One thing that i recently started implementing to save more money on groceries is preparing a bulk of quick foods on the weekend. I make a big pot of soup, a big bowl of salad and snack size portions of fruit and chips. This helps encourage us to eat healthier because it is visible and convenient. Often times i would go for unhealthier options because they would require less physical work. They could be ready in 1 minute and i wouldn’t have to chop, wash or peel them. Now instead of having a piece of cake i have some fruit. Now instead of eating a whole bag of chips in 2 servings, we have single serve ziploc pouches that allow snacks to stretch longer periods of time. This also helps us save money because we can take quick snacks or lunches that I’ve pre-made instead of buying fast food. For quick and easy healthy recipes, follow our food & drink board on Pinterest Here!
Below are 10 other things to keep in mind when shopping to save money on groceries!
1. Stick to your list! How many times have you gone grocery shopping for a few things and you end up with a cart full of unnecessary items? Don’t shop while you are hungry and only get exactly what’s on your list. If you see a 10 for 10 deal , get exactly how many you need. Most of these advertised deals work with fewer items, check the fine print to be sure!
2. Coupons! Coupons are great but they only save you money when you only use them for things on your list. Getting a coupon for something makes you feel like your saving money, but they can also convince you to get things extra items just because you’ll save a few cents. Another thing to do when using a coupon is to compare prices. Often times we get a coupon for an item but end up ditching it because the price still is more expensive than an non-discounted item. You can find great coupons from coupons.com and you can get cash back using the app Checkout 51!
3. Try off brands! This may not work for everyone as some people like specific brands for certain foods. I am not loyal to any brand of food, i buy the cheapest or healthier option. I save so much money on condiments, sauces and pasta by buying the store brand or brands that aren’t as advertised. Have you ever compared active ingredients on pharmaceuticals or cleaning products vs the name brand. A lot of times i find off brand have the same ingredients but for half the cost of name brands!
4. Do it Yourself Whenever you can! Buying fruits or veggies that are pre-cut is a great way to waste money. Instead buy vegetables and choose a day to wash and cut them into convenient portions for later. You can keep half refrigerated and half frozen so you have less food going unused. I found that i would buy a lot of healthy foods with good intentions but end up not using them before they would rot. When healthy options are convenient, you are more likely to use them!
5. Don’t pay more for convenience! This includes buying groceries from local pharmacies (Walgreens and CVS) as well as buying foods that are quick serve. Some examples of things that are more expensive to buy premade are broths, microwaveable rice, canned beans, diced or shredded chicken.
6. Compare prices! A lot of grocery stores make it easy to compare prices because they list prices per oz on the pricing labels. Another tip is to compare weekly ads for the items you need. A mobile app Retale, lets you compare weekly ads for store near you! Walmart and target price match so you can cut down on going to multiple stores!
7. Certain things are cheaper in bulk, some things are not! Don’t always assume bigger sizes means bigger deals. As the tip above states, always compare price per oz on price labels. A rule of thumb, most cost per item or pound when it comes to fruits and vegetables seem to be more expensive then their prepackaged bag option. Usually, you can snag a better deal on fruit and veggies that are in a pound bags.
8. Shop at the dollar store! The dollar store has a lot of great bargains for food and household items. I like to buy minced garlic, sea salt, seasonings, dry herbs, salad dressing, soy milk and sauces (teriyaki, soy, and hot wing) . If you like white bread, you can count on getting a huge wonder bread loaf for $1.
9. Freeze food for later use! Freezing foods give you the option to extend the shelf life of your food, thus giving you more bang for your buck. If you find that you are constantly throwing foods away before you can use them, google ways to either freeze them or make them last longer. I was able to find ways to make celery, potatoes and other foods last longer so i i wasted less $$ !
10. Buy foods that will be used multiple ways! Trying out new recipes sometimes causes us to buy an ingredient to use one time. You can use alllrecipes.com or Pinterest to find recipes using a certain ingredient. If you will only use an ingredient once, you can also substitute it for a similar herb, spice or etc that you already have.
Want more? Here are some great links to help you save money while grocery shopping!
What are some of your tips to saving money on food? Are any of these tips helpful? I would love to hear from you below! Thanks for reading!
PureBlogs 
Great stuff. Another tip if you grow fresh herbs you can freeze them mixed with chicken stock or olive oil in a nice cube tray. Just pop out of tray and into pan or store in freezer bag til ready to use.
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