buy for snacks. An air popper is nice but I’ve made popcorn on the stovetop in a skillet many times. This was our go to snack when my son was little and money was tight
I was going to buy fresh chicken for a meal the other day and I was SHOCKED at how much it cost. Even a pack of tenders was $9. What did I do? I bought a 10 for $10 at our local gas station of fried chicken. I think I should milk that as long as I can (and I'm waiting for it to end but hoping it doesn't). You get two breasts, two thighs, two legs, two wings and two whatever they give you (usually thighs). We easily had two meals worth of chicken, and I don't consider fried chicken to be too bad for me, as we are of the school of thought where oil and fat are not harmful.
Very nice! I add (because I have read it, not because I have done it much) look at packaging to see what size serving is recommended. Or eat a smaller amount and give yourself a little while to see if you are full. Or eat the less expensive stuff first, (a salad, an apple, a glass of water before dinner), then see how much you really want of the meal.
Eat your portion sizes, not someone elses. After all these years, my husband has finally learned I won't eat as much meat as he does. He cooks more, yet plans to use leftovers in stir=fry. Get your mother's/father's/grandparent's/teacher's voice out of your head and eat what is sufficient for you.
@Heidi Louise, I concur with your suggestions. Cutting down on how much we put in our mouths at one sitting can be both healthier and a big money-saver. What's considered a "normal" portion today was a large portion when I was growing up. But my family also used the misguided "clean plate club" mantra and "starving children in Biafra" guilt-trip. There's a fascinating book by Brian Wansink called "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think" that was a real eye-opener for me. For example, I now use a smaller plate than my husband. I also save money and improve my health when I stop to think WHY I'm eating - is it truly hunger, or is there some emotion that's asking to be fed. Oftentimes it's the latter, so I find a healthier way to feed that need.
@MB in MN, Thanks MB! I agree.
Also, as Kristen has noted, what is considered a "meal" varies widely. It is possible to get the right nutrition from a seemingly strange combination of items, but it won't necessarily look like something you would be served in a restaurant or see pictured in a cookbook.
I love this post! I was recently really disappointed to see how high prices have gotten at our local commissary. It was always more affordable for us to shop there and it’s sad to see how they are immune to the inflated prices. It’s comforting to see tons of brand new Aldi stores going up! I love how there are still options for staying in budget. I feel like the occasional Starbucks trip/ice cream outing has become the exciting and special treat it used to be. I feel like our kids appreciate and enjoy these moments more now, which I love!
@Haley, but I used to really appreciate the ugly old ALDI stores where they didn’t advertise and it was very bare-bones and remarkably economical. Now the Aldis around here are so fancy and every town has a glamorous new store. And the prices reflect that, although still better than most groceries.
@Jenny, I agree! I grew up with Aldi nearby, but they’ve just recently started coming to our area where we are now. Thankfully, their prices still beat even the cheaper grocers and I’m so thankful for that! They were unbelievably dependable during the heat of Covid when most were limiting quantities of milk, etc. It was a huge blessing since we have 2 babies that drink (at the time) solely milk.
A couple of things for those of us who don't live in the US. Farmers markets or better yet the farmer may be able to provide you a great price for meat, fruit or veggies. Or grow your own if possible. We haven't bought many veggies over the summer as our garden has provided them. Plus I'm now madly preserving, freezing and dehydrating our summer bounty to use in the winter.
Our motor association has a deal where if you buy gift cards from them you receive 5% back on your account (including grocery store ones!) The cards are reloadable online. Its easy peazy to use and then I can use that money to pay my membership or buy more grocery gift cards.
Make a meal plan from what you have in your pantry/freezers first and then fill in the needed ingredients.
Shop the sale flyers to make up any other meals/snacks you may need.
We get meat at a local meat market/butchery. Everything there is fresh, nothing processed and tastes wonderful! And it's cheaper than meat in the store. We don't eat a lot of meat, so one visit keeps our freezer stocked for a few months.
My 3 best takeaways from Kristen over the years: yogurt. 4 quarts for half the price of one tub, not even to mention individual serving ones. Granola: makes everything better. Pizza: this is now a family tradition. And a bargain as well. Can I put in a plug for Michael Symon’s Daily Dinners? He started this early in the pandemic and did one every day - most are from pantry staples. All the recipes are on the Food Network website.
