WAYS TO SAVE ON GROCERIES THAT NO ONE TALKS ABOUT 🤫

[@MaterDeiMinistries]

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.

[@lorrainepacker9451]

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.

[@kenyonbissett3512]

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)

[@tallyp.7643]

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).

[@MaterDeiMinistries]

@@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.

[@tallyp.7643]

@@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.

[@GoblinsAreAGirlsBestFriend]

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' KZbinrs 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.

[@LilySeastars0223]

Agree!! That's why I come back here. Disabilities and allergies in our house etc.. never feel upset watching BFC

[@czarinatx]

I agree. She's kind, quick, smart and all-around lovely.

[@trishpipkins]

All true things. 😊

[@stacipowell7278]

Agree 100%!!

[@sim1els]

Definitely agree!! Thank you for always being considerate, kind and respectful! Always a breath of fresh air~ :)

[@CheriJ11]

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!

[@tammygant4216]

For me it was, "discipline now or regret later" Works in so many categories....I may embroidery it onto a pillow!

[@lorrainepacker9451]

I love that!

[@carolbabb7875]

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.

[@evettabush4882]

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.

[@OkieJammer2736]

NEEDED! Thank you. 😁

[@AshleyRJones8]

I have actually thought about doing this but hadn't started yet. Now it seems so much more possible. Thanks for commenting!

[@carolbabb7875]

@@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!

[@Nisa-gm5wg]

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 $

[@Jessicanijkl]

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.

[@OkieJammer2736]

Awesome hints and needed. Thank you.

[@kathrynwatson5112]

Plus not as many dishes!!

[@pampire13]

Yes to ALLLL OF THIS.

[@jenn8165]

Great tips…Brandon needs to stop misleading us and accept it’s a recession

[@Jessicanijkl]

@@jenn8165 Huh? Who’s Brandon?

[@cltinturkey]

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.

[@kimgordon3695]

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).

[@TheExostan]

amazing tips, i will definitely do this too!

[@TheExostan]

@@kimgordon3695 im german too, which grocery shop delivers food?

[@lynnern57]

Great idea!

[@debbiekoortzen1154]

This is a brilliant idea, thank you! ⚘

[@JRoseE1989]

No doubt; I definitely spend on average, $30 less when I do online shopping opposed to in store shopping!

[@kimgordon3695]

Just wait til the drivers start taking your order home... The trucks are being reduced & system is falling

[@MrsAlicat8]

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)

[@janicelindegard6615]

@@MrsAlicat8 I never order meat or produce. I always buy that myself. Bananas seem to be ok, but nothing else.

[@CrunchyMom88]

$30/per person is a great maximum budget. $100/family of 4 would be the ideal target for families.

[@CrunchyMom88]

@@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.

[@lankakaaos]

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!

[@kimgordon3695]

Get yourself a donation tote & fill it over 5-7 days. Reuse that tote til done

[@sherilynalexnder897]

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.

[@hesherette]

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!

[@jadehei538]

Heippa Suomi toveri! 😊 Another finn here watching and learning 🇫🇮

[@adventuresofd-day2598]

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”.

[@jelemil]

That warms my heart to read :)

[@stephanielardner9150]

A list on the door is a great idea. My husband just opened a new salsa with 2 already open in the fridge !?

[@annw1395]

The Bingo card and stamper -- so clever!!! Cute idea and effective.

[@loriz.5771]

@@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 😔.

[@bonnielee1266]

We call “kitchen sink Sunday” meals “Mustgoes!” 😊

[@FionaApplewright]

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.

[@BliffleSplick]

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.

[@brandydimas9102]

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?

[@FionaApplewright]

@@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.

[@MsChaosbutterfly]

@@FionaApplewright Eggs are usually good way past their expiration dates.

[@vaderladyl]

@@MsChaosbutterfly Indeed.

[@Elizabeth-490]

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!

[@riawhetstone3725]

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 🙃

[@dhanicollins2448]

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!

[@MarieMBaird]

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.

[@BadNessie]

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%! 😉

[@KatarinaS.]

I've noticed this too. I no longer automatically assume bigger is more economical and always do the math before choosing.

[@brendalg4]

This has always been the case. My mother taught me about it when I was a child

[@Anthony-tq9so]

Price per Lb/ kilo is the no brainer way to go. That way you,ll never get cheated by shrinkflation shenanigens etc.

[@brendalg4]

@@Anthony-tq9so there are even some stores that list cost per ounce so you don't have to figure it out yourself

[@mariawhiddon]

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. 😊

[@patsycathcart1]

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.

