Cutting Food Costs
Every week I work with families who are spending too much money. Too much money on clothes. Too much money on entertainment. Too much money on food. And I regularly get emails from people who what to know how much they should be spending on food. I don’t know. It depends on how much you make, how many people you’re feeding, and what you like to eat. I’m just working with one family right now how are mad for organics. Buying organics means your grocery bill could be 40-50% higher than with conventional foods. And if those organics are being shipped from some far-away far, then the whole “better for the environment” question is moot.
Not that I have anything against organics. Nope. It’s your belly so you get to decide what you put into it. But if you’re going to shop organic, you should at least know when you’re getting your money’s worth; not all foods need to be organic. Bananas don’t have to be organic. Not with that thick peel. Ditto avocados and pineapples. A big surprise for me was when I saw that broccoli doesn’t have to be either. Apparently, regular broccoli doesn’t have a lot of bad gunk attached, so the organic version isn’t putting you much further ahead.
With food prices going through the ceiling, people are looking for ways to keep their budgets in line while still being able to eat well. Probably the best to do this is to meal plan and shop with a list. Over and over I’ve give this as a challenge on the show, and over and over the couples have LOVED it. Since they have to do it for me, their resistance goes down. And once they’ve done it, they’re totally convinced it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
Planning menus a week in advance lets you see just what you’ll need to buy – eliminating overbuying and waste. It’ll also let you “shop the fliers” so you can centre your meals around what’s on special.
One of the ways we drive our food costs way up is by buying too much. Buying in volume only to have to throw out part of it saves no money. If you’re buying in bulk and storing food in a freezer, you should divide your buys into individual servings so you can take out what you need whether you are feeding a brood or just a couple of people.
If you do have leftovers, use them for lunches and save the eating out money for special occasions. And consider bulk cooking so that you have stuff at the ready in the freezer to pull out and warm up when time just gets away from you. That’ll save ordering in when your get to the end of the day and are just too beat to cook.
When I make soup, spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce… or even roast a big piece of beef, I always put at least one serving – usually more – away in the freezer for those days I just can’t face the kitchen. Since I live in the bush, there’s no ordering in. This has also given my kids, particularly Alex, some extra independence. With her favorite home-made roasted garlic/basil/tomato sauce in the freezer, she can make pasta for herself when she doesn’t like what I’ve whipped up.
I’m a big believer in buying in bulk. But not everyone has the extra money or the space to store lots of extra stuff. The solution: get together with family or friends and split whatever you’re buying into thirds, quarters or fifths. You’ll each get a cut of the savings but you want have to manage too much inventory at once.
In my house we keep a running list of what we’ve used up so that we automatically restock our larder. When stuff goes on sale, I buy four or six. Most grocery items are discounted once every three months or so. Seasonal items (think barbecue sauce in summer, soup in winter) have big “sell off” discounts at the end of the season. Of course, if you have stuff in your pantry that you never use, that’s a waste. So, at least once a year, I run the larder down to next to nothing, using up old stock, and saving the money I’m not spending to do a restock.
This year I’m also planning a big party, and the food costs will be significant. I cashed in my Airmiles points for grocery coupons so the big shop won’t throw our budget out of whack. That’s thinking outside the box.
While you’re shopping, watch for shrinking product packages. While manufacturers are sensitive to the increased costs they’re having to deal with, and in response to the recession, instead of putting the price of a package of OJ up, they’re reducing the size of the OJ container. So you’re paying the same amount of money for less product. Don’t assume because the package looks the same, that the amount you’re buying is the same.
Be sure to check your cash register receipt before leaving the store parking lot. Cashiers can make honest mistakes that end up costing you money. If you have been overcharged for an item, you are more likely to return for a refund (and more likely to receive it) if you are still just outside the door.
Tags: cutting costs, grocery shopping
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
This might not be the case at all grocery stores, but definitely watch the price as it rings in!
If the product is under $10, and priced incorrectly, you should get it free. The Loblaws (and affiliates) stores have that in place, and I believe I’ve seen the sticker explaining that rule in other grocery stores too.
I’ve gotten food free a few times that way, and I don’t even care if I do get it free - I just want it at the advertised price, but if they’ll give it for free, I’ll happily accept it!
Personally, I live alone (though eat meals with my boyfriend most of the time), yet still buy meats in bulk then divide them up for cooking later - it’s how my parents bought food, and find it’s a waste to spend more money on less. We average around $175-$200 or so a month for food for 2, and eating out is maybe once a month (the amounts vary based on the type of meat we end up with). Eating more beans than meat would be much cheaper (and if he ate less, that too!), but I think it’s reasonable for us.
I’m sure other people spend less (and more!), but I find that eating whole foods and opting to skip processed foods helps with keeping costs reasonable.
