WAYS TO SAVE ON GROCERIES THAT NO ONE TALKS ABOUT 🤫
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 พ.ค. 2024
- Like so many of you, we've really tried to cut back on food spending lately because the prices just increasing. Here's how I was able to cut back our grocery spending, stick to a grocery budget, and still eat healthy, without obsessing over weekly sales or clipping coupons.
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Music by licensed by Epidemic Sound. - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I just want to say I really appreciate how incredibly considerate you are in your videos - I LOVE that you always say "I know not everyone has time for this" or "I know not everyone is in this or that situation". I appreciate that a lot. I find it really triggering personally when 'lifestyle' TH-camrs lose sight of the variety in their audience and you never do, I really feel that you always imagine how many of us may face struggles or challenges different from you, and you approach us with a lot of genuine care and respect.
Agree!! That's why I come back here. Disabilities and allergies in our house etc.. never feel upset watching BFC
I agree. She's kind, quick, smart and all-around lovely.
All true things. 😊
I agree! I'm addicted to her videos 💕
Agree 100%!!
1. Meal plan
2. Unit price every item you buy
3. Use 3 different inventories: refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. You will be able to see what you have and what you REALLY need. This also eliminates accidentally buying multiples.
4. Use a grocery list. I split it into two categories: what I need now, and what to buy next time (you are "running low", but still have enough until the next trip to the market).
5. Pay in cash, and leave your cards at home. You cannot spend what you do not have.
6. Do NOT go to the store hungry!
7. Shop the perimeter of the store FIRST. Yes, those are all the perishable items. If you shop the perimeter FIRST, you will not waste time because your food will start to spoil. Also, in the aisles are where you can get bogged down with extra items you might not need.
8. If you see something you like, want to try, or forgot to add to the list, write it down for next time. Putting time and space between writing it down and the actual purchase helps you to discern if you really need it or not.
My mom always said to never go shopping when hungry. I have, because I do intermittent fasting and don't usually eat in the mornings. I just use self control, but that would not work for everyone.. I do pay in cash and use a list.
Excellent ideas that work, thank you! 🎉
A few more. Set aside 5-10% of your budget to stock up on bargain bottom prices. Stock up seasonally. Combining those ideas: right now November 21, meats: whole turkeys free - $0.29lb - $0.37lb; half hams $0.59lb - $0.79lb - $0.99lb; chicken quarters $0.48lb. Veggies: sweet potatoes 🍠 $0.25lb, russet potatoes 🥔 $0.25, carrots 🥕 $.50lb, onions $0.50lb.
Notice a lot of meat under $1 a pound.
Dinner for 4:
2lbs chicken quarters (bbq, fried, baked, etc) $1
2lbs carrots, cooked (steamed, broiled, etc) $1
2-4lbs potatoes (baked, diced, French fries, etc)$1
= $3 dinner for 4 adults or 2 adults 4 children (cost per serving $0.75)
Learn to store bulk foods to last longer, lots of videos about this.
Want it cheaper: rice $0.25lb, savings $0.75. Your dinner for 4-6 is now $2.25 (no beans in sight)
I love the last idea. I am the person who writes down recipes to work on in the next week or so, gets the stuff for it, I get busy and don't cook a few days, lose my recipe list, and then I've got stuff in the fridge that I can't figure out what to do with and by the time I remember, I'm frantically trying to cook or bake it. Created WAY too much waste, so I quit cooking for a while.
But I've quit being impulsive about trying new things all the time (or am REALLY trying to be) and limiting myself to 1 or 2 new recipes a week. At least squashes last for ages, so those will be my last experiments this month (hee hee).
@@tallyp.7643 There are apps for your phone and websites that will list recipes you can make with the assortment of items you have on hand. Perhaps that can also help you.
I understand completely! I went through a phase where I was going batch cook and freeze some, prep out the same thing / similar thing for all my work days ... 😑 it did not work. So, I have learned to go to the store more often and only buy exactly what I need (perishable items). And then I use my stockpile (canned goods etc) for all the other items. It saves me from running around trying to figure out the sales, coupons, etc. If you buy seasonally, then you only need to have enough items in your pantry / stockpile to get you to the next season. This helps cutting down on food waste too.
@@MaterDeiMinistries I've got cookbooks out the wazoo, I just have a bad habit of overestimating how much I'll really be able to get done and underestimate how much food all that would be if I DID make it all. Even now with canning and the like, I don't have much in terms of storage space, so that's something I'm gonna hold off on or do small batches for practice instead of going all-out like I wanted to. My curiosity is bigger than my sense when it comes to ideas, but I've been improving. I'm suspected ADHD and get all into planning things and imagining the end result... and then the work begins and my energy peters out. I'm learning to take it a step at a time since T-day and I love that I'm MUCH calmer (and actually enjoy cooking more--hee hee).
Have a good one.
I had a freezer problem (out of sight out of mind) until I started keeping a notebook. Every time something goes in the freezer I date it and add it and the date to the notebook. A page for cheese, a page for vegs, a page for chicken and pork, a page for bits ect. When I meal plan I take the notebook over to the pantry and pull from both what I need to use up and cross off things in the notebook. It was a bit of a challange at first but now its 2nd nature and saves me $ every week and no more freezer burn.
I use a similar plan and it is definitely a money and food saver. I call it my "use what I have list" and read my list if I'm tempted by things when I shop.