[@Sunshine-fy4fz]

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 ❤️

[@tallyp.7643]

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.

[@jtidema]

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!

[@KimberLeena8]

I agree!!!

[@NoMoreTears64]

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.

[@suearcher8708]

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.

[@hesherette]

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!

[@uweschroeder]

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.

[@NHarts3]

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.

[@pturzy1]

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. 😁👍

[@MarisaAndChew]

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 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@kikyamart8749]

Beyond meat is a disgusting chemical slop burger. Don't eat that crap...

[@isabellajespersen5730]

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 🇩🇰

[@ilovebobsdonuts]

What app is that in Denmark? Sounds great!

[@judithvictoria3109]

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 🙂

[@snashley]

Hi fellow vegan! 💚 I'm in California. Also curious about this app you mentioned 🤔

[@adventuresofd-day2598]

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.

[@isabellajespersen5730]

@@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 😊

[@kitchensink1803]

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!

[@natashak3387]

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!

[@elishivasharitye3764]

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

[@anitas5817]

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!).

[@leannejayne3545]

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 👌

[@stedgar369]

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.

[@sewpretty13]

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!!!

[@coriel2597]

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. ❤❤❤❤

[@markconger8049]

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.

[@Lizzy43645]

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!

[@Narbyful]

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). 🙂

[@trudisabaj2741]

Same! I save so much money not cruising the aisles and being tempted.

[@sherilynalexnder897]

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.

[@OkieJammer2736]

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.

[@wandabigelow9692]

I don't walk the aisles. Only occasionally i need something from there. Perimeter of the store is where i shop.

[@KatarinaS.]

I can relate to everything you said.

[@chickensandwich3398]

Thank you! Curbside is not lazy it is organized and less temptation. The distraction and stress of in store shopping is real. I spend way less when ordering curbside.

[@JenziGee]

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. 😅

[@denisejones1863]

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.

[@erinlikesacornishpasty4703]

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 🤷‍♀️.

[@thebrookealyson]

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. 🥴

[@maskwa73]

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!

[@thevalueofapenny222]

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.)

[@AshleyRJones8]

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.

[@judywood4530]

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.

[@sct4040]

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.

[@brendakrause5639]

I put dates on top too. That way I can rotate and eat oldest items first.

[@lunadianrose5357]

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!

[@lunadianrose5357]

Also, we got a water filter.

[@kjoscrappinmama]

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!!

[@maryannlupus2187]

One of my favorite cooking channels on KZbin 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. :)

[@jlow27]

Buying ingredients rather than products and making your own foods at home is a good way to save as well. I wasn’t going to mention this but since you did, I’ll add to what you said. Making bread is cheaper and healthier than buying a loaf of some fancy bread that probably has tons of ingredients and costs a small fortune. My aunt switched to a more “whole foods” diet about two years ago and she loves it. She always says that just because an item says healthy or low calorie or natural doesn’t mean that they really are. You have to look at ingredients and decide if a more pure version of some food is worth the extra money because you’re not putting all the preservatives and seed oils into your body. She is on WW and has a KZbin channel as well, but she doesn’t focus solely on WW. She’ll make her own homemade tortillas, which are higher in points, but are cleaner in ingredients. You need to prioritize what’s most important to you and your family. And I understand not everyone has the time or resources to make their own bread or can veggies from their garden to make them shelf stable or make their own bone broth from bones you can get from a butcher pretty cheaply, but you can make small changes and go from there. To get their fruits and veggies in, she usually makes a tray with those things cut up and leaves them on the counter and most times, the tray will be empty and they are satisfied instead of picking all day at other things or eating a power bar of some sort that’s packed with calories and ingredients we don’t need to eat. I think you’d like her channel and website. It’s Joan’s Pointed Plate on here or Joanspointedplate.com. She has tons of recipes. She’s been meal planning for over 25 years. She loves Butcher Box and the quality of their meats. She has chickens that give her eggs daily and also raised meat birds this summer and processed them to stock her freezer full of chicken. She also uses this co-op out of Oregon called Azure Standard. You find a delivery spot which they come to about every 6 weeks, place your order online, go to the truck at the pick-up location and grab your order. Her pick-up spot has grown from a half dozen customers to over 100 in the last couple months. They sell in bulk and not in bulk. They even sell food grade 5 gallon buckets with the appropriate lids to keep things like rice, oats, flour, sugar, etc. safe and they prevent them from going bad quickly. I wonder how many more plugs I can add to this comment lol. That wasn’t my intention but I’ve just learned so much from her and her channel and I’m not on WW. That’s how her channel started when she lost 65lbs in 7 months, but now it’s more of a lifestyle channel for food. And with using all of these online stores, she only shops every 4-6 weeks, aside from filling in produce when needed. She makes her own yogurt in the InstaPot. I’m just saying the possibilities are endless. You just need to find what works for you and the diet you want to eat and what you’re able to pay. Great video, Kallie. I hope you read this comment because I think you’ll find at least one, if not more, things of interest to you that could work for your family, especially since you seem to be making a lot of foods yourself instead of buying everything ready to go from the store. Butcher Box meats are really superior. My aunt has a $30 off coupon link on every one of her videos. All beef is grass fed, grass finished, chickens are free range, heritage pork products and wild caught fish. You can just taste the difference. Hope this comment helps someone out there looking for this type of food lifestyle ❤️

