How to Save Money on Food When Prices Are Rising
The cost of living is on the rise and incomes are not rising with it. This leaves many families wondering where they can make cuts and save money. One of the first places people look to make cuts is the food budget. Unlike other expenses, the food budget is a bit more flexible. However, even this is getting harder for families. Here is how you can save money on food even while the prices are going up.
Buy Bulk
As prices creep higher and higher by the day, age-old advice like buying in bulk is still a great way to save money on food. When you buy family packs and bulk cases of food you often get a steep discount. Make a point to compare the price per ounce or pound when shopping. While bulk prices are usually better, a sale can make smaller packs come out to the best available deal. Doing the math helps you ensure you are getting the best available price.
Take Advantage of Sales and Clearance
Truly great sales are few and far between. This means we have to be even more mindful of checking the local sales ads to take advantage of the sales when they do pop up. Check the ads at stores you prefer to shop at every week so you do not miss a really good sale.
While in-store, always make a point to swing by the areas they place clearance items to help you save money. These may be items that have been cleared out for a variety of reasons, usually due to approaching sell-by dates.
Shop at Discount Grocery Stores
Shopping at stores known for lower prices and private store levels is a great way to save money on groceries, even as the prices are going up. Stores like Aldi use interesting tricks like encouraging people to return carts with a quarter or having customers bag their own groceries.
Start a Garden
The age-old advice to grow your own food to save money still stands today. Growing a garden is a great way to save money on fresh produce all summer long. Not only do you save the cost of the food, but you spend less money making trips to the store for fresh produce when you avoid impulse shopping.
One trick to save even more money on growing your own food that is gaining in popularity is to regrow food like celery from food scraps.
Change How You Cook
When it comes to saving money on food, try to make meals more filling. This can be as simple as changing how you cook. While meat and potatoes may be what you are used to, they can be fairly costly. Working more soups, stews, and filling casseroles into your diet is a great way to lower the cost of your food.
Serve fillers with meals to make them go further. Salads can be made for fairly cheap. Serving bread with meals can help reduce how much everyone is eating while leaving them more satisfied. When planning meals, look for fillers like pasta, rice, and root vegetables like potatoes and turnips that can help make a meal more filling for a lower cost.
Pad the protein
To reduce food costs you will want to pad the protein in your family’s diet. Protein takes longer to digest and can make you feel full longer, helping to reduce snacking. Protein is also essential for building muscle and maintaining a healthy body. Most people don’t get enough protein in their diet, leading them to be hungrier than they normally would be with enough healthy protein.
To pack in the protein in your family’s diet, serve a protein with every meal and snack. From eggs with breakfast to peanut butter with apples for a snack, every bit of inexpensive protein you get into your family’s diet the better. Make a point to use cheaper proteins like eggs in your meal plans to lower the overall cost.
Plan your meals.
When thinking about saving money on groceries, meal planning always lands at the top of the list. This is, of course, for good reason. When we plan our meals ahead of time we ensure that we are using the food in our homes rather than choosing to eat out. Make a menu and try to stick to it to ensure no foods go to waste in your home. Staying organized with a shopping list is helpful.
