How to Grocery Shop to Save Money
Learning how to grocery shop for cheap cooking is a must for cheap living; an important point I make in "How to Survive Inflation with the Rising Cost of Food".
Buying groceries accounts for the majority of a family’s monthly
income. Today more than ever before grocery products are rising at a
rapid rate. The following are some rules to follow to save money.

- When you are doing budget cooking learn how to shop for cheap
cooking as infrequently as possible. Try going to the grocery store one
or two times a month if possible. Less often is even better. Most people
will pick up extras each time they go into a store. This will cost
money. If you run out of something, use what you have until shopping day
arrives.How to grocery shop is an acquired skilled.
- Never
go to a store for one or two items. Not only do you spend more money on
groceries, it cost money in gas. I always keep some canned milk and dry
milk on hand in case I run out of fresh milk. If you run out of bread,
learn to whip up some biscuits or cornbread. Maybe keep a couple loaves
of bread in the freezer. Fresh vegetables can be replaced with
vegetables in the can or frozen ones.

- Never go into a grocery store without a grocery list. This is the
most important lesson in how to grocery shop for cheap cooking. AND
STICK TO THE LIST! Plan your menu of cheap recipes
for the period of time you will be shopping for. Base on this, make
your grocery list. Figure how much meat you will need to buy, how much
fresh produce and how many canned food. Everything you need to buy
should be on this list, including your paper products and cleaning
supplies. You should also have down how much of each item is needed. Not
only will this list save you money but also time that you have to spend
shopping.
- Plan ahead by reviewing grocery ads. This will let you know the
specials for the week. Try calling your local groceries. Ask if there
are any in-store specials. Maybe the store might be clearing some items
out. If it is cheaper to purchase larger quantities, you can always use
it in leftover recipes. This might be a chance to stock up on canned
goods or other items.
- Learning how to grocery shop for cheap
cooking includes knowing when the best time is to shop. Plan to go to
the grocery when they have the least business. It is easier to get
around and look for the specials. When you arrive at the grocery check
all the clearance sections. You might find meat or milk approaching its
“sell-by” date. Overripe produce is another good buy. Extra ripe bananas
at a “low” price are good to peel and throw in a freezer bag and freeze
for use in breads and desserts. Vegetables about to go bad are good
frozen for soups and stews. Even milk can be frozen for later use.
- Meat uses up a large portion of your grocery budget. Always try to
find it on sale. Unless it is on sale and even then there are some
selections that are the best choices for your budget. Hamburger is
always one of the best choices. It can be used in many different ways so
the family won’t get tired of their meals. You can find it on sale
quite often and you don’t have to have the very best lean quality for
many dishes. Chicken is another good choice but remember the cut of the
chicken makes a world of difference in price. Chicken breasts are always
much higher in price. The leg and thigh pieces are very economical to
make meals from. Most people do not like beef liver but when children
were young, I fixed it once a week. I would have rice and vegetables
with it. What a cheap meal!
- When you know how to grocery
shop for cheap cooking, you will always have a little cash put back for
when you find sales. This is the time to buy extras. When you do buy
extras, get them ready for storage immediately and follow emergency food storage procedures. If they are near an expiration date, don’t let it set in the refrigerator. Wrap it and get it to the freezer.
- One money saving rule that I have always followed is to never buy
prepackaged foods. When you consider the price and the quantity, I have
never found it cheaper to purchase prepackaged items.If you are learning
how to grocery shop for cheap cooking and are one who is prone to buy
packaged things like biscuit mix, learn to make your own. I do admit it
is very convenient to have on hand for many recipes but it is easy and
cheap to mix together.
- Coupons… I am not real fond of
coupon collecting. I have found that most items with a coupon are not
normally on my grocery list. Unless it is an item that you normally use,
it is a waste of money. I find that people who use a lot of coupons
actually spend more money than they would by not using them.
EASY ITALIAN CASSEROLE
- 1 Pound hamburger
- ½ Cup chopped onion
- 1 Clove crushed garlic
- 1 Can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 Can (4 ounces) mushrooms drained
- 1 Teaspoon sugar
- ½ Teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ Teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- ¼ Teaspoon pepper
- 2 Cups biscuit baking mix
- ½ Cup water
- 1 Egg
- 8 Slices American cheese
- ¼ Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cook and stir hamburger, onion and garlic over medium heat until beef is brown.
Stir in tomato sauce, mushrooms, sugar, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
Heat mixture to boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
Grease a 9 inch square baking casserole or pan.
Combine baking mix, water and egg; spread half in pan.
Pour half of meat mixture over the dough mixture; cover with 4 slices of cheese.
Spread remaining meat mixture over the cheese; top with remaining 4 slices of cheese.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; drop remaining dough on top by spoonfuls.
Bake uncovered until golden brown about 20 to 25 minutes.
CHICKEN PIE RECIPE
Knowing
how to grocery shop will save not only money but also time. This chicken
pie recipe can made in advance and put in the freezer for a quick meal.
- 1 Whole chicken boiled (or boil 5 pieces of leg and thigh together, whichever is cheaper)
- 2 Cups chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoon cornstarch
- Salt/pepper to taste
- 16 Ounce package frozen peas
- 2 Cups diced carrots
- 1 Recipe of biscuits
Cook chicken until tender and remove meat from bones; reserve broth.
Place peas and carrots into a large casserole baking dish.
Cut chicken into small pieces on top of vegetables.
Mix a little water with cornstarch until smooth and blend into boiling broth.
Cook broth while stirring until a little thickened like gravy; season with salt and pepper.
Pour gravy over chicken; top pie with a recipe of biscuits.
Place in preheated oven at 350F degrees until biscuits are brown and done.
EASY BAKED CHICKEN RECIPE
When
you learn how to grocery shop for cheap cooking you will find chicken
dishes like this easy baked chicken recipe make cheap recipes to feed
your family.
- 1 Whole chicken
- Butter or fat
- Salt
To prepare chicken for baking rub inside and out with melted butter; salt and pepper to taste.
Wrap chicken in foil; bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven at 375F degrees.
Note:
At this point you can remove the chicken from oven and drain broth off
to make stuffing. Place stuffing around chicken, rewrap and place back
in oven until well done (about 45 minutes longer).
If only baking chicken bake for 1 hour or until chicken is very tender and done.
More Great Recipes and Tips for Cheap Living
Go to Painless Cooking Home Page from How to grocery Shop
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