[@CrunchyMom88]

Great comment. You mentioned chickens being free-range... I want people to be aware that what is most important is what chickens are fed, not necessarily all emphasis on how they're "stored". What a chicken eats is the most important thing. Corn fed chickens produce TERRIBLE quality eggs. It's like feeding them sugar. People waste money at the grocery store on expensive eggs when really they're the exact terrible quality because their feed is corn based. If people want good eggs with a dark/burnt orange yolk, make sure your eggs are local and have no corn on their diet. Bright yellow yolk means a chicken with poor diet.

[@jlow27]

@@CrunchyMom88 I could have been mistaken on that one piece of info regarding butcher box but all of their meat animals are humanely raised and fed a good diet. My aunt raises her own chickens for eggs and has some of the brightest orangish yolks I’ve ever seen. She can taste a difference in her eggs and she can taste a difference in all of Butcher Box’s products. Hope that clears up the confusion.

[@jlow27]

@@ckee8437 I appreciate this comment as I don’t like to offend anyone or make anyone upset either. I was just commenting on my experience with family who live by whole foods. I really truly appreciate this and I’m glad there no hard feelings. That’s the last thing I want to promote. We’re all struggling in our own way together. You take care ❤️

[@jlow27]

@@ckee8437 I was going to do the same thing! See, we have more on common than initially thought!

[@CrunchyMom88]

@@jlow27 The yolk color is 100% the test. If it's not dark/burnt. Something is wrong with the chicken. It might not be the feed.

[@FrugalLifeThriftyWife]

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 KZbin. That’s been the best way for me to keep myself in check because I don’t wanna let anyone, including myself, down.

[@connieh9033]

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.

[@Jen39x]

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

[@connieh9033]

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.

[@beccacoleman498]

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!

[@mrburns91]

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.

[@TheKnallkorper]

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.

[@vivianhudacek1556]

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.

[@mljs9245]

What kind of sealer? I had a food saver that I didn’t use. Now I’d like to try one again.

[@vivianhudacek1556]

@@mljs9245 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!

[@sexygeek8996]

I just make what I need so I never have leftovers. I don't like reheated crap anyway.

[@stitch2659]

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!" 😊

[@red-winged_blackbird]

"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.

[@susan5661]

Great video, with lots of common sense advice and no fear mongering or lectures. Thanks!

[@idalmiscooks4u]

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.

[@jadehei538]

If you keep a full fridge, use see through containers that match the size of your fridge, or use lazy susan type products. This has helped me a lot! Now I just pull a container out and can see in one glance what I have. Also, if you frequently use certain items, have a spot reserved for them. It's easier to figure what your fridge can reasonably hold that way. And definitely do a declutter once in a while, no sense storing that salad dressing you tried but hated.

[@lisadieter-burns]

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.

[@ljshaw8516]

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.

[@denisejones1863]

Don't try to have a frig that looks like the vloggers. You should not have much in it really, diary, veg and condiments.

[@natalieeubank4533]

@@denisejones1863 she isn’t, just what fits her family

[@jeanhirsch2054]

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.

[@wendybrown3823]

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.

[@denisejones1863]

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.

[@gingergirl8797]

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.

[@hesherette]

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

[@maggieb4648]

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.

[@jeanardilla4092]

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.

[@adorablecats9891]

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.

[@camillecali22]

The first tome I made taco seasonings I realized two things. 1- It tasted so much better 2- I had all the spices in my cabinet already so it was free at the time. However I keep those same spices in my cabinet all the time for other things and its cheaper then buying those packets. I even make my own mayo out of avocado oil. Its cheaper but you do have to make smaller batches to keep it fresh. So not for people who are too busy. I am experimenting with other spice mixes and sauces that normally I would buy.

[@annsteffes10]

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.

[@BritaLong]

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.

