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Money-Saving Strategy #1: Purchase Seasonal Produce
Produce that’s in season is at the peak of its growing cycle, so there’s an abundance of it. This means it’s less expensive than it is during the time of year when there’s less available. In addition to being a good value, seasonal produce also tastes the best, since it’s picked when it’s in its prime.
How-to: When produce is in season, there tends to be a lot of it available, and it’s usually on sale. To find out what’s in season now, visit the Produce for Better Health website.
Money-Saving Strategy #2: Go Semi-Vegetarian
Animal proteins like beef, poultry and fish are always big-ticket items on the grocery bill, so cutting back can really help you cut costs.
How-to: Try vegetarian meals such as canned white beans in pasta instead of chicken, or partial vegetarian meals like turkey and black bean tacos. Aim to eat at least one meat-free meal each day, and when you do eat meat, try to decrease your portion by at least 25 percent.
Money-Saving Strategy #3: Do Your Own Prep
You are paying for convenience when you buy pre-cut fruits and veggies like bagged lettuce, pre-sliced apples, and shredded carrots - you’re better off spending a little extra time washing and chopping your own.
How-to: Right when you get home from the store, spend 15 or 20 minutes washing and chopping your produce. Fill baggies and containers with the cut fruits and veggies so they’ll be easy to grab throughout the week.
Money-Saving Strategy #4: Do Your Own Portioning
Mini portion-controlled packages, such as 100-calorie packs of crackers, chips or cookies, can be a good way to decrease your portion sizes, but they will also increase your grocery bill.
How-to: Buy the larger packages and do your own portioning. Look at the label, remove a single-serving size, put it on your plate and then put the package away. No eating directly out of the box or bag! You’ll definitely eat more if you do that.
Money-Saving Strategy #5: Season Yourself
Pre-seasoned and processed rice and noodle packets like ramen noodles and Rice-A-Roni mixes are not only high in sodium - they also carry a high price tag.
How-to: Buy plain rice and noodles, and add your own herbs and spices to increase flavor while decreasing your grocery bill. For example, put your own garlic, Parmesan and olive oil into plain brown rice rather than buying it pre-flavored; you’ll save about 60 cents per serving.
Money-Saving Strategy #6: Snack Before You Shop
Hungry people are more likely to make impulse buys and wind up with foods that are low in nutrition but high in cost, such as cookies and chips.
How-to: Have a healthy snack - a couple of celery stalks with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, a piece of string cheese with an apple, or a handful of almonds - before you shop, so you will be better able to stick to your list.
Money-Saving Strategy #7: Beware of Beverages That Cost Big Bucks
Ready-made beverages such as sports drinks and juice cost a lot of money, because part of what you’re paying for is the transportation of bottles and cartons that are heavy with added water.
How-to: Buy versions that you have to hydrate yourself, like dried packs of sports drinks or concentrated juice. Bonus: This is also the environmentally conscious choice, because it reduces gas and transportation emissions.
Money-Saving Strategy #8: Don’t Always Go Big
The family-sized versions of foods like cereal, olive oil, cheese and condiments aren’t always the best value. Make sure to check the price per ounce or serving.
How-to: Bring your calculator to the store and do a little math: Take the total price of your favorite foods and divide it by the total number of ounces or servings. Compare big family sizes, small sizes and different brands to find the best deal.
Money-Saving Strategy #9: Watch Out for Waste
One of the biggest ways we lose money is by wasting produce that’s left to rot in the fridge.
How-to: Buy 50 percent fresh produce and 50 percent frozen. The frozen stuff has a longer shelf life (six months or longer). Also, make sure you keep fresh produce at eye level in the refrigerator - you’ll be more likely to remember to eat it than if it’s hidden and spoiling in the depths of the crisper.
Money-Saving Strategy #10: Focus on the Food
Non-food toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste and toilet paper usually cost more at the grocery store.
How-to: Make a trip to your local discount store to buy your non-food items, and keep your trip to the grocery store limited to, well, groceries.