NEEDED! Thank you. 😁
I have actually thought about doing this but hadn't started yet. Now it seems so much more possible. Thanks for commenting!
@@AshleyRJones8 Your welcome! I have no idea where I got this tip. It took me a freezer clean out and an embarrassing amount of waste to try it. It's a game changer not only for the freezer but the pantry foods as well. I can also just check the notebook to keep track of what's getting low to start looking for sales instead of having to empty most of the freezer. Don't delay!
I have an inventory binder with different sections: 1. garage freezer (upright freezer so I can easily see my foods) 2. garage pantry (toiletries, dish and laundry detergents etc) 3. inside freezer and 4. inside pantry (my cabinets) and 5. my pantry room ( I do rotate these foods with my working pantry), 6. Grocery list sheet, 7. Meal plan sheets, and 8. Items to restock. This binder has saved me so much $
With cleaning, your “Tomorrow me will thank tonight me for doing this now” has made a huge impact on me. From this video, the biggest impact for me is “Your spending now will impact your ultimate financial goals.” I’m also loving “Do you want to feel rich or be rich?” Thanks for a great video!
For me it was, "discipline now or regret later" Works in so many categories....I may embroidery it onto a pillow!
I love that!
I have a tradition I call “kitchen sink Sunday”….it’s when I make soup with whatever veg is left in the fridge…usually freeze some of it. It’s different every week. No recipe, just wing it.
I also adopted something I started for my 92 year old grandpa. I cook a month of dinner, put them in individual containers all with labels on all sides and reheat instructions. Then on his fridge door I have a bingo sheet with all the meals (one square per container) and a stamper on a string. When he eats a meal, he stamps it on his bingo sheet. Works great and he has a variety of options!
I found that having a list of “what’s in the freezer/fridge/pantry” really helps me cut down on redundant buying and food waste. No more “out of sight, out of mind”.
That warms my heart to read :)
A list on the door is a great idea. My husband just opened a new salsa with 2 already open in the fridge !?
The Bingo card and stamper -- so clever!!! Cute idea and effective.
@@stephanielardner9150 My hubby will do that too sometimes. He also has a habit of shoving things in the back of shelves where my vertically challenged self doesn't see them til they spoil 😔.
We call “kitchen sink Sunday” meals “Mustgoes!” 😊
Great tips! To use every bit of fresh foods, I keep two small (DT) rectangular bins in the fridge. When I cut an onion, I put the unused part in a covered glass container and put it in the bin. I do this with peppers, avocado, beans, beets, squash, etc. To stir fry, I pull out the bin and use all the bits left over. Easy and fast, especially for a burrito or savory bean dish. I use the other bin for lettuce, kale, cukes, and carrots. I pull out both bins to make a loaded salad. Keeping bins in the front means I rotate and use everything before it spoils. I also keep fruit on a beautiful dish (like a still life) on the counter to snack on all week.
Recent cargo issues result in quick rot of fresh produce. We have seen mealy tomatoes soggy cucs & 1/2 rotted avocados from a well known International shop/grocer (german).
amazing tips, i will definitely do this too!
@@kimgordon3695 im german too, which grocery shop delivers food?
Great idea!
This is a brilliant idea, thank you! ⚘
I have a few tips to add:
- I started seeking out freezer friendly recipes and making double batches of meals. We eat out less and if I can limit the number of different ingredients I have to buy, I save that way.
- I try to find meals that have shared ingredients for the week. Reducing the diversity in the ingredients I buy makes cooking less expensive for me.
- I prevent food waste and save money by dehydrating or freezing foods that are going bad. I had some kale and some cilantro that were going bad last week, so I made kale chips and my own dried cilantro seasoning. You can even dehydrate onions to make your own onion powder. Fruit or bread that starts to go bad go in the freezer. Preventing food waste is good for my budget and good for the planet.
Awesome hints and needed. Thank you.
Plus not as many dishes!!
Yes to ALLLL OF THIS.
Great tips…Brandon needs to stop misleading us and accept it’s a recession
@@jenn8165 Huh? Who’s Brandon?
I went to the Carvivore WOE (way of earting) and my fridge looks so empty. I'm saving soooo much money by not buying what I may or may not eat/use and the waste. I'm never hungry, always satiated and have no cravings. Also healing health problems. So the almost empty looking fridge does not bother me anymore. 😁👍
On the budget thing. I use my calculator, I put my total budget and then subtract the amount for each item I choose. Watching that number go down is super effective at helping me prioritize and avoid impulse items.
No doubt; I definitely spend on average, $30 less when I do online shopping opposed to in store shopping!
Just wait til the drivers start taking your order home... The trucks are being reduced & system is falling
For sure! What im struggling with is that they always pick the worst meat and produce (when it comes to what's going bad soon)
@@MrsAlicat8 I never order meat or produce. I always buy that myself. Bananas seem to be ok, but nothing else.
$30/per person is a great maximum budget. $100/family of 4 would be the ideal target for families.
@@janicelindegard6615 I do meat shopping once a month, produce about every 10 days. Food storage is key. Knowing how to properly store food is actually a course taught in Culinary Arts. It's quite scientific and I encourage everyone to research it. Knowing which food to store together and which to keep far apart is vital to maintain shelf life. Also oxygen plays a part, but sugar foods should NEVER be stored in airtight containers unless you actually *want* fermented food.
Greetings from Finland!
I just got to thank you for chancing my life. In beginning of July I did watch one of your videos. I started to keep my kitchen cleaner and also started to deep clean 5-15min per day and I do daily clean up once a week in every room.