[@hananallitou4676]

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🥰

[@mtaylor9055]

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.

[@mombot7467]

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!

[@karigruppen1405]

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.

[@CocoChanelle-1]

Follow BOGOs and freeze the extras. Eat more beans that are high in protein and vitamins/minerals. Start a garden and learn how to fish. Drink a cup of coffee or tea to cut your appetite. Toast your bread and make a satisfying peanut butter (gives you protein) and jelly sandwich and drink with a glass of almond milk.

[@susanb7594]

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.

[@jo.wilkinson]

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!

[@sable747]

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. 🥕🥗🥕

[@TheNinnyfee]

I find that it is easier to stick to a budget when I also make a budget for splurging. I don't have to spend that money, but it's ok if I do. No matter how small it is, just knowing that this is just for me feels better. I find that I get triggered by "boomer" words like "discipline", "budget", "frugal", etc. and want to run the other way. There is a lot of shaming/abuse and high-and-mighty behaviour around those words, and also pointing at people that cannot be or aren't the same way. Sometimes these people never learned money skills or are handicapped by e.g. neurodivergence or mental illness, or the abuse makes them mentally ill. Also around "male" business lingo like "performance" or "goals". It always means that you should disconnect money from emotions while most money decisions we make are highly emotional. Or we are ashamed when we suddenly make a more "emotional" money decision that sets us back. The biggest money saver for me is understanding my emotional needs and to see how that manifests in my spending patterns. Yes, you may feel left out or poorer when you have breakfast for dinner, but in Germany this used to be pretty normal and it is a tradition that you always remember. Coming home to a simple dinner table to be with family is more important than the extravagance or variety of food in this concept. German traditional breakfast is basically bread, butter, cold cuts, cheese, jam/nutella, vegan spreads, whatever you prefer. Not always all of it, it depends on your family. That's just the range. Also tomato slices, radishes, cucumber, snack carrots, or a smaller portion of soup for dinner. Eggs if you want to, but that usually means cooking. And fruit or yoghurt for breakfast. Usually you stick with two slices of bread and your favourites, anyway. You can make 4 open half-sandwiches with that. It's easy to put on the table, usually nobody complains about simple sandwiches, many parts are relatively shelf-stable and also freezable like e.g. bread. You can also do the same concept with tacos or burritos and leftovers. Choose a bread product and fill it. :)

[@janetlance3053]

I would rather go into the store most of the time. Every morning the grocery near me marks down meat expiring that day it's half price or less. Freeze it to use later. They do this right when they open. End caps in the produce department has marked down produce. Plus buy store brands when possible, unless you just have to have the name brand (tastes better etc) Coupons and sales are great plan around what's on sale.

[@j.chayo45]

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

[@annefisher6323]

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.

[@itsacastilloslife]

It has been hard trying to stay on budget these past couple of months. Thank you for all the ideas!

[@shedtime_au]

A few more tips for you, from someone who has been poor for the whole of his 70 year life and learned to be frugal: 1. Buy staple items in bulk. Rice, sugar, pasta, honey, flour, olive oil ... all of these can be bought for half the cost if you grab the larger packs. Always buy 5kg/5 litre rather than 1kg/1 litre. 2. Avoid highly processed items. I saw you hovering several times over breakfast foods that typically cost 3x the price of unprocessed grain products. Use rolled oats, wheat biscuits, corn flakes in preference. If you must have something sweeter or fancier occasionally, make pancakes or waffles or just add some fruit or honey to the oats. I sometimes make my own raisin bread for toasting in the morning too, it's no harder than any other kind of bread. 3. Buy generic foods where available. Supermarket brand pasta or bacon or cheese tastes just the same as a recognizable brand, but costs far less. In fact it often comes from the same factory. 4. Eat fresh foods if available. This is hard for me, since I live 50km (31 mi) from the nearest supermarket and our local general store is expensive. I only shop every three months so I tend to buy only an amount that won't rot before I get to use it, but often this can be stretched by buying, as an example, green bananas for use in 10 days rather than all yellow ones, or stewing up a batch of rhubarb and apple and freezing it to make desserts later, or bottling pears with simple syrup and cinnamon sticks. Whenever a product is plentiful (and thus cheap) there's a savings opportunity if you know how to preserve it. I also make a huge pot of vegetable soup right after shopping, which keeps far longer than having fresh ingredients in the cupboard. Also, growing vegetables at home isn't rocket science, especially squash and potatoes which need no attention at all. Plant fruit trees too, your kids will love them in their teens when they're always hungry. 5. Use your freezer to the max. If I cook a meal I make enough for at least two meals, more often four. Rather than becoming bored by having the same thing day after day, the extra gets frozen for later. Then on the days I can't be bothered cooking, there's always the option to "nuke" one of them in the microwave. You can buy cheap food containers that typically get used for Chinese foods at take-aways, and these are ideal for storage. Despite being flimsy I've found they can be reused multiple times, and they're also great for those half tins of beetroot or pineapple and the leftover half of the onion. 6. Don't skimp on the few items that matter to you. For me it's good soap, soft toilet tissue, fruit cakes (I buy generic and they're cheaper than I could bake them), fresh marinara mix (freeze it) and a good pre-shredded three cheese mix for my homemade pizzas. I couldn't live without these items. My cupboards are also full of the typical spices called for in recipes. 7. Finally, if you must have soft drinks buy a small CO2 tank and make your own soda. You'll soon become adept at whipping up interesting flavourings to add. I make my own tonic water too. My personal weekly food budget has leveled out at AU$53.00 (USD 35.72 with today's exchange rate) and I never feel hungry or bored with what I eat.