Produce that’s in season is at the peak of its growing cycle, so there’s an abundance of it. This means it’s less expensive than it is during the time of year when there’s less available. In addition to being a good value, seasonal produce also tastes the best, since it’s picked when it’s in its prime.
How-to: When produce is in season, there tends to be a lot of it available, and it’s usually on sale. To find out what’s in season now, visit the Produce for Better Health website.
Money-Saving Strategy #2: Go Semi-Vegetarian
Animal proteins like beef, poultry and fish are always big-ticket items on the grocery bill, so cutting back can really help you cut costs.
How-to: Try vegetarian meals such as canned white beans in pasta instead of chicken, or partial vegetarian meals like turkey and black bean tacos. Aim to eat at least one meat-free meal each day, and when you do eat meat, try to decrease your portion by at least 25 percent.
Money-Saving Strategy #3: Do Your Own Prep
You are paying for convenience when you buy pre-cut fruits and veggies like bagged lettuce, pre-sliced apples, and shredded carrots - you’re better off spending a little extra time washing and chopping your own.
How-to: Right when you get home from the store, spend 15 or 20 minutes washing and chopping your produce. Fill baggies and containers with the cut fruits and veggies so they’ll be easy to grab throughout the week.
Money-Saving Strategy #4: Do Your Own Portioning
Mini portion-controlled packages, such as 100-calorie packs of crackers, chips or cookies, can be a good way to decrease your portion sizes, but they will also increase your grocery bill.
How-to: Buy the larger packages and do your own portioning. Look at the label, remove a single-serving size, put it on your plate and then put the package away. No eating directly out of the box or bag! You’ll definitely eat more if you do that.
Money-Saving Strategy #5: Season Yourself
Pre-seasoned and processed rice and noodle packets like ramen noodles and Rice-A-Roni mixes are not only high in sodium - they also carry a high price tag.
How-to: Buy plain rice and noodles, and add your own herbs and spices to increase flavor while decreasing your grocery bill. For example, put your own garlic, Parmesan and olive oil into plain brown rice rather than buying it pre-flavored; you’ll save about 60 cents per serving.
Money-Saving Strategy #6: Snack Before You Shop
Hungry people are more likely to make impulse buys and wind up with foods that are low in nutrition but high in cost, such as cookies and chips.
How-to: Have a healthy snack - a couple of celery stalks with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, a piece of string cheese with an apple, or a handful of almonds - before you shop, so you will be better able to stick to your list.
Money-Saving Strategy #7: Beware of Beverages That Cost Big Bucks
Ready-made beverages such as sports drinks and juice cost a lot of money, because part of what you’re paying for is the transportation of bottles and cartons that are heavy with added water.
How-to: Buy versions that you have to hydrate yourself, like dried packs of sports drinks or concentrated juice. Bonus: This is also the environmentally conscious choice, because it reduces gas and transportation emissions.
Money-Saving Strategy #8: Don’t Always Go Big
The family-sized versions of foods like cereal, olive oil, cheese and condiments aren’t always the best value. Make sure to check the price per ounce or serving.
How-to: Bring your calculator to the store and do a little math: Take the total price of your favorite foods and divide it by the total number of ounces or servings. Compare big family sizes, small sizes and different brands to find the best deal.
Money-Saving Strategy #9: Watch Out for Waste
One of the biggest ways we lose money is by wasting produce that’s left to rot in the fridge.
How-to: Buy 50 percent fresh produce and 50 percent frozen. The frozen stuff has a longer shelf life (six months or longer). Also, make sure you keep fresh produce at eye level in the refrigerator - you’ll be more likely to remember to eat it than if it’s hidden and spoiling in the depths of the crisper.
Money-Saving Strategy #10: Focus on the Food
Non-food toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste and toilet paper usually cost more at the grocery store.
How-to: Make a trip to your local discount store to buy your non-food items, and keep your trip to the grocery store limited to, well, groceries.