Sustainable Tips to Save Money on Groceries

[SS Project Manager]

The increase in grocery prices continues to hurt consumers. Food alone takes up upwards of 25% of the income of those who make the least money. Here are some ways to be kinder to the planet and make your money go further.

1. Make a meal plan​

You can save the most money on groceries by meal planning. You can avoid spoilage by knowing what foods you want to prepare and getting the ingredients you need to prepare them. Having a meal plan also saves you time in the kitchen, making it easier to resist grabbing prepackaged foods or going through the drive-thru.

2. Before you buy, take stock​

Analyze what you have already at home. If you find spinach lurking in your crisper drawer, there's no need to grab more. Ideally, you should make your meal plan using foods that are likely to go bad before adding more to them.

3. Organize and stick to a list​

Having determined which foods you need to work with, prepare a grocery list. By shopping this way, you reduce the chances of making impulse purchases that don't fit into your plan and are thrown away. Make sure everyone in your family has access to the list.

4. Visit a store in person​

The convenience of having groceries delivered is nice, but you can also take advantage of sales and heavily underrated discount sections when you shop in person. When you buy fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and shelved food off the clearance rack, you keep those edible goods out of landfills. Make sure you bring a reusable bag!

5. Buy Groceries in Bulk​

When you shop in bulk, you will make fewer trips to the store, which will lower your transportation costs. The convenience of bulk foods makes making snacks, smoothies, sweets, and more a breeze. If you buy anything in bulk, be aware of what you are going to use and how often you will use it.

What are the best bulk foods to buy?​

Bulk foods that fit into your meal plan are the best bulk purchases, and they include cereals, grains, beans, and spices.

6. Shop Locally​

Food transportation has become more expensive due to the rising price of fuel. Locally grown food is often more affordable than food purchased at commercial grocery stores because it does not have to travel as far.

Because local produce is picked more recently, it is usually fresher, which may extend the shelf life of the food. Eating seasonally is another benefit of shopping locally.

7. Make Your Groceries Work For You​

By eating leftovers and turning trash into treasure, you can make your food consumption more mindful. Rather than removing the tops of fruits and vegetables and throwing them away, remove only the cores. You can make broth from any scraps you have. Don't forget to include your favorite soup or stew in your meal plan.

The final step is to compost the remainder of your food scraps.

8. The freezer is your friend​

Food that you've already prepared and stored in your freezer saves you money and trash when compared to eating out or consuming frozen food from a store. Also, you can store food that would otherwise go bad in your freezer. Then freeze wilting herbs, lemon juice, or even red wine for later use in your cooking.

Which of these are you already implementing in your home?

 

[flowerbug]

have a garden.

 

[FarmerJamie]

- Can, not freeze, if possible.
- find some local friends to buy in bigger bulk amounts (there are companies that provide the bulk service)
- lower your personal standards, store brands can be much cheaper than national brands.
- learn to bake bread
- eat more seasonally. Do you really need strawberries regularly in the middle of winter?

 

[baymule]

Buy a ham. First meal, ham with all the trimmings, sides, vegetables and yeast rolls. Leftovers until sides are gone.
Frittata- a big flat omelet-much easier than trying to flip half of an omelet over. Beat eggs, pour in hot greased skillet, load with chopped onions, vegetables of choice and chopped ham. Cover with grated cheese and bake 10 minutes.

Fried ham slices in a grilled cheese sandwich.

Ham chunks in hash browns

Ham bone in a big pot of beans with cornbread.

 

[CrealCritter]

@SS Project Manager

We have implemented all of what you mention.

If I could add a couple of things to your list.

Grow a garden and preserve the harvest. I can't stress the "buy local" mentality enough, there are numerous benefit to buying local, not to mention you're helping the local community and developing real relationships. You can even barter or give away the excess to your neighbors. Personally I enjoy giving excess away, with no expectations of anything in return.

When going to town, ask the neighbors if they need anything. A lot of stores you can place an order on-line and pay for it, and pick it up. You can pick up your neighbors, while you pick up your own. In turn your neighbors will return the favor and ask you if you need anything.

Also check your local meat processor. Many times they offer package deals based on 1/4 or 1/2 animals. And at greatly reduced prices per lb of what you will find in the grocery stores. Think long term when purchasing 1/4 or 1/2 animal. For example this is our beef or pork or lamb for 6 months or a year and plan your meals accordingly. Ensure you have adequate deep freezer space to store the packaged animal.

Find a farmer and enquire about purchasing a 1/2 or 1/4 animal, that's going to the meat locker (meat processor). You'll be amazed how much meat you'll receive and how much $$$ you can save. Plus by doing so your helping your local community.

One last thing... Hamburger is a universal meat. Just think how many meals can be made from hamburger. My personal favorite is taco Tuesday's

Thanks for the list of ideas, they are good ones and worthy of consideration for implementation.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Hinotori]

Learn how to cut and wrap meat primals for freezing. I get a lot of ours from the restaurant supply. It's much cheaper than buying at the grocery store.

A meat slicer is nice, but I've practiced cutting strip steaks enough I can do them perfectly by hand.

A meat grinder and some cheap chuck and you have good hamburger without the added water that's in much of the grocery store meat.

For example beef brisket is $3.25 a pound this week. It's choice but has it's fat caps. Trim much of those off and then render them to tallow for cooking. I smoke then freeze it for later. Prime at the Costco business center was about $4.50 when we were last there. Regular Costco card will get you in.

 

[Hinotori]

Looks like I need to make some pulled pork. I don't care a whole lot for canned pork cubes. Would make some good ground pork as well.

Example of this week's sale.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

I do most everything on the list, but buy local, for us buying local is a great thing but it will not save you any money

 

[flowerbug]

I do most everything on the list, but buy local, for us buying local is a great thing but it will not save you any money

right, the closer stores are smaller but more expensive so to make a trip further away worth it they are our bulk food stops once every month or two. it is, however, good for us to get out once in a while and our favorite chinese food place is over that ways along with the asian food store that i like to wander through and check out what is in there that i haven't tried. that store also has bulk rice and beans so if i'm in need of either of those it is a good place to get some (even if i'm not much of a rice eater i can still have some from time to time).

for bartering and friendly neighbors i could have had some free apples this past fall from someone fairly local to me but i just had no time at all for going and picking them or time to process them.

 

[tortoise]

Learn the sale cycles. Most items go on sale every 3, 6, or 12 months. Also learn how much you use in that period. Then, when you see the low price for the cycle, buy enough to last until the next cycle. You'll never pay full price again!

Caveats:
this requires enough financial stability/flexibility that you can spend a big chunk of money on food you won't eat this week or month. (Example: I buy about 50# of butter in one week, once a year, for $99.50. I save about $300 per year by buying butter at the lowest price of the year)

This requires space, such as freezer space for 50# of butter. You might need rodent-proof storage.

This strategy is limited by food preservation knowledge and equipment. It doesnt help if the food can't keep and get used.

If your preferences or dietary needs change, this strategy can break down. Dont project 12 months of food use from less than 3 months of eating habits - account for seasonal eating, vacations, and getting bored of a food.