Saving money on groceries does not mean sacrificing what you eat. Changing a few habits and watching for deals can result in a drastically reduced grocery bill. Learn some tips about buying meat, bread, produce and using coupons.
Save Money on Meat
Changing just a few habits can save a significant amount of money on meat. Although it would be cheaper to eliminate meat from your diet, there are simple ways to save money on meat without sacrificing your dinner table if you are used to eating meat. Buying meat that is reduced price for quick sale can save a lot of money. Simply repackage the meat at home and store it in the freezer for future meals.
If you like to eat ham on sandwiches, pick up a ham with the bone in and cook it in a crock pot if you have one or the oven if you do not. Here is a great Ham recipe for your crock pot that will keep your ham juicy and tasting great. Once the ham is done, serve one meal out of it for dinner, cut some in thin slices for sandwiches, and store the rest in the freezer for another dinner.
If you enjoy a flavorful chicken breast for dinner, skip the boneless breast packages and buy a whole chicken. When you get home, cut the chicken up for future use. You can freeze the pieces on a cookie sheet and store the frozen pieces in the same bag for easy storage and easy removal for meals. In addition to this, purchasing a fryer instead of buying bagged chicken tenders can save a lot of money as well.
Save Money on Bread
There are a couple of options when it comes to saving money on bread. First, you can buy the store brand bread, which you should be able to find for around a dollar. If you do not want to sacrifice flavor, and enjoy bread with dinner as well as for lunch, consider making your own bread. A bread starter is easy to get going, and although it does take a little extra time and effort, making your own homemade bread is an excellent way to impress your friends and family while saving money in the process. You can also make your own pizza dough for a cheap and delicious dinner.
Save Money on Fresh Produce
When you go to the grocery store, be sure to shop produce sales. Buy whatever produce is on sale and repackage for storage in the freezer for future use. buying fresh green beans to snap and cook only takes a little extra effort and saves a lot of money over buying canned vegetables. You can also puree and freeze the produce for healthy baby food.
Save Money without Coupons
Unless you will purchase the name brand product anyways, it is usually more cost effective to shop door buster sales meant to bring you in the door, and store brands. Watch those store fliers for great sales on items that may be sold for cost or below cost in order to lure you into the store. Shop with a list but without those coupons because you can save a lot of money on your grocery budget by picking up those store brands. When in doubt, check the unit price.
Through a little bit of creativity and shopper savvy, you can cut your grocery bill in half. By changing some habits and better use of your freezer, you can spend less and continue to eat well.
Jennifer Wagaman - Jennifer is a mother of 2 and has both public, private and administrative experience in the education field.
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