Also, the snacky dinner is a winner!!!
After making pizza at home for so long (and being able to put whatever I want on it, including as much pepperoni as I can!), the thought of paying money for pizza is appalling to me. It's less expensive and faster making it at home.
I shop local farmer's markets and buy in season produce when possible. I also garden and plant stuff I know I will eat and that I can preserve through canning, freezing or dehydrating. I'm also open to different ways of using foods that I may not have originally considered--like the tons of carrot tops I had after picking carrots. They were made into carrot top pesto, which went into the freezer! Right now, I have tons of basil, oregano, rosemary and sage I need to pick from my herb bed. It will all be dried and used this winter.
I have a long list of recipes that require pork butt/pork shoulder. It is a naturally less expensive cut of meat but when the price drop a dollar per pound, I buy a roast. If it drops two dollars, I buy two roasts.
We will always have a use for this cut of meat (Carnitas, al pastor, orange ancho pork, slowcooker "barbecue") and it is especially tasty when on sale.
@Rebekah in SoCal, Boston butts are on sale here in NC for .99# and they are around 7 - 8# each. I usually buy 4 and will cut up 2 and freeze 2. One of our favorite meals is to cook the butt in plenty of water and a can of Ro-tel for hours until fork tender, then add cabbage to the pot and cook until the cabbage is done. One pot meal that makes plenty of meals.
@Rebekah in SoCal, Kroger here in Texas has pork shoulder for .99 cents/lb. My price went from $56 to $19 when they applied my store card!
I know this isn't an option for everyone but see if a friend or family member might want to split something that's bought in bulk. I've split things like watermelons, big packages of oatmeal, cheese, box of mangoes, big bag of spinach and even non-perishables like ziploc bags and bulk jugs of cleaning supplies. I can't get through the whole package (and often don't have the space to store all of it) but I can get through half!
@CrunchyCake, I “gift” my daughter the buy one get one free specials and we often split the large size garlic, onions etc from BJ’s.
We have found that eating a few vegetarian main meals helps reduce grocery costs.
Herbs and spices are cheaper in bulk, providing, of course, they are used fast enough not to go off.
Growing fruit and herbs also helps. So far, I haven't found that growing vegetables actually saves money.
@Sarah,
I buy my spices in bulk at the food co-op where I often shop, but I can buy as little at a time as I want, as long as they can weigh it. Ordering online, that would probably not be possible, but I can do it all the time at my co-op. You are right that spices bought in big quantities need to be used or shared before they "expire." That's a good point to bring up.
@Sarah, I think it depends on what you grow. For example, it is much, much cheaper to grow basil and turn any extra (at summer's end) into pesto that you freeze. We eat leeks almost on a daily basis, so growing a hundred plus during the summer (and freezing excess for the winter) is much cheaper than buying leeks/onions at the grocery store. Lettuce is another money saver, especially if you like romaine. Over the years I have figured out what we should plant and what we should just buy at the grocery store or farmers market.
This is not a quick fix but if you have the land and time, consider starting a small garden. The return we've gotten on our green beans, peppers, tomatoes, and squash (or even just one of those alone) compared to what we've paid to get them growing is totally worth it. Winter is a great time to plan and do some research. If you have a friend that's also gardening you can split seed packets if you don't need all of the seeds. Not everyone needs 50 tomato plants! Sometimes friends will also have extra plants that they've started. The Dollar Tree sells seed packets 4/$1. I don't expect grocery prices to go back down, so this could be a help to some in the long-term.
@Ruth T, With wildfires and droughts, seeds might be harder to find next spring. You can buy them now and keep them for another season, (certainly anything from any dollar store should be a fairly hardy variety).
After years of making everything pretty much from scratch, this year I have been buying some healthy prefab foods. Chicken tikka, pulled pork, etc. My husband and I have both been working longer hours in the pandemic than we’ve worked in years. 60+ hour weeks have become the norm ( I own my own business, and he’s the editor of out small town newspaper). We add lots of vegetables in or as sides and these have been a lifesaver. And now, so many restaurants are close din our town because of a Delta spike that it’s almost impossible to get takeout even if you wanted to!
The food prices are definitely skyrocketing. Timely post!
