With the price of groceries on the rise, many people are looking for ways to make their dollars go further when shopping for food.
Winnipeg professional Home Economist Getty Stewart says there are several ways to save money at the checkout.
- Buy meats when they are on sale.
“You can take it home put it in the freezer, use it right away, or use it in a couple days. There’s still a little bit of lee-way for sure, and ‘best before’ date does not mean throw it away,so absolutely take advantage of those opportunities,” Stewart said.
2. Decide whether want to save time or save money – convenience comes at a cost.
Stewart says if saving time is important, you should be prepared to pay for that luxury.
“Anytime you’re buying a convenience food, know that you’re going to be paying a little extra.
“So if you’re buying pre-chopped anything, pre-flavored, pre-seasoned … you’re going to be paying extra.
“Think about, do you have the extra five minutes to do that at home?”
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3. If you buy fresh only, you’ll be fresh out of money.
While fresh is widely considered to be the best, Stewart suggests there are savings to be had by using a mixture of fresh, frozen and canned items for your recipes.
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Meal prepping will save you time and money, says Stewart
4. Planning ahead for meals is a plan for success.
Stewart says one of the best ways to economize is to set a schedule of sorts for your food preparation. Cooking on the fly or running to the store for ingredients every few days can cost more that buying in a more controlled fashion or buying in bulk.
“I think planning and sort of thinking about your meal for the week or a couple of weeks is really important and so I always use a meal planner and sort of think of the week ahead,” she said.
Even though buying on a budget may cause you give up some conveniences, Stewart says you shouldn’t have to give up taste.
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