Your Centsible Kitchen: Simple Ways to Minimize Your Grocery Bill
As the cost of groceries continues to rise in tandem with record-high inflation, many of us are feeling the pinch. Meal planning can already be stressful enough as is—factor in the soaring cost of food and it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Despite the state of the global economy, stocking up your kitchen pantry to feed yourself and your family is a weekly necessity. So, today, we're making things easy for you by providing everything you need to know about shopping wisely, getting a good deal, and keeping your expenses low.
Here are 5 easy ways to save big on your grocery bill
1. Plan your meals and create a grocery list
Start by taking an inventory of your kitchen before going to the supermarket and make note of the items that are running low. Taking the time to write out a grocery list will help you stick to a budget and avoid overspending by reducing unnecessary purchases. A journal can be a useful tool for planning meals and keeping track of grocery lists—we recommend our Epic Life Journal.
2. Browse through flyers and grocery store websites
This is a simple but effective way to check for sales, lowest price options, and discounts.
3. Consider buying in bulk
Not only does this save you more trips to the grocery store, but it’s often more cost- effective too.
4. Eat more plant-based
Meat now costs nearly 24% more than it did in the last two years, according to Statistics Canada, and researchers predict that prices will continue to rise. The good news is that there are tons of budget-friendly options out there to meet your protein needs. Plant-based proteins like chickpeas, edamame, beans, and tofu are great alternatives. For more ideas and recipes, be sure to check out our blog post all about plant-based eating!
5. Buy seasonal
Out-of-season produce is typically more expensive. Try doing a fast search to see what's in season around you before you start preparing your meals. Seasonal guides, such as this one, might help you plan out your meals. Also, remember to store your produce in air-tight containers, like our Stay With Me Produce Savers, to limit food waste while stretching your dollar!
Below are some $3 and under per serving Recipes to help you get started
To bring you even more money-saving tips, we checked in with Art Director Jaclyn Johnson! Jaclyn has worked in the creative department at Epicure for 17 years. She's proud to be born and raised on Vancouver Island and is a strong advocate for learning how to grow your own food. On most days, you'll likely find her working in her garden.
Here’s what Jaclyn had to say:
1. Make use of loyalty programs and price-matching apps
Find a grocery store that has a loyalty program so you can get a rebate with every spend. Make a game out of it—I LOVE seeing the savings line at the end of my grocery receipt. I also use an app called Flipp to get all the best deals. Most grocery stores will honour a price match. I stock up when pantry staples of mine go on sale. I will do really well if we have an earthquake (ha!).
2. Shop your grocery store brand products
They are just as good and often a lot less expensive than name-brand products!
3. Carve out time for meal prep after grocery shopping
It may take some extra time, but it makes your week so much smoother. Tuna, pasta, quinoa, rice, canned tomatoes, rolled oats, beans, and peanut butter are some of my favourite low-cost pantry staples. When the kitchen is stocked with healthy options, there’s no need to eat out. We only eat out once a week on Fridays so that the cook can take a vacation!
4. Use the freezer to reduce food waste and stretch your budget
I buy family packs of chicken breasts, then divide and freeze into smaller batches. Frozen vegetables and fruit are also great when not in season.
5. Keep a list of low-cost recipes handy for meal planning
I like to make big batches of Greek yogurt pancakes (try these Sleeping Beauty Oat Cakes) with frozen fruit. The kids love to have it in their lunches and it's not expensive. I also don't buy granola bars for lunches—I use rolled oats, honey, raisins and peanut butter to make Power Up Energy Balls. The kids love them, they’re more cost-effective, and they’re freezer-friendly! Tuna Melts using canned tuna are another family favourite. To ensure that we use all of our fresh vegetables before they expire, we eat a lot of stir-fries and veggies with Epicure Dip.
What money-saving tips have helped you when grocery shopping? Which new recipes or tips are you most likely to try? Let us know—share with us on Instagram!
Written by Gabi Abreu, Epicure Product Education Specialist. (BSc Nutrition & Dietetics)
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