Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping is a pain in the neck unless you do it as a sport. I love to grocery shop unless I can only do it on one specific day, and that I have to buy hundreds of dollars worth of supplies. Then I hate it. All summer I dragged 2-3 hundred dollars worth of groceries into school on Saturday morning. What a miserable way to start a weekend. I've been known to do the shopping for school at 7:00 Sunday morning just after 6:00 Mass. I've shopped at all times of the day and night and even awakened at night wondering whether I could fit it in here or there. No matter what, shopping is tough when you are feeding 40, but finding a good schedule and a good method no matter who you are feeding will reduce the spending and increase the nutrition at the table. I try to shop three times a week with a budget. Shopping frequently makes you avoid impulse buying.

Here's an article from Baby Fit about shopping. Some of it is good advice, and some of it is not. I'm posting this as a means to add my own thoughts.

Grocery Store Steals and Tips

How to Eat Right and Save Too
-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer

Deciding to have a baby is one of the biggest finicial committments that you'll ever make. And if you're on a budget while you're pregnant, trying to save a little cash, eating healthy can be frustrating. What you need is help finding some grocery store steals and tips. An important part of maintaining a healthy diet throughout your pregnancy is being supermarket savvy. At times, eating the nutritious stuff can cost a little more than the unhealthy foods you might consume, so it’s important to know how to get the most out of your buck when you stop at the store. Here are some tips on how to save:

Comment: When I was rearing kids, my theme song was: If I can make it, I won't buy it made. Junk food is always the highest cost in the cart, and the cost of eating junk food is being overweight and poor health. It might taste good, but we need to look at junk food as the apple in the witches hand. By eliminating all but one junk item, you will save a lot of money and you will be much healthier.

Plan your meals out for the week. You’ll be more likely to avoid impulse buying. Chances are, if you do succumb to spur-of-the-moment shopping and cravings, you’ll not only add to your bill, but also make selections that aren't the healthiest. Plus, if you have a plan for each night, you’ll be less likely to spend money at a restaurant.

Comment: I plan at the meat counter because meat is typically the most expensive part of the meal. I shop vegetables and fruits first for bargains, and then go directly to the meat. I find the best possible buys and then return to the isles for all the "accompaniments," dry goods and staples.

Glance up and glance down! Manufacturers actually pay more to have their food placed at eye level, and such products are often pricier than other brands. Better deals will probably be found above and below eye-level shelves. To save money, all you have to do is look.

Comment: Excellent advice, and while you are at it, look at all the stuff you never really noticed. Have you noticed couscous, wild rice varieties, odd pasta, and assorted beans? These things are really cheap and will really meet health needs straight on.

Take your time. Go when you’re not in a rush and when you’re not tired. If possible, it’s also a good idea to go alone. You avoid little ones sneaking extras into the cart or fussing until you buy that box of new, cool dinosaur-shaped cookies. Save yourself the peace of mind and leave the kids at home. If you're able to go slowly and without distraction, you’ll have more time to hunt around for better buys.

Comment: I loved taking my kids to the store. Where else can you send them on errands and avoid traffic? "Go pick out two boxes of cereal." "Go find crackers." "Go pick out cat food."

If you make that list as you run out of stuff at home, you won't have to spend a long time thinking at the store; you've already done that. In addition, if you go to the store three times a week for fifteen minutes, you can buzz through with the kids and give them each a chore and have them meet you at the check out. For those reading this in the city, you must pardon my bravery; I live in a very safe place.

Bring a calculator. If you’re really serious about saving money, gauge the cost per ounce to compare different brands and sizes. The biggest size is not always the best deal. Be flexible with the brands that you buy. Oftentimes the store brands taste just as good as the national brands and come at a portion of the cost. Don’t be afraid to experiment-- you might be pleasantly surprised.

Comment: A calculator is a good thing in a store once. Once you've figured out buys, you can easily add your groceries up by rounding your costs to the next dollar and writing it down on one of your boxes. All you really need is a pen. This way, the cost is always less than you thought!

Clip it. Coupons really can save you money. Yes, it takes time to go through the paper to find them. But in the long term, these can add up. A warning: only use coupons on items you'd be buying anyway. If you buy items you don’t want just because they're a “deal,” you’re not putting your money to good use.

Comment: Coupons are great if you buy National brands. I don't. I buy whatever looks to be the best product. I also think that coupons coerce you into buying stuff you don't need.

Shop in season. Fresh fruits and vegetables are an important part of any diet, but they can be costly. To avoid high prices, buy produce when you know it’s in season. It’ll be cheaper and taste fresher. For example, blueberries are in season from late spring through summer, so try picking up these nutrition powerhouses then. They’ll taste great, cost less, and give your diet a boost.

Comment: Yes, by all means shop in season, but don't buy so much you won't eat it. I always buy a couple of peaches, a little bunch of bananas, a couple of apples, and a few of whatever looks good for home because six of anything won't last. I have a two gallon fruit bowl and we really do eat it to the bottom. Did you know that you can ripen tomatoes in a fruit bowl during the winter? Takes a few days, but it's worth the wait!

Grow it yourself. It might take a little extra time and energy. Still, not only is it cheaper in the long run, but there is nothing like the satisfaction that comes from serving food that you nurtured and cultivated yourself. These fruits and vegetables might even be healthier than store produce: they won’t have been exposed to harsh pesticides or been transported on a truck. It might be unreasonable to expect you to farm dozens of plants, but a couple of pots on the deck or porch are pretty manageable.

Comment: Great idea.

Look for a few items BabyFit found to be inexpensive at a local grocery store. Bananas, loaded with potassium, were only 49¢ a pound, while juicy watermelon was 39¢ a pound. Packed with all kinds of healthy vitamins, oranges were 4 for $1. Pears were cheaper than apples, so don’t overlook these as a possible serving of daily fruit. Canned veggies, which can be just as nutritious as fresh varieties, were only 50¢ each.

Comment: I'm not a fan of canned anything. I want my food fresh. When serving children dinner after a long day at school or at day care, it's important for parents to know that they don't need a big meal. They need a protein which can be met with cheese. They need a whole wheat or whole grain product which can be met in crackers, bread or whole grain pasta. They need fruits and vegetables which should be fresh. For two children, one pear cut into pieces and one apple in half with peanut butter will do. This meal can be a nightly gig.

Watch for cans of beans for around the same price. These are full of protein and are great additions to many recipes. Eggs, also a good source of protein, were 12 for $1.23. A lot of healthy foods might be featured as weekly specials. Keep your eyes peeled for the deals.

Comment; exactly and hard boiling a dozen eggs once a week will provide a real good snack as well as a protein for dinner. Eggs can be deviled or sliced or eaten whole. They can be stuffed with tuna or shrimp or even last night's ham.

Comment: when serving beans, try the dry kind and soak over night. You can put a couple of cups of beans in the micro wave for 20 minutes to cook, or in a crock pot for a work day. When serving beans for the first time, try handing your child a fancy tooth pick. It will make eating beans a favorite event.