[@FrootKat]

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.

[@racheltheshadesoforange8700]

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)

[@clairedriscoll8628]

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

[@donab1369]

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

[@cty9205]

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.

[@cindypye578]

I love the suggestions you shared. I used to do more of those things and I've been going back to doing more of those things again. One of the things my grandparents did with leftovers was to save them in the refrigerator over a few days and combine them with other ingredients and seasonings to make a pot of goulash. We called it Papaw Holley's Goulash. We all ate garden food mostly, and our own beef, so the goulash varied little, but Papaw would make little changes to keep it interesting. I've done basically the same and made a pot of soup or casserole with leftovers. If the goulash, soup, or casserole is more that we will eat then I freeze some for short term for a quick meal when we need it.

[@joycetheobald1717]

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.

[@CocoChanelle-1]

Add walnuts or your fav nuts to you cereal to stay full longer. Sunflower seeds and raisins are good as well.

[@annawiest8760]

I love the idea of following a meal plan. I started doing one myself. However, I am flexible with the days in which I have meals due to my schedule. I am a stay at home mom who gets called in to substitute teach and don’t always know what day I will be called in during the week. Sometimes I move an easier meal to the evening of my workday, while still sticking with my planned meals. I love your tips. They are incredibly helpful!

[@SoliRhymesWithJulie]

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!

[@je11omo]

THIS WHOLE VIDEO IS MY LOVE LANGUAGE!!!!!!!!!! Awesome stuff.

[@rachelc586]

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

[@RentedFashion]

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.

[@RentedFashion]

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!!!

[@cassafrasskotter7238]

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.

[@destrygraves]

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.

[@kathrynchisholm5536]

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

[@belle_thegoldiegirl]

Uncured and cured!! I’ve been wondering about that but never remembered to look up the difference. Thanks so much!!

[@nightowl8548]

Online ordering helps quell impulse buying. I like the convenience oof being able to look at ingredients and nutritional info easily also

[@lilbfly02]

This was the most helpful & practical food/grocery savings video I’ve seen in a long time. TU so much!!! I’d love to see a video on homemade bread items you’re making!!

[@aprilhamilton5512]

Thank you for being kind and understanding that it isn’t always possible to buy the clean option in everything!

[@Danigurl117]

You are amazing.. I have been watching all of your videos from even years ago.. found you by looking for minimalist/ decluttering tips .. I just wanted you to know that you are simply awesome. 💖

[@papabear5506]

I always spend waaaay more grocery shopping online, and the reason is simple. If I'm not in the store i cannot check what's in the clearance or closeout section, and it's much easier to get a wider view of the store's selection. For example, i might only search for ground turkey to try to get a deal on the website. If I'm at the store i might glance over and see that the ground beef has a clearance sticker on it and it's actually cheaper.

[@osoniye4209]

Absolutely. Going in and checking out the clearance is the best!

[@ladye8686]

I love your content and you are beautiful and amazing woman I always enjoy seeing your babies and your little dog so thank you for sharing your family I'm sure many of us are alone that watch and it's enjoyable to see a family so thank you for that always enjoy your content and your suggestions are amazing I find it very hard to adjust to a family of one still working on that so I appreciate any information tips you can give us

[@mwhoville581]

When I meal plan, I make an "available meals" list. Then I can choose what to make each night. It may mean that at the end of the week I am fixing a less desirable meal but it helps with some flexibility. If you had a simple meal planned for Wednesday but Tuesday the stress level exploded, it might be better to switch the meal.