Groceriesare a necessary expense, but they dont need to be expensive.
Their brilliant tips don’t require cutting coupons, scouring circulars, or skimping on quality.
You just have to be willing to get a little creative.
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These R.D.-approved ideas will help you save money on groceries every time you go to the supermarket.
(They should knowthey do these things themselves!)
Factor them into your plan, and say hello to an extra few bucks.
For example, ice cream is my biggest weaknessI steer clear of the frozen dessert aisle at all costs.
Every impulse purchase that doesn’t make it to your cart is money wellnotspent.
Protein is essentialto any well-rounded diet, but quality meat can be expensive.
Meat stand-ins like tofu are also usually really affordableabout $2 a package per Peapod.
Heres a complete list ofveggie-based protein sourcesthat wont break the bank.
Different stores have different deals.
And a bag of carrots at Trader Joes is always 89 cents.
Do a little research to find out about ongoing sales before you go shopping.
Store-brand products are almost always cheaper than name-brand products, says Gorin.
If whole grain pasta thats normally a dollar is on sale for 89 cents, buy a bunch.
It might not seem like youre saving much, but those 11 cents will add up.
(Especially if youre a pasta fiend, like me.)
Bonus: you’re free to buy as much or as little as you need.
If a recipe calls for an ounce of almonds, thats all you have to get.
Gorin likes to invest in ingredients that stay fresher longer, such as onions and garlic.
“I also buy bananas on the greener side so they last,” she says.
You could do the same with avocados, tomatoes, and other unripe produce, she explains.
Plus, when cooked, they hardly taste different from the fresh stuff.
Canned beans are extremely affordable (and often on sale) and demand much less work than uncooked beans.
And canned seafood like tuna or salmon is a great, less-expensive source of protein.
If you only need half a pound of beef, dont spend $15 on a full pound.
Plus, sometimes your butcher will clue you into a deal that hasnt yet been posted, says Zeitlin.
Same goes for larger cuts of beef or pork, as opposed to preportioned pieces.
Put your bird to use withthese ideas.
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