People Share Their Best Grocery Hacks For Saving Money And We're All Here For It

If you're in need of some money saving grocery hacks then you're in the right spot!

Daphnie

• Published in Interesting
• August 23, 2022

One thing that most of us all have in common is the fact that we must go grocery shopping on a regular basis. We all may shop on different days, at different places, at different times, and for different things, but one thing we know is that we all love to save money when shopping.

Groceries can inevitably be very expensive for some households so it's always nice to save a little where you can. That's why we wanted to share when this person on Reddit asked people to share their best money-saving grocery hacks.

Most of us have noticed the climbing process of groceries, which is exactly why they made this post because we're all looking to save a little extra during this time. The responses to this were definitely worthy of sharing because we're sure that they're going to help someone out.

Whether they learned these hacks from personal experience, family, the internet, or simply calculating pricing themselves, there are many useful tips and hacks in this Reddit post. If you're looking for some grocery hacks then let's dive right in and check out what people are saying about their grocery hacks.

Get ready to take notes for your next grocery trip.

Here's the original question and this person's tips and hacks.

I'll definitely be checking this out because I love all sorts of beans.

"Instead of getting grains/lentils from international food isle, visit an Indian groceries. you will see grains/lentils that you have never seen before and much cheaper. Also many of the lentils have high protein contents."

Bulking up on soup is definitely the way to go because it lasts for a long time and is just so yummy and versatile.

"Soup. I know it’s summer and hot af but I love soup anytime.

I always bulk buy staples like diced tomatoes, beans, veggies etc. last night I made tomato basil soup with fresh basil from my garden. Eat some freeze some."

Meat can be very expensive in comparison to vegetables.

"Less meat overall. Cabbage is super affordable and can be salad, sautéed, or ingredients in stir fry.

Eggs - quiche, omelettes, scrambles. Bananas are amazingly cheap per pound and make amazing smoothies and desserts.

Soups and stews with leftovers and add rice and beans. Grow your own herbs - I haven’t bought rosemary in decades because the fresh one on my porch is amazing and hard to kill.

It can really elevate those on sale potatoes."

I definitely need to jump on the train or roasting whole chickens.

"Roasting a whole chicken instead of buying breasts or thighs already cut up. I think I paid $5.50 for a whole chicken and $9 for 4 breasts."

Beans are extremely cheap and versatile. They also are quite filling with a good amount of protein.

"Beans beans and more beans."

Fruits and vegetables are so much cheaper than processed foods and they can be just as easy to eat.

"Avoid processed foods. Careful shopping to minimize waste.

Cheap veggies like potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, etc. Plant based foods like grains and legumes."

Shopping sales has to become common practice especially when it comes to meat.

"Impulse buy meat thats on sale and freeze it. Its a rare day when i pay full (inflated) price for meat anymore."

I will for sure be broadening my palate to more of this cuisine. I already love rice.

"Really started honing my Chinese dish skills because so much of it is rice (cheap) and few veggies and even fewer meat. Like, a single chicken breast can be a part of a 5-6 serving meal.

Also, refried beans for burritos. So cheap, so delicious."

Shop smart and use your resources. Buying whole chickens is definitely a money saving hack.

"1 small chicken is all the meat 1 adult needs in a week. Costs less than £4.

I roast and debone it on Sunday, then make meals each evening with it, curry, stir fry, roast dinner etc.

Fresh fruit and veg are cheap enough, big 2kg bag of rice lasts ages, porridge for breakfast. Only spent £22 at the weekend for this week's shop."

Investing in a flourishing vegetable and fruit garden is the best money saving hack we could give you.

"I've changed what I'm growing in my garden this year. I'm currently drowning in raspberries and artichokes, all free!

I'm going to be freezing most of my blueberries and preserving/canning almost everything else. I've also planted extra onions and squash because they keep for a long time and make an excellent and filling side with dinner.

I still have some squash from last season that we are using up."

Paying attention to sales and planning meals that are doable with sale items is best.

"It will sound obvious, but go to the store and see what’s on sale, especially in seasonal items like fresh produce.

People often go in with a plan that may have nothing to do with what’s a good price that day."

Freezing food is such a good option. Always use as much as you can before it goes back to avoid waste.