In addition to what has already been said, I would add to watch for sales if a holiday is coming up soon. For instance, ground beef is at a good price in our area ($1.99/pound) this week due to the upcoming Labor Day holiday. I bought extra to freeze for those times when it isn't as affordable. In the weeks before Thanksgiving, you can get turkey inexpensively. We typically purchase an extra one, cook it up, portion it out, and freeze it. Voila--pre-cooked poultry to throw in recipes! Ditto with ham at Christmas. I also stock up on baking items and butter in the pre-Christmas and pre-Easter sales season. Butter can be frozen, flour and chocolate chips are usually on sale .... you get the idea.
I know Kristen does this, as well, although it isn't added in her list of handy tricks--if you go to a farmer's market, get to know which vendors will sell you seconds. Bruised apples make great applesauce. Bruised peaches can be frozen and added to all sorts of things, including smoothies. My husband likes to buy a $5 bag of assorted types of squash which he then cooks up and freezes. (if you have the space, an extra freezer is super helpful for taking advantage of sales--I prefer the upright style--easier on your back, easier to locate what you are looking for).
When you buy bags of potatoes, apples, oranges, onions, etc., put a few different bags on the scale in the produce department and pick the one that weighs more than the listed weight. You'd be surprised how much the weight can be off in your favor.
The convenience of dry or canned milk is great, even if the price sometimes is not. I can't drink dairy milk, but have a few recipes that won't work without it. If my son, who drinks regular milk, doesn't have any on hand, I can mix up some dry or canned milk for cooking. So it is always good to have it on hand.
Oh yes, I have definitely noticed the weight thing with bags of oranges. Sometimes the weight is off by a pound!
For those who don't make their own pizza dough, buy a loaf of French or Italian bread. At WM, they are $1. They are large and make alot. I don't buy pizza sauce or make my own, but I always have a can of Hunt's pasta sauce (.92 at WM) in the cabinet.
@Jennifer, we use naan bread or greek style pitas and just regular pasta sauce. Same idea as your French bread and they taste great as pizza. Sometimes it's plain cheese pizza for a quick lunch and sometimes it's gourmet. I try to keep a few packages of these in the deep freeze.
If you eat meat, find out when your grocer puts out the markdowns that are close to expiration. Cook or freeze that day.
I don't have an Aldi or a Lidl anywhere close but in my town WINCO has excellent prices and a huge bulk section. The bulk bins were shut down during the first year of the pandemic and it killed me to pay full price for jarred spices in the spice isle.
Someone else mentioned checking the serving sizes on packages and eating just that much. I watched some videos on youtube where people ate the suggested serving sizes of the same or similar foods in the UK compared to the US. The US serving sizes tended to be much bigger!
Boy, I had not realized how much less I pay for food than my grandparents did, as a percentage of my paycheck. Thank you for that reminder -- it actually helps 😉
One way to save on fruit is to be open to cutting things like melons and pineapples. The price per pound is pretty low.
The biggest increase we have seen has been with meat/fish. We are only buying meat that is on sale and freezing it. Sometimes the best deal comes in a bulk pack so we freeze in portions. We are also swapping beans for some of the meat in soups and stews as beans are still cheap and they're good for you.
We also make our own stock with leftover bones and veggies scraps we store in a baggie in the freezer. The only "stock" I do buy is the powdered stuff which is way cheaper than the liquid version and adds extra flavor without needing the actual meat.
We normally use an online grocer as the prices in NYC are the same there as in a brick-and-mortar store, and it would cost us more to take the bus there than delivery costs per order. Our local grocery store is usually much more expensive except for deli and some items we check the circular for each week.
Although we started doing this long ago, we don't buy ready made drinks for home anymore. I only drink tea and he drinks coffee so we make our own, even iced tea. The rest of the time we drink water.
My biggest money saving tip is to eat less meat. It’s hard to beat dried beans for price or nutrition. Miso and liquid smoke are excellent ways to add a meaty taste to vegan meals. There are thousands of delicious bean recipes in the world, especially if you start looking into the cuisines of other nations.
You can also use smaller amounts of meat- serve more vegetable heavy stews, stir fries, and salad. Serve fewer roasts and chops.
The growing food prices are hitting those of us with dietary needs the hardest. Gluten free for example can be a struggle for some things. And if the company can slap on more than one free tag like gluten free, lactose free etc they can increase the prices further! Celiscs must have everything 100% gluten free or we get sick. People dont understand its an autoimmune disease that makes our bodies attack itself when we have even a crumb of gluten.
