Post your recommendations for keeping grocery costs under control.

[milestogo]

I've given up soda and some treats.

But every week it seems like prices are getting higher.

Suggestions?

[yellowdogintexas]

1. I am definitely buying less meat

I do not drink soda but MrYellowDog has cut his DietDr habit from 6 big jugs a week to 2. Now he is drinking Koolaid made with Stevia. I have been trying to get him off this diet soda habit for at least 3 years due to all the bad stuff it does to one's insulin reaction

Less wine ( that is my version of the DietDr but definitely not in those quantities)

I make a lot of things that last over 2 to 3 meals.

We are probably staying even on groceries because we are not eating out much. Just takeout and not much of that.

[hlthe2b]

14. I bought a case of a economical but well rated Cabernet a couple years ago. The price/bottle is now

40% more than when I bought it, so that splurge has proven well worth it. I don't drink regularly, but I like a bold Cabernet in the wintertime, so I still have 10 bottles left. (I didn't drink at all during the peak of COVID).

[Sedona]

93. Two words

Soda Stream

Saves SO much money.

Plus no cans or bottles for the landfills

Plain soda with a chunk of ginger.

Yum

[XanaDUer2]

101. Can you use tap water?

Mr X and I were discussing this

[Sedona]

122. I used filtered water from my fridge

But tap water works fine too

Use this link for 20% off

https://sodastream.mention-me.com/m/ol/xr3mi-lisa-cea

[XanaDUer2]

124. Wow, thanks

We have a hard time just drinking plain, room temperature water, and discussed buying a SS.

[wnylib]

102. Homemade ginger ale. I'll have to try that.

[PortTack]

2. ALDI

[vanlassie]

29. Agreed.

[GoCubsGo]

66. If you have one nearby, absolutely!

They've been really good about not jacking up prices the way the other grocery chains have. No gouging. The one exception is poultry and eggs, but that's mainly due to the Avian flu-induced shortages. Once the chicken supply is back up, they'll drop the prices back down.

[phylny]

80. Our daughter just commented

that sour cream at Aldi was 96 cents and is now $1.85.

[GoCubsGo]

90. I paid $1.69 for it there this morning.

There are regional differences, and yeah, their price went up. But, everywhere else, it's over two buck for the same amount.

[phylny]

97. Yes, it's still cheaper at Aldi! N/T

[wnylib]

105. Other discount stores, too.

Dollar General, Family Dollar are good for canned foods (tomato sauce, olives), pasta, flour, sugar, spices.

Family Dollar has frozen foods like cooked shrimp, frozen vegetable mixes, and carries milk, yogurt, and eggs, too.

Now I only go to the supermarket for things I can't get elsewhere, e.g. meat, reduced fat cheese, decaf tea, plain yogurt (a sour cream substitute for me), specific brands of margarine, mayo, and salad dressong, and whole grain breads.

I never make a one meal dish, except for fish fillets. Homemade soups full of veggies and chicken (with noodles) or beef are filling as well as healthy and cheap. Also homemade black bean soup and homemade lentil soup.

Meat cuts get cut into pieces and mixed with veggies and seasonings to serve over rice. Make my own chicken nuggets with chicken breasts cut into pieces and rolled in panko crumbs that I season myself, then bake. They can be frozen and pulled out whenever I want them.

Yeast and a variety of flours (rye, oatmeal, whole wheat) are good for making bread or biscuits when I want to save on the cost of bread.

[PortTack]

132. There prices have gone up as well, but not nearly as much

[area51]

125. I've heard Aldi is good,

and have also heard Lidl is good.

[CentralMass]

3. Eat rice and beans and or variations of it for some meals.

[hunter]

60. Rice. Lentils. Olive oil. That and whatever else is around.

That's always been my "go to" when money is tight.

Olive oil is expensive but it makes plain rice and lentils and random greens into something interesting in a way that canola oil does not.

My wife is vegetarian-approaching-vegan so I don't often buy meat. I'm too lazy to cook it for myself.

I have walked by the butcher counter recently and been shocked by the prices.

[GoCubsGo]

69. Rice, lentils, caramelized onions.

A.K.A., mujadara. There are tons of recipes for it online. It's great over salad greens. The only pain is caramelizing the onions, but only if one is impatient. It's good as leftovers, too.

[hunter]

87. Yep, always have onions too. And garlic.

Simple things.

[Lulu Latech]

149. Easy slow cooker onions

They keep in the fridge so I make a big batch...

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/246511/slow-cooker-caramelized-onions/

[Retrograde]

128. Legumes and grains

More inclusive and varied than just rice and beans (although there are lots of different kinds of rice, and even more types of beans). They're cheaper than meat, nourishing, and can be prepared in an enormous number of ways - I think just about every ethnic group that farms has a way of combining legumes and grains!

[XanaDUer2]

4. I buy house brands

At food lion. They're much cheaper. No meat anymore, minus Publix baked chicken. Buy and eat soup more. Food lion has a brand called cha-ching. Rock bottom price

[brooklynite]

5. Can't say I've noticed prices changing significantly

I shop at local suppliers where I know prices and quality are best; no indication that prices have been increasing.

[Sympthsical]

33. People living paycheck to paycheck have noticed

So I guess it's very nice for you if your attention hasn't been drawn to it.

Must be nice.

[Behind the Aegis]

47. Even those of us fortunate enough not to live paycheck to paycheck have noticed.

Since COVID, I place my orders online and then pick them up, so I have over two years of online receipts and it is VERY obvious prices have increased significantly for some things, a slight bump for other things. I am in Oklahoma and most stuff here is cheaper than many places in the US, but things like meat and toiletries made a HUGE jump in prices. A few things have come down, but for the most part, the prices stuck. When you combine this with gas prices, utilities, and the like, I really feel for those who are in the situation my husband and I were in several years back.

[Sympthsical]

52. Same same

I can afford this, but I still notice. Maybe growing up poor instilled something. But 50% increase in coffee, 25% increase in meat, etc. I usually keep track as I go along, so every little price increase gets noticed.

Wait until the flour situation due to Ukraine hits. That'll be interesting.

[brooklynite]

62. Whether or not it has an impact on my finances, why would I not notice an increase?

Perhaps Korean greengrocers and Middle Eastern groceries don't raise their prices that much?

FWIW - Trader Joe's is still selling bananas for 19c, fruit yogurts for 99c and oat cereal for $1.99.

[Sympthsical]

83. Sometimes I wonder what goes on at higher levels in our party

Then I witness something and realize, no I don't.

[brooklynite]

84. Well then, you should do something about that.

If the higher levels of our party are unaware of your concerns and issues, you should let them know, and/or replace them with people who do.

[Sympthsical]

95. All things on this earth are replaced

The fourth dimension is inexorable and anticipated.

But that wasn't my point. My point was that it truly is in the notes unheard that a symphony reveals its full potential.

Potential for what, I shall leave unsaid.

[choie]

130. I hear you, Sympthsical

n/t

[Amishman]

140. Trader Joes is owned by Aldi and likely uses many of the same supply chain management practices

My understanding is Aldi locks in long term contracts with suppliers for products to be sold under Aldi's private brands. Those contracts are largely fixed, or at least with limited escalator clauses.

This is why their prices have remained fairly stable - it is also why products occasionally vanish for a period and then come back at different prices or even as a slightly different product/packaging. One contract ended and it might be new terms or even a new producer making it.

[brooklynite]

141. Not exactly...

Aldi was a German grocery company run by two brothers. They agreed to split the company into two (Aldi Nord and Aldi Sud) and divided German territory up geographically. They also agreed to both compete in the USA but under different names. Aldi Sud markets under "Aldi". Aldi Nord markets under "Trader Joes".

[TheBlackAdder]

112. I buy at ShopRite and my weekly food bill went from $250 to $425 in 45 days.

.

I buy pretty much the same stuff for my family each week. Veggies, pantry, appy, dry and frozen.

