Ways to Save Money on Groceries

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Ready to shop smarter?

This guide includes 30 tried and true ways to save money on groceries. Don’t use all 30! Instead, pick and choose what works for your lifestyle, preferences and saving needs.

Below these tips are 50+ budget-friendly recipes! Scroll down to see the recipes.

Pick 2-4 of these budget tips to try out. You don’t need to use them all!

Brainstorming!

Brainstorm foods you already like and eat that are cheap

Sit down and spend 10 minutes thinking about foods you enjoy that are generally affordable. Basically, think about grains, canned beans and produce that’s generally the same price all year round. This is an easy way to save money on groceries.

Brainstorm REALISTIC changes you can make to your food routine

How often do you eat out? How often do you cook? Where do your snacks come from? Is there anything in your current food routine that you can realistically adjust to save on food? Altogether, these are important issues to consider. But for me, it was meal prepping lunches instead of buying lunch out 4 days/week at work! Surprisingly, this was a total game changer, and of course, the inspiration for this website!

Make a meal plan and see how it goes

This is the most effective way to save money on food. But the key is planning meals you will actually enjoy! Need help meal planning? Use The Workweek Lunch Meal Prep Program to choose amazing recipes, plan meals and generate a grocery list in minutes. Or check out our free meal planning guide here.

Take inventory of what you have in your kitchen

Spend 20-30 minutes going through your pantry, freezer, and fridge door (or wherever your sauces live). Write a note in your phone (or somewhere else convenient) of all the types of grains, pasta, beans, proteins, frozen veggies, and other ingredients you can use to cook. Therefore, using what you already have = yet another way to save money on groceries

Cooking and Prepping Tips

Cook in bulk to get more out of your ingredients

Food waste = money waste. Indeed, meal prep or batch cooking is great because you’re more likely to use up all of your ingredients. Yes, this means getting used to leftovers! Undoubtedly, learning to like leftovers will save you tons.

Make sauces and condiments from scratch as needed

Instead of buying a new sauce every time, see what you have on hand. Then, you can look up recipes to make all kinds of sauces with very basic ingredients that you probably already have!

Shopping Tips to Save Money

Don’t shop at eye level at the grocery store

Look on lower or higher shelves – you’ll often find similar items for less!

Use self-checkout at the grocery store

Sometimes when you physically have to ring up each ingredient in your haul, you’re more likely to catch impulse buys you don’t actually need.

Order groceries online to know exactly how much you’re spending

When you shop online, you can easily see your total as you shop, which is super helpful if you’re trying to stay within a strict budget. Try it with our $25 meal plan here.

Buy non-perishable items in bulk

Grains, pasta, oats, flour, sugar, canned items, frozen veggies etc can all be kept for a long time! The solution? Buy them in bulk (if you have the space) so you don’t have to buy them every week.

Keep an Open Mind, But Also Bring a List

Be flexible with plans so you can shop for alternative items that might be on sale

If you can’t find an affordable ingredient for a recipe you’re cooking, quickly look up an alternative/replacement on your phone in the store. You can almost always swap out ingredients in cooking.

Don’t be picky with brands

It’s no secret that generic brands (store brands) are generally cheaper than other brands – even if it’s for the same exact product!

Go with a shopping list and stick with it

Impulse buys are where we get in trouble! As a result, try to stick to that list. And don’t go to the store without one if you’re trying to stay on budget. (here’s how to make a food budget, by the way)

Use Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go is an app where you can get discounted groceries and food items. It’s available in the US, Europe and Australia in select locations.

Freeze meat and fish in bulk

Not buying meat and fish every week is a great way to save on groceries! So, it’s worth stocking your freezer every once in a while.

Buy bone-in meat or different cuts of meat

You’d be surprised how much cheaper it is to buy chicken thighs and drumsticks with the bone in than boneless, skinless chicken breast. Of course, you can easily take the skin off/take the bones out at home. Sure, it’s an extra step, but your wallet will be happy.

Check Store-Specific Apps and Sales

Sign up for deals at your grocery store

Many grocery stores have a loyalty program for members. Usually, this requires you to sign up with your phone number and/or email, so every time you shop you can save on their member’s only deals. Consequently, I usually save anywhere from $2-$10 on groceries/week this way.

Grocery shop once a week (goes hand in hand with planning)

Shopping less frequently is a great way to spend less! Make a meal plan to avoid extra trips to the grocery store. It may not always work—you might run out of something. But at least the intent is there!

Make Different Choices

Eat more vegetarian and vegan meals

Animal proteins and dairy can be really expensive! Learning to cook with vegan proteins will help you cut your grocery bill down a bit. For example, tofu and legumes tend to be cheaper than meat. And this is especially true right now!

Choose frozen berries over fresh

Berries are one of those fruits that can be so expensive when they’re not in season. Opt for frozen instead, especially for baking! Which leads us to…..

Buy produce in season

Truthfully, fruit is pretty interchangeable in recipes! Be flexible and ready to buy what’s in season to save. Also, once you know how to properly store different types of produce, it’s also a game changer. Certainly, it will improve their lifespan.

Vary Your Shopping Destinations

Shop multiple stores when possible for lower prices on different items

If you have the time, going to different stores for different items can also be a solid way to save money on groceries.

Shop Trader Joe’s for pantry staples, snacks and freezer items

Trader Joe’s, if available to you, has amazing prices on nut butter, tahini and other specialty items like sauces, cheeses and more. Additionally, it also has much cheaper snacks in comparison to the regular grocery store.

Utilize the freezer to make cooked food last longer

Remember how food waste = money waste? Instead, make your food spend go further by freezing leftovers for later instead of tossing them (if they taste good, of course).

Buy what you know you’ll use

Even if you see an interesting condiment or ingredient, resist. Instead, wait until you have a recipe for it to use right away. Otherwise, it will either go bad or sit in your pantry forever. But more to the point? It’s money that could go elsewhere toward your grocery order.

Get creative with swaps in recipes

Honestly? Cooking is more of an art than a science. When in doubt, you can cut corners in recipes to avoid buying expensive ingredients. There’s always a cheaper way to make the meals you love!

Invest in your pantry and restock a few times/year

This depends on how much you cook! For example, if you’re trying to save money on food, I hope you’re cooking frequently! However, investing in non-perishable ingredients you use often can cut grocery bills dramatically. For example, I went to Costco 18 months ago and spent about $150 on oats, sugar, flour, chickpeas, black beans, rice, quinoa and soy sauce. Now I’m still using a LOT of these items!!

Additionally, I stock up on meat using Butcher Box a few times a year, and rarely have to buy meat at the grocery store. This is the main reason my grocery bill is $30-$50 (for one, in Seattle) every week.

50 BUDGET-FRIENDLY RECIPES TO TRY

BUDGET-FRIENDLY RECIPES BASED ON PROTEIN

Black Bean Recipes

Pinto Bean Recipes

Chickpea Recipes

Lentil Recipes

Tofu Recipes

Chicken Thigh Recipes

Egg Recipes

Ground Turkey Recipes

Canned Tuna Recipes

BEST BUDGET RECIPES FOCUSED ON CARBS

Rice Recipes

Pasta Recipes

Potato Recipes

Quinoa Recipes

Tortilla Recipes

Bread Recipes

Pita Recipes

Oat Recipes

30 Ways to Save Money on Groceries This Month