"I'm freezing a lot more stuff and being much more proactive about labeling and using up foods before it goes bad.

There are only two of us and in the past I might toss out half a can of tomato sauce because it would go unused after a recipe.

Now everything gets portioned out and frozen on the spot with a label. I've got butter molds that I use to freeze four ounce sticks of broth and other liquids.

I'm also eating at home more for lunch whereas I used to eat lunch out once or twice a week. Now it's more like once or twice a month."

Versatile foods are a life saver as you can buy bulk of one ingredient to make many different sides.

Meat sales are something you should always pay attention to because it can be expensive.

"Don’t get stuck on having to use a certain kind of meat and look for what suits your budget. Ground beef has been really expensive so I have been buying ground pork and ground turkey instead.

Chicken thigh meat works in most recipes that ask for chicken breast. Watch for sales on meat around holidays."

This is an interesting hack for sure.

"I'm intentional about leftover meals. I'll make extra rice one day and then use it to make fried rice [the next day].

At the end of the week, I make a homemade pizza crust and then put whatever leftovers are still in the fridge on top of it. My kids love 'leftover pizza.' It's always fun and different every week.

Last week, we made three pizzas and our toppings were tacos, chicken curry, and spaghetti."

Farmer's markets are the way to go when it comes to fresh produce.

"Eating less meat. Showing up at the farmers market near closing and buying a lot of things at reduced prices."

Beans are becoming a popular trend. So is shopping at other markets.

"My local small Persian grocer has the best prices on produce, feta, spices, and especially fresh herbs.

things I've always done that make my shop more affordable:

Eat a ton of lentils - delicious, cheap, easy, can be spiced and prepared in infinite exciting ways and in many different countries' styles.

95% vegetarian diet. I eat seafood 1-2 times a month and poultry maybe 3-4 times a year."

I've never heard this before, but it's worth a try.

"Ground mushrooms will bulk up ground beef sauce without much taste affect. Just add when beef is almost browned."

Shopping online for groceries might be the way to go.

"This one might be obvious, but I’ve started shopping online and knowing exactly what I need to cook for the week.

I used to go to the grocery store with sort of a general plan, but not knowing exactly what ingredients I need. I would wander around, see something that looked good, and then try to plan a meal around it on the fly.

Now, I’ll come up with a couple recipes, figure out exactly everything I need, and add it all to the cart online. Doing this also helps with not buying snacks or other things I don’t need.

It’s a really great feeling to total everything up in the cart and see that I’m only paying $50-60 to feed 2 people for the week."

This comment was full of suggestions and tips.

"So China wise, "northerners" were poorer back in the day. There's a difference in cuisine but it's much clearer to me now having lived with some.

1. Meat is expensive. Use tiny slivers of pork (or bacon) stir fried in dishes of vegetables to give them meaty flavour.

2. Veg is king. Those northerners even eat salad. Usually with a lot of vinegar dressing. Probably a throwback to hide not so great veg.

3. Stodge. Their bread is like bricks. Cheaply made with flour, water, minimal proving. I don't recommend it but it does fill you up. You can also add flavour by sandwiching with braised aubergine and pork. Y

es, more pork fat flavour.

For my regular cheap self, I have some habits that keep things cheap which make up for the fact I spend a lot of money on food as a vice.

1. Lidl. When I can. I'm very selective about meat and veg so if it doesn't look great I'll buy elsewhere. Cheap chocolate, eggs, sliced meats, foreign treats...all lidl. Also the cheapest place for cotton pads.

2. Own brand fun. Unless branded cereal is on a major deal, I do own brand. Cheaper and weirdly healthier because they spend less adding sugar.

3. Oats. Love them. Super cheap. Even if you went organic they're cheap. Raisins, milk, two minutes in the microwave. Can also use up every out of date Nutella, peanut butter, biscoff, jam jar you own as toppings.

4. I memorise prices of things I like and if its over that line, I don't buy them. Doesn't work for necessities, but water crackers and the ilk, my brain knows things to be £1 or less...

5. Drinks are water for me. I am grossly resentful when dining out that soft drinks can be £3 and up. You can't really reuse teabags the way we used to but you can if you let it brew in a pot for longer.