As an example, I used to buy clam strips. I would walk down and ask myself if I wanted to buy them each week. They were $3.99 for a single box and $12 for a 4-pack. In just one week, they went to $6.99 for a single and $19.99 for a 4-pack. My kids want Pop-Tarts every now and then. If you buy a them now, roughly 20% of the surface area no longer has filling. It's literally a 1/2 inch border on 3 sides. 😆 Frozen pizzas now are averaging $8.99, with some at $6.99 with an infrequent sale now. .

The deli, meats and seafood went up the most. There were not only price increases, but the dry weight of the products were also reduced, giving the illusion of price consistency.

.

[brooklynite]

151. That I wouldn't know about...

I shop daily, buying what I need the day I need it. I don't have a "weekly" shopping bill to compare to. That said, I still am not seeing changes in the prices of most of the things I buy.

[Croney]

6. When we were relatively poor, we used coupons

and shopped the 50%-off bins at the supermarket. Now, years later, we can afford not to do that, but it's a permanent habit. Our Shaw's stores have reduced meat, fish, and canned goods. I'm sure not all stores offer this, but it's worth it to check.

[hlthe2b]

7. Pick 3-4 stores/grocery warehouses or big box stores you like to shop, start digital shopping lists

or a "favorite" list or whatever they let you do online. Every week check the items you know you need or routinely buy and list which store has the best prices for each, especially the volatile priced items (milk and eggs right now). Know that with most grocery chains, Wednesday is the magic day when they update their specials, coupons, etc. So, check your list Wednesday or go Tuesday if there were bargains that are likely not to be repeated the next week.

I can usually get the best prices on everything on my list by shopping no more than two stores. If there is one item that is greatly cheaper at a store not close to me, I calculate the gas differential before deciding it is worth it. While online "clip" all pertinent digital coupons. You DO NOT want to wait to do that in the store using the app, believe me. Between lousy internet to really poor search features on those apps, it is not feasible. I don't impulse shop ANYTHING unless it is on sale.

Yes, I am frugal because I really don't like overpaying and I tend to eat/cook fairly simple items that OUGHT to be economical. So, that tends to make it a challenge. I make two gallons of yogurt each week and filter one to make Greek yogurt. The quality of milk differs but yogurt is pretty forgivable. So, I'm not about to pay gas-like prices for a gallon of locally-produced milk when taking a few minutes to check out each store's online pricing can save me $2 or more per gallon.

And if you think that is obsessive, you should see the tricks I take when not in traffic to get my gas mileage up to 56 mph (combined city-interstate).

[SheltieLover]

26. Are you a hyper miler?

My grandson is & has my 05 Civic getting 47 mpg avg / tank! 👍

Good for you!

[hlthe2b]

53. Only in driving style, not the other things. But I do watch my fuel consumption screen

quite frequently when I drive. It isn't hard to figure out how even minor changes to how you accelerate, brake, and yes, even occasionally coast can make tremendous differences OBviously some aren't so easy to do with bumper-to-bumper traffic or aggressive drivers tail-gating you, but a lot is possible for anyone.

[SheltieLover]

57. Absolutely!

Isn't it amazing how many drivers speed up to get to a red light or stop sign, just to stop?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

8. If you have a 20-cubic-foot refrigerator, buy something smaller.

I had a regular-size refrigerator. It broke down. I have a smaller one now. I throw away a lot less food, as I don't buy stuff when there's not enough room for it in the refrigerator.

[artemisia1]

109. This. And also stagger some staples between freezer and refrigerator-freezer in case one fails. nt

[gulliver]

9. Productivity. Store brands.

At work, "Time to lean is time to clean."

Then I buy store brands whenever I can. I buy lowest price. That will encourage competition. Getting in the habit of buying things just because it's a habit makes it possible for the suppliers to all raise their prices together, each giving the other "competition cover" and using the pandemic as an excuse. We need suppliers to be at each other's throats competing.

[XanaDUer2]

11. Publix has a lot of BOGO items

I only buy what I usually would. That's another way

[obamanut2012]

10. Aldi, and local Hispanic marker for my produce

[XanaDUer2]

18. We have a great, non-fancy Hispanic produce store

Nothing fancy, fruit looks kinda rough, but it's perfectly fine

[cbabe]

12. Suggestions:

Bulk buying is less expensive plus only buy what you need at a time.

Real food not prepared, packaged box items.

Discount stores.

Off brands.

Depression era recipes for easy substitutions. I have a terrific no egg chocolate cake recipe.

Victory gardens. Can grow lots in tiny space.

Gleaning if you have wild fruit growing nearby. I’ve harvested cranberries, blackberries, apples.

Do without one item per week. See if you really miss/need it.

[Sogo]

91. Will you share that eggless chocolate cake recipe, please?

Thanks!

[cbabe]

131. Mix in pan chocolate cake

One eight inch square pan

Oven at 350

1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 c sugar
1/4 c cocoa
1/2 t salt
1 T white or cider vinegar
1 t vanilla
1/3 c oil
1 c water

Combine flour, baking soda, sugar, cocoa, and salt in pan

Press three indents with back of spoon

Pour vinegar in one hole
Vanilla in second hole
Oil in third hole

Gently pour water over all

Stir with a fork

Bake 30 mins
Let cool in pan 5 mins

Sounds odd but it works and is moist and delicious. Let us know how it goes.

Enjoy!

[Sogo]

150. Thank you!

[yellowdogintexas]

152. we used to make that except the recipe was called "Wacky Cake" nt

[LuvLoogie]

13. Check out websites on proper storage of produce.

Don't let your fruit and vegetables go bad.

Eat breakfast before work, so you aren't too hungry by lunchtime and you overbuy/eat.

Get a thermos and put some hot soup in it.

[Kaleva]

15. I buy items reduced in price due to being near or past best used by date

Cans of chicken noodle or creamed soups for $.50 each.

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese for $.50 each

Hamburger at $2.99 a pound. This comes in a frozen, 10 lb roll and when I get home, I cut it up in 2 lb sections using my crosscut saw and put each section in a freezer bag and into my freezer.

Eggs at $.99 a dozen.

Quart and sometimes even a gallon of milk at $.99. I freeze in in smaller containers that which I know I won't be using in a couple of days.

I other items, I shop at the local DG using their $5 off for every $25 spent in combination with digital coupons.

Here's a post I made back in Feb. '21:

"Frugal shopping at Dollar General
with the easing of COVID19 restrictions, I'm babysitting again and got the money to restock. I had 3 $5 off if I spent at lest $25 Dollar General coupons good for yesterday only. Friday I did an inventory of stock and wrote down what was needed. Early Saturday morning went to the DG website and priced the items. With that info, I made up 3 separate shopping lists where the total was at or just over $25.

I was at the store a little past 8 when it opened. My first trip in the total costs was $26.90 and that included $1.80 for deposit on the Pepsi. With the coupon, net cost was $21.90. After i put that into the car, I went in for the 2nd trip and the total cost was $25.15 and with the coupon, net cost was $20.15. My 3rd trip in the total cost was exactly $25 and so with the coupon, net cost was $20.00.

So, rather then spending $77.05, I ended up spending $62.05 and I got 3 more $5 off for every $25 spent coupons, one attached to each receipt, good for next Saturday the 27th.

To get these coupons, one needs to buy something from the store anytime during the previous week as the coupon is attached to the receipt. If I happen to be in town, I run in and purchase a needed item that costs about a dollar. Stuff like a package of DG shaving razors, soap and stuff like that. Most of the time, I just need one coupon as I don't plan on spending much more then $25 but for those times I need more, I'll go into the store 2-3 or even 4 times to buy cheap but needed items. Or I get them like I did yesterday. Went in 3 times with 3 coupons and ended up with 3 more coupons good for next Saturday.

