25 Ways to Cut Grocery Costs

By San Marcos Daily Record, Texas

Jul. 29–Want to make the most of your food purchasing dollars?

With rising grain prices, greater fuel costs and increased global demand for both, food prices have increased and are expected to stay high for the foreseeable future.

But, according to the National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA), people may find that planning and making minor adjustments to their grocery shopping activities can significantly increase the power of their grocery dollars

“Simple activities, such as developing a food budget, planning before shopping, changing how you prepare meals and continuously looking at spending habits all are ways to make the most of your shopping dollars,” said Robynn Shrader, chief executive officer for NCGA, a business services cooperative representing 109 natural food co-ops nationwide.

Implementing these tips can take time. But, by following them, individuals can accomplish more with their grocery dollars and may even spend more time with their families cooking, dining and conversing, to boot.

Set a Budget:

–Calculate your current food expenditures

–Decide on your grocery budget

–Stick to your budget by setting up a tracking method, much like your checkbook

Plan Ahead:

–Clean out expired or unusable food from the pantry and fridge

–Inventory what’s in your freezer

–Draw up a list of staple foods you’ll need every week

–Create a grocery list you can re-use every week

–Share the list with your family for their input

–Clip coupons, but only for items on your list

–Plan your shopping around sales

Shop Wisely:

–Stick to your list; avoid impulses

–Coordinate your purchases with what’s in season

–Focus on the perimeter of the store, where bulk, produce and basics are most available

–Consider special orders of bulk quantities of food

Change Your Patterns:

–Prepare the produce you’ve purchased (i.e., clean and slice strawberries and store in a container in your fridge)

–Organize your cupboard

–Put a message pad or board on your fridge with meal plans and snack options

–Don’t overstock

–Minimize purchasing food at convenience stores where prices often are higher

–Slowly add more cooking time into your schedule

–Plant a vegetable and herb garden

–Try to eat as a household more often

Re-evaluate Your Methods:

–Try your budget and plan for a few months before assessing

–Continually monitor how you’re spending your food budget

–Adjust your budget, if necessary

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Copyright (c) 2008, San Marcos Daily Record, Texas

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