Simple is almost always better. Being a busy working mom I am on the go a lot. Can you relate? If it’s not running to meetings, it’s child pickups, daily errands or squeezing in a yoga class. One of my favorite go to snacks requires no cooking at all and gives me energy to get through the day. In my house we love nuts!
Did you know that by eating a handful of nuts and seeds each day can promote a healthy heart? Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and vitamin E. They make great simple on the go snacks, additions to salads, entrées and desserts. They are high in calories, so it’s important to limit portions but they are also high in protein helping you stay fuller longer so you don’t feel the need to eat as much or reach for other unhealthy options.
Did you know that eating more nuts and seeds has also been linked to lower levels of inflammation linked to heart disease. Nuts may also reduce your risk of developing blood clots that can cause a fatal heart attack. So this year, say, I love you with a handful of nuts, your heart will thank you. Want to know how to store nuts and seeds well or how to buy them for best long lasting flavor? Check out our simple guide How to Store Nuts and Seeds.
How to Store Nuts and Seeds
When Shopping:
Try to buy the freshest nuts and seeds possible. I love shopping the bulk section, as they tend to have a quick turnaround, are restocked often and are usually less expensive than the pre-packaged ones. You can also get as much or as little as you want. If possible, taste before you buy to ensure freshness or at least try to small them, this is easy to do in the bulk section. Nuts and seeds should have sweet and mellow flavors and smell, if there is a strong odor or off putting taste this is a key sign they are old and rancid. Do not buy rancid items there is not way to fix the strong off-putting flavors and it will destroy your dish.
Storage and Location:
Store nuts and seeds in airtight containers. Keeping air out keeps nuts fresher. Nut and seed easily absorb other flavors around them so airtight is the best for long lasting quality and flavor.
Store nuts and seeds in airtight containers for best results
If you are going to use your nuts or seeds within a few months, 1-3 they are fine in a cool, dark and dry place in the pantry. If you want to keep them fresher longer or like to keep a variety on hand you can store them in the refrigerator or freezer. Nuts freezer really well so if you find fresh ones on sale stock up and keep them cold.
Keep an eye on it:
In general, nuts and seeds will stay fresh for up to six months stored in the refrigerator and for up to one year stored in the freezer. The sturdier your container, the less likely they are to pick up smells from other foods stored near them.
Buy Nuts and Seeds whole and process them yourself
Take Extra Care:
Process your nuts yourself. Whole, raw nuts and seeds will stay fresh the longest. When pre-chopped, toasted, or ground into flour or meal, nuts release their oils; these oils are then exposed to more oxygen, remember air makes them go rancid more quickly. Learn knife skills and try toasting nuts and grinding your own flour or meal in a high-powered blender or food processor. Doing this not only guarantees freshness but also your toasted nuts and seeds will taste better.
Do you have a favorite way for ideal nuts and seed storage?
Do you have questions about how to best store a particular ingredient? Let me know, I am happy to help.
For more ways to save money you may also enjoy Grocery Shopping on a Budget, how to save money without cutting out the foods you love.
I know the summertime lemonade stand is a classic but did you know that citrus season is actually in the winter. Citrus produce is inexpensive and tastes the best right now. So start dreaming of warmer days to come and stock up on some of the many delicious varieties of citrus today. You can even find unique varieties like sweet Meyer lemons, blood oranges and tangerines in abundance. Use this guide to save you time and money by learning how to store citrus best.
How to store Citrus
When Shopping:
Look for clean peels, no shriveling or signs of decay produce should be firm and plump. Pick fruit that feels heavy for it’s size. Fruit that feel hard and doesn’t yield to light pressure was usually stored improperly or past it’s prime and will be less juicy. Citrus do not continue to ripen once they have been picked. Ripe fruit will have very bright and vibrant colors. Don’t toss out Fruit that has slight discoloration, a small amount of brown around the seeds, is usually acceptable to eat and a little green is ok. Avoid Dull looking fruit can indicate over ripeness and an abundance of greenish skin can mean that the fruit is under ripe.