Hmm.... don`t grocery shop in Canada?? Oops, can`t do that one, bummer! 🙁
I`m still blowned away by the cheap prices of USA grocery compared to ours. I wish!
(it`s all in good humor, I`m not resentfull, it`s life!)
@Isa, As a fellow Canadian I'm not resentful exactly but I am a bit envious! I saw a jar of mayonnaise today for 8.99 and no, it wasn't a giant jar, just an average sized jar. I almost wanted to cry.
If you have capacity to purchase meat in bulk, now is the time to start finding a local farmer. The price per pound split between the farmer and the processor is much lower than the grocery store price.
Thank you Kristen
Re: Aldi Their condiments are less expensive. The steak sauce is 99 cents locally compared to the much higher price A1, which my husband always liked. He said Aldi product is satisfactory. And he was a Hellman's person but he finds Aldi mayo satisfactory. If you like Dave's bread, a less expensive alternative for you may be Aldi 12 grain.
Re: Pizza I do make my own crusts sometimes but when I see naan marked down I buy it for a quick and easy pizza. I try to keep a small can of tomatoes on the shelf and I usually have a collection of cheeses that I buy when they are on sale. It is a quick, easy, inexpensive meal compared to $20 for a 12" cheese and a 12" pepperoni from the local garage pizza take out. I want to support local, but sometimes you have to consider upcoming expenses, i.e. the new 'fridge. (Thankfully I ordered it yesterday, because the present one totally died last night.) Also, naan is also good toasted--kind of like fried dough without the oil.
Waffle/egg sandwich or just waffles. My daughter bought me a mini waffle maker. When the new 'fridge comes in, I will make up a batch so that I have something to eat early on the mornings I go to work (only 3 mornings every 2 wks.) I bought the protein pancake/waffle mix at Aldi, which is a lot less expensive than some other protein mixes but when I did a comparison, the Aldi mix is higher in sugar.
I do like the homemade granola and usually have ingredients on hand; but in lieu of granola (home or store-bought) for my morning yogurt, I use rice chex. I need the yogurt, fruit and a crunch. I buy plain whole milk yogurt (my preference is Cabot whole milk plain Greek but it can be expensive. My second is Aldi whole milk plain Greek and I stir in my own honey. The flavored yogurt is very high in sugar. It's less expensive for me to buy as to make. I buy one a week for my breakfast.
Another inexpensive home item is ice cream. When we go to the local farm ice cream stand, it is now $4.50-$5.50+ for a kiddie size. There is plenty of ice cream. My grandchildren like the waffle cone ($1 upcharge) vs my sugar cone--same thing and sometimes they want sprinkles or whatever (extra). A box of waffle cones, a couple of liters of ice cream on sale, and maybe some sprinkles can feed the whole family at the same price. Again, save the support for the local business for a special occasion.
If you go out to a restaurant, have your cocktail or wine at home if you would like. The cost of alcohol at a restaurant adds quite a bit to the bill. Maybe even plan dessert at home after your stomach has rested.
Check your area for a FlashFood station or refrigerator. I didn’t know what it was a few months ago. Now I’ve been buying meat and veggies like crazy. The savings is real. Kristen I’ll share my code with you and we both get some credit. Then pass your code on 😉
We adulterate some of our foods. For tacos or other loose burger recipes I add some shredded zucchini, as I grow a lot of it and shred and freeze it so it is available to us almost all winter. (For those who wonder if a garden is worth it, one container with one zucchini plant will give you way, way more vegetable than you would pay for one zucchini in the store.)
Rhubarb is one of the few edible perennials that thrive in northern Alaska. We hve two plants and they supply an abundance of rhubarb. Neither of us likes it in pie form because it takes too much sugar but I cook it up and add it to the applesauce I make each year when apples cost the least in the grocery store every fall. It stretches the apple sauce so saves us money.
The milk we buy is full fat but I pull off about a quart from a gallon and replace it with water, stretching a gallon. Although, lately we have been drinking it with a few cubes of ice in the glass, which does the same thing because we use less while drinking it watered down this way. I tried the trick of replacing some of the milk with powdered milk but the husband could taste it but is fine with having it watered down. He says it tastes like 2% to him.
Hey, there! Thanks for the links for all these tips. Every little bit helps with groceries these days!
