Excellent Ways to Save Money on Your Grocery Bill

 

I don't think you have to be living under a rock to have noticed how much the cost of feeding yourself and your family has gone up over the past few years. Food Poverty is a real thing in this modern day and age when people are having to make tough choices between heating their homes or feeding their families.

I was a stay-at-home mom with five children for many years. I had to learn how to really make my food dollar stretch during those years and now as a Senior on a limited income I am having to do the same, and with the cost of food skyrocketing, being able to do so is even more important!

I thought it would be helpful to put together ideas that I use to help me to save money on my own food budget. You may or may not find them helpful.  Also, if you have any hints of tips of things that you yourself do to stretch your food dollar, drop them down in the comments section and share with the rest of us! Every little helps!

 1. NEVER GO SHOPPING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH

Eat a meal before you go shopping. Use pantry ingredients. This gives you a chance to check on what you are short on and what you need to buy, as well as making sure you will be less tempted to buy things on impulse. I always spend more when I shop on an empty stomach. That's because I like my hunger do my shopping for me.

I will often make myself at least one meal from the things I have on hand. I can often do this for several meals by just using all the bits and bobs that are in my refrigerator and staples that are in the larder.

Here are a few examples of meals that are easily made from just what you have on hand:

CHEESY TUNA BAKE - A tin of tuna from the store cupboard, along with some pasta, a few bits like mayonnaise and mustard.  Some cheese that needed using up and the scrapings from the bottom of a container of sour cream. Some frozen peas from the freezer. This goes together quickly and tastes delicious.

STORE CUPBOARD LASAGNA PIE - A few lasagna noodles, some jarred pasta sauce, cheese, a homemade bechamel, some sliced ham, some olives from a jar.  It goes together very quickly and easily. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy and it tastes delicious!

2. SHOP FOR INGREDIENTS ONLY

Shop for ingredients only. Plan ahead to make everything from scratch, create a list of planned meals, take a pass on pre-packaged and ready meals, and just avoid that part of the shop altogether.  Focus instead on buying for planned meals and using what you have and making whatever you can make from scratch. Why spend big bucks on prepared sauces, etc. when you can easily make what you need for less and have it taste better.

Here are some of the ingredients such as sauces that I make from scratch:

FIVE MINUTE STIR FRY SAUCE 

You wouldn't believe how much money this saves me. It is only too easy to go to the ready-sauce aisle and then spend a bomb on sauces that are full of who knows what. This is a simple stir fry sauce. It uses simple ingredients that I always keep on the Asian shelf of my refrigerator. It works well for stir frying meat or poultry or vegetables, and yes, it is delicious. No dyes. No chemicals or preservatives. Simple.

HOMEMADE TARTAR SAUCE - With just a few simple ingredients and not a lot of effort you can make a delicious tartar sauce. Once you realize how easy to make it is from scratch and how much better it tastes, you will never want to buy ready-made tartar sauce again.

SALTED CHOCOLATE CARAMEL SAUCE - A rich, delicious, smooth and creamy sauce that is very simple to make and that you can use in a multitude of ways. It uses simple ingredients as well and not a lot of them. This will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks if you use evaporated milk instead of fresh cream. 

3. GET THE MOST OUT OF THE INGREDIENTS YOU PURCHASE

Plan multiple meals on one main ingredient and then vary what you do with it by using a variety of options and add-ins. Get the most out of the ingredients you have purchased. For example, if you have bought a bag of sweet potatoes, then try to get a variety of meals from that simple ingredient. 

For instance, you get a good deal on a bag of Sweet Potatoes. You can do a lot with a bag of sweet potatoes!

DRY RUB ROASTED SWEET POTATOES -  Larger sweet potatoes are scored, rubbed with a delicious dry rub and then roasted to crispy caramelized perfection. Ready to top with your favorite baked potato toppings. On this occasion I topped them with a delicious green bean slaw.  A can of baked beans is really delicious spooned over top. 

HARVEST CHICKEN & SWEET POTATOES - This casserole makes a little bit of chicken go a very long way.  You slice chicken breasts through the middle horizontally to make three thin cutlets of each, which you then pound just a bit to tenderize. They are then seasoned and layered in a baking dish with thinly sliced sweet potatoes, fresh baby spinach leaves and cheese . . . just for a touch of richness. Once baked the flavours meld into a deliciously unctuous casserole that you can easily cut into squares for serving.

CRISPY TWO POTATO TACOS - These are a real favorite around here. Two types of potato, both sweet and white, roasted and mashed together with some seasonings and cheese and then grilled to perfection in soft tortillas, either corn or white. These are so delicious. Served with your favorite toppings, I guarantee nobody is going to miss the meat!

4. SHOP THE FLYERS AND USE COUPONS IF POSSIBLE

Shop the flyers and purchase things, like meat or poultry when they are on offer.  If there is a good deal on say Eye of Round. Purchase the whole eye and then take it home and cut it up into smaller portions. My sister often buys a whole eye when it is on special and then will cut it into several roasts and some steaks or cubes for stews. Wrapped properly, you can keep it in the freezer for quite some time.

 

When whole chickens are on offer, I will buy several of them and then portion them out when I get home, cutting them into separate joints like breasts, thighs, legs, etc.  The backs and necks are saved also to use in soups. Freeze in meal sized amounts.

It is worth it to go through the grocery flyers and then plan menus around the things you know your family will enjoy.