Look for bright colors and smooth skin.
Storage and Location:
Room Temperature or Chill it: Citrus can keep for up to one week on the counter. Room-temperature fruit tends to yield more juice than cold fruit. To keep them longer store them in the refrigerator’s produce bin. Be sure to rotate the fruit regularly to maintain airflow. Citrus stored in a refrigerator should keep for approximately one month.
Keep an eye on it:
Warmer temperatures will make them citrus spoil faster. If the room tends to be on the warmer side place the fruit bowl into the fridge at night.
Take Extra Care:
* Note that lemons and limes in particular tend to dry out faster than other citrus like oranges. Keeping them is a mesh bag typically helps them stay juicier longer.
*If your citrus is starting to turn you can still save the juice and zest. The zest is the flavorful oil packed outer edge of the peel, the colored parts of the rind not the white pith. It can be used to add an extra punch of flavor to items like soups and sauces. Use a “zester” or vegetable peeler to pull strips of zest off the fruit, allow to dry individually (in non humid weather, this takes 1 to 2 days). Then store in a jar in the pantry. The strips can also be candied, pickled our used to make homemade cleaning supplies. You can also freeze the juice and zest in ice cube trays and store in zippered freezer bags.
What’s your favorite variety?
Here is a little more about some common citrus. In a general citrus guide.
Orange: A mandarin-pomelo hybrid categorized into navels, blood oranges and Valencias.
Navels: Season from November into May. These are mainly eaten as fresh fruit as they contain limonin, which creates a bitter taste after processing. They have a thick peel and lower juice connect making them good for eating and using in salads.
Cara Cara: Is a type of navel; that is slightly sweeter and has a brighter pink to red flesh.
Blood Oranges: Season January through March. They are dark crimson inside, they taste sweet, tart and sometimes bit berry-like.
Valencias: Season April to December. They are typically used for juice as they’re more tart, juicier and not very easy to peel. Some can regreen in the hot summer weather; so don’t toss them out for slightly less than perfect looks make homemade orange juice instead.
Mandarins: These cover a broad range of fruits that include Satsuma, clementine, tangelo and tangerine. They’re generally smaller, flatter and sweeter than oranges, they are easier to peel and section, and contain less seeds.
Satsuma Mandarins: Season November to January. They have a good balance of sweet and tart and are seedless.
Clementine: Season December- January. They are smaller, easy to peal and eat out of hand. They have a slight taste of apricot. They are only seedless if grown in isolation from other citrus.
Tangelos: Season December to March, are a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit. They’re tangy and juicy with a bump-like stem end.
Tangerines: Season December to May depending on variety. They are also easy to peel but so contain seeds. These are also great for juicing.
Grapefruit: Season September-to-June, a cross between an orange and a pomelo. Pink- and white-fleshed varieties have skin that ranges from pale yellow to faintly blush-colored. Some grapefruit tends to lose its bitterness and be sweetest in the spring, Grapefruit is also intolerant of freezing conditions, I learned this one by accident.
Pomelo or Pummelo: Season November to April. The largest of all citrus fruits, it looks like a grapefruit on steroids. The rind is thick and the flesh has a “meaty texture”. They have a refreshingly sweet taste with a mildly tart flavor with very little to no bitterness. The interior can be white or pink. They have a wonderful fragrance and make for delicious additions to breakfast, salads, desserts, or can be used to create exotic cocktail.
Lemon: Available year-round. The two most common types are the Eureka and Lisbon. The Meyer lemon: Season December to February is a lemon-orange hybrid with a thinner rind, rounder shape and a sweet, less sour flavor. They are great used in fresh applications, as the district flavor and aroma are usually lost when cooked.
Lime:Also widely available, though fall is its main season. Tahiti and Bearss are the most common supermarket varieties; they’re big and seedless. The Key lime, also known as Mexican or West Indian lime, has seeds and is smaller, thin-skinned and juicy with a more intense and slightly sweeter flavor.
