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18
Ways to Save on Groceries
by Pamela Kramer
Woman's Day,
April 1, 2003
Have you tried clipping coupons and shopping the
sales, but you still end up blowing your budget on
groceries? We talked to the experts and discovered
that it's possible to save $20, $30, even $40 every
time you shop. The trick is to take yourself off
automatic pilot and rethink the items you buy. So
grab a shopping cart and let our pros show you how
to cut your grocery bills down to size.
Produce
1. Buy only what you need. "Most people will load
up on tomatoes, zucchini and peppers, put them in
the fridge and then forget about them," says
television and radio produce expert Tony Tantillo,
also known as "The Fresh Grocer." Plan your menus
before you go, and only buy a few days' worth of
fruit and vegetables. "You'll be surprised how much
money you save when you stop throwing stuff away."
2. Think fresh, fresh, fresh. Shop at a store that
has high volume and is known for wonderful produce.
"You may pay more for a head of lettuce, but it will
last longer and taste better if it hasn't been
sitting around for six days," says Tantillo. Produce
should have bright colors, firm textures and no
shriveling or signs of decay. Ask for a discount on
any regular-priced items that are damaged or
overripe. "A bruise can easily be cut off an apple
if you're making a pie, and ripe bananas make the
best bread anyway," says Ellie Kay, author of How
to Save Money Every Day.
3. Prep veggies yourself. Instead of buying pricey
prepackaged salad greens, purchase one head each of
romaine, red leaf and Bibb lettuce. Wash separately
and dry thoroughly. Cut or tear into pieces, toss
and place in re-sealable plastic bags. Puncture the
bags with a fork to allow air to cir- culate. "Stack
in your fridge for perfect salad greens every
night," says Jorj Morgan, author of At Home in
the Kitchen. Prep your own carrot sticks and
broccoli florets as well.
4. Get more for your money. Frozen or canned fruit
and veggies are often cheaper by tip the pound than
fresh, especially if you opt for varieties without
added seasonings or sauces. Bags of fruit and
veggies can vary by as much as a pound, so weigh
before you buy.
Meat and Deli
5. Go for the super sizes. "The best prices are on
larger cuts of meat," says Victoria Bentley,
director of consumer and public affairs for the Penn
Traffic Company, a food distribution company in
Syracuse, New York, that owns four supermarket
chains. Have the butcher cut a large roast into
steaks, stew meat and a small roast. Ground meat is
usually cheaper in family-size packs. Repackage
into smaller sizes, or brown and freeze for later.
Check out the freezer section for large bags of
poultry and seafood. "Avoid meat that has juice
leaking out of the package, and be sure to cook it
thoroughly," says Donald Schaffner, Ph.D., food
science extension specialist at Rutgers University,
in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
6. Buy the most meat per serving. The least
expensive cut of meat or the cheapest meat per pound
may not be the best value when you factor in the
bones, gristle and fat. A pound of boneless pork
chops for $4.99, for example, may yield more usable
meat than a pound of bone-in pork chops for $3.99.
Select the type or cut of meat, fish or poultry that
gives you the most meat for the lowest overall
price, even if it costs more per pound.
7. DIY and save. While the marinated steaks or
chicken breasts may look tasty, you pay a high price
for all that liquid and seasoning, says Bill Clarke,
consumer reporter at KMGH-TV in Denver. Instead,
soak chicken breasts or inexpensive cuts of meat in
lemon juice or Italian salad dressing for a few
hours, then cook right away, or freeze in plastic
freezer bags with some marinade. Bread your own
chicken strips to cook or freeze for later.
Grocery and Frozen Food
8. Don't overpurchase. Limit yourself to a
reasonable number of boxes, bottles or cans of any
one particular item in your pantry or freezer at a
time, says Robyn Spizman, a consumer advocate in
Atlanta. Many products expire before you can use
them, and stores typically run sales on specific
items periodically so you can replenish your supply.
"Most people shop for a snowstorm and it's just not
necessary," she says.