I've been doing this for awhile now. Using coupons to stretching out the babysitting money and keeping the home pretty well stocked."

https://www.democraticunderground.com/11284594

[Frustratedlady]

16. Eat less processed foods and cook from scratch.

There are many foods you can make and enjoy the leftovers in a day or so. Some dishes taste better as leftovers, such as casseroles, soups, etc. Homemade pizza is fun to make and you can be creative/experimental with it. I make flat bread pizza (which is fairly cheap at the store) and make my own sauce and toppings.

Buy veggies and fruits from farmers' markets. The quality and freshness is usually better, as are the prices. Stop buying convenience or snack foods. Pop your own popcorn at home. That's a filler as a snack. Buy cheaper cuts of meat. Pork is cheaper than beef. Chicken is rising, but not as fast as beef. Find creative ways to use leftover meat...casseroles and soups are good ways to do so. Check out Pinterest or the Net for recipes/ideas.

Every store has their draws. Watch for them and stock up if you can. You can freeze extra bread products and you'll be surprised how many times that saves a trip to the store when you realize you are out and have some frozen. Make a list of what your family eats the most and buy ingredients when on sale...cross out snack foods and pop.

I like to watch what families buy at the grocery. I'm amazed at how high they can pile those carts with worthless calories, sugared cereals, cookies, etc. I'm just glad I don't have to pay the bill.

Good luck!

[Skittles]

118. a lot of us simply don't have the time to cook

I'm often doing 12hour+ all night shifts, sometimes two weeks in a row.....I'd rather sleep in than cook and on my days off the last thing I want to do besides cleaning is cooking

[Frustratedlady]

134. So, with all those hours, you'll be rich enough to eat out/carryout.

You're right, it does take time to cook from scratch, but a lot of those dishes can be thrown together quickly and baked in the oven so you don't have to spend so much time in the kitchen watching pots. Thank god for freezers and microwaves.

[Skittles]

135. that's another thing

when it's 98 degrees, I don't want the oven on!

I've lived on junk food my entire adult life, yet in my sixth decade I can still swim across lakes....go figure.

[Frustratedlady]

136. How lucky can one get? Carry on! Sounds like you're doing just fine. n/t

[Chainfire]

17. As long as we have to eat, it is beyond our control

I believe that most of the price rises that we are seeing is the results of the big producers making additional profits and hurting the Democratic Party in the process. It is a win-win for them. Keep in mind who inflation at the grocery store impacts the most; hint, it ain't the rich and powerful. We are pawns in this game, any real affect that we might have is an illusion.

Agribusiness wants us to think in terms of "farming" as being the rugged individual family farmer, on his or her tractor, scratching out a living from the earth, and nothing could be further from the truth. It is a mega business with a captive customer base.

To answer your question more directly and from a personal perspective, I have cut out beef from my diet. It is not so much that I can't afford it, it is just that I am not willing to support the high prices. Do I think that it has an effect on the beef and grocery industry, certainly not. Cargill, Tyson, Mosaic and their brethren are going to make their money or we will starve in the process.

One day, these types of businesses will find a legal path to charge us for the air that we breathe, and we will accept it...

[milestogo]

21. I have been eating Oatmeal for breakfast for years.

I put fresh fruit on top.

It's still a relatively cheap meal.

In the last year the price for a 42oz container has gone from $3.76 to $5.76.

That's huge. And I don't expect it to go back down.

[Hortensis]

40. In 2021, cooler temperate climates where oats are grown had killer drought

and heat. Canada, the world's single highest producer, exported half its usual. The situation's also dire in the U.S. Ukraine's banned export of grains, including oats, to protect its people's food supply. Problems will continue, of course. Walmart "Cheerios" have been out of stock recently, but Cheerios brand hasn't yet because of their huge, long-established supply agreements.

Supply's just one factor. Pandemic effects on petroleum supplies, supply chains, uber-demand spending as people decided they were through with pandemic cautions are of course all now big "the usual" others. TX's power supply crash had broad consequences that are still felt. And so on x whatever.

The whole planet's very interdependent. Disruptions have consequences.

As for the insistence of some on being totally helpless victims, unable to affect prices, how can that be anything but a self-fulfilling load added to the backs of those who are but have to haul it along too to do it?

[KarenS]

19. Here's what we do.

I work at using/eating all that we buy esp produce. Buy produce in season.
even with egg prices up they are still a good buy for the nutrition.
We truly are eating less (we are older)
water, coffee are our drinks,,,,
I have though taken a liking to Bubly sparkling water 1 can at lunch. zero soda, zero alcohol.
I have nearly quit bread my Husband has been eating openfaced sandwiches.
buy bread & meat on sale, freeze half loaves of bread, and package meat by the meal. Label with contents & date.
Keep an ongoing freezer inventory including location within the freezer.
Keep a bags of veggie trimmings & leftover veggies in the freezer,,,, the trimmings are for broth and the veggies are for the soup.

There's lots of info on the internet about this kind of stuff.

[Hortensis]

46. We do some of that and made cutting food waste a priority. I like the

broth I make from veggie trimmings so much (once I finally started doing it consistently a year or two ago), I make extra "trimmings" so I can fill up a bag quicker.

We're also older and eating less because of metabolism. Long ago I read the FDA's recommendation of a meat portion the size of a pack of cards with "you have to be kidding" disbelief. I now think it's a very satisfying size, not least because we really enjoy every bite; I needed rising prices and environmental guilt to help get me to that realization, though.

That said, after half my life being so indifferent to eating that I often skipped meals, I now like to eat and cook to have good food. Being more frugal for us doesn't mean austerity or giving up much of anything, just some shifts to more good but lower-price foods, with smaller, less frequent portions of more expensive. Like an "open-face" (i.e., use less) bagel with lox, with fruit, salad, soup, whatever to round it out.

[XanaDUer2]

20. I never go to Starbucks

I use instant coffee

[TexasTowelie]

65. That's worth at least $100 a month. nt

[BlackSkimmer]

70. I brew my own coffee every morning. Can't stand instant, but I don't go to Starbucks either.

Usually three or four scoops on my pour-over, or maybe five with my French Press.

Coffee is an essential for me.

[XanaDUer2]

73. My relative

Who had way more money than me, must spend my years salary on Starbucks. I think their coffee smells bad

[hlthe2b]

79. I haven't gone in many years.. They priced themselves out of the market, IMO.

[BlackSkimmer]

137. Yeah, I just never got the Starbucks habit.

Lol, I have spent plenty of money over the years in search of the perfect cup. Percolators, pour-overs, French Presses, drip, Keurig pod...

[milestogo]

138. I like gas station coffee just fine.

Or even Dunkin Donuts or McDonalds. Those have gotten more expensive too. Now I use a Keurig at home.

[BlackSkimmer]

146. I actually like that too, if it's fresh.

Back in the day, on long drives from Key West to NC, I learned Waffle House always had good strong coffee...always open and always fresh lol!

[Freddie]

114. Me too

I use my Keurig. I know it’s cheaper to use a regular drip coffeemaker but I think Keurig coffee is better because the pods are sealed.
Thanks to someone here on DU, I discovered Fresh Roasted Coffee in Sunbury PA. They roast coffee fresh for pods and it’s actually cheaper than many supermarket brands. Most are around .67 each. High quality. They also sell roasted beans, ground coffee and tea.
One thing about the current inflation that’s different (and not in a good way) is from what I see, lack of competition. Back in the 70s when inflation was a huge concern, grocery chains practically had price wars to bring you in. Now they don’t bother.

[Lulu Latech]

22. Shop the ads....

Every store has weekly loss leaders. In my area the ads come out on Wed so I check to see which store has the deals that I like most. You need to be flexible with your food choices and try different things. Don't discount higher end stores either. They all mark down staples to get you in the door. Just go in with a list and stick to it. I also find I save money by shopping on line and picking up as I'm not tempted to buy more. Also register for loyalty points and on line coupons. You can save quite a bit. One of my locals was offering 15 bucks off on your first pick up or delivery.

