Money Smarts Blog

Are you suffering from sticker shock at the grocery store? You’re not alone.

According to the USDA’s Food Price Outlook summary findings for 2023, grocery store and supermarket food prices soared 8.4% higher in March 2023 than March 2022. A number of factors have contributed to the increase, including continued inflation, rising food production costs, droughts, fires and more.

As a family of five — which includes three teenagers — food is expensive enough. But the rising costs make it all the more important for me to stick to my $200 per week budget. For those of you interested in the math, $200/week x 52 weeks/year = $10,400 on groceries alone. You read that right … and that number doesn’t even include the times we splurge by going to a sit-down restaurant.

Let me share a few of the tips I’ve learned to save on groceries.

Shop around

Sam’s Club is my go-to for bulk items like frozen food and snacks. I hit up Hy-Vee for their meat selection, and pretty much everything else comes from Aldi. Sometimes, other stores offer killer sales, so I make sure I’m skimming weekly ads and going where the deals are to get the most bang for my buck. Don’t have the time or energy to make it to multiple stores? I get it, especially on those busy weeknights. But the savings is worth it (as long as you’re not burning all the extra savings on gas).

Skip the packaging

I know you’ve seen those pre-cut fruits and veggies on the wall of the produce section as you race through the grocery store aisles. You’ve probably even grabbed a prepackaged something-or-other because you’ve been strapped for time. But you guys — convenience is costly. At Hy-Vee, a whole fresh pineapple costs about $3.69, while a large “Short Cut” container of pineapple is $6.99.

PRO TIP: FROZEN OVER FRESH Opt for some frozen produce over fresh. Not only is it cheaper, but it keeps way longer (no more tossing moldy veggies you forgot about). Frozen also doesn’t have all the sodium and sugar often found in the canned variety. Check out shelfcooking.com/can-you-freeze (with a bonus free printable) that’ll help you save time and money in the kitchen.

Go generic

There are some products you can’t get me to budge on, but for the vast majority of pantry staples (flour, sugar, milk, etc.), you’ll see me grab the generic version. Why? The difference usually isn’t worth the cost. Many generic brands are actually the same product as the name brand or manufactured in the same facility — just packaged differently. Check out your local Dollar Tree to pick up pantry staples at a discount.

Join loyalty programs or download apps

If your favorite store has a loyalty program or app, take advantage! Not only can you get special sale prices and other perks (like points toward gas), but you might be able to score money back on the things you buy every day. Apps like Checkout 51 and ibotta are two popular options that let you scan receipts and earn cash back.

By using some of these tips, your grocery bill will be noticeably smaller in no time!