My home is not clutter free yet, but here is less clutter and each day daily clean up is easier. Before I talked about apartment I live in and now I’m talking about home.
My goal now is that I have most of clutter away in the end of October. That is doable if I just keep on track and keep cleaning little bit every day.
So thank you for making these videos!
Get yourself a donation tote & fill it over 5-7 days. Reuse that tote til done
Good for you for improving your home life! Little by little is fantastic if that is what works for you. I've always told my kids that neatness matters to our souls, even if we pretend like the mess is no big deal. When it's gone, the mind feels calmer, the heart feels happier and the soul feels peaceful.
You are doing great! Thank you for sharing your inspiring journey! Callie has helped me a lot as well, I am in Southern California. Amazing to see how many different lives she is helping all over the world!
Awesome awesome! A full fridge actually is terrible because some stuff is unseen and spoils or doesn’t get used when it could have been.
Excellent content thank you! Tip that worked for me: on a 4x6 card write down what you’ve planned for the week’s meals. After 4 weeks you’ll have a month’s worth of menu plans ready to use again. If you’re stuck getting started just write down what you are actually eating for a week. You have just created a one week menu plan ready for next month!
My husband & I like to, what we call - Pantry Diet, which is when we can spend up to a week getting creative with whatever we have in the pantry and freezer. Having an extra chest freezer in the basement really helps. Fried rice, pizza, & pasta are easy go tos for using up freezer/pantry ingredients 🙃
Thanks for the cured vs uncured bacon info! I wish I could shop on line, I know I would spend less not roaming around the store. However, I live in a very rural area and no one delivers here. I can do the order on line pick up at store thing, but the only store that will do that near me is the most expensive option. Also, since eating beef rarely I go to a butcher store and maybe pay a bit more it is so good it's very much worth it. Before my husband died if I gave him a list...that is what he came home with. Just one of the gazillion reasons I miss him.
that warmed my heart to read, I am so sorry for your loss, sounds like your husband was a great partner. wishing you the best!
Great hints here! As empty nesters we used to eat out too much when I was working. Since I’ve retired, I plan our meals weekly by cooking one meal that we eat again the next night, adding anything that might make it more nutritious or a bit different. So I only cook three days a week. Sunday nights are usually omelet night, a breakfast meal, or we might pick up a pizza and make a salad.
I buy meats every other month in bulk and freeze in smaller quantities. Weekly grocery shopping is primarily the outside aisles for produce, dairy, and eggs.
Thanks so much for your videos!
It makes me sick to think about how much money we “ate” over the years by eating out and picking up takeout.
Meat at our actual butcher shop is generally way cheaper and better cuts or cut to order so you get exactly what you're looking for. Even the deli meats from the butcher shop here are generally several dollars cheaper than the grocery store deli at the end of the block. They also often will give you a discount if you're ordering x amount. Our local butcher shop is the supplier to most restaurants in a 4 town radius so you can get the same exact meats, cheese, etc and cook at home. They even sell sauces and such from the local restaurants. Our local butcher was even selling beyond meat and frozen veggies and fruits for far cheaper than the grocery store and no extra ingredients. I highly recommend BC it's not only competitively priced but the workers know their products and aren't looking to screw anyone around. Plus it is sourced as locally as possible for freshness 🤷🏼♀️
Beyond meat is a disgusting chemical slop burger. Don't eat that crap...
Using what I have instead of what I fancy is the biggest saver for me. Always amazes me how much stuff there is in my pantry and freezer to make a full meal.
For like 20yrs I had the constant issue of rancid oils, expired mayo and expired salad dressings in my fridge constantly. I finally clued in that oils and mayo are the base for like 99% of salad dressings and have learned to make them one small batch at a time-- basically enough to get through the rest of the salad ingredients and then I never have leftovers, and I have never since then had bad mayonnaise or olive oil. Plus I have very few items cluttering up my fridge door.
Also an immersion blender (stick blender) goes fast enough that you can plop everything to make mayo in a jar, stick it all the way to the bottom and just bzzzzzzzzzzz and slowly lift up. So very easy and it takes maybe a whole minute.
This is all well and good however do you not find it a savings in the long run to buy some bulk and shop sales?
@@brandydimas9102 no, because it expires before I use it, unless sometimes if I buy the absolute smallest size, which is always the most expensive. So bulk is a no-no in my household for anything perishable.
@@FionaApplewright Eggs are usually good way past their expiration dates.
@@MsChaosbutterfly Indeed.
Ever since online ordering/curbside pickup came on the scene, I haven’t been inside a grocery store (since summer of 2020!) and I LOVE it! I get exactly what I need, I don’t spend money on items that are ‘a special price’ or with a new display to tempt me, and I get to choose the time I’ll pick it up. How convenient is this? My only question is: where was this convenience when I had little ones in car seats????? One of the best things to have happened due to covid19 ❤️
I like the idea that it's giving more folks a job. I hate how many stores have gone to self-checkout lanes and all that jazz. When someone has to go around checking stock and pulling it--and there's a lot of orders--then that's a lot of jobs. I wish I had food delivery where I'm at, but I'm out in the sticks. I just make sure to shop with a very strict list now and stick to the periphery of the store. I've learned that most of my binge triggers exist in the inner aisles, so other than getting a box of Triscuit or bag of dried beans once in a while, I avoid those spots entirely.