Sour or Bitter Orange: Season January to March. Seville, the most common variety, has a pebbled rind; it’s bitter and tart, it is often too sour for most people to eat fresh but is best used for sauces and marmalade.
Citron: Season November to January, has little to no juice it is most used for its peel, it looks like a big, bumpy lemon. Buddha’s Hand is a citron variety that, true to its name, looks like a hand. It is often candied and used in desserts like fruit cake
Kumquat: Season, February to April, they are tiny egg-shaped fruit eaten peel and all. The peel of this fruit is sweet and the flesh is sour./ bitter. They can be eaten fresh and whole or often cooked and candied. They make beautiful garnishes.
Do you have a favorite way for ideal citrus storage?
Do you have questions about how to best store a particular ingredient? Let me know, I am happy to help.
Bananas are a pantry staple in our house either fresh or frozen they are always in our home. We don’t eat them every day although my son would if I let him. We keep them on hand because they are can be used in so many different applications. From eating out of hand to being sliced for toppings on cereal or yogurt, blending into smoothies, baked in to breads or muffins, and frozen for treats or to be used for later there is just so much you can do with them. Here are a few tips on how to store bananas as proper storage can depend greatly on how ripe the bananas is when you buy it and how to plan to use it. Save money and eat well learn how to store bananas.
When Shopping:
If you plan on eating the bananas out of hand look for firm fruit without dark spots or abrasions on the peel. If you will be using them in baking, mashing, freezing or smoothie applications this is not quite as important.
*Note to save even extra money if you do plan to use them for purposes other than eating out of hand look for “red tape” or “discounted bananas” some stores will have a section for overripe but still useful produce sold at a savings so the store can still get rid of some of its inventory. My local store sells overripe bananas for 28 cent a pound compared to the average 69 cents. Theses are perfect for batch baking, as you don’t have to wait for your normal bananas to fully ripen.
Storage and Location:
What to do with your bananas at different stages:
Green Bananas: are not quite ripe and will keep the longest and ripen slowly at room temperature on the counter. To speed the process, place them in a brown paper bag, add and apple or tomato to the bag to speed the process even further.
Yellow Bananas: are perfectly ripe the more yellow you see the riper the banana is. Once bananas are ripe place them in the produce drawer of your refrigerator. Refrigeration slows the ripening process considerably, but does not stop it. The peel will continue to turn brown, but the fruit will stay fresh and firm for 1 to 2 weeks.
Small Brown Spotted Bananas: are very ripe and are the sweetest, these are perfect for baking, freezing and smoothie applications.
Brown or Black Bananas:If the banana has more brown or black than yellow on the peel then it is overripe and can be still perfectly be used in baking applications.
Grey or Dull Bananas: Avoid these as this is a sign that the bananas were refrigerated in the middle of the ripening process which interferes with best flavor production. Chilling partially ripened bananas prevents the fruit from being able to properly ripen even after brought back to room temperature.
Keep an eye on it:
Bananas will ripen faster when placed near other ripe fruits and in warmer temperatures.
Take Extra Care:
For best results hang your bananas. Banana trees and hangers allow air to circulate and avoid “resting bruises” on the fruit.
There are tips that say to wrap the ends of bananas in plastic wrap. I have tested this and although wrapping the ends in plastic both as a whole bunch or individually does slightly slow the ripening process. However, if you ask me it’s simply not worth it. The time it takes and plastic wrap used don’t benefit me enough. My time is more valuable and besides there are so many great things to do with overripe bananas used in baking, smoothies, snacks and freezing. I never worry about having too many bananas on hand. It does work so use what method is best for you.
Do you have a favorite way for ideal banana storage? Do you have questions about how to best store a particular ingredient? Let me know, I am happy to help.
Save money at the store. Grocery shopping on a budget.