My method of making yogurt is a lot lazier than yours. I thought I had commented with it on your original yogurt post, but didn't see it when I scrolled through the other day. Anyway, my method uses only one pot (with lid) and one spoon. Here it is in case anyone is daunted by the amount of transferring, dishes, use of thermometer, etc yogurt making seems to entail. If you're lazy like me, you can still make yogurt:
1. Pour some milk into the pot (the amount you use roughly equals the amount of yogurt you will get) and heat it until it's almost boiling. (Sometimes I walk away and it boils over which makes a big mess on the stove, but will still make yogurt, so all is not lost if the milk actually boils. But also don't be like me and end up scrubbing scalded milk off your stove top because that is decidedly not lazy.)
2. Turn off heat and put the lid on. Wait. (Now you can safely walk away!)
3. Come back and check on the temperature of the milk using your hand! Can you put your hand on the outside of the pot? Too hot still? Walk away. Feels just warm and toasty? Check inside by sticking your (cleanish) finger into the milk. Didn't hurt? It's ready for the starter. (You want your milk to be about body temperature. This takes about an hour or so depending on your room temperature.)
4. Stir in some yogurt starter (can use a spoonful or two of store-bought yogurt with live cultures, an ice cube or two of frozen whey from last time, the scrapings from your last batch or even one of those store-bought yogurt culture packets. I've used all of these and they all work as long as what you use contains active cultures.
5. Put the lid back on and shove the pot into the oven (turned off) and leave it there. If it's winter and cold in your house, you can turn the oven on for a minute or two before you put the pot in just to warm it up, but turn it off once the pot is in.
6. Wait about 12 hours. I generally go to bed. Or, you know, waste time online until I fall asleep on the couch.
7. In the morning, check your pot. Does it look like yogurt? Yay! You're done! Shove the whole pot into the fridge. Still looks like milk? Leave it longer. If you've waited 24 hours and it's still not yogurt, you can repeat the process of stirring in starter because it's possible you put it in when the milk was too hot. You do not need to give up on it unless it smells off. Sometimes it just takes longer to "yogurt" especially if it's cold in your house.
8. I usually just keep the pot of yogurt and a ladle in the fridge and dole it out over the week, adding fruit, granola, sugar, etc to individual bowls. I tend to stir the whey (yellow liquid) back in, but you can also strain it out if you want thicker yogurt.
Sam's club is running a special until the end of the month (I think) that makes the membership free. It was $45 to sign up and then you get $45 off your first purchase.
My family switched to eating mostly home made, unprocessed foods and our grocery bill went WAY down. (And so did my waistline!). As long as I stick to buying "ingredients" at Sam's and not convenience foods, the savings will be really good. Coconut oil, raisins, fish, and nuts were all several dollars cheaper per pound and we eat a lot of those!
There's a produce wholesaler near me that sells to the public. The only catch is that you have to have a plan for 18 lbs of grapes, 25 lbs of apples, 30 lbs of beets, etc. They don't sell in just 1 or 2 lb bundles. I'm still trying to think of how I can take advantage of the wholesale prices without wasting. Canning doesn't make sense for us because so many canning recipes require sugar and my husband is diabetic.
@Liz,
Maybe some things can be frozen?
@Liz, Buy with a friend and divide it up.
I'm vegetarian and have felt much less impact of higher prices, from what I can tell, than meat eaters. I recommend lots of seasonal produce in salads, slaws, soups, curries/stews, and top with a protein like lentils, black beans, garbanzos, seeds or peanuts, or shredded cheese. My current favorite is a cabbage based coleslaw with thinly sliced carrots, celery, and green pepper, dressed with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, a little salt and pepper and celery seed. Current favorite topper is black beans and a sprinkle of chili powder (the spice mix, not straight chilies). Keeps in the fridge for days and refreshing inhot steamy weather!
I’d say recognize that every meal doesn’t need to be exciting or an original creation.
I eat the same, cheap meal quite often for lunch- and I make it in bulk. So easy.
1 pound of dry lentils
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1.5 cans of water (I use the can)
(Optional - a sautéed onion and a few chopped carrots, a hot pepper, curry powder, cumin, and turmeric to taste.
This makes 4-5 generous servings
Another suggestion is to grow easy things like basil, parsley, other herbs. These aren’t cheap in the store, and you can make pesto out of the basil