I agree - I used to use it when I was working in an office, because I could do 'pick up' orders and just drive up on my way home from work. But it was a lifesaver during Covid and now I'm glad so many more places seem to have it!
I agree!!!
How much EXTRA does that cost you though? I'm elderly, but I want to pick out my own stuff. No dented cans, expired, products, or crappy looking produce.
I totally forgot about cereal-for-dinner. When I was a single mom with 4 growing boys, occasionally I just didn’t have the bandwidth or time to make a proper dinner. If I suggested cereal, my boys were like “Yeah!” I had felt guilty for nothing. 😂
These are great tips!! 😊 I have also noticed that stores have started to catch on to the fact that we automatically think that bulk items are less expensive. In the past, the price per ounce for bulk items was always less expensive than that product’s smaller size. I’m realizing now, with online shopping where the item’s price per ounce is more visible and easy to track, that some larger sized products actually have a larger price per ounce than their smaller versions. So I stick to the cheapest price per ounce, even if it means I have to buy a few more of the small items to add up to the quantity of the larger size.
This is true! Part of it can be they're trying to trick us into thinking more must be cheaper. But there's often an actual extra cost on the producer's end, as it takes an extra size of packaging with all involved costs of making it. They're often smaller batches so the packaging is more expensive, it takes extra storage before it's being used and the packing machines need to be adjusted back and forth. So if the larger size is not also super standard, there's an extra expense. If the larger unit is a very common size and still not relatively cheaper, then they're tricking us 100%! 😉
I've noticed this too. I no longer automatically assume bigger is more economical and always do the math before choosing.
This has always been the case. My mother taught me about it when I was a child
Price per Lb/ kilo is the no brainer way to go. That way you,ll never get cheated by shrinkflation shenanigens etc.
@@Anthony-tq9so there are even some stores that list cost per ounce so you don't have to figure it out yourself
Celery has a very high concentration of natural nitrate, and treating celery juice with a bacterial culture produces nitrite. The concentrated juice can then be used to produce “no nitrite added” processed meat.
Meal planning is a very important one. Most people buy groceries without knowing what they will use them for. That said, I do the meal planning when the weekly ads come out. That allows me to plan around what's on sale and that saves a lot of money right there. Where I live I have several grocery stores within a few miles, so I just do my plan and then drive a round to usually 3 or 4 grocery stores, grabbing the sales and leaving without looking for other stuff. After a while you know which store sells what cheaper than other stores. Also weekly ads are repetitive - here the main sales items tend to repeat every 3 to 5 weeks.
Good to read labels. However the cured vs. uncured bacon is a very bad example. There is no uncured bacon. Uncured in the US means the potassium nitrate used to cure it was not added as an individual ingredient. Celery juice however contains more potassium nitrate than one would use to cure bacon - so an uncured bacon product may actually contain more nitrates than a cured one where the nitrate is specifically dosed. There is also no such thing as natural and artificial potassium nitrate. It's like salt - the chemical composition of the supposedly natural and the artificial version is identical. When it comes to bacon the biggest difference in price is water content. Grab one for cheap from Walmart and it will shrink to nothing in the pan. Not worth it. I make my own bacon and it does not shrink at all - actually it's very heavy and dense compared to store bought bacon because normally bacon is a partially dehydrated product - not one injected with brine to up the weight. I like the "don't obsess" statement: it's good to know what's in your food but if you grab the cheaper item on occasion it won't kill you.
I also like the making things yourself. I rarely buy anything ready made from a box or bottle. Almost everything I buy is a single ingredient. It's much cheaper. Of course it takes time and effort to make things, but I solved that problem by getting rid of the TV - no more wasting time in front of a screen, no more streaming contracts, saves money and leaves you with more time to cook.
"It can be discipline now or regret later."
In my own life, eating what my own body does well with (no nightshades or dairy or gluten), means disciplining myself, especially my mind.
"Focus on long term goals" is so helpful to hear! I know that, deep down, I want to be healthier and experience less discomfort!
Self improvement:
"If you change nothing, nothing will change."
I know that I am not the only person who can't eat certain foods, or do this or that thing....or has a loved one that they care for who has specific needs...etc.
Your "...ordering on line ..." tip is an excellent point. My husband insists on going shopping with me but.....he is anxious to get the h@#$ out of the store. So I am rushed along, I will definitely research this. Thank you.
omg bringing my partner to the store w me is the WORST experience lol. I love him but he is terrible to shop with. either rushes me out of the store so we forget items on our list OR he goes hungry + buys a bunch of prepackaged expensive crap lmao
The absolute worst! Besides wandering in front of the cart and getting in the way, he insists on tossing extra junk in the cart and I can't get out of the store fast enough, resulting in forgotten items and a bad attitude (mine). Ordering online is the best, because as has been said, you stick to a list, don't get distracted by the 'shiny things' and can see your total as you add to the list.
Lentils, black beans and chickpeas are my best friends. Incorporate dry lentils into soups, stews and even spaghetti. I make a chickpea sandwich spread for lunch. Dry bean are cheap. Soak overnight and cook in half the time using an instant pot. I went from meatless one day a week to now I don’t even buy meat. It was a seamless transition. Spices and homemade sauces are the key to keeping food interesting.
Yes, I'm now whole food plant based. I also don't eat much dairy, just plain yogurt and some free range eggs once a week. I have 5 meals which I rotate and eat in a 4 hour window 3 to 7 each day.
