Grocery Shopping on a Budget
Grocery shopping on a budget can seem difficult and sometimes may seem even more challenging if you want to eat healthy meals. On top of that, if you enjoy cooking creative new meals, budget shopping can seem nearly impossible when you have to buy all of the supplies for a new interesting dish. I started taking budget shopping seriously about 4 months into my marriage. During this time I was finishing my masters degree while my husband was our sole source of income. We had set a budget for ourselves including a specific budget for groceries, but I blew through it with my creative experimental cooking. We were enjoying all the yummy food I was making until we totaled up how much it actually cost for one month of food. Yikes! It was a reality check for me and I knew it was my responsibility as a soon-to-be Registered Dietitian to figure out how to continue to feed us delicious and nutritious meals while still fitting into the budget. I look forward to sharing some of my tips and tricks with you!
- Meal Plan, Meal Plan, Meal Plan– I cannot say this enough. I discuss this in my article How to Grocery Shop, but I will touch on it again. Planning the menu for the week can give you a set plan of what you need to have on your grocery list. When I plan the menu I keep in mind what is on sale that week as well as which items are typically less expensive and what is typically more expensive (i.e. meat). Try to balance out how much of the low cost ingredients you need and how much of the high cost ingredients you need. Again, keep in mind the items on sale when you are preparing your menu. I recommend not waiting until you get to the store to see what is on sale…this can lead to buying additional items that you may not actually need just because it is on sale (speaking from experience).
- Make a list and stick to it– Going to the grocery store without a list can be dangerous for the budget. Creating a list can help you avoid putting items in your cart that you don’t need. I am very strict with this. I have everything written on my grocery list right down to breakfast and snacks that we need for the week and I stick to it. When my husband comes to the store with me he will try to sneak more snacks into the cart that aren’t on the list. When you create your list be sure that you are detailed in your list: “1 green pepper” or “2 cans pinto beans”. This helps you avoid over-purchasing, spending more money and creating food waste. Let me be clear, sticking to the list doesn’t mean you can’t switch up the produce items on the list. It is alright to switch brussels sprouts in place of broccoli as a last minute menu change if you see the brussels sprouts look better. Be flexible with the produce, the fruit you put on the list may not look good in person so be flexible and switch it up. Tips: When I make my grocery list, I like to do it on the grocery store’s app or website (if this is an option for you). This allows me to see the accumulated cost of my grocery list before I even get to the store. This can be a helpful tool for those who are shopping on a strict budget and have a specific amount to spend.
- Spread out those fancy recipes– If you enjoy experimenting in the kitchen and love trying new recipes as much as me, I recommend limiting yourself to1 new recipe per week. For me I found that making new recipes often requires me to buy multiple new pantry items and spices which adds up quickly. So spread it out and allow yourself 1 new recipe/week (or whatever works best for you). For me, this still allows me to experiment in the kitchen without having too many expensive meals in one week.
- Use up those pantry items- When you make your grocery list, be sure that you are only buying things that you need. Check your pantry to be sure that you are not planning to buy items that you already have. This not only cuts down on food waste, but saves money. Usually by the end of the week I find that I am searching my pantry seeing what else I can use to create a meal before I go back to the store. If you can look in your pantry right now and see enough food to make a delicious meal, get creative with what you have, you will save money by using up food you already have and prevent food waste!
- Purchasing produce tips-
- Purchase produce that is in season, this is often more reasonably priced and tastes better.
- Avoid buying the pre-cut and pre-prepared fruit and vegetables in the produce section. I know it’s convenient, but it is an added expense. Instead choose a time during the week, to clean, slice and cut the produce yourself.
- Canned or frozen fruits and vegetables can also help reduce the cost. Canned fruits and vegetables have gotten a bad rep for a long time, but we can make these items work in our meals. Frozen fruit and vegetables are frozen at peak freshness so they retain the vitamins and minerals. I like to purchase packages of steamable vegetables because they are a quick, easy and cheap vegetable to add to dinner. Canned fruit and vegetables can work as well. When you are picking out canned vegetables be sure they have no salt added or low sodium. I also recommend draining and rinsing canned vegetables, especially if they are full sodium. Canned fruit can be another great option, but be sure that fruit is canned in 100% fruit juice or “no added sugar”. These would be great choices rather than fruit canned in heavy syrup.
- Stretch your meat– Meat is expensive and if you are buying large quantities of meat it can really drive up the grocery bill quickly. To help save a little bit of money consider trying a couple meatless meals each week. Lentils, or canned beans (no salt added or drained and rinsed) can be a great options. I will typically experiment with meatless meals for my husband and I and we have found a few that we really enjoy. Another option could be to experiment with stretching your meat. Try mixing your ground meat with beans or lentils to stretch the meat farther. Or try adding finely chopped mushrooms to your meat to stretch it farther. Mushrooms have a meaty flavor and can help fill out a meat dish without using as much meat. Check out other low cost sources of protein to add to your menu including canned or dried beans, lentils, nut butters or eggs!
- Store Brand- Purchasing store brand products instead of name brand can help reduce cost as well. That’s a great way to save a few dollars.
- Don’t go to the store hungry– If at all possible, try not to go to the store hungry. Speaking from experience, this leads to over-purchasing and buying things that you don’t necessarily need.
Meal plan and make a detailed grocery list. Not only does this make grocery shopping easier, it helps you save money too because you are not buying items that you don’t need. Grocery shopping on a budget doesn’t mean your meals need to be unbearable, it means being creative and planning ahead. Practice these grocery shopping tips to be one step closer to hitting your monthly budget.