Grocery Shopping on a budget
I’ve always thought of grocery shopping as a hobby. Ever since I was young, I would go to the grocery store with both my grandpa, and my dad. We went to all the stores: Wegmans, BJ’s, Tops (upstate NY thing), farmers markets, street carts, everywhere! I loved to push the cart, stare at all the options and the people. That’s where I learned to analyze price per pound, price per ounce, etc. My favorite aisles were always the fruits and vegetable section, because they are so colorful. Don’t get me wrong, the bakery and all its tantalizing sweets also got my attention! I’ve since outgrown the sweets (having celiacs also put a damper on this), but it still is fun to look at the pretty decorated pastries.
Tip #1 My recommendation if you can’t resist… don’t go to the section!
Tip #2 Shop a good sale:
All those hours walking the grocery store aisles gave me a good sense for a deal -- I was taught to catch a good sale when I saw it, assess price per lb relative to total cost, and weigh the pros and cons of different choices.
In college, I took a nutrition course where we were tasked with trying to shop on a food stamp budget, while still making sure to reach the minimum “daily requirements” for carbs, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals. I got a 100%. (One of a very few.) I LOVED IT!
Tip #4: Bulk Buying
Flash forward to now, and I’m obsessed with buying in bulk. We go to an amazing bulk food store where you pay per pound or ounce. They had almost everything we needed. We only really need to buy produce and wet/perishable items at another grocery store. There are also bulk bins at Whole Foods, on Amazon, and other stores. If we can’t find what we want in bulk, we buy in large containers to maximize price/lb.
Tip #6 Opportunity buy
When fresh stuff is on sale or at a good price, buy more than you need for the week and freeze if you have the room. We bought a ton of strawberries this week because they were cheap - way more than we will eat, but once they are about to turn I will chop and freeze them for smoothies, baking, etc.
Average weekly American couples food bill (including take out): $175/week
What we spend: $195/week
My partner and I go to the grocery store every Sunday morning. We go around the same time every Sunday. Early risers usually get the best crop on Sunday’s. (Tip: You can also ask your grocery store when they receive their produce shipments, sometimes it’s twice a week. That way you may choose to plan your weekly trips around then if you have difficulty finding.)
Tip 7 Sunday morning we sit and plan our week of meals and groceries. We look at what we have in our fridge, and see if there is have anything we need to still use up (we try to never throw away food. Tip: if something is about to go bad or left over, see if you can freeze it for later use!) We write the meals down on our calendar and then plan fairly seasonally and temperature or based on what we are craving.
Tip 8 Look at what fresh produce you have from your fridge. We look at Misfit’s Market or the farmers market and incorporate those into our weekly meal plan.
Tip 9 Bring our reusable shopping and produce bags
Tip 10 We shop the perimeters of the store. I know you may have already heard that but it is super important. If you are trying to get healthy then go to those places!
One of the things I’m absolutely loving about working with clients is seeing the evolution in their everyday routines. When deciding to make a lifestyle shift one of the biggest concerns is generally the cost of groceries. Many people perpetuate the stereotype that “eating healthy is expensive”. It doesn’t have to be! So many clients I’m working with have actually noted “my grocery bill has gone down substantially.” Saving money isn’t even the end goal, it is the result, just like weight loss is a result of HEALTHY SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE CHANGES! That’s what it’s all about!
If you are looking to make long term sustainable changes and would like to discuss the next steps, reach out! We can start by looking at your shopping list, current weekly meal plan and routine and adjusting to better fit your budget, health and wellness goals!
Zachary loves grocery shopping !
