With the current global financial crisis affecting every household, in particular families living on low incomes or on a single income, the need to reduce food bills becomes even more pressing. Some lifestyle adjustment is necessary to achieve that. Granted, the effort to slash food bills will be tough initially but it is definitely achievable. Here are some ways to save money when shopping for food.
Plan What to Buy
First, check the refrigerator and pantry to see what the items needed are. Make a list and stick to the list when shopping at the supermarket or grocery store. Resist the temptation to buy things not on the list. Try to shop only once a week and set only a certain amount of time shopping. This is because the more time a shopper spends in the store, the more likely she ends up with impulse purchases. Also, eat first before going to the store. Hungry shoppers tend to buy more foodstuff than is necessary!
Watch out for Specials and Bargains
Supermarkets often send out flyers and other advertising materials to promote their weekly specials. Don’t treat these as junk mail. Read them carefully and circle cheap items that the family needs. Local newspapers may also carry these advertisements and sometimes come with coupons and vouchers for shoppers. Make full use of these.
Buy Only Healthy Food and Drinks
According to a 2002 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, eating healthier food could actually help save money. The researchers found that families that had weight loss diets lost not only excess weight but reduced their spending on food as well. The food bill reduction was a result of smaller food portions and the purchase of fewer high-calorie foods. So ditch sugary beverages, chips, fatty food, chocolates and ice-creams. Opt for healthier and cheaper greens and grains instead. Also, cut down on alcoholic beverages. Buy them only on special occasions.
Practice Portion Control when Serving Kids
To avoid food wastage, parents should serve children much smaller portions of food. This is what Jill Cooper, editor of LivingOnADime – a website dedicated to helping people to manage money – advocates. She says most American parents serve their children huge portions of food, resulting in about 30% to 50% of it being discarded. That’s because children under four have only about a quarter of an adult’s body weight but are often fed half an adult portion. It’s little wonder they can’t finish their food. “When deciding how much to give your kids, start small and work your way up. If they eat what’s on their plates, you can always give them more,” Cooper suggested.
Avoid Shopping at Only One Store
Prices vary from one store to another. Some items may be on sale at Store A but not Store B in a particular week. The reverse may occur in the following week. So always compare prices before hitting the store with the grocery list. Check the flyers and advertisements to see which store will help stretch the dollar more.
Eat at Home
Eating out is often an expensive affair. So try to cook and eat at home as often as possible. Cooking meals at home also allows parents to include only fresh and healthy choices in the meals. For the same reasons, it’s best to pack lunch for the spouse and kids at work and school respectively.
Plant Greens
If there is enough space in the backyard, why not plant some fruit trees and vegetables? Tomatoes, beans and herbs are fairly easy to grow. Start small first and if it goes well, plant more variety of greens. If the harvest is good, consider freezing or canning the produce. That way, there will be plenty of food to last the family for a while. And since it’s home-grown, there are no concerns about the use of harmful pesticides.
With determination, there are ways to save money when food shopping. Money saving ideas such as planning and listing items to buy; buying during sales; choosing healthy food choices; serving children smaller food portions; shopping at different stores that offer good bargains; eating at home as well as planting own fruits and vegetables are just some strategies that families can try.
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