Grocery Shopping by the Pound Can Save You Money

Tips for Each Trip Down the Aisles

Nanette Haz
When you are grocery shopping, look for foods that save you money. The easiest way to identify this is to take a closer look at the bar code price tag. Every item has a price per ounce; be sure to take note of the price per ounce for the size of that particular item. The top and lower shelves may contain lower-cost products. The food items below can be added to your pantry at every grocery trip to ensure that you can make easy, quick and healthy recipes at home.

Fruits and Vegetables

Always look for in-season fruits and vegetables. Check different sales circulars to see who has the lowest price per pound on your favorite items. When items are for example 4 for a dollar, always select the largest 4 apples that are available. Bagged produce may need to be weighed, it can sometimes be over in weight by what the bag reads by a few pounds. You can ask your produce manager what time of the day, markdowns occur. Many stores have produce at 70-90 percent off on a regular basis. Many stores markdown all produce on a certain date, bag up and reduce all produce currently out, and then place fresh produce on the shelves.

Rice

Rice is a dietary staple in many parts of the world. Exotic varieties can be purchased in small amounts and mixed with regular white rice for an exotic punch to routine dishes. Rice can be served at every meal. Sweet breakfast and dessert fruit rice puddings, plain, with eggs as a stir fry dish, in vegetable casseroles, soups, and stews, the possibilities with meats and seafood is endless.

Potatoes

Many different varieties of fresh potatoes are available all year long. Potatoes are a great stand along side dish. Larger varieties potatoes are an economical, by adding a few toppings. The trick to crispy oven fries, it to rinse away all of the starch, lightly coat with non stick spray, and salt, before baking in the oven at 400 degrees for twenty five minutes.

Dry Beans

No matter what variety you like, dry beans are always great to have on hand. Overnight soaking is the easiest way to save hundreds of dollars per year. For example buying one pound of dry beans is less than one dollar. One twelve ounce can of pre-seasoned beans varies in price from $.89 to $1.99 depending on the brand.

Fresh Deli Meats and Cheese

When approaching the deli counter, always look at the price per pound. You may have to take out your calculator. Always ask the butcher what specials they have. When using a fresh deli counter, you can opt to have your meets and cheese cut slim, to have more slices.

Refrigerated and Frozen meat, vegetables, and seafood items.

After locating which cuts of meat you are interested in, and finding the lowest prices, head down the aisle with plastic bags. Select heavy duty freezer zip lock style bags. By buying the lowest price per ounce, you probably have a very large package of meat. When you arrive home from the grocery store, place your meat to the side. Take out your seasonings, and separate enough pieces of meat for one meal, quickly season, place in Ziploc bag, and then freeze. It is always easier to allow the meat to defrost in the refrigerator, or microwave. Then place the pre-seasoned meat in the crock pot or oven. Nothing is worse than it being 5:00 and looking at a large portion of frozen raw meat, in those long Styrofoam packages prior to dinner time.

Use these great tips to always save money while grocery shopping. Never shop hungry, without a list, and always pay attention to the price per ounce. Bring a calculator along for items that do not have a printed label. Befriend the people who work at your favorite grocery stores to always get unpublished specials, learn the day and time markdowns happen, and be directed to the part of the store with best savings.

Published by Nanette Haz

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