One of the biggest concerns my clients have is saving money while still eating well. It is a common misconception that “good” food is expensive food. In realty eating well can cost significantly less if you know what to look for and are a smart shopper. This led to last weeks post on how to save money while grocery shopping. The post is filled loads of tips on cutting costs on groceries without having to cut coupons or cutting out your favorite foods. Check out the article Grocery Shopping on a Budget here. However, as I was writing I came to the tip of saving money by know how to store food well. Simply put the best way to save money is to not waste food. In general about 40% of all the food in the United States ends up in the garbage. American families throw out between 14 and 25 percent of the food and beverages they buy. This can cost the average family between $1,365 to $2,275 annually. That’s a lot of money to be simply tossing away.
I could not list all the ways to properly store food well in that article so I started compiling a list of the most commonly used items and key tips on how to store these foods well. Needless to say I am still working on it because there is so much useful information I want to share and I don’t want to overwhelm you or cheat you out of good practical tips to save you money in the kitchen. I will share some of the most common items one at a time in future newsletters under the new Save Money, Store it Well section. Look for in in future releases. For this week we start with an all American favorite the Apple.
How to Store Apples
Apples are one of the most common and loved fruits and for good reason, not only do they come an amazing verity of colors, flavors and textures they are perfectly delicious eaten out of hand or used in a variety of cooking and baking applications from sweet to savory breakfast to dinner and dessert. It seems there are almost endless possibilities for the humble apple. Just like so many other perishable items they are only harvested one time of year and are at their peak for just a few weeks. So how do you best store apples? Here are a few tips to save money and store apples well.
When Shopping:
Look for apples free from bruises, cuts, bug damage and soft spots for longer storage. Use imperfect apples quickly for eating or use them in cooking for applesauce, apple juice, apple butter, cakes, muffins, apple pie or canning for long term storage.
Storage Location and Temperature:
Place unblemished apples in boxes or baskets in a cool basement, garage, shed, fruit cellar or refrigerator. The ideal storage temperature is 30-32°F with high humidity. Apples will ripen quickly, if the temperature is above 40.
Take Extra Care:
To maximize their storage life, wrap each apple in craft or newspaper before you place it in the basket. If one apple goes bad, the paper will protect the other apples from coming into contact with it and will keep soft spots to a minimum.
Keep an eye on it:
Check regularly for signs of spoilage, and remove any rotten apples before they have a chance to spoil others.
*Note that Apples and many other fruit produce an ethylene gas that is harmless but causes other items around it to ripen faster.
Do you have a favorite way for ideal apple storage? Do you have questions about how to best store a particular ingredient? Let me know, I am happy to help.
I spend a lot of time in grocery stores. If not shopping for my growing family I am there for a photo project, recipe testing, client project or getting ready for classes and events. Needless to say I spend a lot of money and know my way around a grocery store for ease of use, time efficiency and shopping on a budget.
8 full carts of food for a live TV Segment
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics food is the third largest household expense. A family of four average monthly grocery bill runs between $568 if your super thrifty to $1,293 if on a more liberal budget. You can save money without giving up the foods you love here are some of the best ways to grocery shop on a budget. This is an extensive list of some of my best ways to save money on groceries. Know that not all of these tips will fit for you and that’s ok, try out a few and see the savings add up. Best part there are 4 main area of where you can save money on groceries, before you shop, at the store, at the register, at home and even a few little extras. So choose what time allows and the methods that work best for you and your wallet.
Choose the money saving methods that work best for you
Before You Shop
Take inventory:
Once a month or so get a sense of what you have and what you really need. This way you can shop smart. Start looking for the items you need to be on sale. This also avoids you from paying full price for something you already had in your cupboard or freezer.
Don’t Meal Plan, Shop the Sale:
I know this may sound counter productive. Yes, meal planning has its benefits but the drawback of strict meal planning is that you have your set of recipes and grocery list and you buy the items needed no matter what. You can help this by stocking up on the non-perishable items, but you could still be paying premium non-sale prices for fresh meat, dairy and produce when it is not on sale. The best way to save money on groceries is to shop the sale for the most expensive items, usually meats and dairy, and plan your meal around these sale items. By developing your palate and knowing how to substitute items, you can make tasty and inexpensive meals with what you have on hand. To learn how to cook without a recipe check out our classes.
