Grocery Shopping on a budget

[Canadian Newlywed]

I know I've seen threads like this before, but couldn't find them...

We are doing our big monthly grocery trip tonight and are on an extra tight budget this month. I want to make sure that we can keep with a healthy balance of different low-point foods. Does anyone have any tips or advice on keeping the shopping bill and the points low, while still keeping a good variety of the food groups?

Thanks so much for your help!

Lindsay :D

[imported_Kelly_S]

Try to avoid 'convenience' foods and make as much as you can from fresh. Buy meats that are on sale. Buy fruits and veggies that are in season. Use coupons when possible. Shop the sales or use a store that ad matches the other sales.

[Denise02]

Lindsey,

I am from Edmonton so prices should be similar.

1) Shop around!! Start at Wal-mart Their frozen Veggies are $1 or more cheaper than IGA, or Safeway and $1.50 that Superstore. Their dressings for salad are cheaper.

2) look at what is on sale in the flyer this week. If you can afford to stock up. Or plan the weeks menues around what is on sale. IGA and Safeway have their 10% discount days. I may even shop at 2 grocery stores just to pick up on the bargins..

3) Fresh Fruit and Veggie prices vary weekly. So I decide on what to buy on what is the cheapest. Good example is cherries in the past 3 weeks they have ranged in price from 5.99/lb to 1.99/pound. They can keep their cherries at 5.99, a bit rich for my blood.
4) I buy meat on sale and that is what we have. Meat is not the focus of our meals. All we need is the serving size the size of your palm. At IGA they have warehouse packs. Where you save if you buy a large volume. I do this and split it up when I get home. Actually if I buy a large thing of ground beef I will make into burgers and meatballs that night and just freeze on cookie sheets. The next day they are in zip locks and ready for when we need them. The mess is already over.

Stirfries and stews and such are great for making the meat go further.

We have been having a lot of salads. Potatoe salad, pasta salad. I find pasta salads cheaper.
Here is one of my latest and favorite
Pasta
Peppers/and frozen peas and corn
Cauliflower if the price is right
Dressing is Kraft roasted red pepper dressing. (it is cheap in points)
Green onion.

Marinate dressing over pasta and serve.

I have also added chicken and feta cheese to it.

Denise

[girlinmotion]

An excellent way to save on groceries (and time) is to make big batches of stew, pasta sauce, chili and soup using low cost ingredients such as big cans of plum tomatoes, frozen veggies, onions, potatoes, canned/dried beans, pasta etc. Use produce that is in season. Freeze the leftovers and then you will have good healthy convenience food in the freezer for a busy day!

Obviously, stay away from the big brand names. For example, the Loblaw's Raisin Bran is significantly cheaper than Kellogs, and in my opinion it is better! It is higher in fiber, and the raisins taste better to me!
Store brands are a good way to save, and some are wonderful The PC "To Good to Be True" frozen entrees come on sale for 2.49 all the time and they are delicious, low fat AND high fiber...and their gelato is delicious and very low point too.

I find that the most wasteful part of grocery shopping is the food you throw away. Planning your menus in advance will help to ensure you are not throwing away that expensive green pepper or box of strawberries! Planning helps you stay OP too!

[CarlaDB]

This is help towards next month: I read that you can call the 800# on the back of any food product and ask for cents off coupons and they will send them to you! It can really add up.

[SUZI Q]

As far as coupons go, if you keep your eye on the web, many places offer cents off to print, others you can request to be sent. I won't do it because I think they sell my addy to other places but if you're not dealing with spam and/or know how to rid it from your computer, you might check it out. Suzi Q

[imported_Kelly_S]

SuziQ, Why not get a 'free' e-mail for those sites such as Hotmail (http://www.hotmail.com) or Eudora Mail (http://www.eudoramail.com) or Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com) so you don't miss out on those coupons. Won't clog up your regular e-mail with SPAM (which most coupons places don't do and/or have blocks to mark off so you don't get unwanted e-mail).