I Shop for Groceries Every Day — Here's My #1 Tip to Save Money at the Supermarket
You will find at least one Good Housekeeping editor at the grocery store almost every single day of the year. Whether a recipe developer is buying ingredients to create delicious weeknight dinners for our next issue, a food stylist is picking up the perfect squash for a photo shoot or a kitchen appliance analyst is grabbing a dozen loaves of bread to properly test toasters, the team has plenty of work-related reasons to run out to the store.
Because we spend so much time at the store — for professional and personal reasons (we have to eat, too!) — the team has a lot of experience navigating the aisles and scouting good deals, learning from our mistakes along the way. And with high grocery prices, we have found it's more important than ever to go in with a strategy. Otherwise, the final tally on your grocery bill can skyrocket.
Looking to cut down on costs? Avoid making these mistakes at the supermarket.
You're shopping while hungry
You've probably heard you should never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. There's a good reason for that: Hunger and cravings can drive your decisions, overshadowing clear-minded logic and leading to an increase in impulse buys.
SOLUTION: Fuel up first! Schedule your shopping trips after mealtimes or eat a quick, healthy snack beforehand.
You're going in without a list
Strolling up and down each aisle looking for dinner inspiration may be a relaxing practice, in theory, but it’s an activity that can cost you.
That’s because grocery stores are designed with the goal of persuading you to add more goods to your cart. As you walk past brightly colored cereal boxes and big red discount signs, immersed in the scents of freshly baked pastries and a catchy pop playlist, you may be convinced to treat yourself and end up spending way more than you originally planned.
SOLUTION: Come in with a game plan. Before you leave the house, think about what you want to eat for the week, then write out a shopping list organized by category (e.g. produce, dairy, meat and seafood, pantry). Now you’re ready to navigate through the store like a pro, avoiding as many distractions as possible.
Or, your list isn't flexible enough
That said, if you get too granular with the list, you may end up missing out on some major sales and discounts.
SOLUTION: Identify a few places on your shopping list that allow for flexibility. Instead of planning on chicken breasts with roasted broccoli on Tuesday, you can try slating to-be-determined protein and veg, which gives you the freedom to choose the best-priced cut of meat and type of vegetable once you’re at the store. Give yourself permission to pivot, too. If you were originally thinking of serving pork tenderloin, but see a really good deal on cod, go ahead and make the switch.
You didn't shop your kitchen first
Starting with a meal plan is great, but it loses most of its value if you jot something down without taking inventory of what ingredients are in your house first. Without checking to see if you already have a container of breadcrumbs in the pantry or bag of peas in the freezer, you’re most likely going to double up on purchases, needlessly spending.
SOLUTION: Before heading out, cross any ingredients you have at home (and therefore don't need to buy) off your list. Even better: Shop your kitchen before making a list, so you can flag which foods you already have at home that need to be used up ASAP and brainstorm delicious ways to feature them in meals throughout the week. For example, if you see an extra carton of Greek yogurt in the fridge, consider slating protein-packed pancakes and air fryer fish taco bowls into this week's rotation.
You're not looking at unit prices
Once you get to the store — with shopping list in hand — you're ready to start evaluating the costs of everything. If you're making your decisions based exclusively on the purchase prices, you may not actually be getting the best deal. A quick side-by-side comparison in the grain aisle may tell you one brand of rice is clearly cheaper, but pick up the bag and you may find it weighs so much less than its more expensive counterpart.
SOLUTION: Base your decisions off the unit price rather than the purchase price. That means dividing the total cost by a standard unit of measurement (think: ounces, grams) to better calculate how much a good costs. This standardization makes it easier to properly compare prices. To continue with the rice example, if brand A costs $4 for 8 ounces and brand B costs $6 for 16 ounces, it becomes clear that brand B is actually the better financial selection, costing nearly 13 cents less per ounce.
Good news: At most stores, you don't have to do the math. You'll find the cost per unit listed on the price tag.
