Before the U.S. economy took this radical downturn, Americans didn’t really worry too much about groceries. Most people could buy food to put together healthy meals for their families, spending a reasonable amount. Times have changed and now everyone is looking for ways to save on groceries. While nutritionists are still urging us to consume those 5-9 servings of produce each day, prices of these nutritious foods are getting out of hand. What we all need is a careful, well planned grocery shopping strategy to do the best we can, within the confines of our budgets. Here, we offer some general strategies to help you meet your objectives and serve nutritious meals as well.
Making a weekly menu is essential. Use a monthly calendar, so that you can pencil in that leftover meatloaf for another meal next week. The reason a weekly menu is so important is because you’ll have an exact list of what you need to fulfill it. This reduces impulse buying, one of the biggest food budget busters. This is particularly true when your cupboards are close to empty and you go to the grocery store hungry. The weekly menu is one giant step towards saving on groceries.
If you have the freezer space, take advantage of meat sales in bulk packs. When you get home, separate meal sized portions and wrap in foil. This saves space in the freezer. Mark your packages with date purchased and contents.
When buying canned goods, check out the dollar type stores. These goods usually come from little markets which have gone out of business, or manufacturer’s excess. Do check expiration dates, but there’s really nothing wrong with these foods. The cost? Typically, about a third of what the cheapest ’superstore’ charges. This type of saving on groceries applies to more than canned goods. You’ll also be able to pick up pasta, crackers, cookies and frozen goods – such as produce – at similar savings. Other household items, such as toiletries, paper towels, dish soap and shampoos makes this stop a profitable trip in your objective of saving on grocery bills.
Allocate your food budget on a weekly basis. However, if you drink coffee and know you’ll be buying it again next week, stock up on good sales. You’ll be money ahead in the end. Many staples can be stockpiled in this strategy. Butter, rice, pasta, mayo and other non-perishables can add significantly to the art of saving on groceries.
When shopping for non-perishable packaged and canned goods at the supermarket, you’ll save substantial amounts on the generic brands. Many fruits and vegetables end up in the generic brand can because the name brand manufacturer had an excess. It may be the very same product!
If you’ve got to choose between lots of meat or plenty of produce, go with less meat and more produce. Americans are used to eating great quantities of protein, far more than you need. Dishes made with rice or pasta as the base, with smaller quantities of meat and generous amounts of produce makes a perfectly nutritious, tasty and one-dish economical family meal.
Saving on groceries is an art. With a little practice, these strategies and a bit of imagination, you can easily cut your food budget by 30-40%. The last word? Use coupons!
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