TIP - Buy two get one free is not a bargain if it ends up being more than you can reasonably use up in the allotted time. You would be better off in the long run just buying one and keeping it at that.

5. SHOP MORE FREQUENTLY AND IN SMALLER AMOUNTS

Hear me out. There is less waste that way. I have found that when I go shopping just once a week, fresh ingredients often go off before I can use them up. It actually costs me less money in the long run to go to the store several times a week, purchasing only the things I know I can reasonably use up in a day or no more than a couple of days. There is a lot less waste when I do that.  Europeans do this all the time.

6. MAKE A LIST AND STICK TO IT

This is nothing new and has been good advice for years. My mother always shopped from a list.  Her list was the same every week without any variations. I am not saying that you need to be boring, but I do think you need to plan and then make a list according to your plans and stick to the list. Don't let impulse or the shiny offers of a bargain deter you or undermine your plans.

7. SHOP SEASONALLY

Buy what is in season, and try to buy locally grown fruits and vegetables, wherever possible. When things are in season, they tend to be much cheaper, and they do taste a whole lot better. I only buy fresh strawberries in June/July when they are at their peak. You can, of course, get them any time of the year, but they can be quite expensive when off season and they never taste as good. 

When these things are in season, try to freeze or preserve things, if possible, to enjoy at a later date. Last year my sister and I canned applesauce, crabapple jelly, strawberry jam, etc. We froze beans, tomatoes and corn. We pickled beetroot and beans.

8. ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

Look at the Rotisserie Chicken for the bargain that it is. Most stores these days offer cooked rotisserie chickens at a decent cost. Not as cheaply as Costco does, but still not a lot when you compare the cost of buying a whole chicken, bringing it home and roasting it yourself. You can do a lot with a Rotisserie chicken with proper planning. I, because I live on my own, get a lot from it. I can buy one for $12 and get at least 3 or 4 meals from it.  A raw chicken for roasting will cost me upwards of $16. That's a saving for me.  Even a family can, with proper planning, stretch a rotisserie chicken to give them at least three meals.

Plan for eating it as is the first night. Portion it out yourself and bulk it up with sides so that nobody can make a pig of themselves on it.  Use another portion of it for either a casserole or sandwiches the next day. Finally use the bones to make a delicious homemade soup.

ROAST CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY, PARSNIPS & CABBAGE - A good homemade soup is one of the most beautiful examples of love you can share with someone you care about . . .it is indeed soup for the soul. For this delicious soup I combined my own homemade stock (made from the bones and scraps), pearl barley, grated parsnips, and cabbage with perfectly delicious results. 

I have written an excellent post here, on How to Make Your Chicken Pay for Itself.  These same things apply to a Rotisserie Chicken.

9. SHOP FOR THE CHEAPER CUTS OF MEAT & POULTRY. 

Never underestimate the value and merit of the cheaper cuts of meat and poultry. They often take a bit longer to cook, but, when cooked properly, they also have a lot more flavor. Things such as Chicken or turkey thighs and drumsticks. Blade steak. Pork Steaks instead of chops.  Stewing hens. Blade or pot roasts. Stewing meat or steak.

Some of my favorite meals come from these cheaper cuts. Things like chicken stew or Swiss steak. 

Here are a few recipes which utilize these cheaper cuts of meat and poultry beautifully!

CARAMELIZED ONION POT ROAST - The meat in this simple pot roast just melts in the mouth. This is the ultimate comfort food. Old fashioned and delicious, with a wonderfully flavor-filled gravy. I like to serve mine with plenty of mash and two veg on the side.  Plus, the leftovers are great for making meat pies or hash.

ROASTED TURKEY THIGHS WITH GARLIC & HERB BUTTER -No fuss, no muss, beautifully cooked turkey thighs filled with plenty of flavor. Roasted with plenty of vegetables for a simple and delicious meal in one. 

FRENCH CANADIAN TOURTIERE - We tend to only make, bake and eat these around Christmas time in my family, but they are really a delicious and very economical pork pie, using ground pork, some spices, onions, etc.  Savory pies don't really get much better than this. A complete tutorial.

10. SERVE A MEATLESS MEAL ONCE A WEEK

Skip the meat and opt for a vegetarian meal once a week. Or maybe even more often than that if your family is up for it. There are plenty of cheap meatless proteins that make for delicious meals.  Beans and pulses.  Cheese. Tofu. Eggs. Delicious meatless meals can often be everyone's favorite meals!

Here are a few meatless options:

HEARTY VEGETARIAN CHILI - Nicely spiced, thick and luxurious with plenty of vegetables and flavor. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, some guacamole and tortilla chips.  Yummy!

ENCHILADAS CALABAZA - These are my favorite Enchiladas.  Everyone I make them for falls in love with them also. Butternut squash, spring onions, and cheese mashed together and rolled up in flour tortillas. Salsa poured over top, more cheese and baked to delicious perfection. Nobody will miss the meat. I promise.

SHAKSUKA - Eggs roasted in a rich tomato, pepper and onion sauce. This is a delicious North African dish which makes use of common ingredients, put together in a really tasty way.  Serve it hot with some crusty bread for dipping. 

There are a few other things you can do such as buying your staples in bulk. Things like flour, sugar, salt, dried beans, rice, etc. Things you know you are going to use up and use up quickly. If you have a large property and the time, you can also grow some of your own fruits and vegetables. Even something as simple as herbs can be grown on a kitchen windowsill. 

I hope that you have found these tips to be helpful and that by following at least a few of them you can save a bit on your food bills!

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