If you’re feeling the pinch at the grocery store, then you will want to read this list of 15 Simple Ways to Lower Your Grocery Bill including making a meal plan, shopping sales and eating less meat.
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With inflation and rising food costs, it seems like everyone is looking for ways to lower their grocery bill. It might seem like a daunting task, but I’m here to tell you that with a little bit of hard work and dedication, it’s completely possible to spend less on groceries and still eat delicious whole food, nutritious meals. Here I’ve complied a list of tips and tricks that I’ve learned along the way to help you lower your grocery bill and stay within your budget.
Meal Plan
Having a plan for what meals you are going to make is one of the best ways to lower your grocery bill. The best way to save is to plan as many meals as you can with what you already having in the house and then plan the rest of the meals based on what is on sale or in season.
This is called reverse meal planning and allows you to get the most bang for your buck because you’re using what you already have in the house and then using your grocery budget to stock up on sale items. If you need more meal planning tips check out my post How to Meal Plan on a Tight Budget.
Shop Sales
Menu planning is great, but if your consistently planning meals based on expensive ingredients, then you aren’t saving as much as you could be. Before you sit down to do your menu plan, check the sales flyers for your local stores and base your meals around what’s on sale (save even more if you have a coupon to go with the sale). Also, if you see something for a great price don’t be afraid to stock up. A lot of things can be frozen such as berries, butter, cheese and meat and used when needed.
Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk can be a great way to save money as long as you’ve checked that the price per ounce is cheaper than any other options. You also need to make sure that you will use all that you are purchasing before it goes bad, otherwise you aren’t saving money at all. Some places to find deals on bulk food are at your local Amish store, Amazon or Azure Standard.
Less Meat
Meat is one of the most expensive categories in the food budget, so finding ways to use less and stretch what you have will end up saving you a good amount of money. We normally have one or more meatless meals each week such as homemade waffles with eggs.
You can also omit the meat from most Mexican dishes and replace it with beans in dishes such as burritos quesadillas and taco soup. When you do prepare meat, use it sparingly such as mixed in with soups or casseroles. The less meat that you consume overall, the more you will save.
Cook From Scratch
It’s amazing how much we pay for convenience food. Learning how to make things such as your own yogurt, oatmeal, bread or granola bars will save you money and be healthier for you. Cooking from scratch requires time, commitment and planning, but it’s worth it.
If you tend to eat out a lot then having something like a frozen pizza in the freezer could end up saving you money, but for the most part try to do as much as you can homemade. Here are a few recipes to get you started:
Grow Your Own
Growing your own food may be more of a pro tip, but it is a great way to save money on produce, especially if you start your plants from seed. We have a large garden and grow/preserve most of our produce, which in turn saves us a ton of money on our grocery bill.
We no longer need to buy things like tomato sauce, pumpkin puree, onions, garlic, jams and sweet potatoes because we grow a years supply. This obviously didn’t happen overnight and requires a lot of hard work, but if you are willing, then it is totally doable. Even if you just grow your own supply of herbs, cherry tomatoes and summer squash out on the patio, you are winning.
Learn to Preserve
If you grow your own food, you’ll probably want to learn how to preserve it. Even if you aren’t growing large quantities, you might find a good deal on bulk produce or have someone give you fresh food and want to preserve it to save money. Freezing, fermenting, canning, freeze drying and dehydrating are the most common food preservation methods to start learning about, so why not take a trip to the library or watch a few YouTube videos to get started.
Eat Simply
We have so many choices in food these days that its easy to get caught up in eating whatever we feel like without thinking about what it will cost, but our ancestors did things differently. They ate simple food on a regular basis such as rice, beans, potatoes, bread, etc. and saved the more exotic ingredients for special occasions. We could save a lot of money and be a lot healthier if we ate simple meals on a regular basis. Here are a few simple meal ideas to get you started.
- Pasta with Marinara Sauce
- Baked Potatoes
- Pancakes and Eggs
- Beans and Rice
- Chicken Noodle Soup
Less Dairy
Dairy is another expensive category that is worth cutting down on in your diet if you want to save the most money possible. Consider using less cheese in recipes or buying blocks to shred yourself. I have this shredder and use it weekly. Also, keep an eye out for coupons and rebates on these items and stock up when they are on sale if you have a way to freeze or use them up before going bad. Most dairy can be frozen, so you might want to look into that to take advantage of sales.
Pay With Cash
Did you know that people who pay with cash tend to spend less than those who use a card? Take your budgeted amount in cash to the store and leave your cards at home. This way if you come up short you will be forced to put something back to stay within your budget. This might seem ridiculous in our modern day and age, but I promise you that it actually does work and can save you a lot of money and keep you on budget if you will commit to just this one habit.
Learn How to Freezer Cook
Freezer cooking is a great way to save time and money. Stocking up when things are on sale means you will have lots of ingredients on hand and a great way to use them is to do a freezer cooking session. I love freezer cooking because for a little bit of time and effort you have homemade convenience foods in your freezer. Check out my freezer cooking posts for more information.
Substitute Ingredients
To save the most money, you will need to be flexible and creative when cooking. If you have everything but one ingredient to make a dish consider skipping it or replacing it with something else. This way you are saving money and reducing waste. Also, if a recipe calls for an expensive ingredient consider switching it out for a cheaper alternative such as beans for ground beef.
Shop Once Per Week
Plan your meals, go shopping and then stay out of the store until the next week. Anytime you run in just to get milk or cheese, then you are more than likely going to buy other things that you didn’t even know you needed or wanted. If you run out of something then consider substituting or going without it until your next planned shopping trip. The less you go to the store, the less you will spend.
Check Sale Sections
Find your stores discounted sections and look through them every time you go shopping. You never know what you will find and if you see a good deal then stock up! Normally stores will have several different areas with marked down items so keep your eyes peeled. You will want to consider expiration dates before buying.
Shop Discount Stores
Grocery or bakery outlets can be an amazing way to save money on groceries. You may have to do a little research to find these types of stores in your area, but once you do, you’ll be amazed at what you can find. It’s like a treasure hunt, with discounted groceries as the prize. Do a search for discount grocery, scratch and dent or bakery outlet to see what is available in your area.
I hope this list will help you to reduce your grocery bill and keep more money in your pocket! Do you have any other tips to add? I’d love to hear them!
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