9. Avoid pricey packaging. Reach for cans instead
of bottles, bags instead of boxes, plastic instead
of glass. lf you like the convenience of resealing a
jar of pasta sauce, transfer the contents of a
canned sauce into a plastic container and store in
the fridge for five to seven days. If you prefer
spices in small jars instead of tins, buy jars and
then refill them with spices from less expensive
containers. Also buy grains and nuts in bulk.
10. Try the private labels again. Store brands are
almost always less expensive than name brands, even
with a sale and a coupon. Some grocers occasionally
put their store brands on sale. "Private-label
products are so much better today than they were in
the past and are often made by name-brand
companies," says Bentley. "You can save as much as
forty percent."
11. Make calculated decisions. Don't assume that
bigger always equals cheaper; determine the Unit
price of each size available before you buy.
"Sometimes a two pound package of spaghetti is more
expensive than four of the eight-ounce packages,"
says Clarke. If a large size of syrup or oil will
save money, transfer the contents into a smaller
container to avoid overuse.
12. Shop the holiday sales. Staples, such as flour,
sugar and spices, usually go on sale before
Thanksgiving and Christmas, so stock your pantry
then. Hot dogs, condiments and soft drinks are
typically marked down before the Fourth of July.
Seasonal candy can be found for up to 75 percent off
after the holidays.
Baked Goods
13. Bend and stretch. You'll usually find
less-expensive bread on the top and bottom shelves.
Pricey gourmet breads and children's cereals are at
eye level, where they're easy to see and grab. Check
markdown racks, usually located near the back of the
store, for bread that's nearing its "best before"
date and priced to sell fast.
14. Give in to temptation. Ready-made pies and
cakes from the bakery may seem pricey, but may cost
less than making them from scratch, especially if
you don't have all the ingredients on hand. Bentley
priced the supplies needed to bake a pie from
scratch and the total was more than $15! "You can
purchase a fresh pie for five dollars in the
bakery," she says.
15. Skip the individual serving sizes. Flavored
instant oatmeal in single-serving packets may be
easy to prepare on busy mornings, but the
convenience costs you plenty. Make your own packets
by mixing four cups of instant oatmeal with a few
tablespoons of brown sugar or cinnamon, and divide
the mixture into eight ziptop plastic bags.
Substitute muffins or bagels for expensive toaster
pastries and granola or cereal bars.
Dairy Case
16. Cut the fat. Lowfat and nonfat milk usually
cost less than higher-fat versions and contain all
the same nutrients. Milk also can be less expensive
per ounce when you buy it in gallon jugs rather than
half-gallon cartons. Generic and store-brand milk
are cheaper than name brands and don't compromise
taste or safety. "Pasteurized milk is pasteurized
milk," says Schaffner. "They fall under the same
food and safety regulations."
17. Ask for a markdown. If a container of milk is
getting close to its sell-by date, try asking the
manager for a discount. If stored at the proper
temperature, milk and milk products should stay
fresh in your refrigerator for a few days past that
time.
18. Save big on cheese. Bypass the gourmet cheese
in the deli and go for the less-expensive brands in
the dairy case. Lori Nail, of Westminster, Colorado,
buys store-brand Cheddar in 5-pound blocks during
sales. She grates some for the fridge and to freeze
and saves a small block for slicing.
Food Storage Tips
*Avoid bacteria and keep food fresh longer by
setting your refrigerator to 38-40°F and your
freezer to O°F.
*Have deli meat and cheese packed into half-pound
bags to avoid exposing the entire product to air
every time you open the bag.
*Stand fresh herbs in a glass of water in your
fridge, or place in a ventilated plastic bag in the
crisper drawer lined with paper towels to absorb
moisture.
*Keep root vegetables (onions, potatoes, squash) in
a dark, cool, dry location. Place other veggies in
ventilated plastic bags or storage containers in the
fridge.
*Freeze fruit, vegetables and herbs in plastic
freezer bags. Wash, pat dry and freeze in a single
layer on a baking sheet before storing to prevent
sticking.
*Leave meat in its original packaging and store in
the coldest part of your refrigerator, away from
fresh produce. Use within two days.
*To freeze meat, remove from original packaging and
rewrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer paper,
or place in plastic freezer bags. Label and date.
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