Feeding a family hearty, nutritious food without paying a fortune can be done. All it takes is a little creativity, a few minutes of planning, and a desire to hold onto your hard-earned cash.
Identify Money-Saving Supermarket Deals
The first step toward saving money at the supermarket without using coupons is to plan ahead. Use several local food store fliers and circle their best sale prices on meats and produce. Then, circle deals on frozen juices, meats, fruits, and vegetables. Pay careful attention to “BOGO” deals (Buy One Get One free) as these items represent the best price per item deals the store has to offer. Once you have identified the deals of the week, you’re ready to make the best use of your grocery budget.
Create a Money-Saving Weekly Meal Menu
Using the items you’ve identified in the fliers as great deals, create a menu plan for the week built on these sale foods. Many healthy and easy crock-pot stews, quick and nutritious stir-fry dishes, and comfort-food casseroles are made with the cheapest foods in the store: on-sale meats and in-season vegetables. For a little inspiration, browse through a cookbook or ask friends and co-workers for their favorite dinner recipes.
Shop the Grocery Store Perimeter
The healthiest and least expensive foods in the grocery store: fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs and dairy products are usually located along the store’s outside walls. Manager’s specials and in-store markdowns are often located in the store perimeter as well. Processed foods, which are less healthy and more expensive, tend to be displayed in the middle aisles. Stick to the outside edges of the store and avoid the temptation of processed foods.
Stock up on Money-Saving Loss Leaders
Loss leaders are the incredible deals prominently displayed in the store flier, usually on the cover. These items are marked down so much that often the store loses money on them, hence the name “loss-leader.” Budget-conscious shoppers can stock up on fresh meats that sell for a third of their regular price and freeze the meat in freezer bags at home. A great sale on potatoes could mean a week of hearty stews, creamy potato soup, homemade French fries, and succulent roasted root vegetables. Get creative and plan your menu around these great deals.
Buy Money-Saving Store Brands
With very few exceptions, store brands have the same quality as the brand-name counterparts but without the extra cost of advertising passed on to the shopper. Most stores will guarantee the quality of their private label with a money-back or product replacement offer.
Save Money by Filling the Freezer
Make room next to the sale meats in freezer bags, because some of the best deals you’ll find in the supermarket are in the freezer aisle. Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts but at a fraction of the price. Frozen fruits and vegetables are great convenience foods, as they have already been washed, peeled and cut and are ready for use at a moment’s notice.
Start with the store’s sale advertisement flier, create a menu plan around the foods on sale, and make your shopping list. Remember to stick to the perimeter and be on the lookout for additional savings from in-store markdowns. Even without coupons, you too can save money at the grocery store.
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