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:57 pm
This was timely Gail. I went grocery shopping today with my list, after I had planned my meals on Saturday. Boneless-skinless chicken breast was advertised for 11.00/kg, but they had none, so I got a rain check for 2 packages. I finished shopping and paid for my groceries. Before leaving the store, I checked my receipt over and found a very minor error (but one that would put 50 cents back in my pocket). Local corn was advertised 12/1.99. I bought 6. My math told me it should have been $1.00, but when I checked the receipt is said 6@ 8/1.99 =1.50. I took the receipt to customer service and showed the lady the error in a very polite manner. They were fine with it, but they left me with the impression that I was inconveniencing by them getting the error fixed. I did get my 50 cents back. I must add this is my first week enforcing the meal plan and the amount of money I can spend on food. I still have $15.00 left for the farmers market Saturday morning.
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I shopped at a Fiesta Farms in Toronto recently where I purchased some meat from their deli based on the special price that was clearly posted. The woman at the deli told me that the price advertised was wrong and ignored my position that I ought only to pay the advertised price. She held her ground - so I refused to buy it. Then I sought out the manager. I told him the situation, noting that I know I consumer law. He went back to the deli and corrected the error. I only saved maybe a $1.00 - but a $1.00 is a $1.00. It’s good to know your consumer rights, even if the woman who didn’t know the law made me at first feel like I was the problem.
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:50 am
Sometimes it’s hard to hang tight in the face of a frustrated server and equally frustrated customers standing behind you. When I redeemed my airmile points for grocery coupons I got 30 coupons. The line grew longer and longer as the cashier scanned each coupon, put it through the register and then sighed as she scanned the next coupon. When it was all finally done I commented on how it was to get points and how difficult it was to redeem them. The woman behind me smiled and said, “Its good to know you practise what you preach!” Score!
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:54 am
Our little city garden saved us a bundle this summer (and produces still). You’d be surprised how many veggies a small patch of earth can yield. And you can’t get more organic and local. I think it also helped us to appreciate the produce - we definitely weren’t going to allow anything to go to waste. I’d highly recommend gardening to anyone with even a small bit of land (and if you live in an apt you can get a plot at a community garden). Farmer’s markets are the next best thing for healthy fresh local food.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:25 am
Just wanted to comment on the earlier part of your note Gail. Slight bit of a disconnect. The “better for the environment” argument is somewhat moot as you say, and yes, certain products, because of their skin thickness, doesn’t matter from an organics vs. non-organics issue. However, since bananas and other exotic fruits/veggies are shipped regardless, would it not be better for the environment if chemicals were not applied? Ultimately, it would be better just to avoid the exotics in the first place, but if it’s going to be shipped anyways, why not choose something organic?
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I’ll buy any bananas I can find that aren’t green!
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Are you spending too much on food?
The answer is in your garbage bin!
You pay for the food you eat and the food you don’t eat.
If you go to the restaurant, snack bar, etc, you are spending too much money on food.
Our garden did not pay off moneywise
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:36 pm
What kind of party are you throwing, Gail, and what’s on the menu? Sounds special!
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I always have a menu for the week including lunch (usually left overs from dinner). I then write a grocery list from this. My menu is usually based on adds and coupons. As I pick items up at the grocery store I put the price next to the item on the list. Then if I have money left over I may pick up a few goodies and/or a few staples that I know I will use in a timely manner. Personally I don’t worry about organic, I try to buy the freshest most local produce that I can. I go to farmers markets as much as I can. I usually buy my meat based on what is in the add.
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Mary, a big neighbourhood and crew party. On the menu: lots of vegi salads for those who don’t eat meat, plus hamburgers, sausages and BBQ chicken in my home-made BBQ sauce (brown sugar, cider vinegar, garlic, orange juice and zest, ginger & ketchup. Yum!) Everyone else is doing dessert so I expect lots of sweets. My neighbour Heather makes the very best raspberry pie so I told her I’d hide her pie in my fridge and then eat it all myself. She said she’s bring two! Ha!
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:09 pm
“If you go to the restaurant, snack bar, etc, you are spending too much money on food.”
I disagree. “Too much” means over budget to me. Whether someone eats instant noodles at home or a ten course meal at a restaurant is irrelevant as long as they can afford it.
September 4th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Great idea for the neighbourhood/crew party. I’m going to try my take on your bbq sauce. Would you consider some kind of section on cooking? homemade = frugal = cheaper (most of the time)? a recipe swap?
Oh, and enjoy the raspberry pie - all by yourself!
September 5th, 2008 at 9:00 am
I think $45 per week per adult person is a reasonable goal. I spend less than that. I shop the sales but buy fairly high end items (by which I mean steaks, seafood, fresh veg) and feed guests regularly.
One of the things I’ve always wondered about restaurant eating… since it’s so expensive, and for so little food - I consider it part of the entertainment budget, not the food budget.
Yes, eating out will reduce the amount needed for the food budget (it’s really minor - 1 meal!). This is balanced out when you feed guests and the money comes out of the grocery budget.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Hey Gail….this is kind of off topic, but could you post the actual recipe for your BBQ sauce? I see the list of ingredients, but would love to know the quantities. Sounds delicious!
September 5th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Brenda, I can’t do quantities because I do it by Zen. Sorry. Play around with it till it works for you.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Please replace my previous message with this one, as I hit the send button while typing my message.
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