Most of us go into the grocery store with a budget. A budget that we’d swear we are going to stick to. However, the problem is that we’ll often leave the grocery store having exceeded that budget.
The good news is that you can stop emptying our your wallet every time you go food shopping.
There are lots of ways to cut down on costs at the grocery store. The Rachel Ray Show invited mom of two and cookbook author Danielle Kartes on their show to tell their audience how she shops for a week’s worth of meals for a family of four with a budget of just $100.
Here’s what she told the gang at The Rachel Ray Show:
1) Figure Out What You Need And What You Have
Spending money on things you already have is the biggest waste of money. Especially if it’s produce or other items that can spoil. Make sure you check out the refrigerator and your pantry so you can take an inventory of what you have and don’t have.
2) Build Your Meals From The Produce Aisle
Start in the produce section and plan your meals around what produce is on sale. The key here is to be flexible which meals you may swap broccoli for bell peppers if they are on sale and you plan on making stir-fry. You might have to make your peach cobbler into a blueberry cobbler instead.
3) Buy Herbs In Bulk
You should definitely buy herbs when they are on sale and in bulk. They can make a regular meal taste fantastic. You can also freeze them for later use if you need to.
4) Don’t Buy Things In a Box
Stop buying pre-rinsed salad in boxes. You’re paying for the plastic. It’s better to buy lettuce in the bulk section and bag and rinse yourself.
5) Reuse, Reuse, Reuse
Don’t let leftovers go to waste. Combine ingredients to create brand new meals out of your ingredients. Make substitutes if you don’t have everything you need for a recipe, such as crushed up pretzel crumbs instead of breadcrumbs.
6) Don’t Buy Ground Meat
Don’t buy ground meat. Instead, buy boneless meat which is cheaper. Grind it up yourself in a food processor.
Check out the video below to see Danielle tell Rachel about how she saves money at the grocery store
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