First, you need to make sure to have all the basics. Flour, oats, sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, vinegar, shortening, and a variety of oils fit into this category. It is also wise to invest in a variety of spices beyond salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Of course, if you like to bake for your family, chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts are great to have on hand.

Next, think in terms of side dishes. Potatoes, rice, noodles, and canned vegetables remain side dish staples. I also keep a wide variety of cooking soups in the cupboard as well to help with making both side dishes and main dishes. Other canned goods that round out a well-stocked pantry include different kinds of sauces, gravies, and olives (both green and black). I always have a supply of re-fried beans, salsas, enchilada sauces for Mexican themed nights. You will also need to have canned meats on hand – salmon, tuna, chicken, crab – whatever your family likes. These meats help make quick lunches and suppers when you run out of fresh or frozen meats.

I consider the refrigerator as an extension of my pantry. In the freezer I keep a supply of frozen meats, bread dough, vegetables, and berries. I also always have a variety of cheeses, fresh fruits, root vegetables, lettuces, eggs, condiments, sour cream, milk, juices and cream cheese on hand in the fridge. What really helps to save money is making note of your family’s favorite quick meals. Have the ingredients for these meals available at all times. If you do, you will be able to resist the urge to order out.

Save Even More

1. Use coupons – remember those available on the Internet.

2. Stock up when items are on sale.

3. Visit a discount grocer (no frills) and buy reasonably priced canned foods in bulk.

4. Plant a garden and freeze or can the produce.

5. Make sure to use items before they expire so you don’t waste any food.

6. Consider purchasing air tight containers to store sugars and nuts in – this reduces the negative effects moisture can have on these items.

7. Take advantage of free berries. In my area black raspberries grow wild. I usually pick 10 quarts each July and enjoy them for the rest of the year. (Careful – some berries are poisonous).

I’ll admit, when I first heard about the concept I was skeptical. Did I really want to purchase salvaged food? The bargain hunter living inside me won out, however, so I gave the new bent and dent grocery store in my neighborhood a try.

What I found surprised me. The food offered was not compromised in any way. Cans and boxes were only slightly damaged. I was also pleased to find out that the store offered non-damaged overstock items as well. It dawned on me then and there that this type of shopping could save my family a lot of money.

And it has! For over a year now I’ve been a loyal consumer of salvaged food. On average, I spend $15.00 per week in the store. These same items would cost at least $30.00 in the “regular” grocery store. This translated into a savings of approximately $780.00 last year.

I was also surprised to find salvage shopping to be a lot of fun. There’s a rush that goes along with finding family favorite, such as a certain brand of granola bar, at 50% off the usual price. And because the store’s stock constantly changes, it’s a treasure hunt each time I visit.

Below I’ve listed some drawbacks and benefits of salvage shopping, as well as a link to salvage grocery stores across the nation.

Drawbacks

1. No frills.
If you like fancy stores, bent and dents are not for you. There are no colorful displays or inviting delis; in fact, these stores many times resemble warehouses.
2. Stock is not consistent.
One week you may be able to find a favorite product, but don’t expect it to be available the next time you visit. (For me this is a positive as well…it’s always a treasure hunt!)
3. Products can be expired.
After a talk with my local health inspector, I found out that expired food will not make you sick, but the taste may be “off.” I know a lot of people who don’t mind buying expired items; however, I will not. I check every label for the “best by” date.
4. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not usually available.
5. Dented cans and boxes must be carefully inspected.
I make sure that every can I purchase has only slight dents and that the dent is not on a seam. Also, it is imperative that you do not purchase any bulging or leaking cans. I also avoid any box that has been taped shut.

Benefits

1. Small stores.
I like the small size of the store, and that I know all the employees. It is nice to have a neighborhood grocery store again.
2. Cheap prices.
To date, the best deal I have found was a large box of Crest Whitestrips for only $7.00. In addition, the store has weekly specials. This week I bought huge cans of crushed tomatoes for only .60 cents each and cat food for $1.00 a box.
3. Gourmet items.
There are usually gourmet items available at these stores, including olive oils and spices. This week I found large cans of artichoke hearts for only $1.00.
4. Local meats, chips, and/or baked goods.
The salvage store I frequent carries meats from a local butcher and chips from a local snack food company. Other stores often times carry Amish baked goods.