I order online every week. I buy once a week and don’t stop in 3 times a week to get a few items. The once a week online gig has saved me thousands a year. I dont buy that irresponsible stuff in the isles. I get exactly what I need. No fluff or temptation alluring stuff. Thousands of dollars saved. Time saved. During Covid it was a life saver too! 100% addicted to online grocery pickup. ❤❤❤❤
I do all these tips as well. Food prices have gone through the roof and in a way it has forced us to be more intentional in our food purchases.
I stopped buying pre packaged taco seasoning, once I learned how to make it myself. I just keep the spices on hand, mix up a big batch to store in a jar for whenever I need it now.
When we had the room, we would also grow some of our own produce in a small garden. A container garden may work for some, too, or a "kitchen window" garden for fresh herbs and spices. We kind of went the extra mile, too, and even gathered and dried our own seeds from several plants to use for the next year: bell peppers, tomatoes, cantaloupe, pumpkin, pinto beans, etc. Unfortunately, these aren't options for us at the moment, but I hope to use them again soon. It's also great to get kids involved. They learn new things and when dinner rolls around, it's "I helped grow that!" 😊
We buy veggie in bulk and will usually chop and freeze, they last soooo much longer! Also when meat is on special, we will buy some extra and freeze for the following week. We are able to stay under $100 each week. Your tips and tricks have really helped!
Also, we got a water filter.
I definitely noticed when I shop online I get exactly what I need and don't buy nonsense. It also helps to not buy as many snacks so you're forced to eat your food
You’re such a wise young lady Kallie. So many wonderful tips. The one thing that has always kept my spending under control is to meal plan. And as you said, ‘sticking to it as if your life depends on it’! In fact if ever I don’t meal plan, I’m horrified at how quickly my life just falls in a heap! Thanks for all you do. 😊
As a mother of 5, we spend a lot on breakfast. I have started making my own instant oatmeal and breakfast bars. Much less expensive, and way fewer preservatives. Also quite easy. I found recipes on Google, and tweaked them for my family. (This is in addition to baking my own bread, making jam in quart jars [large batch pectin], etc.)
Vegan here. We are also affected by the prices rising. Buying dry legumes instead of canned will save you a lot.
We also have an app that allows you to buy food that is close to expiration date but still good for a fraction of the price.
Greetings from Denmark 🇩🇰
What app is that in Denmark? Sounds great!
Totally! 😉, here in Mexico 🇲🇽 we buy a lot of dry legumes and rice and it’s more cheap to cook them in our house than buying can food. A kilo of beans 🫘 go a long way, you can eat it like a soup 🥣 with white rice or “pico de gallo” (fresh salsa made from 🍅, 🧅, cilantro and🌶) or refried them and be a complement of other meals, or use it in quesadillas, gorditas or other traditional meals 🙂
Hi fellow vegan! 💚 I'm in California. Also curious about this app you mentioned 🤔
Totally! I love my instant pot for batch cooking beans, rice etc for use throughout the week. The best thing ever has been the resurfacing of “bring your own container” bulk stores. The produce cost hike has really been intense.
@@ilovebobsdonuts it is called TooGoodToGo and you can set it to show you food from your favourite supermarkets, bakers or whatever you like. Then you ordre it and pick it up at a certain time slot 😊
Hands down the best advice I have heard in quite awhile. Most videos present the same info over and over. You take it a step up. Thank you!
I love the imperative of sticking to the meal plan no matter what. I do allow myself to switch days within a week, but I make and eat everything for that week. It doesn’t take long to figure out which meals I’m never in the mood for, and stop putting them on the meal plan! So many great tips Kallie! 3 quick things that save a ton on money - 1) making homemade yogurt in the instant pot and 2) one jar of Better Than Bullion makes almost 10 quarts of stock for about $1 more than 1 qt. 3) one rotisserie chicken makes about 3 meals for 2 people plus about 3 qts of homemade stock (love my instant pot!).
Absolutely! - We switch days too if we don’t fancy a particular meal that night, this way we still stick to our meal plan but with a little flexibility 👌
Love your videos, this one has some great tips. I have one for you: to keep cheese from molding, don't touch it with your fingers. Use the plastic wrap it comes in or a piece of Saran wrap to hold the cheese - it will last longer. Also, tip from my mum, jams and anything with vinegar in it won't go bad. And yes, budget and planning...always good advice!
I love clearance shopping and shopping the weekly ads and that’s been a great way I’ve been able to stay around $350/month for groceries. I’ve been keeping myself honest with shopping by recording all of my grocery hauls and putting them into a monthly grocery haul video here on TH-cam. That’s been the best way for me to keep myself in check because I don’t wanna let anyone, including myself, down.
I love all your tips. I also not8ce the "empty" fridge paradigma and how it still holds enough food when you recognize the non negociables.
Not every online shopping is created equal and saves money, sadly. We learned this the hard way during the heart of the pandemic. We are loyal Aldi shoppers and we started utilizing their online shopping during that time, which is partnered with Instacart. We found out that they raise the prices of their food IN ADDITION to the fees they charge. So in some cases, it really is just about discipline and sticking to your list when shopping in person to save money. We also do meal planning and make meals with shared ingredients. Like this coming week, we are making loaded potato soup - so we will also be doing breakfast for dinner another night to use the bacon and leftover potatoes in a different way. Buying ingredients thoughtfully with actual meals in mind has helped so us much. And less food waste, it’s a win win! ☺️
Another pro tip: always shop alone when possible. We always seem to spend more when we bring our toddler because it’s hard to say no to a little human looking at you and saying “pwease!” to get an extra bag of cookies/chips/whatever the magical item is that day that we most likely already have at home. 😅
When I shopped with children I always let them spend a dollar. I know now that doesn't go far, yet they can pull the money and buy a item to share. I just gave them something to shop for.