[Ms. Toad]

143. Yup.

Olives have doubled in price - but they were on sale for the previous price so I stocked up. Canned tomatoes havea also doubled - I found them for about 25% above the prior price - so I stocked up.

Current prices are ridiculous, compared to prices just a few months ago - and to how much everything else has gone up. 10-20% I can see - but I'm seeing a lot of things up 50% or even 100%.

[mahina]

23. Instant pot full of bean soup

Last edited Tue Jun 7, 2022, 04:34 PM - Edit history (1)

Beans are cheap as…beans.

Almost never eat meat as it’s less and less appetizing anyway

I live in the state with the highest food costs in the country.

We don’t waste. Starbucks is a once a year thing if that. Coffee from home is just fine. The grounds go right in the garden.

We have been trained to be treated like profit centers. I am following in my great grandmother’s footsteps and providing as much as I can for myself and my neighbors. I admit it’s small but I need less and less.

The vegetables I do have to buy a cheap. I shop around the outside perimeter of the grocery store and I skip the whole meat section, now milk too.

Speaking of, oat milk is great and coffee as a milk substitute and it is super cheap to make at home.

[eShirl]

160. wait, what do you make for a milk substitute?

It says coffee but I think that sentence got mangled somehow

[mahina]

161. Man it sure did. I meant oat milk is a great milk substitute.

I started off using the aKirklands brand at costco and from there explored recipes. Cheap and pretty good, no big taste or texture issues and much cheaper. I was going to the store just to get milk to put in my coffee. Forget it!

And thanks for the heads up on that. I made the edit. Sorry for being so opaque

[Brother Buzz]

24. Do not try my cost savings experiment with milk

I tried diluting a gallon of whole milk with water to make two gallons of reduced fat milk. It tasted crappy! DO NOT TRY IT!

[vanlassie]

32. There is no extra water in reduced fat milks.

[Scrivener7]

25. No more Tide. Make your own cheap laundry soap.

[imavoter]

27. More beans, rice...

My mother used to cut hamburger with
oatmeal. She didn't make a meat loaf
out of it, just made it stretch.
Although meatloaf is a good way to stretch
meats.

Also, price out meats per lbs.
Buy what's cheaper, cut up and freeze
if that's available to you.
You can cut your own steaks, for example.

Also, don't listen to food snobs about fresh
veggies. If canned or frozen are cheaper,
buy what's cheapest of the three.
Same for any canned product.

People suggest bulk, but don't do it
if you'll get tired of it or don't have room.
If it goes bad, you're just wasting money.

Also, the obvious, buy what might be a better
deal. But still get some special things
here and there, or make your own treats.

Also foods that are more filling, or make one
feel full.

Also, if you have a coupon, great. But I've
seen house brands cheaper with no coupon
at all.

[SheltieLover]

28. Buy produce on sale, par boil & freeze

Food costs are beyond ridiculous!

[kentuck]

30. Buy less. Eat less.

Go on a diet.

I've noticed that they cut the price of ice cream down to $1.97 for a half-gallon if they don't have room to put their new supply.

[Sympthsical]

31. Costco/bulk/apps/sales

I'm just more conscientious about things. Costco for the main things like bread, eggs, butter, coffee, cream, meat, etc. 5 dozen eggs are $9.59. Chicken is going up and up. About $27 for 10 lbs of frozen breasts (used to be $22). Coffee's $12 a can (used to be about $8).

Then I have a Safeway app and get the ad in the mail every week, so whatever else that gets bought is dependent on what's happening there. We've been cutting down on Safeway more and more and becoming more reliant on Costco. However, if there are deals on something that can be stored like canned goods, jars, frozen veggies, etc., we'll stock up on the sale and store it. Sometimes they have avocados for $1 for example. If Costco has a sale, stock up on whatever it is.

Fortunately, I'm low carb and tend to buy the same staples over and over and over. So if there's a sale, it's easy to buy up a bunch as I know I'll use it. All my cooking tends to be chicken, veggies, and spices in various ethnic configurations.

I don't snack, so that's easy. Sometimes a thing of low carb ice cream if there's a sale.

But that's just two people. For people who have kids, I don't know how they're managing it. So very many things have gone up.

[Demsrule86]

34. The prices are pretty much the same. I go shop for the best price at

Trader Joe, Whole Foods, Aldis, Ollies (yeah you can get great stuff on clearance but watch dates), Giant Eagle ( a percentage goes into rewards for gas or groceries), Sams (gas is usually cheaper at Sams as well), and BJ's. Also, check out Amazon for some things too. For example, I got King Arthur gluten-free AP flour for 1/3 of what it cost elsewhere. I don't buy convenience food either...make my own lactose-free yogurt, use real potatoes, rice, and corn...no box stuff. I have been buying Sams's gluten-free bread at Walmart but I am thinking of making my own. I shop once a week or every two weeks...and stay out of the stores!

[womanofthehills]

82. I only eat organic and ferment some of my foods

I make sourdough bread with organic flour. Have not bought store bread for 6 months. I slice the bread and freeze it and just get out a few slices at a time - plus I’m cutting way back on eating bread so it lasts longer - but my grandkids love it. Also mostly drink water and kombucha tea which I always have fermenting on my counter. I used to crave Mexican cokes, but now I crave kombucha. I make homemade sauerkraut and kefir. I buy 4 half gallons of organic milk at a time - I freeze 2. i have a homemade kefir smoothie with fruit, vitamins,a raw egg yoke-for one meal a day. I switched to the mostly carnivore/protein /fruit diet - with grass fed beef or organic chicken,fresh fruit, my own chicken eggs, a few veggies - no beans, rice, white potatoes, canned food, deserts, cereals, chips. I live in ranching country so I can buy grass fed/grass finished beef for a good price. Still - cutting out so many foods, my grocery bills are still higher. My significant other eats over a few times a week but always brings food for my dogs.

[Demsrule86]

85. What a great and healthy diet you have and sound delicious too.

[Freddie]

119. Love Ollie's

Great for snacks, cereal, canned foods, some pet foods, cleaning products. I understand they’re remodeling their stores but I love the “basic warehouse” ambience there.
The problem (for me) buying food there is the unfamiliar brands - ooh, never saw that before, must try it! Bad for the wallet and hips.

[nakocal]

35. Vote out EVERY republican in office

Republicans are blocking EVERY attempt to get inflation under control.

[EX500rider]

36. Save-A-Lot store for me

Save A Lot Food Stores Ltd. is an American discount supermarket chain store headquartered in St. Ann, Missouri, in Greater St. Louis. It is a subsidiary of Onex Corporation with about 900 independently owned and operated stores across 32 states

[barbaraann]

37. Find out if there is a "gleaner" organization in your area and check it out.

These are volunteer organizations that collect surplus food and non-food items from from farmers, stores, restaurants, distribution warehouses, and other sources and distribute them to their members, usually on a weekly basis. Gleaner groups can someimes also purchase items from local food banks for a very low cost. Members of gleaner organizations must meet income guidelines and generally have to pay a small amount of dues and volunteer a small amount of time each month.

These organizations are somewhat "under the radar" but can offer MUCH, MUCH more help than a typical food pantry. Some food banks and pantries use the word "gleaner" in their names but aren't actually primarily gleaning organizations.

Map of Gleaning & Food Recovery Organizations
https://nationalgleaningproject.org/gleaning-map/

USDA handbook on gleaning:
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda_gleaning_toolkit.pdf

If I told you about some of the bountiful gleaner distributions I have seen in my life, you probably wouldn't believe me.

[cbabe]

56. The thing I love about gleaning is the taste of truly ripe fruit. Not the hard green

picked too early for shipping produce.

Remembering sweet lemons and juicy avocados.

[barbaraann]

115. Concord grapes.

These are so hard to find in stores.