Bent and dent grocery stores offer a way to help save money on food bills. You probably won’t do all of your food shopping there, but the bargains you can find make frequent visits worthwhile. If you’d like to give salvage food shopping a try, click on the this link. It lists stores across the nation and was updated in January 2011.

First, forget about cooking spray. Yes, it puts a little bit of oil into a nice even coat over a large surface, but you’re paying for the aerosol gadget, and it’s not worth it. Put your oil in a permanent spray can — you can buy one at a kitchen supply store — or a new spray bottle. Or use empty butter wrappers, or a bit of paper towel with butter or shortening on it.

Actually, you don’t have to forget the cooking spray completely. The butter-flavored stuff is good for popcorn.

Speaking of butter — right now, I’m leaning toward the belief that it’s better for you than margarine. It’s more natural, anyway, and I may be slightly biased by the fact that I can always get it free by redeeming 500 points.

I used to buy margarine in bulk and use it as both spread and shortening. That ended not only because I decided butter was possibly better, but because I realized that, pound for pound, margarine cost twice as much as shortening. This was like my earlier discovery that sliced ham cost twice as much as unsliced.

Fat may be an unavoidable part of life — in more ways than one — but it doesn’t have to be an expensive part of it.

Put your list items in the same order as you’d find them in the store. Though all grocers put produce, dairy, and meat around the edges of the store, beyond that it’s anyone’s guess. They also change the layout fairly often to get you to walk past (and maybe pick up) items you usually skip. Your store may give out maps, especially if it was recently built, or you may have to map it yourself.

When you start the list in your word processing program, lay the page out in three columns or more. Yes, you can get it all on one page.You may even want to get fancy and make a table with space for each aisle in the store. Leave some blank space for occasional stuff like coconut milk.

Post it on the fridge, where you can update it as needed. Find a way to keep a pencil nearby, or it won’t happen.

Paperclip your coupons to the list (or staple them, just don’t damage the all-important bar code). You may want to make a note next to each list item that you have a coupon for — especially if you’re going shopping at a low-alertness time of day.

Update your list document when you start going to a new store, when you stop buying things like diapers (it does happen!), or when your regular store changes its layout (see above).

Taking a little time to do these things has saved me lots of time and money over the years.

Yes, it was embarrassing. But on the upside, every time it happened I learned something about self-checkouts. For example:

• Go slowly the first several dozen times. It’s your best chance of getting it right, and it’s not as if people are usually lined up for these checkouts.
• Don’t scan points cards or anything else before you’re prompted to.
• If you’re paying with a gift card, save it till the end — don’t scan it in with your coupons or whatever.
• Yes, you can weigh and price your own produce. Just put it on the scanner, find the keypad, and key in the number on the produce’s sticker. If it has none (it’s hard to put stickers on cherries, after all), note the PLU code on the produce’s sign when you first pick it up.
• The machine will decide there’s an “unexpected item in bagging area” even if the strap of your purse just rests there for a moment.
• Some, but not all, self-checkouts give you the option of paying with debit and getting extra cash at the same time.
• If you’re getting change, you may have to hunt around for it. The machine may dispense your bills right under the scanner, but coins into a holder way off to one side.

Take it slowly, and soon you’ll know everything you need to.

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1- Go Often And Befriend The Sellers

Unlike a typical supermarket chain, a local market is part of the community. Next time you shop your favorite market, why not make a little small talk with the farmers and sellers? This will not only enhance your shopping experience in a social way, but it can build a positive relationship that might include perks (like freebies or special discounts).  Go at least once a week.

2- Know Your Produce And Products

The farmers and sellers can better assist you if you have a specific thing in mind. This same knowledge will also help you shop smarter in general.

3- Shop During Off-Peak Hours

Weekends are never the best time to shop anywhere, so try to go mid-week if you can. Check your local market’s website for more info on the hours.

4- Bring Your Own Canvas Bags

Save some trees and bring your own bags! Most individual sellers won’t bag your produce anyway.

But what exactly is the “best before” date, and how does it compare to “use by”, “sell by”, and “expiry” dates? What does the ordinary shopper need to know about all these?

First of all, marking food this way is not required by law, except for baby food and baby formula. The manufacturers do it voluntarily. So, no, government agents are not the only thing protecting you from three-year-old cereal.

