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Cutting Grocery Costs

Buggy full of groceries

That buggy full of food is costing more and more, but you can cut costs with some planning.

With prices on gas, food, and clothing steadily on the rise, we are all looking for ways to cut costs. While you can reduce gas expenses by cutting down on travel and you can postpone buying new clothes, you can’t eliminate grocery costs. After all, you gotta eat!

But there are some simple ways to be frugal when buying groceries. Read on to see how you can cut grocery costs on your next trip to the store.

1. Buy what’s on sale

Take advantage of BOGOS, weekly specials, and other discounts. Use the store’s weekly flyers–easily found online–to determine what deals are available, and shop accordingly. Maybe you were looking for chicken breasts, but thighs are on sale. Buy the thighs and wait for the breasts to go on sale.

Use weekly fliers to help you plan ahead, make a list, and stick to it at the store. Download the apps of your favorite grocery stores, scroll through the ads, and search for downloadable coupons to help you fight inflation in a real, weekly way by controlling your grocery spending!

Download a grocery store app

By downloading the apps for your favorite local grocery stores, you can find digital coupons and weekly specials.

2. Buy in bulk

Buy in bulk to save grocery costs

Buying certain foods in bulk can stretch your grocery budget a great deal.

Shoppers can save a great deal by buying in bulk. Large packages of meats, cheeses, and frozen vegetables are usually less expensive per pound or ounce. If you have the space, you can store dry goods like grains and lentils in airtight containers in your pantry.

According to underthemedian.com, “You can expect to save between 30 and 75 percent off of the prices you would pay at traditional grocery stores on similar items by buying in bulk”.

3. Start a “meatless Monday” tradition

Since the price of beef, pork, and poultry seems to be rising faster than the price of plant-based foods, you can save money by having meatless meals.

Focusing on plant proteins, vegetables, whole grains, and fruit can not only lower your grocery bill; it provides a number of health benefits as well. Cost-effective dishes like macaroni and cheese or vegetable lasagna can please the whole family, and no one will miss the meat.

Tasty meatless meals

For ideas on tasty meatless meals, check out the recipes at Just a Pinch website, https://www.justapinch.com/blog/articles/read/240474/11-healthy-meatless-meals/

4. Don’t waste leftovers

Maybe you’ve grown tired of the chili that got you through the weekend–don’t throw it out. Place the leftover chili in a small container, label its contents and the date you’re freezing it, and use it on hot dogs or baked potatoes later in the month. Small portions of vegetables can also be frozen and used in soup and stews. Leftover berries can help you create delicious smoothies, and overly ripe bananas can be frozen and used in banana nut bread. Be creative with your leftovers! With inflation at the highest rate in forty years, being frugal is more important than ever.

5. Consider batch cooking

Batch cooking is a way to save money

Frozen batches of cooked brown rice can simplify meal prepping on busy weeknights.

Batch cooking–cooking larger portions of food so you can store some for later–has become quite popular in the past few years. Many cooks find time on the weekends or slow weeknights to cook in large batches, saving time and money.

While batch cooking relies on the “make more and freeze” technique, it can also involve weekly planning. For example, cook enough rice for Tuesday’s stir-fried chicken and rice casserole, as well as for Thursday’s Mexican rice bowls. Having the rice for both dishes already prepared makes meal prepping a lot easier and can help you control costs.

6. The freezer is your friend

Take advantage of marked-down meats by storing them in your freezer to save money. Consider seasoning or marinating the meat before freezing for even easier meal prep. Buy summer fruits in season; then bag and store them for later. In the dreary winter months, you’ll appreciate bags of berries and diced pineapple in your freezer. Likewise, buy peppers in season, and chop and freeze them in storage bags for easy stir-fry meals down the road.

So, despite the high costs of groceries, you can still save money and eat well. By planning ahead, shopping sales, and using your freezer space wisely, you can cut your grocery bill and reap the benefits of smart shopping.

—- Bottom Line —-

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