Inflation is very, very real and is affecting our food bills. I understand that personal food costs were up more than 11% last year. I am quite aware of the increase in prices since I do A LOT of grocery shopping for recipe testing, videos, and classes. And it’s not just on my radar. Food inflation is something my students, my friends, and my kids (!) are all talking about, so I thought I would share just a few tips here. I am assuming everyone knows you can clip coupons and buy fewer packaged foods/make certain things from scratch so I’ll try to avoid the obvious ones.
*Discount stores and sites
I am shopping more at my favorite sources for discounted food.
ThriveMarket.com My #1 money-saving food resource. Click here to sign up and receive 30% off your first order. I share my membership with my kids. If you’re a family in financial need, or you are a student, teacher, veteran, nurse or first responder, you can apply for a FREE membership. Don’t forget to see what the free gift is and add it to your order each time!
Costco (I have a business membership and I get a refund check at the end of the year that is always equivalent to the annual fee. Worth it!)
Trader Joe’s I tend to find a lot of trendy items for less as well as good frozen basics and condiments, and flowers for entertaining. I know- flowers are not exactly essential but if you need them for some reason, TJ’s is a good source. Just get there first thing in the morning!
Walmart.com You’d be surprised what Walmart sells in-store and online. Very different offerings, but check both out!
I also take a minute to comparison shop online to see if what I need is on sale locally or on amazon or vitacost.com
*Use Rakuten
Rakuten is a free app that provides you with additional discounts on many sites that you probably already order from. You can get a Rakuten discount on top of sales, promotions, etc. For example, I just ordered from Thrive Market, and the Rakuten “cash back” was 4%. Sign up here.
*Stock up on non-perishables when I see a good deal
We all obviously do not buy the same foods, but lately I’ve stocked up on these items when they went on sale because the shelf life is long or I can freeze them.
Jovial jarred tomatoes
Tonnino tuna
Canned beans
Tortillas (can be frozen)
Vinegars
Frozen fruit (blueberries) or frozen vegetables (artichokes, peas, spinach, cauliflower rice)
*Buy in Bulk Only IF You’ll Use it Fast Enough
You don’t have to spend to save. I don’t believe in buying something I don’t truly need JUST because it’s a good deal. I also have learned not to buy huge quantities of something that I will not finish before it goes to waste. I am not buying produce from Costco right now because I won’t use those quantities quickly enough. I will admit, I don’t normally choose plastic over glass, but I have bought plastic tubs of JOI almond base to make homemade almond milk and Spread the Love peanut butter because Hubs eats so much of it.
*Proteins
These are usually the most expensive items in our carts. Consider the following:
Instead of buying different chicken parts, ask the butcher to cut up a whole chicken. Sometimes it can be less money than 2 breasts!
Try chicken thighs instead of breasts. They’re actually easier to cook and have more flavor.
I love wild salmon and halibut but they’re usually more expensive than wild cod or mahi mahi, for example. It’s not wild fish season right now, so I’m buying frozen from Costco.
Canned fish for the win! I love boneless, skinless sardines and have stocked up. I add them to salads or bowls for lunch. They’re full of omega-3 fats and they’re very low in toxins since they’re very small fish. They taste similar to tuna, in my opinion. I also like canned salmon.
*Cut back on animal protein and swap in some plant proteins
This is not all or nothing. It’s just a suggestion. Here are 2 examples: instead of making steak fajitas with ½ pound of beef per person, cut back to ¼ pound per person and add in sliced sautéed portobello mushrooms and black beans. Instead of using 2 pounds of ground meat in Bolognese, use 1 pound meat + 1 pound of cooked lentils.
*Meal Plan, Meal Plan, Meal Plan!
If you go to the store with a list, you’ll buy with intention and not haphazardly. Before I create my meal plan for the week, I do a “fridge scan” and commit to using what needs to be consumed ASAP. Items in my fridge that can be ignored are fresh herbs (see this post on how to store them for maximum longevity), cut and shredded cheeses, yogurt/sour cream/cottage cheese, leftover coconut milk. I’ll add fresh herbs to salads and scrambles, pesto and salsa verde, yogurt bowls and more. Shredded cheese and coconut milk can be frozen.
*Skip the Prewashed and Precut Vegetables
This is easy for me to say, but maybe hard for many of you to do. I know this category is a time-saver for many of you, and if your choice it to use prewashed/precut vegetables versus ordering in takeout, do what you need to do. But you are spending a lot of extra money. Try washing your salad greens when you get home from the market and letting them air dry on a kitchen towel for a few hours. Then roll them up in the towel and store them in a clean produce bag or Vejibag in the crisper drawer. They’ll last for a week that way. You can cut almost all vegetables a few days in advance. I love the Zwilling Fresh and Save system for keeping foods fresher for longer.
xx Pamela
Pamela, I can’t tell you exactly how I was lucky enough to find you on Instagram… but I absolutely love reading all of your tips & love watching you (& Hubs ) on Monday evenings. You are such a breath of fresh air & so down to earth! I feel as if we are friends if that makes sense. I am an interior designer living in Orlando but originally from NY metropolitan area. Wishing you continued success… a big fan! Jane 🤗❤️
Thank you, Jane! I'm delighted we found each other!