Next, it’s good to know what the different terms mean. According to the USDA:

• “Sell by” means just that. Although you’ll often see food marked down on or near its “sell by” date, it’s still fine.Whether and how long it stays that way depends on how you store it at home.
• “Best before” is not a “nice” way of saying “goes bad on”. It just means the food won’t taste as fresh after that date. It’s still safe to eat.
• “Use by”, though it sounds more serious, has a similar meaning: Use by this date if you want to catch it at its best.
• “Expires” (sometimes shortened to “exp”) is a real deadline — after this date, the food may make you sick.

It’s the manufacturers who set these dates, and while they’re certainly concerned with not making their customers sick, they’re also trying to build and protect their product’s reputation for tasting good.

If you read this chart, you’ll see a lot depends on when you open the product and how you handle it after that. More helpful links can be found here.

If you’re thinking of signing up with a home delivery service, ask yourself:

1. Am I willing to pay extra for organic produce? That’s what these services specialize in. You do pay for the better taste and perceived health benefits.
2. Will I remember to make the arrangements each week? In other words, review your order and change it if necessary, leave the bin out, arrange for payment.

Then there are a few questions for the delivery service:

1. What’s the minimum order? Or do they just charge for delivery if you order below a certain amount?
2. Can you change your order? You may want to set up a standing order or just get a standard weekly assortment. You may be able to tell the service your preferences (such as absolutely no parsnips ever!) and let them choose for you based on that. There should be a way for you to see your next order online and make changes, up to a deadline.
3. What time will they deliver? This can be pretty broad, like “between 1 PM and 7 PM”. Can you count on using your order for dinner on delivery day?

Thinking about these things will help you decide if home delivery is for you.

1- Learn To Cook
Eat your meals inside your home and save. Learn to make tasty meals from scratch, and you will save even more. Dig out those cookbooks and rediscover your favorite foods. If you have a favorite dish, there is a good chance that there is a easy and affordable recipe out there.

2- Make A Week’s Worth of Menus
How can you save if you don’t plan? Sit down with the entire family and make a list of the meals and foods everyone likes. Then coordinate the meals around the week, and be sure to add breakfast and lunch to the menus. Some of the meals may be homemade, and others convenience meals (i.e. frozen foods or boxed meals), but it’s important to plan all meals in advance. Start the menu at least one day before shopping.

3- Hunt For Coupons
The web is filled with coupon websites that let you just search, click, and print! After you’ve got your meals planned, make a list of everything you need, then search for coupons.

4- Sign Up For Loyalty Cards
If you haven’t already, sign up for your grocery chain’s loyalty card. These programs are free and are often filled with extra benefits like free groceries or promotional offers.

When I go grocery shopping, I make a list.  Usually, I plan meals for the week with my wife, and one of us goes to the store for all the items.  Sure enough, on Wednesday we decided to get take out or that we weren’t in the mood for what we planned.  Those ingredients just sat in the cabinet.  In fact, if they weren’t perishable items, there was no reason to discard them.

After a quick audit, I estimated about $170 wasted on food items we likely would not eat.  The solution: shop for a few days at a time.  By doing this for the past month, we have had very little waste.

I actually discovered some perks to this style of shopping.  First, less time in the store because I am buying fewer items.  Instead of spending two hours on items for the week, I am in there for 30 minutes each twice a week.  Take in the commute time and this is a slight advantage.

Another advantage is select shopping.  I know that meat is cheaper in one store and when there is steak on the menu, I can get the best quality steak for my buck.  There are some stores with great produce, and I can go there when veggies are on the menu.  Now, we have the freshest produce instead of settling with whatever we end up with.

Finally, the biggest advantage for me is not having all the waste filling the fridge.  When we plan a few meals in advance instead of many, we are more likely to be in the mood for our choices.  It is great for a miser like me to have a good feeling when looking at my cabinets.

For example, one store near us has a special this week: Three large containers of yogurt for $6. Reading this in the flyer, you assume you have to buy three to get the special price. Buy just one and you pay the regular price, right?

Why? If tomatoes are a dollar a pound, do you expect to pay 60 cents for half a pound?

Try this: Buy just one of the items in the twofer/threefer specials, and see what the cashier rings up for you.

I did. After all, I go through maybe one large container of yogurt every two weeks. (It’s a good thing it’s already fermented.) If I had two extras around, I’d find something to use them for, but I wouldn’t miss them if they weren’t there.