[Ritabert]

38. If you eat meat try a couple of veggie meals a week

....veggie pizza, veggie lasagna, veggie fajitas, etc. Potatoes, carrots, onions, broccoli, corn on the cob, zucchini are still inexpensive. I make my own coffee and never drink sodas. I make my own pizza dough and freeze half for another meal. I stock up on the only cereal we like when it's on sale. We don't eat junk food at all or pastries for our health.

[dickthegrouch]

39. Some 99c stores have fresh veggies and packed salads for 99c

1/3 of the price in Safeway or Walmart.

They have a lot of other things, too, that help us save.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

41. I like to cook

and part of my home economy is trading the time it takes to prepare fresh healthful food for the convenience of ready-made and/or processed foods that are more expensive.

And having the culinary skills to use lower-cost ingredients to make meals that are still delicious and nutritious is a plus.

Picking up cooking skills is one of the best ways people can save money and maintain one's health.

These things make a huge difference in our budget. That said, the weekly shopping bill has risen. Shopping trips that were $100 not long ago are now $125 (or so). The inflation is real.

[Ritabert]

44. I cook too. You can save a lot of money

....by avoiding overly processed food.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

49. And an extraordinary amount of money in point of fact.

Since you cook, you know this.

It is also the best way to preserve one's health. I think that having the ability to efficiently make healthful and nutritious meals is the greatest way for people to lower their expenses.

[Ritabert]

61. I've been cooking a lot more since the pandemic

...and like expanding my recipes.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

64. I started cooking in childhood when my mom wanted to continue her education

by taking night classes at our local university.

She was a public school teacher and the additional post-graduate/post-certification coursework significantly advanced her payscale.

She expressed to me that she'd be held back if she was unable to to take night classes, but she was worried about not being there to cook meals of my little brother and me.

I told her I'd make her a deal: I'll make dinners on nights you have classes if I can do the grocery shopping with you and chose my ingredients. She accepted that deal in a heartbeat and cooking became a lifelong passion of mine.

This worked out well for everyone.

[Ritabert]

68. Interesting

[bigtree]

42. larger chains not only have more choices, more variety of sizes and brands

...but have them more regularly in-stock than smaller outfits.

They will also have dependable store-brands or generics which reduce the prices immensely. Also more managers' specials for out of date meats and ripened produce.

They also have frequent, competing double coupon programs and buy-one-get-one deals.

Smaller stores may have aspects of these, but less frequently and on a smaller variety of items.

[KentuckyWoman]

43. Cooking for 1.

I invested in the sealing machine and silicone ice cube trays.
I still have my old home canner.
Consider splitting fresh produce with friends / neighbors.

Rule number 1 - reduce waste.
Rule number 2 - convenience items cost more.
Rule number 3 - bulk where possible but it isn't always cheaper - check ounce prices.


With those in mind.

If someone has meat / fish on sale I buy all I have room for in my overhead freezer. I use the sealer to individually seal.
It is hard to go through the fresh veggies fast enough. Some do well home canned.

Stretching the meat and veggies with pasta or rice is cheaper but there is a health cost to inexpensive carbs. Experiment with dry beans, lentils, or cornmeal products. You might be surprised what you and your family likes.

Cabbage can be really cheap is "white" your family might tolerate it in place of or half and half with pasta in order to stretch the meats and veggies.

Start with one meatless meal a week and expand.

Cold cereal is ridiculously expensive. Back in the day even before "quick oats", my mother would boil the water, dump in the oats, stir and turn the heat off, leaving he pot on the warm burner. By the time she fed the animals and came back we'd have cooked oats for school. Cinnamon, honey, jelly or fruit is nice to add in.

Cook once eat 2 or 3 times. - I'll cook a steak and eat half. For one thing, a serving should be 3oz and it is hard to find any steaks under 6 - 8 oz. The other half I will eat tomorrow sauteed with some onions and mushrooms over lentils or with a side of corn bread.

Stretch ground meat for hamburgers. cooked black beans, mushrooms, onion, bread crumbs etc are great add ins. 1 pound of ground meat to a total of 1 cup add ins ( no more than 1/4 cut bread crumbs) . Make sure it is all small. Dry ingredients will soak up some of the fat in the ground meat to keep hamburgers moist.

Busy parents who all work and have busy kids. Plan your meals in advance. Put up a list of what you are eating so you remember to get food out of the freezer in advance. Tacos one night? All those ingredients can become spaghetti and salad tomorrow night.

[cbabe]

45. More suggestions:

Volunteer in exchange for food:
Food pantries
Community gardens
Urban farms

Buy from the source if you have local farms for produce, eggs, etc.

[malaise]

48. A kitchen garden

That is all

[A HERETIC I AM]

54. I was gonna say...

Bring back Victory Gardens!

I traveled to England several times in the 90’s and was impressed by the number of communal vegetable gardens that were everywhere. I know it’s not unique to England and there are some here in the states, but nothing like over there.

It takes effort to look after your plot, but if it was a way of life, people would accept it.

As it is, I think way too many Americans are too lazy or too used to the way things are, to do such a thing.

[malaise]

63. My mother was in England for WW2

For the rest of her life she glad a Mitchell garden and so do most of her children

[GoCubsGo]

50. Shop according to weekly specials, and use cashback aps,

like Ibotta and Checkout 51. Kroger also has a cashback on top of their digital coupons. Basically, plan ahead. Most of the stores put out their weekly ads a day ahead of time. And, remember that a lot of convenience foods are expensive. Going meatless, at least a few days a week also helps keep costs down.

If you find deals on pantry or freezer items that you use fairly regularly, stock up on them. Look for closeouts and manager's specials. Don't be too proud to buy scratch-and-dents, or perishables that are approaching their sell-by date. Some of it, like meat and berries, can be frozen. Some produce, like peppers, can be roasted and frozen for later use. Or, turned into soups and stews before they get frozen.

[GoCubsGo]

55. And, don't buy more fresh produce, meats, dairy, etc. than you can eat

or freeze/can for later. Wasting food is expensive.

[XanaDUer2]

67. Are those apps free? Tia nt

[GoCubsGo]

74. Yes.

Free to download, no fees to use them. I LOVE Ibotta! Been using it for a few years. I have gotten several hundreds of dollars back using it.

[XanaDUer2]

76. I'm sorry for my ignorance

I'm on a limited income. How do they work? You download them and show them at checkout? Is the money taken off your bill when you present this app? One thing that keeps me from using apps is not knowing how they work.

[GoCubsGo]

88. No, it doesn't get taken off your bill.

You get the cash back later. It's not a coupon. This explains how Ibotta works: https://home.ibotta.com/how/

It's pretty easy. You basically check off your deals, go shopping (in store, pick-up, delivery), take a photo or your receipt with your phone, and submit. Some stores, like Walgreens and Food Lion, let you link your loyalty card, and you can skip submitting a receipt. It automatically deposits your cashback to your account. At Walmart, you just scan the bar code. If you have coupons for the same item, you can use them. Those still get deducted off your bill for added savings.

Checkout 51 works pretty much the same way--check off the items, scan the receipt. They don't have as many deals, and you can't stack manufacturer's coupons, like you can with Ibotta, but they do have cashback on Shell gasoline. I think it's 5%.

You have to collect at least $20 into your account before you can cash out. You can deposit in your bank account or PayPal (Checkout 51 only.) Ibotta also has a bunch of different electronic gift card options, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, the big box home stores...

I hope that's clear. It takes a little effort, but I found it worth it.

[XanaDUer2]

98. Thank you for your kindness nt

[GoCubsGo]

104. You're welcome!

BTW, if you patronize the Kroger family of grocery stores, they also have a cash back program. They have a lot of the same offers as Ibotta. You can use it on top of Ibotta, for even more returns. With that one, you can either roll it onto your loyalty card, or get it back via PayPal. You can find it on the store web page under "Savings." You loas cash back the same way you do digital coupons. As with digital coupons you just need to make sure your offers are loaded onto your card before you check out.