The only grocery store I know of that has store employees who do the curbside pickup shopping is Walmart. As far as I know all the others in my area are partnered with Instacart. And it was an awful experience for me to use Instacart; I got a whole other person's order once, I've had eggs smashed, and rotten produce. Just awful. I usually find the Walmart pickup is ok. When it comes down to it, being able to choose your items yourself matters. But I did notice when I do curbside pickup I don't have an impulse buy problem 🤷♀️. But I don't usually have that issue, because I "impulse buy" only one item from any of the whole foods I normally get. I don't impulse buy anything we don't actually need and can't afford 🤷♀️. I've never done that really 🤷♀️.
Exactly. It’s sad. it changed as time went on here where I am. Also people messed the order up more and more. I save more by going in. 🥴
I started meal planning a couple months ago to combat food waste. It has made a huge difference! I also don't have to stress about coming up with a meal idea mid-week because I already thought about it and shopped for it. I've also been cooking through some of my older canned emergency food items by picking recipes that use them up. Then I can replace them with fresh canned goods. I recently organized my emergency food and wrote the date on top of the cans and boxes in Sharpie, for easy rotation.
Before menopause I suffered from PMS. When my family was young and we had a restricted budget, I discovered that the I had to plan for very simple meals when PMS was the most intense. If I bought for more complex meals, the food was wasted because I just was not up to preparing it.
I do the reverse, I buy food on sale and plan my meal from them. If something is expensive, I simply don’t buy it. Found yams on sale for 0.29 cents a lbs., bought them for Thanksgiving and for potato pancakes.
I put dates on top too. That way I can rotate and eat oldest items first.
You're one of the few youtubers I still watch, so many of them fueled my old shopping addiction and encourage you to spend money you don't have. All your videos have been so helpful
I ended up cleaning out my freezer of old freezer burnt stuff I wasn't using and have a real sense of what is in there. Thanks for the motivation!
Good tips. I also freeze leftovers after we’ve had a dish for a night or two. Then on a night when we don’t have time or want to cook, we can pull out the main dish. I bought a sealer online last year & love it. It’s small, so I like it better than my big FoodSaver sealer.
What kind of sealer? I had a food saver that I didn’t use. Now I’d like to try one again.
@@marieschlatter9245 it’s called Save Sealer. Got it online & love it! It’s about the size of a can of travel-size hairspray & is so quick to use. I keep it & the bags (2 sizes came with it) in a plastic bin. I find it helpful to wrap things that are moist/juicy ( like meatloaf) in plastic wrap first before sealing, but that’s not required. Items store flat in the freezer, a space saver!
I just make what I need so I never have leftovers. I don't like reheated crap anyway.
I have really profited from your tip to only go grocery shopping once a week. It's really helped me to get the most out of my perpetually overstocked pantry and allowed me to shave more than 20% off my monthly grocery spending! Thanks so much!
Great tips. Our family has gotten a lot smaller very suddenly, but since I've been doing a lot of the shopping lately I've realise that we are still buying the same amount of groceries as were for the past 5 or so years. Gotta adjust the grocery lists going forward.
Great video. Something I do is make frittatas or egg muffins with some leftovers. Super helpful for breakfast, snacks, etc. Last month I did shelf cooking. Meal plan around what I already have in my food pantry and freezer before grocery shopping.
Thank you for these great ideas! I recently bought a little clicker counter off Amazon. I use it when I go into the grocery store, so I can keep track of my spending.
Reading labels is so important! My husband and I mostly buy generic, but sometimes the name brand really does make a difference. For example, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce is pricey, but the ingredients are SO much better than store brands or even Heinz. Those have fillers like soy sauce and caramel coloring.
My husband and I are pretty loose with our meal plan, but that's what works for us. We usually plan out 5 days, which gives us flexibility for leftovers or frozen pizza.
I’ve always been a frugal shopper but recently realized that if I drive one more. Ike to target a lot of shelf-stable items are cheaper at Target compared to Kroger. Plus I have a red card. Living in a time with apps where I can compare prices is glorious! Plus being able to add items to a list in each stores app is glorious!
Great video, with lots of common sense advice and no fear mongering or lectures. Thanks!
My go to meal for using the bits of leftovers is a frittata ---the dish does not discriminate. We eat it every Sunday--no brainer comfort food.
Very happy that you included nutrition considerations in your excellent food shopping money saving presentation. Some tv journalists avoid that when telling people money saving shopping tips.
A big adjustment for me has been switching over from cooking for 4 (including two giant sons) to just the two of us. Overall, I've done pretty well, and a couple things that have helped (and have resulted in spending less on groceries) are 1) doing grocery pickup. I have my standard items and add in those things I might need for a new recipe. I get in trouble walking the stores and seeing stuff on sale or marked down. The kid raised by a depression era survivor in me is just too addicted to a good deal. So NOT walking the store is easier on my old back AND our wallet. And the 2nd thing is trying really hard to use stuff up and looking at what we have before placing that pick up order. Again, I'm still learning what just the 2 of us consume. It's weird. LOL So I try to not order too much, and, if I do, use it up. I detest throwing food out (see: kid raised by a depression era survivor). 🙂
Same! I save so much money not cruising the aisles and being tempted.