So this morning I bought one yogurt, one frozen dinner (five for $10), and one large brick of cream cheese (two for $6). I was charged $2, $2, and $3.

The register slip didn’t give the actual prices – it gave the regular prices and subtracted the amount I’d saved. But even I am willing to do enough math to figure it out.

This doesn’t apply all the time, everywhere. At warehouse club-type stores, for example, you may have to buy “full multiples” to get the lower price. During a caselot sale, you do get a lower price on the items by buying more of them.

But if buying more than you need doesn’t lower the price – why do it?

The goodness of the taste of wine is not really proportional to its price. Seasoned wine buyers know this. I am not a seasoned wine buyer because I only buy wine when there are celebrations, but when I am in the wine section of the local grocery store or wine shop, I spend quite some time inspecting wine bottles, reading the labels and neverminding the price tag first.  You can find wines under $15 that would be great for a bowl of punch or on their own if you take your time in choosing.

It is also good to plan what kind of wine to buy and how much to have before shopping for it. Of course, the kind of wine to buy is dictated by what you have in mind– would it be served with dinner or for a party of more than 10 people? If you plan to serve beef and pasta and the like, you should narrow your search to red wine; if you’ll have fish or chicken search for white wine. In this way your confusion will be lessened when you are already in the store facing many different kinds of wines. It is also good to know that wine and food from the same region go well together.

If you regularly buy wine, you have probably noticed that more and more good wines are now sealed with screw caps and no longer with cork. This is to prevent “corkiness,” that kind of after-taste in some wines that use cork as cap. It is wise to choose wines with screw caps especially if you plan to have many bottles for a large party; screw capped wine bottles are easier to open.

The region that produced the wine also can be your guide in choosing. Wines coming from Spain, France, Italy, Australia, Argentina, Northern California, and Chile are a few of the best regions.

Be aware that the allure of shopping and all of its magic can be felt by all young children. Your baby can even benefit from the new experience you are introducing into her life. Babies like to focus on people’s faces. For that reason make sure you sit your baby in the grocery cart where she has a good view of your face (and can look at the faces of other shoppers as they walk by).

Babies also notice colors, smells, textures and sounds around them. They like to hold onto things with their small hands and fingers. Offer your infant a safe toy from home or a food item that will not do him any harm to hold.

Once your baby becomes a toddler he can differentiate among shapes and is learning how things feel as well as how things smell. Let your toddler feel the surface of a tomato or an orange. Let him experience the variety of food smells that abound in the grocery store. At this point in time he will  be able to tell you what he likes and dislikes in terms of food. Listen to what he has to say.

Preschoolers want to be a part of the shopping itself. Give your preschooler a basic task or two that makes her feel that she is helping you. For example say, “Pick out two apples,” or “Choose a loaf of bread .” Your preschooler will want to impress you with her knowledge of colors and sounds. Encourage this by saying such things as, “Show Mommy the orange carrots, the purple grapes or the green lettuce.”

School-age children have even more know-how in the grocery store, but the opportunity to teach is still very prevalent.  He can help you to find specific items in the store. He can read labels and has an idea of what foods are healthy and which are not. Your school-age child is also starting to comprehend money and understands your need to compare prices.

It helps if you know what to look for on the label of the tea. Authenticity is important. The FDA and the Cosmetic Act deem it necessary for a tea’s origin and authenticity to be clearly marked on the packaging. A tea that is marked Assam must be 100 percent Assam tea while an Assam blend must be approximately 51 percent tea that originates from Assam.

Knowing exactly what you want can help you to converse about tea varieties with knowledgeable staff who work at tea specialty stores. Learning what regions different tea comes from is also useful for your purposes, as is knowing whether you prefer black tea, green tea or some other kind. Do you prefer a delicate tea, a rich full bodied aroma tea or a fruity tea?

It is also good if you know whether you like a tea that combines different flavors or whether you prefer one single taste to your tea. Often knowing these things is a matter of trial and error. Experiment and find out what appeals to your taste and sense of smell and what doesn’t.

Some teas can be purchased as tea bags while others are purchased as loose leaf tea. In terms of individual servings, buying tea bags tends to be pricier than buying loose leaf tea. You are  paying for the packaging more than anything else. Be aware that the packaging on tea, as well as the ink, can have an impact on how the tea tastes.

