It is prove that we spend a lot of our income in grocery shopping. And sometimes when you have to cut somewhere this is the first place you are gonna cut. In a country where it is more cheap to eat a meal at the fast food than to cook, you have to be creative and have some tricks to eat healthy on a budget. Here is my few tips that is gonna help you save on grocery shop and make your life more simple! Because yes it is possible to save some money when you know where to start .
- Plan!
I will say that for every aspects of your life : Planning is the key to save time , money , and be less stressed. Instead of rolling your cart like a chicken without a head in the grocery shop, make a menu, then a list classified by aisle (No I don't have OCD). It will make it so much easier to find the things you need, you will save time and you will enjoy knowing where you go. An efficient grocery shopping take me about half and hour.
2. Don’t go shopping with an empty stomach
It is the thing that everyone is gonna tell you, don’t go grocery shop if you are hungry. First you are gonna buy all that sweet stuffs you try to avoid, second you are gonna fill your cart with all kind of stuffs that don’t go well together and third, you will try to go faster and you risk to choose not quality products.
3. Choose the best timing
After work, you have only 20 minutes to go to walmart for your grocery, yeah right like you are gonna be the only one. Lunch break and supper time is the worst time to shop. It is crowded, you don’t have much time, you are tired, you don’t have enough space to really look at the sale and you have less choice. You need one pound of turkey meat, there is the chance that the only thing left is the more expensive one or the less quality. This is not what you want. Find the best timing for you, when you have no rush and you can enjoy the experience.
4. Look at the circular, the savings apps and the coupons
Couponing is really popular these days and people go crazy about it. It is a good thing, when you need it. Buying 22 bottles of dog shampoos just because it’s 1 dollar, not really worth it.
The best thing with couponing is to make your grocery shopping list and after find coupons for what you are gonna actually buy. Also, look at your local store circular to base your menu on what is on sale. Be careful, most of the time there is a lot of junk food that is on sale and seem attractive.
5. Make it yourself
Cooking your own crust, pastry, cookies, cake, granola bar & desserts are more healthy cause you don’t have preservative in them. They also cost less money. You save a lot when you cook your own cookies and your family gonna thank you for it. They taste better, they are fresh and they are made with love. What can you ask more ?
7. Try to avoid aisle in the middle
Every grocery are build the same. You have the veggies and fruit, the meat and the dairy all around the store. In the middle, you have the processed food. If you have your list in your pocket, try to go only where you need something. Don’t make every line, it will end up with a bunch of cookies that you don’t need (neither for your health and for your budget)
8. Lower your eyes
Marketing make it easy for them, they always put the more attractive (and expensive) stuffs (oooops busted !) in your visual sight. You want to have the best deal, lower or higher (almost where you can’t reach it )your eyes. The best price are really often at the lowest shelf. This is why if you shop when it’s not that crowded you will have time and space to flex your knees and reach the best deals!
9. Don’t waste
This is so important, if you are paying for food that go into the trash, your losing money and it’s not good for the earth. I always keep my skin of vegetables (garlic, onions, potato), the heart (cabbage, celery, brocoli, cauliflower) and I put them in the freezer. Once in a while, I make a veggie broth with everything that I collect. It is super easy you only put water in a pot with salt and your veggies, you boil for and hour or two and filter it. You got a healthy, free veggie broth for your sauce & soup. When your fruits is borderline, make a smoothie. When your veggies are close to be rotten, cook them in a broth and mashed them to make a good veggies soup. It is way more easy that you think.
10. Eat less meat
Meat is a huge part of the price of the grocery. Try vegeterian recipe and get used to eat without meal. Make a bolognese sauce with lentils instead of ground meat, make veggie burger, try tofu! Be creative about it and have fun! It is not true anymore that a meal without meat is boring. With all the resources like pinterest, blogs, TV show about recipes, there is no excuses to try something new!
11. Keep it simple !
A good piece of lean meat, veggies (fresh or frozen) and rice made a good healthy meal. No need to make all kind of recipes that use a lot of ingredients you don't have at home. Keep your meal simple, look for good recipes with few ingredients in it. Pinterest will be your best friend on that!
Really hope it help you guys, do you have any other tip that you want to share ? What is your routine of grocery ?
Can’t wait to hear about it!
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