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50 Money-Saving Food Tips: Smart Strategies for Saving Big on Your Grocery Bill
In today’s world, where inflation can make our weekly grocery trips feel like a daunting task, finding ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality or flavor is more important than ever. Whether you’re trying to stretch your budget or simply want to be more mindful of your spending, small changes in how you shop, cook, and store food can add up to major savings. At My Retro Recipes, we’ve rounded up 50 money-saving food tips that will help you make the most of every penny while enjoying delicious meals. From clever shopping hacks to creative recipe ideas, these tips will ensure you’re feeding your family without breaking the bank. Ready to become a savvy spender in the kitchen? Let’s dive in!
50 Money Saving Food Tips
1. Use an app like Flip or Ibotta to look for deals and compare prices with other stores.
2. Skip the packaging. By buying lettuce and spinach without the fancy wrapping is actually cheaper.
3. Save money when you mash potatoes! Whip them with ½ to 1 cup skim milk powder and the the potato cooking water instead of using whole milk.
4. Make your own economical hot chocolate power just like the kind you buy in the store. Mix 8 cups skim milk powder, 1 cup cocoa, and 2 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl, combining 1 cup at a time in a blender for a finely powdered lump free mixture. Use 1 ½ tbsp per cup blending with a little milk and adding boiling water.
5. Save money buy making your own sweetened condensed milk and save a small fortune. This makes 12 oz and can be used in any recipe calling for this type of milk, but must be stored in the fridge for 24 hours before to develop the flavor. Do not store for more than 1 week in the fridge. Mix in blender about one minute or until sugar has partially dissolved. ¼ cup hot tap water, 11/2 Tbsp melted butter, and ¾ cup granulated sugar. While continuing to blend, slowly add 1 ¼ cup dry skim milk powder. Cover and refrigerate. No one will know the difference.
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7. Save money on butter by doubling the volume by whipping it. Whip 1 lb butter of margarine until soft and fluffy, slowly adding ½ cup cold water, ½ cup oil and a dash of salt. Beat until completely mixed and store in the fridge. This will remain soft even at cold temperatures. Tip: Remove from fridge a few minutes before using to warm up.
8. Stretch a pound of hamburger by making spaghetti sauce on day one, adding kidney beans and spices to the leftover sauce on day two, serving as chili, and pouring the left over chili, cooked rice or potatoes, and a few diced mixed vegetables into a crust for a meat pie on day three.
9. Extend chuck steaks or roasts by sectioning them into quarters. Grind the first portion into meatballs or patties, dice the next for stew, cut the third into shish kebab or slices served in sweet and sour sauce, and cook the remainder as pot roast. Toss all bones in the soup pot and make soup!
10. Cutting your own chicken and chops from whole fryers and loins will easily save 30 to 50 % on your meat bill.
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11. Discount meat bargains are most often found in your supermarket at closing time Saturday night. Not the case, Just ask someone in the meat department when they do their markdowns.
12. Did you know? Two eggs are the nutritional equivalent to a three ounce serving of meat. Substitute them for a change of pace and save some money.
13. Buy onions by the sack each fall. Hang the bag in a dark, cool place. It’s much cheaper than buying them each time you shop, and you’ll be less likely to run out.
14. Start a price book! For instance, if you recently paid 99 cents for peas, you’ll know not to buy it when you see it for $1.79.
15. Go generic. Before you pick up that name-brand item, take a look at the store brand version sitting right beside it. These options are typically significantly cheaper and contain the same basic ingredients without the fancy label.
16. Grate your own cheese. You save money when you buy whole cheese instead of the grated or shredded versions stores sell. Plus you get a free arm workout when you grate the cheese by hand.
17. Go back to the basics and cook from scratch. Stay away from processed & prepackaged foods that you will be paying more for.
18. Buy cheaper sources of protein like lentils, beans, eggs, peanut butter & tofu.
19. Make a grocery list and stick with it.
20. Take a calculator to the grocery store with you. Add up all your purchased so you stay on track with your grocery budget.
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22. Download the flashfood app ….sign up for and download the app for clearance items at rock bottom prices.
23. Grow your own veggies inside the house. Did you you know you can keep growing lettuce and celery by placing the bottom part of the stock or core in water. They will grow roots and you can replant. Don’t forget about growing herbs inside as well.
24. Make your own pancake syrup. Bring to a boil 1 ½ cups white granulated sugar and 3 cups water. Remove from head and add 2 TBSP Molasses and 2 tsps Watkins Maple Extract, 1 tsp Watkins butter extract & 1 tsp Watkins Vanilla. Syrup will thicken when cool. Makes 28 oz.
25. Don’t throw away your stale crackers! Re-crisp crackers, nuts and potato chips by spreading them on a baking sheet at 250 degrees F. for about 10 minutes.
26. Don’t throw away and excess chopped onion. Chopped onion freezes well. Don’t just let it linger in the fridge and spoil.
27. Buy in bulk or stocking up when the price is low will save you money. Be sure to compare the price per unit or ounce for the item you’re buying.
28. Make casseroles! This will help to stretch your meat.
29. Start a garden outside and grow your own vegetables.
30. Start preserving your own garden surplus by home canning, freezing and dehydrating.
31. Eliminate non nutritious foods such as soda, ice cream candy from your grocery list. Save these items for treat on the weekend.
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33. Check out the clearance items. Buy marked down damaged goods. Also check the deli for marked down cheese and cold-cuts.
34. Use coupons if it will make your item cheaper. Don’t forget sometimes the generic item can be cheaper without a coupon.
35. Go meatless! Cut back on meat and substitute with dried beans and whole grains.
36. Portion Comparison. (Instead of comparing boxes of raisin bran to raisin bran, compare raisin bran to oatmeal or pancakes, or instead of buying steak when on sale compare portion prices to that of chicken.
37. Buy cheaper cuts of meat and cook them in a crock pot or slow cooker. These cuts of meat actually work better in a crock pot.
38. Free food (garden surplus from neighbors, wild berries, food obtained through barter. Groceries gotten free by using grocery store rewards card.
39. Prepare food from scratch.
40. Waste nothing. When cooking a chicken or turkey use the carcass for soup stock and eat left overs. Yes you can even use your store brand rotisserie chicken.
41. Eat fewer meat and potato meals.
42. Make less expensive meals like stir fries, soups, stews and casseroles.
43. Check out your pantry! Take a look through your pantry (or fridge) and see what kinds of meals you can throw together with the ingredients you already have on hand.
44. Know when to shop! Experts say that it is cheaper to do food shopping on a Wednesday. That’s because grocery stores restock their shelves midweek and mark down what didn’t sell from the week before. But because they’re in the process of changing the discounts, sometimes they’ll still give you the price cuts from last week’s sale.
45. Shop for items in season. Buying out of season items will cost you way more in money.
46. Don’t shop when you are hungry! This will help you to avoid unnecessary impulse purchases.
47. Create a menu or meal plan. This way you only buy what you need and you can stick to your list.
48. Instead of buying high sugar jam. Thaw out the berries of your choice, crush them up and use them in place of jam. Mashed up bananas work great as well.
49. Stop buying celery each week and letting it get limp & wilt. Wrap your celery in tin foil and it will stay fresh longer.
50. Don’t throw away stale dry bread. Stale bread works better for french toast.
Don’t forget to share this list with a friend!
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