[XanaDUer2]

107. I feel dumb

Because I'm so confused by all this. I shop at Food Lion and get their cheapest house brands. To save money. I don't even know how to use digital coupons

[GoCubsGo]

120. You need to go to the store's web page to load digital coupons.

For Food Lion, just go to: https://www.foodlion.com/

Click on "Sign In" in the upper right-hand corner to create an online account, if you don't already have one.
Fill in your information, including the number on your loyalty card.
Click on "Savings" on the menu, and then "Coupons."
Load desired coupons onto the card. (They also have printable coupons available there.)

It's pretty much the same with every other store that has a loyalty card. The one difference is that Food Lion's coupons are stored in the "MyWallet," which is also under "Savings." Also note that they have a "Shop and Earn" program, which is their version of a cash back program. It's not hard to find on their web page, and if you click on it, there's an explanation of how it works. If you shop there regularly, you should have no problem getting cash back rewards, which get loaded onto your loyalty card.

All the grocery chains have their own individual aps, too. So you can load and access coupons there, as well.

If you are shopping at Food Lion, I'm guessing you live somewhere in the Southeast. If so, you may find this site useful for grocery and general shopping: https://www.southernsavers.com/ She's the one who turned me onto the cash back aps. Even if you don't live in the Southeast, it's a pretty handy site for general shopping. She finds money-saving deals all over the place.

[Lars39]

103. Is the Kroger cash back from the Kroger Visa card?

[GoCubsGo]

106. Nope, regular, old loyalty card.

I just posted about it below. See #104,

[Lars39]

117. Thank you so much!

[GoCubsGo]

121. You're welcome!

[Lars39]

162. I found $15.25 on my Kroger loyalty card!

Just sitting there! Thanks again!

[spinbaby]

51. Some random thoughts

Track the prices of foods you use regularly in a notebook or in an app—some shopping apps let you do this. That way you’ll know a great price when you see it.

Expand your shopping horizons. Walmart does not, in fact, have prices that are all that great, but they do have a large selection of tempting junk food. I buy grains and baking supplies at a very good price at a Mennonite bulk store and frequent a Mexican grocery for produce. I also like Aldi a lot.

Check your pantry and make a meal plan before you shop.

Don’t eat out. We only eat out when we travel. If you’re at all a decent cook, food at home is cheaper, easier, and more convenient.

[Tink41]

58. Recently lost 60 lbs and learned "how" to eat

I purchase food in it's most unadulterated form. Quinoa replaces pasta as does Farro. 1/4C is a serving cooked. Lots of eggs, plain nonfat Greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese. Berries, Spinach, Peppers, give the most bang for your buck. Apples, stone fruits. Shredded Cabbage for salads. Crushed tomatoes. I do purchase pre-made balsamic dressings, sauces to add flavor. 1 TB per serving mixed w a touch of water goes a long way. Meat I do splurge and get grass fed as I feel it's the best bang for my buck. Canned tuna, lots of chicken. I do not eat meat as the centerpiece of a meal. It's usually diced and thrown in as a 2.5 Oz portion. 1 slice of bread every morning slathered w smashed avocado or hummus w an egg. Oh! And a shit ton of bananas! I was a sweet-aholic!

My grocery bill decreased eating this way. I keep the same 20 or so items on hand and find new ways to combine them. I went from 75 a week or more in 2020, to about 45 in 2022. There are some items I do subscribe and save oats, grains, almond milk, nuts.
If I want a "treat" ie: heart attack food, I have to go out to get it!

I actually Googled " food most bang for your buck" and went from there.
My job is very physical I'm a tradesperson, I'm not small by any means. This way of eating is sustainable. Water and coffee only, Bubly in the summertime!

[Tikki]

59. We are making our own Tomato soup..

Based on a Copy Cat of a national brand and it is eerily close.

Also making our own lemon-shine type dishwasher additive.

We, also, have a soda bubbles machine and make a soft drink only when we want one.

The Tikkis

[mcar]

71. Rice and beans in the instant pot

Just made this afternoon. Next, I'll make chicken carnitas in the IP.

Together, that'll be lunch and dinner for 2 for the next 3-4 days and it's something we don't get sick of. Brown rice, black beans and 1 lb. of boneless chicken does it.

Once a month, I got to Aldi's and get their fresh fish and chicken, occasionally beef but we don't eat much red meat. They freeze well.

Local produce market for veggies and fruit.

I make my own crockpot oatmeal, by eggs from a local farm and the rest at Publix.

Still, prices have gone up. But IMO they've been steadily increasing since COVID started. It's not been a recent thing.

[asa4ever]

72. I and my neighbors hunt or raise pigs and/or chickens and grow vegetables.

We share what we have without putting a price on anything. I'm single so I give most of what I have away which means I get invited to dinner a lot.

[Binkie The Clown]

75. Dry beans in bulk. Rice in bulk. Oatmeal in bulk. Flour in bulk. Potatoes in bulk,... etc.

Eat like you actually intend to save money.
Nothing that comes in a box, a can, or a jar. (Stewed tomatoes are an exception. Very versatile in a lot of recipes.)
Nothing frozen, with the exception of large bags of frozen veggies.
Nothing you can pick up at a drive-through window.
Nothing that needs an "ingredient list." If it has ingredients, you're paying somebody else to do your work. Do the work yourself.

Use your insta-pot.
Use your rice cooker.
Use your air fryer.
Use your oven.
Use your pots and pans.
Don't use your microwave (except to reheat leftovers).

[Retrograde]

78. The bulk-buy bins went when the pandemic started

I liked them: you could buy a reasonable amount at a good price and have a place to store it. Now the only bulk buys I see around here are at Costco - and while I make at least one bean-based meal a week I don't have the room for 25# or 50# sacks of pintos or rice. Where I live we're prone to weevils and moths, so buying flour in bulk means you have to figure out some airtight way of storing the larger portion of it once you open the bag.

Canned goods have their place: while they're not as good as freshly made ones, canned soups are useful for an emergency dinner. Canned tuna and sardines are also useful for quick sandwiches. And while I can make them myself (after I've soaked and cooked the beans) having canned refried beans in the cupboard means there's always tostadas for lunch or dinner.

If you have the freezer space, buying frozen foods and repackaging them into single meal portions can be a cost savings.

In short, there's no one approach that works for everyone.

[Binkie The Clown]

100. I buy bulk from a restaurant supply hose that's open to the public.

I don't just buy bulk, I buy BULK

[yellowdogintexas]

153. Sprouts has great prices on produce and a small bulk department

during pandemic the normally scoopable items were pre packed by the market. Now the bins are back to scooping and bagging what you need. They have a bulk spice area where you just measure up the amount you need instead of buying the jar or tin of spice that you won't use all of anyway.

If there is a WINCO near you they have a large bulk area; not bulk as in 25 pounds of beans but bulk as in measure out what you need. I have saved a LOT Of money over the years buying spices this way!

[electric_blue68]

77. Save up for the best herbs & spices u can afford. Use a few at a time...

to make some similar type meals really taste different!

Explore "ethnic" cooking esp vegetarian.

Now w slow cookers, crock pots it's sooo much easier to expand your variety of cooking beans from scratch.

In the '80's cooking dry red, kidney, black beans, and chick peas was a ?2, 2 1/2+ plus affair. Couldn't do it.
So I stuck with pintos, black-eyed peas, lentils.I do love lentils, and black eyed peas. 👍
Now I hope I'll get one later this year and add those others in. Cooking them from scratch vs a can - you get more, and they taste better.

I love millet (yes, bird seed 😄 ) as an alternative grain. To me it taste like a cross between rice, and corn.

Tofu picks up flavors (I don't think anyone's mentioned it). Maybe takes a bit of getting used to.

