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Earlier today I posted “Been to the Supermarket Lately?” about the rising food prices. I also posted it at Free Republic, and you should see some of the money saving suggestions folks are leaving over there.
Here’s one of them — loaded with great ideas. Nothing new, but practical reminders of how we can save on the food we’re eating.
Flamenco Lady wrote:
I have done several things.
Instead of purchasing 10 pound bags of rice, I have been buying 25 pound bags of rice at stores like Costco or Cash and Carry. A 25 lb. bag of rice runs about $20 so it is not a big expenditure and not much difference in price. I also have been buying a lot of dry beans, and other long lasting foods, such as dehydrated onions, gravy mixes( just add water and you have a basis for a stew), salt and other seasonings that carry a longer shelf life.
Watching the grocery ads and stocking up on items we use when they are at loss leader prices. I have picked up 30 oz.jars of Mayo for $1.99, Spaghetti Sauce at less than $1 jar or can, dry pasta, canned meats and fish, and lots of other good deals. Canned goods go on sale frequently too, so stock up when the prices are low. Also look for discount grocery stores in your area. Grocery outlet, Winco, Dollar stores, and even pharmacies, often have loss leader prices on canned goods that are far less than your local grocery store.
I pick up meats when they are on sale too. London Broil, pork roasts, ham, and chicken breasts are often on sale for $1.99 lb. or less. Chicken and turkey is often even less than $1 per pound. I have made it a rule to never buy meat unless it is on sale and under $2 per lb. Think about buying large pieces of meat or family packs that you can break down into meal size portions to suit your family and store in zip lock bags in the freezer, or cook a larger piece of meat and then use the leftover meat for other dishes the rest of the week or freeze them to throw in a soup, stew or casserole at a later date.
Doubling up on coupons whenever possible using one store coupon and one manufacturer’s coupon for the maximum discount allowed. Using the store’s double coupons whenever they are offerred. You would be amazed at what you can save. As an example, Toothpaste was on sale for .99 with a store coupon. I had a .75 cent off manufacturer’s coupon, so I got a tube of toothpaste for .24. Since I started using the coupons in the Sunday paper with the store’s weekly ad coupons I have been saving about 30% off my grocery purchases. Plan your meals based on what you have in your freezer, refrigerator, and pantry, instead of going out and purchasing the items at regular prices for a meal.
I also have been stretching the food I cook for my family. I freeze all leftovers if I am not going to use them right away. I then can pull out leftover veggies, meat and rice to add to soups and stews at a later date. Any leftover pasta I usually stir fry with a few veggies for a side dish or make a pasta salad for another meal if there is a larger quantity leftover, or I eat for my own lunch the next day for smaller leftover pasta portions. Most sauces, gravies, etc. freeze well. I have freezer containers in pint, 1 1/2 pint, quart, and half gallon sizes that work well for this and stack easily in your freezer. Using more potatoes, rice, pasta, dry beans, and less meat per person each week can save a lot in your grocery budget. If a recipe calls for a pound of meat see if you can reduce it to 3/4 or even half a pound of meat by increasing the veggies, rice, or pasta in a dish. I also add mushrooms to a lot of dishes. It is a trick of the eye and the palate but they are hearty and the trick the eye and the stomach into thinking there is more meat in the dish than there really is.
Casseroles, soups and stews which enable me to stretch meat further are becoming frequent dinners at our house. I have gotten creative with leftovers so in addition leftover meat can be added with fresh or frozen vegetables to make stir frys, fajitas, used in casseroles, and stroganoff, etc.
Bones from meals such as a turkey or chicken carcass, a large ham, etc. are either boiled down right away to make stock for beans, soup, or stew, or thrown in a freezer bag so I can boil them down at a later date. Any meat that comes off the bones is also saved to throw in the soup or stew. I also save the stock when I fix a boiled cornbeef and cabbage dinner. The stock makes the best split pea soup or beans you have ever tasted.
I was a frugal shopper and cook before I started cutting the food budget and implementing cost containing strategies, but by buying larger quantities of staples, sticking to sale items and necessities at the grocery store, and gradually stocking up on items with a longer shelf life (many of which do not require the use of my freezer space so I can reserve it primarily for leftovers and meat) I have cut our family food budget by 50% despite the increases in prices at the grocery store and my freezer, and the freezers in both our refrigerators are fully stocked at all times now. Our pantry is also full and we emptied out a storage closet and installed shelves in it to use for additional longer term pantry storage. Think creatively when it comes to storage too. I know of people who store items under beds, in garages and attics, inside storage benches, etc. Even in a small apartment there are places you can store extra food stores.
Hope this helps anyone who wants to save on groceries.
Head to Free Republic for more great money saving ideas.
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