Tips To Save Money On Groceries

How To Plan Your Grocery Budget Step By Step

Once you’ve reviewed your previous grocery spending habits and considered your family’s eating habits, take the time to sit down to plan your budget and create your shopping list. Follow these steps below:

1. Set A Budget. Set a budget for your grocery shopping, whether weekly or monthly. Make sure that the budget is realistic and aligns with your income and financial goals.
2. Create A Meal Plan. Create a meal plan for the week or month, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. To save money and to minimize food waste, choose recipes that use similar ingredients. Having a meal plan allows you to stay organized, make efficient grocery lists, and helps make sure that you have everything you need for balanced, delicious meals.
3. Make a Shopping List. Write down all the ingredients needed for your meal plan. It helps to break down all the dishes in your meal plan by ingredients so that you won’t forget anything. Make sure to include other staples you may need such as cooking oil, spices, and pantry items like rice or pasta for efficient shopping and meal preparation process.
4. Check Your Pantry. Before heading to the store, double check your pantry for items that are on your list that you still might have. I usually have to check the upper shelves or items at the back for good measure, and I often find unused canned goods and other forgotten food items. Adjust your shopping list based on what you find in your pantry.
5. Track Your Spending. Once you’re finished with your shopping, keep a record of your grocery expenses each week or month from here on out. Monitor your spending through a record notebook, an online spreadsheet, or a budgeting app. Compare your actual spending to your budget and make adjustments as needed.
6. Adjust and Improve. After a few shopping trips, you’ll be able to get a clear insight of your shopping and spending habits. Identify areas where you can cut back or remove completely. You’ll be able to refine your meal planning and shopping strategies as time goes by.

Smart Shopping

If you’ve mapped out your grocery budget and jotted down your grocery list, you aren’t out of ways to save yet. Save money on groceries by taking advantage of these smart shopping strategies:

• Don’t Feel Shy About Comparing Prices. If there are staples that you tend to buy every week, keep track of how much those items cost at different grocery stores near you. The extra effort will pay off when you know you’re getting the cheapest price for an item you need.
• Buy Bulk. Set aside some time to make a few dishes with the same bulk items. For example, buy chicken breast in bulk and use them to make herb-crusted chicken or Ruth’s Chris stuffed chicken. Drawing from two cuisines will prevent you from feeling like you’re eating the same meal endlessly. Plus, you can freeze the leftovers for later: your future self will thank you.
• Don’t Fall For Marketing Tricks. If an item appears to be on sale but isn’t in its normal location, make sure to compare it to similar products in the aisle where it is normally found to see whether you’re actually getting the best price. 
• Shop Seasonally. Print out a poster of seasonal fruits and veggies and keep it on your fridge to inspire you when you make your weekly grocery list. Seasonal food tends to be cheaper, tastier and more environmentally friendly. Farmer’s markets, community gardens, co-ops and bulk-buying clubs are great sources of seasonal produce.
• Think Carefully About Convenience Foods. Pre-chopped ingredients, like diced vegetables, are almost always more expensive than their counterparts. But if a jar of minced garlic gets used while regular garlic will go to waste, the more convenient option may be worth the higher price point.

Proper Food Storage

Did you know that refrigerating potatoes actually harms their taste and texture? To maximize your food’s potential, look up how to store each item properly before putting it away. 

You should also think carefully about the storage methods that will work best for you. For example, you might want to invest in clear containers so that you can see what food you already have in your fridge at a glance. Here are other food storage ideas to help prevent food waste:

• Refrigerate Perishables Right Away. It’s ideal to put away perishable foods like meat, dairy, and prepared foods as soon as you get home. This will help maintain their freshness and prevent quick spoilage.
• Use The Right Containers. Every type of food has a type of container that best maintains its freshness and quality. For example, dry goods like grains and cereals in airtight containers to keep them fresh and protect them from pests. I like to keep my nuts, seeds, and sauces in Mason jars. Experiment with various shapes and sizes to find out which ones work best for extending the lifespan of your food items.
• Organize Your Fridge and Pantry Regularly. When you organize your kitchen regularly, particularly the refrigerator and pantry, you’ll know where everything is and you’ll be able to easily locate items that you need. This way, you won’t forget that you have that big bag of oats tucked away in the back and reduce the chances of it going to waste. It also helps to label containers with the date of storage and expiration date so that they can be used before they expire.
• Store Raw Meats Separately. Many food items go to waste because they spoil before they are used. Cross-contamination of foods makes them go bad, so it’s important to keep your raw meats separate from other items, specifically ready-to-eat food. Meat should be stored, properly wrapped, in the fridge following this top-to-bottom order: whole fish, whole cuts of meat (beef and pork), ground meats and fish, and whole and ground poultry. 
• Keep Your Fridge In The Right Temperature. To reduce the risk of spoilage and maintain the quality and safety of food, keep your fridge at 40 F or below and your freezer at 0 F. Being stored in the right temperatures will help dairy products and fresh vegetables last as long as possible