I hear you on cooking for less people feeling weird! I still have my twin daughters at home, but they're in the last year of college, have jobs/their own money, and often feed themselves outside the house. I've had to learn to pare down so I'm not throwing food out because my freezers are stuffed. It's going to be very strange once they graduate and get their own homes - cooking for one - I doubt I'll do much of that.
Yep. Also a child of Depression-Era parents and grands. Yikes! Talk about feeling guilty wasting anything. 😕 AND, my family is just ME now, so cooking for an army is no longer my lifestyle. Ugh. Trying to adjust and appreciate these great tips and your response here. Best.
I don't walk the aisles. Only occasionally i need something from there. Perimeter of the store is where i shop.
I can relate to everything you said.
Excellent. We started doing this during Covid, but even more so today...and yes our frig looks near empty...but creative meals always await this vegetarian household.
Don't try to have a frig that looks like the vloggers. You should not have much in it really, diary, veg and condiments.
@@denisejones1863 she isn’t, just what fits her family
I love your philosophy "do you want to feel rich or be rich". So true. Little changes add up! Our house is now paid off, but we drive a 10 year old Civic. Many trade offs. Thank you for providing me with beneficial tips on every video.
Online shopping absolutely helps, not just budget, but time as well!! I only started doing that during the pandemic because I always thought, "I'm a stay at home mom, I can totally do my own shopping"! A couple hours later and way over budget with more junk than we needed and it was out of control! I now do most of my shopping online! So much of what you showed looked and sounded so good! Do you ever share recipes?! Definitely need to try better meal planning! It's hard with busy schedules and a very picky teenager, (texture issues and prefers the same stuff all the time!) but definitely need to try better!! I hate throwing food away and sadly I end up ditching a lot every week. Kids don't understand veggies and fruit aren't eternal! 🤣 Thank you for the great tips!!
One of my favorite cooking channels on TH-cam is Rainbow Plant Life. It’s a vegan channel, but she makes cooking seem so easy and fun that I decided to try a few things and absolutely loved them!! I’m very much a meat and dairy lover, but her vegan recipes are so good I love them and will crave them! And OMG I’m a cheese snob and I was blown away with how yummy nutritional yeast actually is! LOL
What I liked most is I’m a big eater and her meals filled me up and I didn’t get hungry again in an hour or two. It probably depends on whether your picky teen is ok with trying different things, but if nothing else she’s fun to watch because she brings such an air of fun and delight to cooking. :)
I love this video and how you encourage making things from scratch rather than a box. And how you are encouraging label reading. We had to start label reading when our kids were little cuz of food intolerances and yes, cutting out the junk is something to think about. I like that you stick to your meal plan!!!
I just found your channel last week but I LOVE your videos!! They’re so helpful and you’re so nonjudgmental towards people who struggle.
One has to be careful comparing "natural" to "chemical." Regarding bacon, celery is just another source of the same chemicals that are used for cured bacon. They are exactly the same chemical, but from different sources. Like, you can dig salt out of the earth, or get it from drying sea water. It's still salt.
The prices of things are just out of control. I moved recently and have a smaller refrigerator, which is helping the family think we have more food than we do. I haven't been very much into preparing ahead, but it makes my life so much easier, even though I'm tired when I do it. (Gotta watch the knife when I'm tired!) I started getting Dinnerly and, while that sounds expensive, it really isn't. I get the minimum number of meals. There are three of us and I have to order four portions, but one of those is lunch. I also order online for staples and that cuts way down on cost. And, I plan the other meals for the week based on what I have in the freezer. I learned that from The Secret Slob.
It has been hard trying to stay on budget these past couple of months. Thank you for all the ideas!
This was SO HELPFUL…so I will try out ordering my groceries online like my daughter in law has been doing for quite some time. Didn’t think about it saving money that way though. Also we got way too much when we go and end up throwing stuff out sometimes. 🙈 I don’t want to do that anymore. Again thank you so very much for this.
Love this. I have been doing it for years (I even make my grocery list in order of how we walk the store so not to zig zag off course) but it DOES HELP! I found that it was really easy, when inflation skyrocket, to cut back a little more & we stayed on budget.
Love the grocery list this way. Used to live in multi cook household and we created a permanent list in walking order of store. A new one went up every week so that staples could be added to the list as found to be needed during week
Thats what we do as well. The staples are on a permanent list that includes paper, laundry & cleaning products so they are not forgotten. Just add or remove from the list & before you print.
Thank you so much for this! I am a Pescatarian, but Vegetarian most of the time. Not eating meat, food prepping, and having a list has helped tremendously. I am looking forward to learning more. Happy Holiday!
GREAT tips!!
An alternative for people who feel like they aren't disciplined enough to stick to the exact meal plan...
Write out a 2 WEEK meal plan. Skip around if you're just "not feeling it" on that day. You still may need to make 1 trip each week to the store(fruits and veggies), but it gives a tiny bit if flexibility! Just cross off what you've made, even if it's a meal you wrote down for a "week 2" day!
Online ordering helps quell impulse buying. I like the convenience oof being able to look at ingredients and nutritional info easily also
Wise words! I have this video saved so I can listen again when it's time to do the dreaded monthly shopping and dinner menu. Thank you for sharing!
