School is back in session, and it’s time to start packing lunches again, so a lot of folks are trying to find ways to save cash on their grocery bill.
Here are some tips for saving money on groceries:
1. Make Meal Planning a Priority
The weekly trip for groceries will be more effective if you start planning your meals. This way, you’ll know all the ingredients to buy. Before stepping foot inside the store, recheck your pantry and refrigerator to find out what you are out of and make certain you don’t buy things you already have. If you plan meals ahead of time, you shouldn’t fall victim to the temptation of adding things that could be wasted.
Then, be sure to follow your plans and only pack items from your list in those school or work lunches. This will help you save lots of cash, plus you can buy bulk items, which also is a good idea.
2. Think about using curbside pickup or delivery
If you order your groceries via the Internet or use the store’s app, it’s less likely you’ll make any impulse buys. Plus, you save time you’d spend shopping, and that could net you extra time to do your prep or packing.
3. Buy things in Season
The fresh veggies and fruits you buy in season will taste better, as well as many times, these will be on sale or at least cheaper than the out-of-season items. Be certain you start prepping the lunches as soon as you get back home so this food won’t be wasted. You can wash the produce and start dividing it up into individual servings, and you’re set for all week. It makes getting some healthy foods into your family easier without it being a hassle.
4. Buy Generic
If you buy generic products for things like canned goods, pantry items, frozen foods, and dairy products, it’s a great way to save money and round out your lunches and weekly meals.
5. Concentrate on Healthy Foods
Eat lots of filling food such as eggs, beans, oatmeal, nonfat Greek yogurt, multigrain pasta, and brown rice. These are all healthy foods that are less expensive and great to use for planning yummy meals for everyone.
6. Cut Coupons
Get out the Sunday papers or find some coupons on the Internet. Try to match them up to the sales items at the grocery store for even more savings. Plus, plan snacks and lunches based on your list and the sales to save even more cash.