6. If you use the oven, use it to cook more than one thing. Sweet potatoes constantly get roasted when I bake cakes."

This is the key to keeping these veggies for a long time.

"Choose potatoes, onions, and garlic with no blemishes. Keep them dry, dark, and separated (onions and garlic can be together, but the potatoes need to be kept in another area).

You can keep all these for weeks. I like to use pantyhose and hang the potatoes on the inside of my pantry with hooks."

Rotisserie chicken is about to be a staple in my house.

"Rotisserie chicken from Sam’s for $4.98 (they’re huge), instant mashed potatoes (family size is like $2.49), and a bag of fresh green beans ($3.50) roasted with garlic powder, black pepper and olive oil. $11 to feed family of 4.

Spaghetti is always cheap and easy to feed multiples. Rice and homemade gravy. I make a cheap broccoli cheese casserole that easily feeds 4. But for real. Those Sams rotisserie chickens are a godsend. So easy."

Aldi is a great market option for groceries.

"The usual: I shop at Aldi and a Korean vegetable store. I also check the local flyers and buy things on sale.

Also, I have been doing intermittent fasting (for health reasons) so that's one less meal per day. I'm hoping that everyone else has answers because other than being really mindful of food waste, it's tough."

Okay, bulk meat and vacuum sealing sounds right up our alley.

"Honestly, I've been buying bulk meats and freezing extra for years with a vacuum sealer. I barely noticed the price increases. If I can't get a good deal at the market I just grab out of the freezer.

Also trying to reduce meat intake can drastically reduce bills. Tofu is usually like a dollar per lb at costco. And most vegetables are even cheaper. Fill up on healthy vegetables and a more modest serving of meat.

As for vegetables, just buy what's fresh and plentiful and usually on sale.

Also check out farmer's markets and produce stands and look for deals with CSA farmers."

Ground turkey is much cheaper than ground beef.

"We use ground turkey in place of ground beef. Way leaner, and properly seasoned it’s hard to tell a difference. Burgers, chili, tacos, works for all of it"

Culinary school teaches more than we thought.

Thank god for culinary school- because it’s taught me how to menu plan and utilize the same ingredients in different ways, as well as how to keep veggies longer and what to freeze, as well as I have been buying whole chickens (I live alone so it’s easier with less people to feed BUT).

Fabricating them on my own and freezing the rest for later use as well as the carcass to make homemade stocks and broths. I’ve also been saving veggie and herb scraps to add to homemade stocks and broths as well. It’s been saving me a ton of money thankfully.

Some good tips to add.

"I have all the apps for my local grocery stores so I can compare prices.

Buy lots of frozen veggies because they're cheaper right now.

Bought a cheap rice cooker and eat a lot of rice to stretch my meals out.

Have a small chest freezer so I buy meat in bulk when it's on sale."

Upscale ramen sounds great.

"I turn maruchan ramen noodles into all kinds of things. Spaghetti, Alfredo, butter noodles, pesto, beef stew and noodles, etc.

If I need carbs in a dish, I add it. I save the flavor packs for soup bases/broth or whatever I might need seasoning for.

Like I just used a chicken packet to make the base for broccoli cheddar soup. The beef packs work well with caramelized onions for a French onion soup. Add the noodles as well!"

Smoothies are one of my favorites.

"I switched to smoothies instead of whole fruits. I can make a combination of fresh and frozen fruits without compromising the flavor since the texture doesn’t matter too much in the smoothie."

Another comment with tons of info.

"Buy cheaper - chicken legs rather than boneless-skinless thighs.

Research costs - online (Walmart and Amazon) vs local shops.

Rotate through 2-3 markets for sale items.

Much more store-brand items like vinegar, mustard, milk.

Downgrade some items. Gala Apples cost $1 less per pound than Honey Crisp. More common red bell pepper, avoid the more expensive orange and yellow.

Buy family-size chicken packages, repackage into 1 meal packages and freeze.

Plan out menus so I can prep for several meals at one time, usually freeze before cooking.

Ask people in the parking lot if they remember how much they paid for that pack of paper towels. No one is ever surprised. Every one is watching prices like a hawk."

These comments gave tons of tips on everything from buying, eating, and planning your grocery shopping. I know I"m going to take some of these tips, especially during the times right now when prices are high.

Daphnie