In a financially ideal situation, we’d all have access to the highest quality meats, organic fruits and vegetables, and freshly made baked goods. But as college students this just isn’t realistic. The best way to save money on food is to limit the amount of meals eaten at restaurants and learn to cook. Here are a few ways to cut back on spending at the grocery store:

1. Buy in bulk. Most grocery stores have an aisle filled with foods available in bulk. It usually includes spices, baking ingredients (such as sugar and flour), dried fruits and nuts, oatmeal, rice, etc… There is a wide variety to choose from and often the prices are lower because you’re not paying for any packaging. Before you decide to reach for your standard brand of instant rice, double check the pricing and do some comparing.
2. Warehouse shop. Shopping at warehouses such as Sam’s Club and Costco is a great way to save some money. Even though the initial cost of buying a larger quantity is higher, it is well worth it in the long run. Prepackaged snacks and frozen foods are perfect choices for warehouse shopping, but even meats will work. Just portion out what you plan on consuming right away and then freeze the rest. This is also a huge time saver—it means fewer trips to the grocery store!
3. Buy generic. Often when we become accustomed to sticking to a certain brand, it’s a habit to pick it off the grocery store shelves when we need to restock. When shopping on a budget, brand loyalty can be a potential danger and cause of overspending. Next time you’re wandering the aisles, take a few extra minutes to explore your options. Compare things like prices, quantities, and lists of ingredients. Use your common sense and if it looks like it can save you some money, try out a different brand. Usually you’ll find that the store brand uses almost the exact same ingredients as the more popular ones.
4. Avoid prepackaged foods. Usually the food located in the center of the grocery store is prepackaged and highly processed. Frozen dinners, boxed meals, and 100-calorie packs are going to cost you more than buying your food in its purest and freshest state. Try to shop the perimeter of the grocery store and look for fresh, in-season produce and minimally processed meats. Frozen meals are expensive and overpriced because the manufacturer has done all the prep work for you. Take a little extra time to buy your food raw and cook it yourself. It’ll save you money AND you won’t be consuming the unnecessary preservatives usually found in processed food.
5. Clip coupons. Do some money saving work before you even get to the grocery store! Check the newspapers for specials around town and take advantage of them. Some stores have savings programs you can participate in if you shop there often and they can usually save you money on each shopping trip. Sign up to receive offers in the mail if you can and go through them before you shop. Also look for specials while you’re there. Often there will be select fruits, vegetables, and meats on special so use that opportunity to stock up. Remember, you can always store your extra meat in the freezer but good deals don’t last forever. Head over to Coupons.com for free printable coupons.
6. Don’t be wasteful. This sounds painfully obvious, but who hasn’t had to throw away food from their fridge after finding out it expired a month ago (and never even opened it). We’re all guilty of this—even me. Even though it’s unavoidable on some occasions, it helps to know what you’re capable of consuming on your own. Throwing away uneaten or unopened food is essentially throwing money away. Make more frequent trips to the grocery store to help solve this problem. Weekly trips are an appropriate frequency. Also make sure you check expiration dates before buying products. If you don’t think you can finish that giant tub of cottage cheese in a month, then don’t buy it! If you’re trying something new for the first time, don’t buy the largest serving size available. Start small and buy only what you’ll need for the week.

[tags]grocery shopping, grocery store, 6 secrets to grocery shopping on a budget, cheap food, save money, free food, coupons, warehouse[/tags]