Might take more tries but the sturdiness, and umami taste of tempah I learned to really like.

Now, I loooove cheese but If I had to cut back I'd get the best very sharp cheddar, parmasen, aged provolone, or manchego chunks and grate them over meals.
I do get grated Parmesan.
Then I get crumbled feta, blue cheese.

Beef is great burgers at outdoor dinner places known for them (no beef at home for decades).
Cause of my situation I've been able to eat a lot of take out (get my chicken, and pork w veggies) but that will probably change.
I'd cook and eat them mixed w veggies Chinese, or Indian style.
I used to cook Chinese (wok, steamer);late '70's '80's.

Hope some of this helps someone(s)! 👍🙂

[Retrograde]

81. Buy less and use what you buy

IMHO, step #1 is cutting down on the amount of food that gets thrown out or spoils because you overbought and didn't get around to using everything before it went bad. And learn how to use most of what you buy - the onion skins, the carrot tops, the bones, the bread that's going stale, and whatever else would normally be wasted. The Guardian has a weekly column called "Waste Not" (online, no firewall) that has ideas for using up foodstuffs that would normally be thrown out (and while I do sometimes call it the "penny wise, pound foolish" column, about half of the ideas are worthwhile)

[meadowlander]

86. Meal planning makes a huge difference.

I set up my system after the global financial crisis when I was broke and didn't have a car so had to carry everything back from the store. I splurged on grocery delivery once every three months when toilet paper went on sale (which paid for the cost of delivery), bought everything shelf-stable for the next three months in that delivery and then only bought perishables each week.

I plan all my meals three months in advance, only really cook on the weekend and eat leftovers for the rest of the week. I cook everything I can from scratch. When money's tight I spend it on nutrient dense foods that are filling even when these "cost more" than foods like Ramen noodles (which leave me starving an hour later) or fast food.

I'm also really bad about impulse buying/eating when I'm hungry and tired on weeknights so I make sure I always have the fridge stocked with meals I can just microwave and some back up/disaster options (like frozen dumplings) in case whatever I cooked on the weekend didn't come out or I get sick of it.

I save a ton of money this way - spending like a quarter what I was before.

The most effective suggestions that have worked for me would be:
1. Don't eat out. Learn how to cook if you haven't already.
2. Don't waste money on junk food, especially drinks.
3. Embrace leftovers. Plan large meals you know you enjoy and will eat more than once. The most expensive food you buy is what ends up in the trash so invest in finding healthy food you actually like.
4. Have protein-based snacks on hand (like nuts) which actually fill you up
5. Eat what's in season.
6. Use meat as a flavoring, not the main event
7. Eat mindfully, especially treats. The first few bites are usually where 90% of the pleasure comes from. Stop when you're full or not enjoying it anymore and save the rest for next time.
8. Eating a variety of foods at each meal fills you up faster than just a lot of one type of food. It's especially important to mix some protein and fat in. All starch meals spike your blood sugar and lead to hunger and cravings later.
9. Drink enough water. Dehydration sometimes translates as hunger and having water in your digestive system makes you feel fuller.
10. Know what foods are good value (calories/nutrients per dollar). This will differ depending on where you live and can change over time (for example, the price of tuna has gone bonkers near me so it's not the value it used to me). But generally this will be things like rice, pasta, tortillas, potatoes, oats, beans and lentils, eggs, apples, bananas, carrots, onions, canned tomatoes. Also know which foods are more expensive but add so much value they are worth it. I.e. cheese. And know which foods are real savings and which are false economy. My local supermarket puts so much water and fat in the discount ground beef, its actually cheaper to buy the "premium beef" because it doesn't cook down so much.
11. Try to at least grow your own herbs if you can.
12. Save vegetable trimmings from onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, mushrooms, leeks, fennel, in a bag in the freezer and then every few months get chicken frames from the butcher, make stock and freeze it. This is practically free if you have a slow cooker and makes a big difference to flavor.
13. Most cultures have a peasant cooking tradition. Those recipes are pure gold. Looking at you shepherd's pie, lasagna, and meatloaf.
14. Don't eat for entertainment or therapy. Think about whether you're actually hungry or if you're just eating out of habit because you always have popcorn with a movie or your energy always dips around 3. Would a walk work instead? Or tea instead of a 700 calorie Starbucks concoction? Or a rant session with your coworker instead of drowning your frustration with your boss in chocolate.
15. Respect your food. Don't eat mindlessly in front of the TV or behind a steering wheel or at your desk while you work. Put it on an actual dish and eat it with actual silverware somewhere you can concentrate on it. Someone put a lot of work into growing it and/or preparing it or some animal gave its life for you. Less food simply prepared can go a lot further when you're really making the effort to enjoy it.

[milestogo]

92. Great, thoughtful post.

Thank you.

[Alsteen]

89. Coupons

Coupons save money. The stores keep track of what you buy and give you discounts on those things. Check online!! Keep an eye out for sales, Especially on store brands, and when it's on sale use the coupon for them. You can save a LOT of money. Yes, I know that you must join their scheme but you can save like 25-20% on your shopping. Don't forget fuel points if your store has them.

[MissB]

94. I think it depends on how you live and how you cook.

Dh and I both work from home, so we have the flexibility to make stuff from scratch. I meal plan our meals in advance for the week, so I'm always aware of what I have in the fridge. If I don't feel like shopping, then I'll only include things I have on hand. If I feel like something is needed, I'll buy it on my Saturday early morning shopping trip. (Costco trips are about once every 2 months). About half of our evening meals are meatless, and most of our lunches don't involve meat.

I keep a deep basement pantry/storeroom, and nearly all of the dry goods are vacuum sealed into canning jars. So things like flour, rice, beans, quinoa, lentils etc are all there and get rotated out. I keep a jar of each in my kitchen, so when I run out upstairs and go down to grab another one, I check to see how many more I have to determine whether or not I need to buy more. I do keep some canned soups and tuna on hand, along with our favorite pasta sauce from Trader Joes and a few other canned items.

I buy flour, rice, beans and oats from Costco or the local cheap grocery (Winco) in 25 lb+ bags. Things like quinoa, lentils and less used beans are bought in bulk.

I use an instant pot to make beans. Beans, covered in water, plus a dried bay leaf (from my culinary bay plant) and pressure cooked for 32 minutes. I set up a pot of black beans this morning after breakfast so that I could make some black bean patties for lunch. Mid-morning, I dumped out the beans into a strainer, rinsed them well and put them in the fridge. Mixed with an egg from the hens, some grated carrot (from the garden) and some home made bread crumbs, the only thing in them that was processed was the grated cheese. Threw some arugula from the garden on top of them.

When I threw the beans into the instant pot this morning, I made some oat milk too. I like smoothies for breakfast and strongly dislike cows milk. 4 cups of water, 1 cup of oats, a wee bit of oil and into my blender (also an instant pot brand) for just under 5 minutes. Spend a minute straining at the end and I have 4 days worth of oat milk in under 15 minutes including clean up.

You can make tortillas out of split peas and water. Plenty of recipes on the internets for those and they're fairly easy once you get a feel for your cooking source/pan/thin pea sauce. Good protein source.

I dry a lot of herbs throughout the summer. I just did a batch of parsley from a plant that overwintered. Some of it is still in the ground, but some of it was sending up thick stalks that would've gone to seed. I have a packed quart jar of dried parsley, which is one of several I'll dry this year.

This morning I trimmed up the sage plant and am drying the leaves. Next will be the oregano. My thyme plant died off last year so I started a bunch more from seed so it'll be late summer/early fall before I can harvest any. Rosemary typically gets dried when I have free space. I also dry leaves from my bay leaf plant, and I have some tea plants (lemon balm, plus two actual tea leaf plants). I try to start them on a weekend morning as most of them take the day to dry at 95 degrees. Some herbs I can just tie up in bunches and dry in my kitchen. This year my kitchen is just four walls - waiting for cabinets - so everything is going in the dehydrator. I don't use an expensive dehydrator either.

