Let\u2019s just be honest: food is a necessary expense. After all, you\u2019ve got to eat. Particularly for families, your grocery costs may seem to take up a large part of your budget.<\/p>\n
So how do you save money on food? Does your grocery bill have to be that<\/em> high every month? Where can you cut costs and spend less on groceries and the occasional meal out?<\/p>\n In this article, you\u2019ll learn:<\/p>\n Let\u2019s get started! Here\u2019s how you can save money on food and still eat the foods you like.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re shopping for fish, chicken, shrimp or even beef, it\u2019s generally cheaper to buy the whole<\/em> animal rather than a butchered portion. For instance, when you buy a boneless, skinless chicken breast, you\u2019re paying for the process of removing the bone and the skin. Make sense?<\/p>\n Here are examples of how to save money on food by buying the whole animal.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t overlook the \u201cunusual\u201d meats you may find at the grocery store. Game hens, rabbit and other meats may just become your new favorites!<\/p>\n One of the best ways to save money on food is to buy commonly used items in bulk. If there are foods your family loves, consider buying them from a wholesale club to save a lot of money. There are many items that will keep well in your pantry, like rice and canned vegetables. Some other products may be frozen in a deep freezer; they\u2019ll keep well for a year or more, depending on what they are.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not usually a good idea to buy produce in bulk. Large amounts of produce won\u2019t be used up before they spoil. That said, some produce items may freeze. For instance, frozen berries make a great addition to smoothies. Healthy and affordable!<\/p>\n Many breads can be stored in the freezer, too. Loaf bread freezes just fine. So do muffins and similar pastries. Be sure that your foods are packed in air-tight packaging before you freeze them to prevent frost bite.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve likely heard the saying before: \u201cDon\u2019t go to the grocery store hungry.\u201d So true! When your stomach\u2019s growling as you walk the aisles, you\u2019re more likely to reach for higher-priced impulse buys. That\u2019s bad for your wallet!<\/p>\n To save money on food, try one of the grocery shopping services offered by many food stores. There are free options, though you may have to give your \u201cloader\u201d a small tip. How do they work? Well, you\u2019ll shop online for the items you need. You\u2019ll pay at checkout, then the store will prepare your order for you.<\/p>\n Shopping online also allows you to shop around for deals. For instance, you can clip digital coupons and apply them to your order. Easy peasy! Just be sure you choose one of the free shopping services.<\/p>\n Most grocery stores offer a loyalty club. These clubs are easy to join. Just pick up a card at the checkout, or register online. That\u2019s it, you\u2019re done!<\/p>\n When you shop for food, loyalty cards will save you additional money. Take advantage of buy one, get one free offers, or load digital coupons to your card. The savings will automatically be applied at the register.<\/p>\n Pay attention to your grocery store\u2019s local circular, too. Sometimes you\u2019ll see great deals advertised in the flyer that aren\u2019t obvious in the store.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just grocery stores that offer loyalty rewards. Many restaurants have similar programs. For instance, you may have a pizza joint in your area that offers \u201cpoints\u201d for every dollar spent. Those points can then be used toward free food.<\/p>\n If your favorite restaurant doesn\u2019t have a loyalty or rewards program, there\u2019s still a good chance they sponsor a birthday club. There\u2019s no need to stay home on your birthday. Join a birthday club and take advantage of free food or deep discounts on your special day.<\/p>\n You can save money on food simply by shopping for produce in season. Depending on where you live, you could score some awesome deals on fruits and veggies. For instance, corn may be as little as $.10 per ear in the summer in the United States. In the winter, if can cost up to a dollar per ear.<\/p>\n Visit the local library and learn about what\u2019s seasonal for your area. Is spinach a winter veggie or a summer one? What about squash? Peas? Learn what\u2019s seasonal and save money on food year-round.<\/p>\n That goes for kids, too \u2013 a brown bag lunch is a great way to save money on food.<\/p>\n Eating out at restaurants during the week can really add up. Instead, have family members pitch in the night before to make lunches to bring. Need a few ideas?<\/p>\n Use your imagination, and don\u2019t hesitate to pack leftovers.<\/p>\n One thing you should avoid, however, is frozen meals. Even if you have a microwave in your workplace, frozen meals aren\u2019t worth the money. The portion sizes are tiny and they can be quite expensive. Opt for fresh instead to save money on food.<\/p>\n You can save tons of money by investing in a good slow cooker. Even new, these appliances can cost as little as twenty dollars or so, but you can find used pieces for much less than that.<\/p>\n Slow cookers are awesome for quite a few reasons. First, they\u2019re going to save you time. Simply dump some ingredients into the pot in morning and supper is ready when you get home. Secondly, they\u2019re going to help you save money on food. For instance, for just a few dollars you can pick up a few cans of beans and some tomato sauce. Add a few spices and you\u2019re feeding your family chili for dinner \u2013 for pennies per person!<\/p>\n Slow cookers are so simple to use that even kids can help you cook. Help them with raw meats and similar ingredients, but then let them have fun! There are thousands of slow cooker recipes online to choose from.<\/p>\n Depending upon where you live, you\u2019ve likely heard of group-shopping apps. These apps are basically marketing tools for restaurants and other businesses to draw in new customers.<\/p>\n So how do they work? Well, let\u2019s say there\u2019s a Mexican restaurant advertising on the app. The restaurant will offer a deal like \u201c$20 for a $50 gift card.\u201d Customers can then buy that deal \u2013 there may be a limited number \u2013 and use the gift card any time.<\/p>\n While eating out is notoriously expensive, it may be okay to splurge every now and then. Group shopping apps are a good way to get the best value for your restaurant dollar.<\/p>\n\n
1. Buy the whole animal.<\/h2>\n
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2. Buy in bulk.<\/h2>\n
3. Try a grocery shopping service.<\/h2>\n
4. Join your grocer\u2019s loyalty club.<\/h2>\n
5. Try restaurant loyalty clubs, too.<\/h2>\n
6. Buy in season.<\/h2>\n
7. Always, always bring your lunch to work.<\/h2>\n
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8. Buy a second-hand slow cooker.<\/h2>\n
9. Use group-shopping apps.<\/h2>\n
10. Plant a garden.<\/h2>\n