Love this video so much! By watching this video I also started grocery online, and the money(and time) that you safe is amazing 😊 thanks Kallie🥰
You really are inspiring! Every lifestyle video you put out helps me put my efforts toward a healthier bank account and cleaner, simpler home into perspective. I've needed this video and appreciate it so much!
My favorite food savings hack. Throw a whole chicken in the instant pot with carrots, onions, any veggies on their last leg. Fill close to the max line with water. Manual 50 Min High Pressure. Remove the chicken, discard the skins, pull all the meat off and toss smaller amounts in food, that chicken can last almost a week with my family of 3 (pasta, quesadillas), blend the veggies and set aside. Add the bones back to the Instant pot for about an 1-2 hours. Strain out the bones, add the blended veggies back in and any seasonings and now you have a super nutritious broth or soup base and chicken for the week. It's a bit of a pain but sets you up well for the week. You can usually get a whole chicken for about $6-$9 and it's surprising how much meat is on it.
Great video! For the last 4 years I have been using a budget planner for every aspect of my life. It really helps me to see what we are spending and where. It has helped us to greatly up our savings game!
Thanks so much, Callie. I appreciate all your advice.
The pandemic forced me to menu plan, order online, and do grocery pickup. And we are much better for it!
You mayor may not be celebrating Rosh Hashana, but I wish you a sweet and happy year anyways 🌺
THIS WHOLE VIDEO IS MY LOVE LANGUAGE!!!!!!!!!! Awesome stuff.
I used to meal plan and shop my pantry but I fell off. Thank you for reminding me of how much money I would save. Meal planning also helps when I have a busy week planned I plan accordingly thank you
Great sound advice. I also do the rotation of boring budget friendly meals with a few more fun meals each week (that keep us from feeling deprived/splurging on fastfood)
I def cut back on the organic by only buying organic that is on the dirty dozen and buying non organic on the clean 15. Saved a bunch.
I also save my veggie scraps to make veggie stock and my chicken/beef bones to make stock. Winter is coming! Great time for soups!!!
Thank you for being kind and understanding that it isn’t always possible to buy the clean option in everything!
You're a smart girl! I've been doing a pretty good job for many years, but I got a lot of new ideas and motivation from you! Thanks!!
I make all our salad dressings now. sooo easy, cheap and way better for you. My husband saves all bone and makes homemade bone broth so we never have to buy boxes of broth anymore. It's making food from thinks we would have thrown out. free food!! We also make veggie broth from veggie trimmings. Meal planning is definately they key for us too.
I feel like your food pictures look so colorful and healthy. I would love you to do a cooking 101 vlog and/or a food prep with all your best tips on cutting, storing, and cooking vegetables. 🥕🥗🥕
You rock! When I raised my kids I planned two weeks of meals at a time. One big thing for each week like a roast and then things to make that in to something different each day. Not much at all needs to be spent on that part. Every Saturday almost every thing left in my fridge gets dumped into a good sized Tupperware container in the freezer. Layer by layer until it’s full and then it gets turned into a big pot of soup that simmers all day. That night we eat it. The next night back then I added tortellini and let my kids invite whoever they wanted for potluck. Now I invite them to come and still invite whoever they would like for potluck. It’s never the same usually really good and always a good time.
I definitely need to stick to my meal plan. I swear I am at the grocery store 4 or 5 times a week (less than a mile from my house). I always change my mind on what I want to eat and just go buy new ingredients but as you said the “other” ingredients just get wasted or go bad.
I love this video for the tips! I would love a video of your recipes as well! All your stuff looks so good!
❤i must admit that i am so guilty of over-shopping at grocery stores. this video came just in time. thank you! ❤
Helpful tips. I’m a terrible meal planner. Thanks, I’m new to your channel. Tuned in because of Shay. ❤❤❤
Once again … such a great video, Kallie ! Thank you ! You are fabbb !
Great advice. I plan to start meal planning and only buy what we need for the week 😃
I can only have a food budget when I write out everything that has to be payed bill wise and then I can see how much h I have left for food. I used to online order because it was easier. But since my go to store has sky rocketed in food price I can't anymore I go to a few different shops for different categories of food items because some shops are cheaper than others that way xxx
I just love your videos! You’ve helped me so much to get organized, etc! Thank you so much for your content! ❤
I love on-line grocery shopping - it keeps me on track. I also find having my recipes on hand, or favorite, perhaps a new recipe to try. This way I am purchasing for the meals planned and able to check -do I already have enough noodles?- so I am saving
Thank you for all that you do. I really appreciate these videos, they help me to rethink how I am doing things. You are greatly appreciated.
I was really sad my local super savers grocery store moved locations, but it finally pushed me to start doing curbside pickup from Walmart. From a quick glance at my finances app, I can see I've saved hundreds of dollars each month since then, no more picking up superfluous purchases as I meander. It's saved me stress/time as well, I hate grocery shopping in giant stores where the milk is a mile away from the lettuce.
Excellent advice!!
These pink shade are so flattering on you , great Sunday morning video for me to pop on to .
So glad you do videos about all diff things. Love watching you. Get lots great ideas! Thanks! 😁
Excellent tips! Thank you!
Love all your videos and this one is perfectly timed for me! I'd love to see a cooking video where you make your own condiments or money saving items.
I like in your meal planning video that you said if you don't feel like a particular meal on a particular night suck it up and eat it. I think that's great advice because if you hesitate and dither you usually end up either ordering a takeaway or just eating rubbish all night. Great advice x