And special thanks to those of you who advised about quinoa preparation. I don't think I cooked it long enough (hence the fertilizer-like texture) and I may have needed to rinse it more thoroughly. And maybe the quinoa I've had stashed away needs to be tossed and replaced with some fresher stuff. So many things to go back and try!
And now to the matter at hand. Meg and Chioma recently asked me if I've seen a difference in my grocery bill since I started eating the way I do.
Let this be known: I honestly believe that eating a produce-heavy diet is loads cheaper than a meat-heavy or convenience-food-heavy diet. It just is. Eating lots of produce forces you to
cook more,
plan more, and
salivate more (not scientifically, just deliciously), so thank goodness it's the least expensive way to eat!
That being said, I'm embarrassed to say that I spent more at the store last week than I should have, but that doesn't mean it's because of my diet choices. It's because I didn't plan ahead well enough...and because Addie-girl goes through a bazillion diapers every week--still adjusting to that.
I made an emergency trip to the store this morning because we were completely out of diapers (and a diaper blowout was imminent) and ended up buying a big flat of strawberries, a few avocados, and some more tortillas, too. It's when I make multiple trips to the store each week that my grocery expenses quickly climb.
In the past, we've easily kept our grocery bill under $200 a month by
planning
planning
planning ahead.
(Question: Is that even a low amount to spend for two people? I never know...)
Here are some things that help me save money when I'm putting in the effort I should be:
- Once-a-month Costco run to re-stock freezer and canned items (beans, frozen chicken, pasta, etc.)
- Over time we've figured out which things we always eat a lot of. So we buy in bulk.
- Once-a-month Winco run to re-stock pantry items (flour, rice, dried fruit, spices, oats, etc.)
- They even have nut-butter machines that grind up almonds or peanuts into butter right before your eyes. This is much cheaper than buying the beautifully packaged stuff if you like natural peanut butter. JIF is great and all, but if you have daily doses of nut butter like I do, the natural stuff wins. Hands down. In all categories.
- Weekly produce run with a carefully prepared shopping list dictated by the on-sale items
- If you're in Utah, I have found Sunflower Market to have the best produce sales. Wednesdays are double-sale day, meaning the items for the previous and the current week are on sale.
- Most grocery stores now have websites and even apps for your smart phone or iPad. Over the weekend, I browse the sale flyers and make my shopping list accordingly.
- Note: Pay attention to whether the sale is for two items for $1 or two pounds for $1 (for example). I've made that mistake before and ended up paying around $5 for a papaya when I thought it would only be $1.
- If the stores around you don't have sale flyers, decide how many fruits and vegetables you'd like to get and then just grab whatever's on sale and looks good at the store. I know this sounds risky, but as you shop for produce more and more, you'll get a feel for when a particular item is priced well ($1 or less for most things). IMPORTANT: If you're trying to save money, avoid the buying-whatever-looks-good tactic for anything besides produce.
- While at the store, stay around the perimeter. All the convenience foods (i.e. too salty, too fatty, too everything) stick around in the middle of the store. Grains, produce, meat, and dairy can usually be found around the edge of the store. Don't tempt yourself by cruising all the aisles.
In my experience, it's the convenience foods and hygiene items that rack up the grocery bill, not the broccoli and spinach. Fruits and vegetables are very inexpensive if you buy what's in season.
This list of fruits and vegetables fills you in on what's in season this season.
A more aesthetically pleasing list (I want one!).
Tips on when to buy produce and other items at the grocery store.
I recently set a new goal to make more of our favorite things from scratch. For example, Larabars were on sale last week, so I bought a few to try. They were heavenly! And the ingredient list is so short (e.g., dates, almonds, and dried cherries make a cherry pie Larabar). We could totally make these ourselves and save so much money. Making things from scratch usually yields far more than the store-bought stuff anyway, so once you've put in the time once, you're set for a few weeks. Now that's convenient food!
PANTRY TIP:
When trying a new ingredient (like quinoa), never buy a big bag of it. Find a store that has bulk bins and buy only as much as you'll need to try out that ingredient. You'll be surprised at how inexpensive it is to do this.
Buy in bulk!
That's the key for me.
Now, since we're all about collaboration here,
what are your strategies to save at the grocery store?