I start tons of veggies from seeds. I planted out 12 tomatoes today, and probably have about 6-8 more left to get in the ground. Most of them were already planted - these are the stragglers that I'm just planting because. They may make it or not; don't really care but I'll preserve what I need and share the rest. I have a forested lot so finding enough sun is always a challenge. My garden is a bit of a jungle by mid-July as things really take off. I have deer in the area so I have to garden behind fences, or just sacrifice some if they decide to wander into my yard. My dogs have been known to trample things too so it's always a challenge to plant things outside of the garden fencing. Anyway, gardening, canning/preserving are all things anyone can pick up over time. Not buying things like plums, figs, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries is a boon to my pocketbook. I also have a ton of Oregon grape in my forested areas - not technically grapes but you can make a good jam out of the berries.

My yard is stuffed with edible trees, bushes and plants. I tend to put in about 2-3 new perennial edibles each year. This year I upgraded my asparagus bed, starting some new plants from seed. They won't produce for a couple of years, but that's ok. I also pulled out cardoons - too fussy to cook, but thrived in my yard - and planted their cousins, artichokes, which I also started from seed. I'm constantly looking at what is and isn't working. I bought a kiwi (self fertile) this year, as the old one never did anything. I think I chose the wrong space for it, so I'm going to dig it up and move it and hope that it thrives. I'm toying with wine cap mushrooms this year. I have enough dappled light in the forest that they should do fine and they are easily identifiable so I'm not going to poison us.

I also keep hens. I have almost a dozen of them; some old and some young. I tend to get about 18 eggs every two days. It a lot, and they also produce poo for my compost piles. I share my excess eggs. We never run out. If the hens go broody, I just let them be. If they're too old to produce, they live out their natural life in retirement with the rest of the hens.

Now, clearly I live in a house, so I have an advantage there. I also work from home, so again, advantage there of not having a commute and being able to just walk outside at lunch and spend a couple of minutes in the garden. I have a half acre, but a bit more than half of that is forest so my usable land for edible plants is a bit less than a 1/4 acre. That lot size is equivalent to about two city lots, but my house is also on that lot of course. Even when I lived on a city sized lot, I still grew a ton - it was just more compact than what I have now.

I feel fortunate to be able to grow things in the summer (and some year round) and to be able to preserve some of the harvest. It definitely helps offset the grocery bill. Some things I have to buy - I'll never produce oil or flour or sugar around here. But I can buy staples in bulk to keep the costs down. And cooking from scratch helps too.

[highplainsdem]

96. Always shop with a list, and after checking the ads.

And cut out all junk foods.

It can still be expensive. My favorite brand of cottage cheese, which I buy because it's pure cottage cheese with no chemicals or other additives, was $5 for a 24-ounce carton the last time I bought it, days ago, and I winced but still bought it. I often have a cup of cottage cheese as part of my breakfast, the protein part. Have been thinking about having eggs more often since they're cheaper, even four eggs, but cottage cheese is quicker and easier.

[Jack the Greater]

99. The first three replies are about cutting costs on soda and wine

Soda and wine are not "groceries", in my opinion. Base your diet on beans and rice. Plant vegetables in your back yard, if you have one. Greens, squash and tomatoes are very easy to grow, as are Armenian cucumbers, beets, carrots, onion, potatoes and many others. Tear out the grass and plant food! Make your own plain white yogurt from milk, very easy to do, good source of inexpensive protein and very digestible. You could raise chickens and rabbits for meat. Neither need a lot of space.

Of course, this would all entail work, God forbid.

[artemisia1]

108. Fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably from co-ops. One large meal at McDonald's costs more

than a week's supply of apples, bananas, spinach, etc. for the average person. Well, I'm off to take my own advice...

Oh, and health and financial considerations allowing, stock up on some extra high-protein sources such as peanut butter and/or protein powder as well as non-perishable carbohydrate sources such as rice. Neither the war nor the pandemic is over.

[Tree Lady]

110. Make huge pot soup every 10 days

And freeze in individual jars for lunch or dinner.

I buy cheaper wine than I use too and drink less.

Buying Costco chicken more than I did before, I use to buy grass fed only.

We go to great place that has really good cheap street tacos instead of better restaurant but still have fun!

[miyazaki]

111. Even and Odd days.

[IcyPeas]

113. Make a list. stick to it.

[Skittles]

116. I don't understand inflation

if it is, say, 7% why do I see food prices going up more like, 50%?

[roamer65]

158. Because the inflation numbers are rigged.

It’s done to minimize Social Security raises.

[Sedona]

123. This group got me thru 2008-2012

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1128

[milestogo]

126. Good to know.

[PurgedVoter]

127. Eat the Rich?

Eww nasty you have no idea where those rich people have been.

[mercuryblues]

129. Make a list and stick to it

I take stock of what is in the freezer and look at the sales at the stores near me, then decide what the menu is for the week. Breakfas, lunch and dinner.


If there is a good deal on something non-perishable or freezable, and it is something I use I stock up on it.

Buy a scale. When I come home with 5-6 lbs of hamburger, I break it down into 1/2 lb sections, wrap each in plastic and then put it in all in a large freezer bag.

[niyad]

133. ALWAYS start with the manager markdowns in all departments.

Store loyalty programs
Coupons
Few or no convenience/processed food
Little or no beef
Store brands

[Autumn]

139. The rich mother fuckers would just say get wealthy that way it's not a problem

[maryellen99]

142. If you have a Keurig invest in one of those reusable k cup filters

You can use your own coffee-I also use paper filters that fit- I drink one or 2 cups a day. I bought a bag of Starbucks coffee May 5 at the store and still haven’t finished it. It’s good for the environment plus it saves money.

[milestogo]

144. Good idea.

I have one but I buy the cups anyway, and they are a non-recyclable ripoff.

[SYFROYH]

145. Liverwurst sandwiches once per week, ramen with poached eggs once per week.

I make large pots of ice tea with Raw Stevia to lighted my consumption of Pepsi Zero.

I also make one meal per week that is mostly pasta. Like manicotti or baked ziti.

[milestogo]

147. You triggered an ear worm.

[SYFROYH]

148. My wife isn't a fan either, but I tell her to think of it as the working mans froisgras or pate

I'm not persuasive.

[yellowdogintexas]

154. a few other things I have always done even when I did not need to

shop at Sprouts on Wednesday. The specials from the previous week and the current week are both available on Wednesdays

Buy spices from bulk bins instead of in containers. Sprouts and WInco have these. We also have Central Market which is only in Texas which has the biggest selection of loose spices and teas I have ever seen. Sometimes they don't weigh enough to rack up a price; I have had to toss pennies on the scale to get the weight up enough that I have a payment amount. It takes a lot of bay leaves to weigh enough to cost a nickel.

I buy pantry items at Costco; I don't have to worry about not using the stuff up. Diced tomatoes, chicken broth, canned black beans, Kirkland canned chicken breast (an essential in my kitchen). and Ro-Tel chiles & tomatoes. I also buy those blister packed chicken breasts and freeze them.

We get our rice and lentils at a Middle Eastern Market nearby. It is the only place I can find Persian rice, and they have great prices on the lentils, chickpeas and so forth.

[ThunderRoad]

155. Restaurants

I've been eating out more at restaurants and have noticed my monthly grocery bill has gone done.

[roamer65]

157. Store brands when possible.

The markup on name brands is insane.

[Solly Mack]

159. Plan a menu and stick to it.

No extras. No impulse buying.

Build your menu around sales and coupons as much as possible.

Cook from scratch as much as possible.

[BlueCheeseAgain]

163. I feel like if I mostly stick to what Safeway has on sale, I can get pretty good deals.

That, and CostCo.

[onethatcares]

164. leave wife home, stick to list

it's amazing how short my shopping trips are.