Since the pandemic began putting food on the table has gotten a lot more expensive. Until this last year our usual market was charging almost double what we paid before Covid-19 struck, so we quit going there and explored other options. I'm now back to paying what I was before the pandemic, and here are ten ways that helped me do it:
Budgeting: I know people hate to budget, but you have to set dollar limits or you will likely overspend. Right now we're managing to feed two people for about $400.00 per month, and we eat quite well. I give myself a budget of $150.00 when we do our bi-weekly shopping. Then I give myself $50.00 twice a month for incidental purchases, farmer's market visits, etc. I can calculate prices in my head, but it doesn't hurt to bring a calculator with you and add up what you're buying as you shop. My total for the month is almost always under my budget.
Sourcing different foods at different markets: I stopped trying to get everything at one store and shopped around. Wal-Mart is usually the cheapest, but I also get certain things now from Target, Key, Winn-Dixie and farmer's markets in our area. We also visit outlet stores, which often have great deals on shelf-stable products (just watch the expiration dates.)
Shopping twice a month instead of weekly: this helps curb impulse buying, with which my guy has a problem. Also, remember the old chestnut about shopping only when you're not hungry? That one is true; when you're hungry you're more likely to impulse buy.
Investing in another freezer/building an emergency pantry: When I do find meats and other expensive (freezeable) items on sale, I buy extra and store them in our new reach-in freezer. I just got a beautiful salmon filet on sale and chopped it up into individual portions that cost me one-fifth of what I'd pay for them at the market. I've also created a second emergency pantry with shelf-stable foods that we regularly use, which I also keep stocked with extra food that I find on sale. This has become a mini free grocery store where I can grab things that I need or run out of, which I then replace the next time I find them on sale.
DIY Food: I no longer buy most baked goods; I make and bake them myself for about a quarter of the store-bought price. Same goes for salads, Chinese takeout, burgers and fries, etc. We eat out only rarely now, too.
Less is more: I'm using far less meat in my recipes (meat pasta sauce tastes basically the same with half the meat) and making smaller portions of the meals we like. When I make meatloaf I freeze half of the raw mixture to bake for another meal.
Big batches: When I make pasta sauce, chili, soup or other freezeable dishes I'll make a big batch and freeze whatever we can't eat in meal-size containers. I also do this with dishes that are diabetic-friendly but that my guy doesn't like for nights when he wants a steak or a chop, so I can defrost food that is better for me without cooking a second meal.
Soup plus meal: We have at least one soup and sandwich or soup and toast meal per week. It's very cheap and we like it. I also make this dinner when we're not very hungry.
Garden extras: During the pandemic we started a little garden to supplement what we buy, and have kept it going. It now saves us plenty on now-expensive fresh herbs and veggies. I've learned to freeze the excess for future use. We also sometimes swap extra of what we grow with a neighbor who gardens.
Going without: There are meals I simply don't make anymore because the ingredients have gotten too expensive. London Broil with flank steak is a good example; they now want $26.00 for the steak I used to broil for my guy. We can eat out at a nice local restaurant for that kind of money.
One last bit of advice: when you go shopping, make a list and bring a pen. Go only to the areas in the market that you need to in order to get your list items; stay away from the bakery, snack aisles and candy displays so you don't impulse buy. As you put what you want in your cart, check it off your list. When you've gotten the entire list, stop shopping, go and check out. It sounds stupid, but this is the best way to get everything you need while avoiding anything you don't.
Image Credit: ElasticComputeFarm from Pixabay
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