I don't know about you, but my grocery budget keeps expanding. Food is expensive! I have been trying to find ways to save money. So, I came up with a few ideas that might help YOU to save money as well. If you are one of those that have made the decision to start eating more whole, organic foods, you have probably noticed that it can be pricey, depending on where you shop.
So here are my tips and then I am going to ask you to share with us!
Shop as thouroughly as you can to avoid those last minute trips to the store. It seems like I always come out with more than I went in for. Plus, those unexpected expeditures will drain the remainder of your grocery budget you were depending on.
Know where to shop. Find your places where you know you can find the best prices on things and stick with them. Don't go to expensive places like Life Source unless you can afford to do so. There are cheaper places. I do my shopping mostly all between Bridgeport Farm and Garden, Azure Standard(through Bridgeport store) and Trader Joe's. I can find what I need there.
Avoid prepackaged foods. They are pricey and typically unhealthy.
Always save your leftovers. I buy a 4 pack of these little freezer containers at the Dollar Store in town. I fill em up and keep them in the freezer for lunches on those days where there is nothing else or I might pull out a couple for dinner in a pinch. I also send leftovers to work with my husband to avoid the expenditure of him eating fast food at work.
Double up recipes every once in awhile and freeze an extra meal to use for those nights when you just have no time or energy to cook. It seems like the times I give in to spending money on eating out is when I am tired, there seems like there is no food in the house or I don't have the time.
If you eat chicken, buy some of your chicken whole. Cooking a whole chicken saves a ton of money because not only do you get the meat, but you also get a ton of healthy broth to use in recipes. You can freeze the extra meat and broth.
Plant a garden and preserve the extra for use during the winter months.
Speaking of freezers. Keep it organized. Whenever mine gets messy I "lose" food in it and by the time I figure out it's there it's freezer burned. Knowing what you have will absolutely make a difference in your budget. This goes for the fridge and cupboards as well.
This is where YOU step in. PLEASE share your grocery money saving hints and tips with us! I would love to hear them and I'm surely not the only one that could benefit from this information. If you are part of my Facebook page, please leave your comments there so everyone can see them!
How can we save money and reduce waste in our kitchens??
We are meat eaters. We try to stretch out our meat meals with beans, as they are still a great source of protein, but tend to be way cheaper. We will fix half the meat we would have in the old economy and add beans.
ReplyDeleteWe co-op gardened with Ron's mom and dad this year and I gotta say, I suck. Yes, I have been recuperating from two surgeries, but still I have no excuses for my inability to grow food well. Half our seeds did not come up, half of what did died in the last frost, and the rest is pitifully small. On the brighter note, we harvested our first leaf lettuce and I am fixing a salad for the fam tonight with it. One less I gotta buy!
As far as buying. I like the Winco in South Salem. It has many gluten free products and in bulk too! I have found the same things there for half the price they are at TJs across the street. :)
Using more beans is a great tip!
DeleteIs that seriously a picture of your freezer? You are so organized it kind of makes me sick! I really like those tins you freeze your leftovers in. I should go pick some up!
ReplyDeleteWhen we are low on grocery money I buy eggs...from you. Towards the end of the month it is pretty much a guarantee that we will consistently eat breakfast for dinner. It's really cheap!
Lots and lots of canning. The start up cost is small as the items can be found at garage sales. It does take time, but I will exchange my time for great quality food for my family. Besides when you open the jar during the winter, for a moment the smell of summer hits you and it is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I must say, if that's your freezer, maybe you need to do about a whole month of blogs on how you do it. I cut down our grocery budget by making a meatless meal once a week.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the all the comments. And NO, that is NOT my freezer! I stole that photo off the internet. Heck no, I'm not THAT organized!
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