What is your strategy for dealing with rising food prices? (refunds, CostCo)

[no kudzu]

It is reAlly getting bad- especially meat- because of the drought in California and the rising transportation costs.

Not sure how much lower I can get our grocery bill. Averages $144 weekly for family of 4 and this is a recent increase from $100- $125. Fortunately we can afford anything we want but I still try to keep all our spending as low as possible. We are both retired with 2 kids still at home and to put through college in a few years.


1-We shop at the cheapest store in town- Food Lion- always with a list and menu for the week.
2-shop only what is on sale and build my menus around the sale flyer,
3- stock pile sale items in the garage and extra fridge and freezer
4- don't buy many if any processed foods
5- we don't toss much food like some families do
6-have leftover nights frequently using up all the little daps in the fridge
7- we have meatless dinners 2-3 times a week
8- beef only 2-3 times a week
9- buy in bulk when I can
10- store brands usually
11- don't shop when hungry
12- don't let hubby or kids buy stuff not on the list
13- don't use manufacturer coupons because most are for processed foods I wouldn't normally buy
14- only soft drink we buy is a Food Lion diet orange drink for 79 cent for 2 liter bottle
15- never buy deli items or bakery items
16- have no problem taking items back and asking for refunds if something wrong or "off"
17- don't use paper towels very much-instead using washable hand towels
18- buy our cosmetics, etc at cheaper dollar store or drug store
19- no magazines like I used to do
20- use store on line coupons for things we normally use
21- shop only once every 7- 10 days

The only things I don't skimp on are quality toilet paper and Mt. Olive pickles (it's a North Carolina loyalty thing!)

Any other suggestions? What are you doing? Will you change the way you feed your family?

[Almrausch]

Kudzu doing grocery is getting expensive for all As you know by now we eat a lot of East Indian Cuisine,so I buy all my legumes and spices from there and even at times my vegetable. They are cheaper than our cheap stores. Just like you when there is a sale I stock up. We buy at Costco in bulk the sugar,coffee beans and tea,toilet paper and detergent,batteries. At Walmart we buy our personal needs such as Shampoo etc.We safe when not eating steak,and stick to ground meat,fish and poultry,but not too often either.In summer I grow tomatoes,chilies,herbs,some I can freeze or prepare for the following winter. We don't order in,don't eat out,unless on a trip.Only special holidays and occasions we splurge. Oh and just like you I look for coupons,but sometimes it is a real headache for me handing her all the coupons and it seems to take forever til she subtracted all the coupons of my bill Our breakfasts and lunches are simple and always prepared from home and dinner is our main meal and we have to eat....

[rural chick]

@no kudzu: Those are really great suggestions you've listed. I follow a lot of those and would love to see even more ideas. It's so necessary to cut the grocery bills since our propane heating costs have risen to 4 times of what it was last year.

We come from a farming community, so for quite a while, we have purchased our beef (and sometimes pork) from a farmer or a local butchering plant. That way we are getting it at a much reduced per pound price, plus the taste of the meat can't even be compared to that purchased in a grocery store.

I shop at Aldi's for most produce, dairy/eggs/cheese, canned goods, chips, crackers,. There are a few things which I dislike from Aldi's (like the pancake mix is awful), coffee is pretty bad, meat except I will buy chicken there if it's cheap enough.

I actually plan my meals ahead of time. Some persons don't recommend this, but I can get by cheaper doing this. I always go to the store with a list in my hand which I think is important! I set aside the budget food money and when I go to the store, when I reach the maximum, I stop shopping and don't reach for more. I sometimes have to back-track through the store and put items back and actually change my meal plans.

We eat what is on sale. I buy larger quantities of meat/chicken/fish so that I can freeze/store with fewer trips to the market. I watch the coupons and sale ads.

I bake a lot of my own cookies and breads for snacks or for lunch box food.

If fresh fruit is on sale, I buy it. If fruit is not on sale, we do without, which is unfortunate, but it's simply to cut the grocery bill.

When shopping at stores other than Aldi's, I buy the store brands unless I have a significantly valuable brand coupon (not many of these around).

I write to major food companies praising their products in order to get coupons for free/greatly reduced price products.

I no longer buy magazines either. I sometimes take old magazines by the local laundry mat and gather a few different ones to take home while there. No one has ever stopped me from doing this.

I cook much more cheaply than I used to cook. More lower fat/lower calorie casseroles, more salads, less meat. I think it has really helped our grocery bills too.

If I don't have a recipe ingredient, I do not run to the store to get that ingredient. I substitute another ingredient or wait to make the item until I have purchased what I need to make that recipe.

I DO NOT take hubby with me as the cart tends to fill up with junk food he likes and wants. He stays home or I shop when he's at work.

Leftovers have become a way of life at our house. It's a good thing that we don't mind them a bit.

We have stopped using paper plates/plastic cups to save money. I wash dishes now and don't even use our dishwasher to help save propane to heat our water. Also, when I cook, I use electric skillets, crock pots, etc to save propane fuel due to the high cost. Our electricity is cheaper than propane for sure.

I buy shampoo/conditioner in huge bottles and then transfer it to smaller, more manageable bottles. The same with household cleaners. I use a lot of dollar store cleaners and find in some cases they are better than some name brand cleaners.

[nmnita]

We eat less meat than in years past, but that isn't only because of cost, we have just adjusted to enjoying more veggies and fruits..I have always shopped as economically as I could, especially when we had 6 kids (3 were foster kids) so watching sales isn't something new. We buy a lot at Sam's club and Aldi's which saves some, but I have to admit we enjoy eating and I will spend what I have to just to enjoy my kitchen.