If you do decide to buy tea bags, then it is essential that you steep the tea the same way you would if you were using a loose leaf kind of tea. If you do not know how this is done, then ask someonewho is a tea lover or else do some research over the Internet.

Good quality tea does not have to be expensive. In fact, this is a warm beverage that is not an indulgence that will break the bank. One pound of tea will allow you to make as many as 200 cups of tea for yourself and others to enjoy!

Take advantage of discounts. Does your grocery store have a savings card? Most major chains do, and they are easy and free to get, so take advantage. Read the weekly ads (if you don’t get them via mail, check out the website) to get a feel for what’s on sale that week. Try to plan your meals according to what’s on sale.

Start using coupons.  Look through your local newspaper on Sundays, and start clipping the coupons. You’ll find even more coupons and discounts online, so browse several times a week for the latest offers.

Don’t just shop at one grocery store. One store may have a fabulous produce section, but the prices on dry foods are not so good. It might be a good idea to invest in a warehouse club membership, like BJ’s or Sam’s Club, just so you can save on dry goods and basics in bulk.

Why not try store brands? Most often they have just the same quality as the brands you love and know, minus the name and possibly saving you as much as a dollar.

Start comparing products. If you’re eyeing two different products (say, two bottles of salad dressing), look at the package size. One product may appear to be the same size as the other, but reading the differences in ounces will prove that you’ll get a little more for less.

There’s something comforting about shopping for groceries. It makes me feel like possibilities are endless. Take for example, when I go to the frozen meat section and I see some chicken. I peer inside, and I find chicken legs, drumsticks, wings, breasts, the whole chicken. My eyes light up, and my mind immediately starts racing. There are so many recipes I can cook with this! I can simply fry or broil or steam or grill it. Or I can soak it in some marinade and bake it. Or I can cook it in different sauces with different vegetables. The possibilities are endless.

I go to the frozen dairy section, and I see all the ice cream cups, pints and gallons staring at me. Then I remember the dozens of movies I’ve got lined up, waiting to be watched. Then I remember, I can invite friends over for a movies and ice cream party.

I go to the beauty aisle, and I remember I needed to dye my hair and pamper my feet. I also needed to buy some shampoo and other feminine stuff. I get to the breakfast aisle, and I remember the breakfast date I’ll be having with my best friend during the weekend.

As I leave the grocery, with my purchases in hand, I smile to myself and wonder why I feel so low. A trip to the grocery reminds me I’ve got so many things going for me. Why should I feel so sad when there are so many things I have to do?

What about you? When you’re feeling low and you need to shop, where do you go?

1. The obvious rule stays the same no matter what time of year it is: make your own meals. Eating out is costly, especially when meals are light and can quickly and easily be prepared at home for a fraction of the cost of a restaurant’s food.

2. Stock up on things that you will be able to use throughout the summer. If the grocery store is having a sale on spice mixes, get a few to save. Grill Mates, McCormick’s and other brand name spice packets often hit 10 for $10 (if not cheaper) in the summer. Take advantage of the summer sales on foods that don’t spoil.

3. Instead of hunting through the produce section of your supermarket, take a weekly trip to your local farmers’ markets. At farmers’ markets, you often can find the same vegetables that you find in the grocery store. The difference between the store and the farmers’ market is that you know exactly from where the vegetables and fruit come. You usually can talk directly to the person who grew them! What’s more, in addition to usually being able to save money, you can gain some satisfaction from knowing that you are contributing directly to local businesses!

There are plenty of bargains to be found for summertime meals!

For others, purchasing groceries is a multi-hour excursion. Stop at Store A to get produce because they have the freshest fruits and veggies. Go to Store B, as they are having a special on cereal this week. End at Store B, which though it’s the farthest from your house, it has a great deli.

I don’t fall into either of those categories. I shop at the chain grocery that is nearest my house for my weekly grocery needs. It’s a 5 minute drive but also has a decent selection of items that we like. However, although my go-to store is local, I also frequent Trader Joe’s, which is a 30 minute drive. I make the journey there about every other week.

I find that the time I invest in driving to Trader Joe’s is worth it. They have a more diverse selection of cheeses, nuts, and other items. Plus, they have extremely reasonable prices. And as an added bonus, they always offer samples of some creative food, which makes shopping with the kids more enjoyable.

With the interesting variety of foods they carry and great prices, Trader Joe’s is my favorite grocery store.

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