Coupon wisely: Couponing is not for everyone and that’s ok. Today’s technology does make using coupons a little easier. Most stores offer loyalty cards that automatically take into account store coupons and often give you additional rewards. Sign up for these programs at your most frequently shopped stores. Use sites like Coupons.com, SmartSource.com or Redplum.com to easily see available coupons that can be printed pre-loaded on to loyalty cards. Then wait for the right time, for the store to have the product at a low price and stack the manufacturer coupon on top of store savings. This way patients buys you double the savings.
Make a List:
Shopping with a list will help you avoid impulse buys. Go to the store knowing what you need. Don’t browse through every aisle. Go directly to what you need and move on. Get in and out as quickly as possible; this will not only save you money but time, as well. Most weekly grocery ads are available online, so you can check out what you need in advance. Make a list of the sale items you want and stick to it.
Only shop once week: Try to plan your meals and week to include just one shopping trip. By going just once you reduce the exposure for impulse buys, save gas and time by getting in, getting what you need, and getting out. Even stopping in for one or two items a few times a week easily adds up in time and money spent.
Don’t Shop When Hungry: Our eyes are always bigger than our stomachs. Scents of rotisserie chickens and fresh baked cookies pray on hungry bellies. When we are hungry everything looks good. It is easy to overbuy and buy items that you normally would not purchase. If you must shop at these times, keep a granola bar or even mints with you as a snack before you shop. A full stomach will keep your mind clear to only purchase what you need.
Go Alone:The larger your shopping crew the more eyes and hands are available for putting unplanned items into the cart. If you can, leave your husband and kids at home.
Pay attention to what you are putting in your cart.
At the Store
Let go of the brand: Not being tied to a specific brand gives you more options for savings. Look for similar items in other or store brands, theses are often the same product with a different label on it. You are paying for marketing. Pay attention to the price tag to ensure the best deal as it is not always the item that is on sale or name brand that is the best deal.
Read the price tag not the price: As I mentioned above, pay attention to the sticker price tags. In small print on the tag it will say what the price per ounce or pound is this is the easiest way to determine if a product is the least expensive as it compares products equally by weight. You don’t have to worry about the package size or count because the unit of measure is the same on both packages. For packaged meats, look the cost per serving so the bones and fat included in the weight of the item don’t mislead you.
Shop the outside:Keep away from interior aisles of the store. Most packaged and processed items come at a higher price point and calorie count. Some stores slightly shift product placement every few months to keep you looking/wandering around the store in hopes you see other impulse buys. The more aisles you walk through the more unplanned items will usually shop up in your cart. You will notice this if you frequently shop the same store for the same items. Shopping the exterior aisles produce, meats, dairy, bread will typically save you time, money and calories.
Don’t Shop From the Middle of the Shelf:Product placement in grocery stores comes with a premium price tag. The national brands and most popular items are conveniently placed at eye level and are easy to reach. Shop the top and bottom shelves to find the best deals. Look for store brands, generic and private labels. These items are just as good if not better than national brands and they almost always come with a lower price tag. Many of the products are actually made by the same manufacturers as national brands, only ending up at the store with a different picture on the same can.
Stock Up the Savings: When the items you use more often are on sale, stock up on them. Non-perishable items such as pasta, grains, sauces, canned goods will keep for months, some even years. When box brownie mix and pasta sauce are on sale for $1.00 rather than $2.50, I buy a dozen of each and store the extras on a rack in the basement. If you know you use a box a cereal a week when they are the lowest price buy 10 to avoid buying that same item at full price. When the stock gets low, make a note of it and look for the next sale. Get to know the trends in grocery advertising; they usually run in 8-12 week cycles offering low prices without needing coupons. Buy enough of what you need and wait until the next sale to replenish your stock. The key is to stock up on whatever is on sale each week, and then next week you can draw on your reserve items in the freezer and pantry to avoid having to buy those things at full price. Want help setting up a pantry that fits your needs sign up for Pantry Essentials.