[shh1313]

Beans, rice, pasta,tortillas,potatoes, greens, turnips, spinach, carrots. If meat is not not on sale I don't buy it. Fruit: bananas and what is on sale. I bake from scratch cakes, pies etc. I don't drink soda, instead I make tea or lemonade, lime aid fresh squeezed. I grow my onions, okra, tomatoes and peppers, squash. I grow oregano,thyme,mint,basil and cilantro.

I quit buying paper towels use dish clothes and dishtowels. I use bleach as a disinfectant. I use a damp rag to dust with.

I live in TX so venison is always available. My husband and I fish when we can.

This year I am raising chickens. I have a fig tree and when the fruit is bountiful I make fig preserves. If the tomato crop is good I can them.

I make my own Windex, buy Mexican powdered laundry soap. I only buy milk to cook with I don't use a lot.

I splurge on coffee, tea, and chocolate. I make salsa from scratch and fry my own tortilla chips.

[Blondy]

I make a lot of stews, hearty soups and casseroles. Meat or chicken goes a lot further. With the same lb of meat I would make meatballs that might go two meals, I could make a spaghetti casserole that will be 4 meals.

I usually cook in bulk as I find I also make meat go further that way. Also, saves time cooking. Divide it up and freeze portions for later.

In season, I buy a lot of produce fresher and cheaper at farm stands. I also have a friend with a large garden who loves to give stuff away. I reciprocate with things I don't want anymore that I know she would like. Or help her pick the garden, freeze stuff. Get her mail when shes away, etc.

I rarely buy any snacks. Leftovers not enough for a meal become snacks. If we want a specific treat we go get just that item. Saves dollars and calories.

[TabulaRasa]

We really cut back on meat (but we were doing that anyway for health reasons), and when we do buy it, we only buy it from our military commissary...the commissary is not a bargain on processed/prepackaged foods, but its meat is still the cheapest, however, this isn't helpful for anybody who doesn't have access. We shop for our fresh produce at ethnic markets in our nearby Hispanic and Indian neighborhoods, which, at least here, have much better prices (and fresher produce) than chain grocers, the commissary, or the big box places. We shop Aldi for lots of things.

I also spend a lot of time researching recipes, to find out ways to make satisfying meals using less expensive ingredients. Rather than buy the most costly cut of meat, I will buy less expensive cuts and marinate/tenderize them and slow cook them. We spend on spices, which last a long time, and learn to cook with them to make cheaper foods (beans, rice, etc.) less bland. I make a lot of soups and stews, which helps dress up less exciting ingredients.

We never buy soda, ever. I have a Sodastream, and mostly just drink carbonated water, no flavoring. My husband will sometimes flavor it with house-brand beverage crystals, which are pretty inexpensive and sugar-free. I am a coffee drinker, but I cut back quite a bit on my consumption, because I tend to favor whole bean, which is more costly than bulk quantities of preground.

We tend to shop the outer aisles/fresh food as much as possible, not the more costly processed food in the inner aisles. When we do buy canned goods (mostly beans), we buy mostly house brand. We don't buy junk food for snacks, we mostly snack on popcorn.

[no kudzu]

I've always been more of a ornamental gardener with tub of cherry tomatoes but this year I'm going to branch out with some pole beans, more varieties of tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and herbs.

Glad we don't have to worry about propane. That is terrible. Also neither one of us drink coffee and I think that is a real savings. We buy 1% milk for drinking and whole milk and sometimes half and half for cooking but all those and other dairy can be frozen. DH travels and brings home handfulls of sweetener and lots of little shampoos, rinse and bar soap. We had so much of that I took a huge shopping bag to the battered womens shelter! The girls would rather use those little shampoos anyway.

One expense we have which I doubt others have in Kleenex. I sneeze all day long and it is not unusual for me to go through a box a week. We have them stationed all over the house and I've been known to recycle dried up kleenex stuffed in purses and pockets too. I won't buy cheap tissue for something I use so often. And I keep handkerchiefs in my purse too.

Thanks all for good ideas and I look forward to more. Rep'd where I could.

[High_Plains_Retired]

I bought a small farm but when someone asks me if I plan to "farm" it, I always reply, "Not if I don't have to and certainly not at my age." I worked for the agriculture department for several years and am somewhat familiar with the serious problems developing for American agriculture.

As to current rising food prices, I simply try to shop more wisely. At my family's ages, we naturally eat less meat.

[thatswanlady]

I try to buy fresh meats on sale as much as possible -- but we have very limited freezer space, so I can't really buy in bulk as much as I want and stock up.

To be honest, I just accept that my food bill is higher in winter -- we tend to eat more food, and I do buy vegetables year-round regardless of season.

In the summer, I am a regular customer at the farmer's market to get wonderful produce at lower prices.

One thing that has saved me a good amount is Amazon's Subscribe and Save program for paper goods, some household cleaners, and non-perishables. Not everything is cheaper there, but if you're name-brand loyal to something, it's worth a look. I get our paper towels, toilet paper, dishwashing detergent, laundry detergent, my shampoo and conditioner, husband's coffee, and a few other things through this service. You pick what you want, pick the monthly interval you want it, and bam, done. Free shipping and a discount on any month with 5+ items. It's mostly not going to be cheaper than a store brand, but where quality of a store-brand might be an issue, this can be an excellent time and money saver.