December 25, 2024 | 11:49 GMT +7

  • Click to copy
Saturday- 15:39, 12/02/2022

Food prices are still rising. Here are 4 ways to slash your grocery bill

(VAN) Your grocery bill has likely been going up.
Meal planning definitely reduces costs. Photo: iStock 

Meal planning definitely reduces costs. Photo: iStock 

That’s because food prices are rising steeply, with the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showing a 7.4% increase between January 2021 and January 2022. The cost of bacon has swelled by 18%, and peanut butter, 15%.

It’s unclear when the uptick will relent. In the meantime, experts weighed in on strategies to help you save at the supermarket.

  • Fill your pantry with the basics

Your kitchen should be stocked with certain essential foods, including eggs, pasta, rice, bread, canned tomatoes, frozen vegetables and fruit, onions and potatoes, said Leanne Brown, author of Good Enough, a self-care cookbook.

Many meals can be made with these ingredients alone, and they serve as the foundation for countless more, meaning you won’t have to buy as many new items each week.

If you have the space, experts say, consider buying these products in large quantities to cut costs even more.

  • Prepare before you buy

Don’t show up to the supermarket without a grocery list and some ideas of what you’ll be cooking for the week, Brown said.

“Meal planning definitely reduces costs,” she said. “If you stick to it, you don’t waste food that you bought without a plan.”

While you map out your dishes for the week, try to think of recipes that are easily repurposed, she added. For example, a pot of chili can later be used to fill burritos or as nacho toppings.

You can decide eating certain foods on repeat is sad or monotonous or — like so much else with life — you can choose to look at it more positively.

“Having the same breakfast every day for a week can be really comforting and simplify things both wallet-wise and decision-making wise,” Brown said. “Then you can do something else the next week, so you don’t feel bored.”

Your grocery list probably won’t prevent all your impulse buys, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use one.

“Even if you stick to them somewhat, that is great,” Brown said. “We don’t need to worry about perfection.”

As a treat, she purposefully plans to buy one or two things off her list.

  • Track down the best deals

You can usually browse discounts on a supermarket’s website or app, or find them listed at the retailer, experts say.

Take a look at your grocery list before you decide where to do your buying, said Erin Clarke, author of The Well Plated Cookbook. Then, try to find the store that offers the best value on the particular items you’re looking for.

“If you’re doing a produce-heavy trip, look for a store with frequent produce sales,” Clarke said. “If you’re stocking up on shelf-stable goods, choose a store that has the best value for those, even if other items, like produce, cost more.”

Billy Vasquez, who runs The 99 Cent Chef blog, said he picks up many of his non-perishable items, including mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, dried pasta, beans and tortilla chips, at his local dollar store.

Around St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day, you can find steep discounts on items like corned beef, carrots, cabbage, turkey, duck, roasts, ham, boxed stuffing, hamburgers and hot dogs, many of which can be stored in the freezer for long periods, Vasquez said.

Meanwhile, generic and store-brands tend to be the cheaper varieties, Brown said, adding that, “buying more canned and frozen vegetables when many aren’t in season is another evergreen choice.”

  • Tweak your menu

Meat and dairy tend to be the more expensive items at the supermarket, and especially of late. In response, aim to make more meals that don’t rely on them as the central ingredient, Brown said.

“Using meat sparingly as flavor, like adding a bit of bacon to a mushroom risotto, is more economical,” she said. Consuming less meat also helps you to lower your environmental footprint, she added.

Buying foods with a longer shelf life can cut your trips to the supermarket all together. “Cabbage, carrots, brussels sprouts and beets can last for two weeks or longer when stored in the crisper drawer,” Clarke said.

Delaying your return is always good for your wallet, she said.

“Every time you walk into the store, that’s an opportunity for impulse purchases to drive up the bill,” she said.

Tr.D

(CNBC)

Food and nutrition crisis deepens across Sudan as famine identified in additional areas

Food and nutrition crisis deepens across Sudan as famine identified in additional areas

(VAN) FAO, WFP and UNICEF urge immediate humanitarian access and action to avert what could become the worst hunger crisis in recent history.

How to repair the planet? One answer might be hiding in plain sight

How to repair the planet? One answer might be hiding in plain sight

(VAN) We tend to look at environmental problems in isolation. A holistic approach would be more effective, a new report says.

Georgia farmers still grappling with $5.5 billion in Hurricane Helene storm losses

Georgia farmers still grappling with $5.5 billion in Hurricane Helene storm losses

(VAN) Twisted equipment and snapped tree limbs still litter Chris Hopkins’ Georgia farm more than two months after Hurricane Helene made its deadly march across the South.

US poultry sector prepares for mass deportations

US poultry sector prepares for mass deportations

(VAN) The US poultry processing industry has long relied on illegal workers, but huge adjustments are going to have to be made after President-elect Donald Trump takes power on 20 January 2025.

The future is dry: Why soil is the sexiest climate solution

The future is dry: Why soil is the sexiest climate solution

(VAN) Drought is projected to affect 75% of the world's population by 2050. Take that in.

Environmentalists call for a revision of poultry welfare standards

Environmentalists call for a revision of poultry welfare standards

(VAN) Voice of Animals, a Russian NGO, has prepared amendments to the draft veterinary regulation in the poultry industry, which is scheduled to come into force on 1 August 2025.

Hunger in the Arab region reaches a new height as challenges intensify

Hunger in the Arab region reaches a new height as challenges intensify

(VAN) From the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa.

Read more