Shop the Holiday Specials:The time of year is also a factor in price for some items. You can get usually the best deals on soda pop around graduation time, meat and grilling items around Fathers day. At Thanksgiving, buy two birds – one for the holiday meal and a smaller one for dinner at a later time. Holiday time is also a prime to stock up on baking essentials like flour, sugar, chocolate chips and spices. In the spring around Easter, buy extra eggs and hard-boil some for easy snacks and additions to salads.
Only Buy What You Need:Buying in bulk enables you to only buy what you need saving money and preventing waste. Not to mention items in bulk bins are almost always less expensive because you are not paying for extra packaging costs. Things like nuts, grains, flours, beans, spices, and tea. Some store even offer honey, olive oil and vinegar options that will be at a lower price than pre-packaged.
Be aware of marketing promotions:Just because something is advertised at two for $5.00 or 10 for $10 does not always mean you need to purchase the specific number of items to redeem the price. They are using marketing to make you think you are getting a better deal. Check the actual price to make sure it is a true savings. If a can a beans is usually 89 cents the store is making a profit on their “sale” of 10 for $10. It sounds better to say 2 for $5.00 rather than $2.50 each. It works to stock up on non-perishable items that are actually a good deal, but be careful when it comes to fresh items that can spoil easily. If you know your family will only go through one bag of lettuce or one bunch of grapes do not buy two, as you will end up tossing out the spoiled food later and your money along with it.
Search out truly fresh fish or buy frozen:Be away of labels that say, “previously frozen” This product is usually the same thing you can find in the frozen aisle for as much as 40% less. Buy it frozen and do the thawing yourself. You will have fresher fish to use when you want it rather then buying it 1-2 days thawed and then keeping it for 1-2 more before you actually cook it.
At the Register
Pay attention to the receipt:I know it’s easy to get caught up in looking at other things or begin packing groceries but pay attention as the cashier is ringing or at least double check your receipt before you leave the store. It is amazing how many times I catch something that mis-scans, scans twice, or the coupon or advertised sale price is not properly accounted for. It is always easier to clear up mistakes and questions while they are in process. This alone saves loads of money.
Ask for what you want:Often out of pleasantry the cashier will ask if you found everything ok. Use this opportunity to help you get what you want. If you can’t find something or want something they do not have let them know. Also if a sale item is out of stock ask for a rain check. This is a like a coupon that grants you the sale price on the item once it is back in stock regardless if the promotion is still running. If you don’t want to come back or need the product now ask a store manage if you can substitute a similar item for the one on sale.
Check yourself out:Impulse purchases drop when people use the self-checkout lines. There is typically less merchandise in these lines, there are typically shorter wait times so you are not looking at tempting items as long and you are kept busy ringing out your own items so you don’t have time to stand there and check out the magazines, and candy.
At Home
Stop Wasting Food: Did you know 40% of the food in the United States goes uneaten? Shop wisely and only purchase items you know your family will consume. Purchase perishable items sparingly to cut down on items spoiling. If you make larger meals, portion them out as easy meals for lunches or freeze items properly to be eaten at a later date. If you have produce that has been in the fridge for a while, mix up a homemade soup. For more help of reducing waste and using what you have on hand check out the Kitchen Core and Simply Delicious Classes series.
Store Items Properly:This is key for fresh item for retaining the highest nutrient quality, freshness and best flavor of products. There is really far too much to write in the little area so I will dedicate next weeks post to how to properly store some of the most common items for best results. Stay tuned.
Cut Costs With Your Knives: Don’t buy already cut-up produce. These items usually contain preservatives to keep them fresh after they are cut and you are paying a premium for this processed product. Cut and cored pineapple for example is typically $5.99 while un-cut is $3.99 and on sale is $2.99. Although it takes you a little time you will always save money by cutting it yourself. By learning how to use your knives efficiently, keeping them sharp and knowing what knife is best for a particular task, you will enjoy cutting items and cutting your bills. This also goes for meat products, instead of buying a package of boneless chicken breast and a package of thighs, buy a few whole birds when they are on sale and cut and package the pieces into portions that are easy for your family use. To learn what knife is best for you and how to use it well take a look at The Kitchen Core Class Series.
