One of the questions we get asked most often is "How do I go grocery shopping on a budget?" In most cases, sticking to a shopping budget is a goal for all of us. Walking into a grocery store, especially on an empty stomach, can be a danger zone for your wallet. And if you're like us and love food, you'll want to purchase everything you see. The other struggle that many of us deal with is how to buy healthy food on a budget. Organic food and specialty items are often overpriced and fancy packaging can cause us to impulse buy right on the spot. If you find yourself overspending on food each month, we're here to help.At Bob's Red Mill, we've learned a few tricks over the years on how to choose cheap ingredients for tasty meals. From meal planning to buying food in bulk, we know what it takes to create a healthy and budget-friendly shopping list. Keep reading to discover the top five money-saving tips for grocery shopping that will leave both your kitchen and wallet full.
Shop the Savings and the Seasons
Getting to know your grocery store and what sales they offer is one of the most critical steps towards a budget-friendly grocery shopping experience. If you don't have a store that you're loyal to just yet, we recommend visiting the few closest to you and comparing the prices. You'd be surprised to find how the costs of produce, meat and grains can vary from store to store. Next, you'll want to look at the weekly sales that each store offers. Maybe you'll end up choosing one store that has it all, or you'll continue to visit different stores and shop the sales at each. Knowing the offers in your neighborhood is a great way to save on items you would have purchased anyway.Next, check to see if your stores have any memberships or clubs for local shoppers. By simply signing up for a free store savings card, you can save big on your groceries each time you shop.Lastly, shop the seasons. Knowing what is in season and creating recipes from that list will save you money and help contribute to less food waste. When food is in season, it's much easier for a grocery store to get, and most likely, they'll have a lot of it. This abundance of in-season produce and ingredients means that grocers can offer a lower price to their customers. Food that is out of season is often much harder to obtain and more costly for stores, which results in inflated prices on the shelves. The next time you're at the grocery store, plan to build your meals around in-season ingredients. Not only will your dishes taste better, but they'll cost you less too!For a fun, fall-inspired recipe try out this Fall Harvest Baked Brie.
Create a Shopping List by Meal Prepping
Shopping in-season ingredients is not the only way to save money at your local market. Here at Bob's Red Mill, we are huge advocates of meal planning. Whether you prepare the meals out physically or create a menu for the week, knowing what you will eat each day will save you time and money while shopping in the grocery store. By preparing a list of meals ahead of time, you'll have a better idea of what ingredients you need and how much of each. Having a clear and well thought out shopping list will help you purchase only what you need and keep impulse buys to a minimum.Another way to build the ideal shopping list is to keep an inventory of what you have in stock at home. Before heading to the grocery store, take note of the items in your pantry, fridge and freezer, and determine what you'll need for the meals the week ahead. For a quick and seamless shopping experience, organize your shopping list by your local store's layout. This way, you can prevent bouncing around from section to section. Again, make sure to take note of the sales! Compare your shopping list ingredients to the store's sale items and make sure to use your loyalty card.Want to learn more about meal prepping? Check out this guide on the Dos and Donts of Freezer Meal Prepping.
Pay Attention to Cost Over Convenience
Though reaching for a bag of pre-mixed lettuce, shredded cheese or baby carrots may be tempting, know that you will be paying much more for the same quantity of items. When it comes to food, there's no doubt that we love convenience. And sometimes that convenience factor leads us to purchase things that we usually wouldn't because, well, they just seem practical. When heading to the grocery store, we encourage you to skip the convenience items and cut, shred and separate your food on your own. Not only will this tip help save you money, you'll also end up getting a lot more food!Additionally, it's essential to be mindful of where you're looking. Stores strategically place more expensive and convenient items at eye level where customers will see them. At the same time, the cheaper foods get pushed to the bottom and lower shelves. This is why heading to the grocery store with a shopping list is so important! If you head to the store knowing what you need, it's much easier to walk past that container of pre-cut watermelon. The next time you search for an item on the shelves, don't just purchase the first item you see. Instead, look up and down the shelves comparing the quality of the items and the prices.For a cheap and delicious meal, make this mouthwatering Lentil Soup.
Think Outside the Box
Taking a trip to the bulk bins and buying in bulk is a great way to fill your kitchen for less. Buying in bulk provides you with top-quality ingredients like quinoa and farro, at a lower price. Plus, bulk items often require less packaging, which plays a factor in their lower cost. Each grocery store will have a section dedicated to these whole food items, from grains to nuts and flours.When it comes to thinking outside the box, it's also essential to look past imperfections. Shopping oddly shaped discounted fruits, veggies and meat is often priced much lower. While these foods might not look as pretty as others, they taste just as great! By purchasing this "imperfect" produce, not only will you save money, but you'll also help eliminate food waste. Because most shoppers walk past these items without a second thought, it doesn't sell as well, and grocers often have to throw them out. Reduce food waste by purchasing this product and turn it into a delicious meal!
Know What You Are Paying For
Convenience, pretty packaging, and catchy slogans have been used for years to ramp up the price of what were once affordable items. When shopping at your local grocery store, take the time to learn about the brands you're purchasing. Is that organic, plant-based yogurt you purchased the other day really all that it's supposed to be? Do your research and focus on brands that provide quality products for affordable prices, without all the extra frill.At Bob's Red Mill, quality is important to us. We work hard each day to maintain a close relationship with our products from start to finish. By doing so, we've created a relationship with the farmer who produces our grain to the grocers who sell it. These relationships allow us to work together to offer the best product available at an affordable price while also maintaining the best practices.The next time you visit the grocery store, we encourage you to pay attention to the labels on the food you're purchasing. Skip those with an overload of preservatives, additives and artificial flavors and instead stick to more wholesome foods like barley, quinoa and farro. While these foods are often less processed than other grains, they also last much longer and will give you more for your money.We get it; grocery stores can be expensive, especially when you have a hungry family to feed. With enticing convenience items and gourmet ingredients on the rise, it's easy to go into a grocery store for a couple of items and leave with an empty wallet. Since going to the grocery store is necessary, if you want to spend less, you'll have to go in with a plan. By purchasing on-sale items and whole foods and turning them into delicious homemade meals, you can stick to your grocery store budget every time. The next time you head to the grocery store, shop smarter with these five tips for grocery shopping. From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, have a healthy and happy day!Have a favorite tip to save money at the store that we didn't mention? We're always looking for more ideas to help save money. Share your grocery shopping tips in the comments below!