You're buying the wrong things in bulk
Looking at that cost per unit numbers may leave you feeling tempted to opt for the supersized portion of certain items. But, not everything is meant to be purchased in large quantities. If you have the space and desire, of course, you can stock up on paper goods, which never have an expiration date. However, if you're the only one at home who eats strawberries, perhaps you shouldn't be purchasing five pounds at a time.
SOLUTION: Analyze what you frequently eat and note how often you go through each item. That way, you can buy in bulk strategically and not have to stress about throwing away half your supply that's gone rancid.
Another option: Find a buddy! Team up with a friend or neighbor to split the cost of the bulk items and divvy up the goods — you get to score the savings, but don't have to fret about working your way through the entire stash. Win-win.
You're stuck in a routine
While you may have a totally valid reason to exclusively shop at one store or always buy the same brand, doing so may cost you. The prices of certain groceries vary based on the retailer, so if you're not occasionally checking out another store, you won't be able to properly gauge if your go-to grocery's pricers are higher than their competitors. Plus, by sticking with just one brand, you may be passing on store-brand items — many of which are high-quality and more affordable than the name brand alternative.
SOLUTION: Broaden your shopping horizons! Check out a variety of stores near you, clocking the prices for each category of item (e.g. meat, organic, pantry, bulk) so you can have a better sense of where the deals are. Be open to ordering some food online, too.
You're not scoping out the deals
Waiting until you get to the store to see the sales puts you in a position where you'll have to pivot and improvise what you'll be cooking for the week. Plus, you may miss out on an opportunity to score big savings at one grocery store, since instead you go to another.
SOLUTION: Do a little digging for deals and discounts before you make your shopping list. Check the circulars in your mailbox or online to see the weekly specials available at the supermarkets near you. Subscribe to email newsletters, download grocery store apps and sign up for free memberships, which often unlock exclusive savings. For instance, Amazon Prime members have access to special deals at Whole Foods. Other grocery stores offer special customer appreciation discounts on purchases made at certain times. And, many stores have senior discount days that offer a certain percentage off as well.
You're not picking the right produce
Those containers of pre-cut vegetables offer up a ton of convenience, but if saving money is your priority then you're better off handling the prep work yourself.
SOLUTION: When it comes to produce, think seasonally! Locally grown, in-season fruits and vegetables typically offer up a better bang for your buck. Another way to score better prices on produce? Check out the freezer aisle. Most frozen fruits and vegetables are flash frozen at peak ripeness so they're comparable to fresh in terms of nutritional value.
Skip the containers of prepped produce. If you don't want to sacrifice the convenience of having ready-to-eat fruit and veg snacks in the fridge, you can carve out some time to handle chopping, spiralizing and grating of whole produce immediately after post-shopping trip.
You're unpacking your groceries the wrong way
If you come home from the store and just throw your goods wherever, you could be setting yourself up for failure (read: being forced to toss your food — and money! — in the trash days later).
SOLUTION: Stock your pantry, fridge and freezer shelves like the grocery does and follow the first-in, first-out rule. That means putting the newest boxes, cans and containers behind what's already sitting on the shelf. That way, you'll automatically reach for the older ones first. Be sure to place highly perishable ingredients in a spot that's visible. The goal is to avoid shoving a bag of lettuce in the back corner of the fridge, where it'll only be discovered a week later once it's brown and wilted.
Spend some time unloading groceries, too, so you're maximizing the shelf-life of everything. Be sure to put potatoes, onions and garlic in a dry, dark, cool place. Utilizie the crisper drawer of your fridge. Some fruit, vegetables and herbs are best when kept in airtight containers or plastic bags in the fridge.
Then, don't forget to consistently check in on your groceries throughout the week. Prioritize cooking anything that's about to go bad, ASAP. Your grocery savings only really benefit you, if you make use of all the food you just bought, after all!
You Might Also Like