Cook from Scratch:Cooking from scratch will almost always be less expensive and not to mention healthier for you. By cooking at home you are not paying extra for convenience quick foods. You also avoid extra perseverates, gums, salt, fat and sugar needed to keep those foods tasting fresh after it spends weeks on the shelf. Learn how to use your freezer wisely, package food well and you will save significantly while still enjoying the convenience of having real good foods on hand. Items like breads, cookies, muffins, pulled meat products, and a variety of meals can be made and kept very easily at home. For help with using your freezer efficiently and making quality food from scratch schedule a class to fit your needs.
Stretch the Meat:Proteins are usually the most expensive parts of a meal. Instead of giving every person his or her own steak or chicken breast, buy less and slice the meat before you serve it. By slicing the meat, it visually looks like there is more giving the illusion of a bigger portion. Make it a complete meal by serving larger portions of hearty grains and vegetables. Try participating in Meatless Mondays with a great pasta dish like 4-Cheese Italian Stuffed Shells or Sweet Potato Burritos.
Little Extras
Eat in Season:
Just because fresh berries are available all year round does not mean you should be eating them all year. Pay attention to items that are currently in season. For example, only eat fresh berries in summer; load up on squash in the fall, citrus in the winter and greens in the spring. Items that are in season will always taste better because it is their natural growing cycle, and they will be less expensive. In the off-seasons, look to frozen and canned options, as these will usually be better quality, fresher and less expensive. Also try growing your own. Even if it is cold, you can keep a small herb garden inside, and if you are short on space, a small patio garden with items such as tomatoes, peppers, lettuces and herbs will save you a bundle in the summer.
Reuse bags and containers: Some stores offer discounts for each reused bag or container. It may only be 5-10 cents but this all adds up. 5 bags at 10 cents each is 50 cents saved each shopping trip and you are reducing waste.
Check the Competition:Pick the top 10 items you most commonly buy (e.g. milk, bread, apples, chicken, pasta, soap) and do a one-time shopping hunt for the best prices at your local stores and compare what you find. Look to see if where you are currently doing the bulk of your shopping has the best overall prices on what you are most often shopping for.
Know the rock-bottom price: Again using your list of top 10 most commonly purchased items learn the price range of these so you know when it is the best deal. For example chicken can be range from $1.49-$7.99 a pound even more savings if you are buying whole birds. By stocking up at the lowest price you can save hundreds each year on just one item.
Photograph your Receipt: Grocery apps like SavingsStar and Checkout51 give you weekly cash back on a range of products. All you need to do is send a photo showing what you bought. Saving a receipt this way is also helpful if you ever need or want to return an item to the store.
Grow your own Herbs:Bunches of fresh herbs cost $1-$3 each that you usually only need a little bit of. Herbs are easy to grow in pots outside or keep inside by a window for the one time cost of about $5 you can have plenty of herbs to last you throughout the year.
Ask about Case Discounts:If you know you use a lot of a particular product say chips, cereal or mineral water you can often receive case discounts for ordering in advance.
Buy Meat Direct from the Farm:There are many great family farms that produce high quality meats. You can purchase whole animals for a fraction of the traditional store. From my farmer we get beef, pork and chickens. The grass fed beef is about $4 per pound for everything from ground beef to tenderloin. In the store grass fed beef is about $7.99 and steaks can be as much as $29.99 per pound. You do need significant freezer space for whole animals but you can often buy half, or quarters or split it with a friend. Over time the significant savings can be worth you purchasing an extra deep freeze storage freezer.
I hope this helps you save money on groceries and makes grocery shopping on a budget fun and easy. Do you have a favorite method to shop on a budget? Let me know in the comments.
When Shopping:
