Suggestions for trimming grocery costs?

self | 5/1/08 | randita

[randita]

Grocery costs are going through the roof. Do you have any suggestions for trimming the skyrocketing grocery bills?

We don't buy much in the way of pre-packaged or prepared food items and we do eat a lot of dried beans. Don't eat out much either. Still my weekly grocery bill is about 25% higher than I'd like.

Let the suggestions roll...

[SMARTY]

Forget your loyalty to brands and experiment with generic or other. It won't always beat the brand product, but it will do better often enough to make a difference.

Example:

I found Kleenex for 80 cents a box at an outlet and it was over $1.25 everywhere else. The 80 cent Kleenex was fine... same with paper towels and pine cleaner, etc. You just have to experiment..

I NEVER buy off brand meat, though... I always go to the butcher for that. But all other food items are fair game for experimenting.

[Petronski]

I highly recommend the automatic rice cookers produced by Zojirushi. I know, a lot of people are thinking “eww, I don’t like rice.” I submit that most people who don’t like rice are basing that conclusion on Uncle Ben and Lipton. Blech.

Zojirushi means a) dump in the rice and water; b) let it soak for ten minutes; c) turn it on.

About fifteen minutes later, BAM! Perfect rice. Delicious perfect rice.

[CSM]

Thank you very much for that link. It looks like a great value.

[Petronski]

The Mormons have a booklet about making the most of your food costs-ties in with their philosophy of emergency preparedness- I can’t recall the title, but it had some good lists and recipes for feeding a bunch on very little. I requested it years ago and it came in handy. (and no, I didn’t have any white shirt and black tie kids show up on my doorstep afterwards.) I just wish I could recall the title of that Mormon brochure.

Maybe we should ask those who might know.

[OB1kNOb]

My first suggestion is to grow a small garden. Not much room is needed at all to make a difference. Plus you get the benefits of the exercise.

If you can't do that, then check around for farmer's markets or local producers and buy from them. The quality and taste is much better. Buy local, buy often.

You might also check to see if there are any individuals who sell shares of their garden harvest. For a set amount per season, you would be entitled to a set amount or percentage of the variety of crops that they grow. They usually distribute the bounty each week amongst the shareholders.

Try meatless meals, especially in the summer when garden vegetables are plenty.

Buy off brands rather than main name brands.

Cut out soft drink and snack purchases. Sodas, chips, cakes, goodies, etc. can add a good bit to your total grocery cost.

[hedgetrimmer]

But “free trade” has made everything so cheap for ‘consumers’! Why should anyone have to give up red meat? We ‘consumers’ have never had it so good, with our globalized, socialized economy!

[Rebelbase]

Pinging the Queen of stylish economy for frugal expertise.........

[Thermalseeker]

Grow a garden and learn to can your own stuff. You can grow herbs in a sunny window. We've been doing a big garden for years, green beans, crowder peas, tomatoes, corn, okra, peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, lima beans, red 'taters, greens, etc. My mother taught me to use a pressure canner when I was but a wee lad and I've been doing canning on my own since shortly after college. My wife laughed the first time she saw me canning beans, but now she realizes how much better they are compared to what is commercially available. She's also come to love my fried okra. She was bugging me just this morning to put in a row of her favorite green beans today. I also have fruit trees, grape vines and blueberry bushes and we make preserves and jelly and dry fruit for hiking snacks. I have planted 8 pecan trees, but they are still a couple of years from producing. We do harvest wild black walnuts off our property every year, though. We pick wild blackberries and huckleberries from a super secret location, too.

We split a 4H beef critter with a neighbor every year. Contact your local 4H to see if a similar arrangement is available in your area. It's the best beef you've ever eaten and at an average of $2/lb, it's cheap, too. Since our 4H grower also grows his own corn for fattening up his critters, his prices haven't been affected much by the rising price of corn. The beef is much higher quality that what you see in a typical grocery store. I have a few yard birds for delicious brown eggs and two ponds for small mouth bass and catfish. I've been building a greenhouse this spring to extend my growing season. If times get tight, I'll kill a deer and put that in the freezer, too.

All these things put better, cheaper food on my table from known sources. During the growing season we have fresh veggies coming in daily. It takes a few days a year to stock the pantry for the winter. A lot of folks claim they don't have the time to do this stuff, but if you consider the time you spend going to and from the store, plus shopping time, much less the time wasted watching mindless crap on TV, it's pretty close to the same and the food you grow yourself is light years ahead of what is commercially available. If you don't have room to do what I'm doing, find a "you pick" farm in your area and can and preserve what you pick. There's one of those in my area for strawberries and we always go and get a gallon or two for home made ice cream all summer.

[KosmicKitty]

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/

especially $45 emergency menu and $70 menu

While it would probably run more today to buy - this site has lots of good recipes and ideas for low-cost healthy foods. And check out the dollar stores for things like spices and paper/cleaning goods.

And if you have an Aldi's nearby, its worth a trip. When my husband got laid off, we'd go to Aldi's first, then the regular grocery store for anything we needed that Aldi's didn't have. Saved so much money on food & other supplies!

[Rebelbase]

That’s one situation where it’s OK to bite the hand that feeds you.

[knittnmom]

If you need to pack a lunch, my daughter tells me that putting your own soup in a pint-sized canning jar works well. It seals and doesn’t spill en route, and can be microwaved without melting.

[knittnmom]

Sweet potatoes are INCREDIBLY easy to prepare, relatively cheap and sweet and delicous. If your family is not wild about them plain with butter. Use sugar. Lot’s of it.

My husband boils them, then blends them in with regular mashed potatoes, for "golden potatoes". They taste good, and our grandson loves them.

[Thermalseeker]

Delicious perfect rice.

We like Basmati rice. Delicious!

[SMARTY]

Also, and this is a REAL money saver, prepare your own food when possible and avoid anything pre-packaged or otherwise prepared.

It’s important to know that when buying pre-packaged food (for example: soup or anything in a can or frozen package) you are paying for their advertising expense and their packaging costs ... which are a large part of the product price

Make your own soup and side dishes, they are always better anyway. And YOU would never put the amount of salt or preservatives in soup or vegetables that they do.

AND, never eat fast food-think of how much groceries you can buy with what you spend for one burger at the fast food.

[mplsconservative]

Hi peggy!

I agree with everything you said except for the cheap dog treats. Make sure they are not made in China. You might end up with some very expensive vet bills. :(

[Petronski]

I usually cut basmati with white. For my palate, the basmati is so fruity and bold as to take over in many dishes.

I certainly understand your affection for it.

[Thermalseeker]

My husband boils them....

You can also do them alone, just like you'd do regular mashed potatoes, but add some OJ or pineapple bits,, butter, plus brown sugar or molasses or honey. Delicious!

[spectre]

Locate a Bakery Outlet. Name brand breads are usually more than half the price you'd pay at the Grocery Stores. They carry bagels, hot dog buns, etc. Snacks for the kids lunch are readilly available.

Keep your bread in the Fridge, it won't mold and lasts longer.

sw

[HamiltonJay]

Move away from your regional large chain grocery stores, to the discount/basic stores.

Save-a-Lot or ALDI’s. Save easily 40% over going to the other places. Yes, they won’t have the selection, and much of the products are store brands, but I only go to the big grocery stores for things I can’t get there.

Especially now that 1 grocery store in the area has basically won the battle and is effectively a monopoly they have jacked up prices insanely over the last 2 years. I can get the same brand name stuff when its available at the discount stores for 1/2 to 1/3 the price.

[coop71]

We have an Aldi near us. I’ve always wondered how that place works, but didn’t want to go in not knowing (I’m a dork). Can you pay with a debit card? Do you have to bring your own bags? Is it a membership only place? Is it just canned stuff, or do they have fresh fruits, veggies, eggs, meat?

Thanks!