101 Ways to Stretch Your Food Budget

Food prices are going up, up, up! But here are lots of ways — 101 of them — to shave off pennies, dimes and dollars from your food costs.

1.Remember, the most expensive food is the food that goes to waste. That bargain price isn’t a good buy if the food sits in your pantry until it goes bad.

Before you shop:

2. See where your money is really going. For a week, track what your family actually spends on food. Include work lunches, restaurant meals, delivery fees and tips, vending-machine snacks, and convenience store stops.

3. Have a plan. Jot down simple dinner ideas for the week, and post it on the fridge. Having a simple plan ends the 5 p.m. “what’s for dinner?” scramble and keeps you from rushing for takeout.

4. Sit down with the weekly ads that come in the mail, or your grocery store’s online ads. Take note of the “loss leaders,” where the store takes a loss on a sale item in order to lead you into the store. If asparagus is advertised for $1.69 cents a pound, this is the week to buy (instead of next month when it’s back to $3.99 a pound).

5. Compile a shopping list between your dinner plans and grocery sale items. If your store has a digital deals app, check that too. Never go shopping without a list! Having the ingredients you need for the week eliminates extra trips to the store, where more impulse items can end up in your grocery cart.

6. To save time, compile a basic shopping list of things you usually buy on a weekly basis, such as milk, lettuce, etc., on your phone, or make printed copies. Organize the list by the store layout. Then it’s just a matter of adding in extra items from your weekly meal plans.

7. Weigh the cost versus convenience of ordering groceries. It costs more, but does it keep you more organized and from buying impulse items? Or save your sanity from shopping with toddlers? There are trade-offs.

8. Get out of the dinner rut. Check out websites, blogs, cookbooks, magazines or local cooking classes for new ideas.

9. Consider making from scratch some of the things you usually buy ready-made, such as brownies or salad dressing. Add up your costs. Sometimes you’ll save money, but other times the ready-made version is less expensive by the time you buy all the ingredients.

10. Dip into your food storage sitting in your basement. Bulk items like powdered milk, rice, and beans should be rotated before they get old and lose quality. For a guide to using old food storage, check here. For a way to use old juice drink mix (yes, there really are some uses!), check here.

Shopping:

11. Time and gasoline are costly resources. Don’t worry about driving to save 30 cents on a can of tomatoes at one store and 25 cents on a loaf of bread at another. If you’re buying a case of canned goods, it might make more sense.

12. Consider the overall perks when choosing where to shop. Some stores offer credit cards with rebates, discounts on gas, digital coupons, etc. Some have a pharmacy, making it convenient to pick up prescriptions and groceries at the same time.

13. Club warehouses like Costco and Sam’s can save money, but use your judgement. Can you use a vat-size bottle of salad dressing, or 24 cartons of yogurt before it goes bad?

14. At Costco or Sam’s Club, try any samples offered, especially when it’s a product you’re not familiar with. That way, you can tell if you’ll like it BEFORE you bring home a giant package of it.

15. To cure yourself of impulse shopping, challenge yourself to make a meal using up items that you bought on impulse and are now sitting unused in your pantry. Capers, anyone? Or donate them to a food bank before their “best by” date passes, so someone will be able to use them.

16. Consider pooling your resources with a group of friends or family to buy large amounts (such as a half of a beef or bags of potatoes, or Mexican vanilla) directly from farmers or wholesalers, and share the cost.

17. Consider delivered meal kits such as Citrus Pear, Beehive Meals, Hello Fresh, and Wild Grains. Although typically they cost more than from-scratch dinners, they might keep you from spending more on restaurant meals, and serve as “training wheels” to hone your cooking skills.

18. Consider ordering groceries and picking them up, or having them delivered. There may be a fee, but it could help you to plan meals, and keep you from spending on impulse items at the store.

19. Statistics show that people buy more when they are hungry or accompanied by children. Have a meal or snack before you go, and try to leave the kids home. (On the flip side, grocery shopping can be a good learning experience for kids when you have the time; let them find the coupon items and show them how to compare prices.)

20. Don’t dawdle. Studies show that the longer you’re wandering through the store, the more you’ll spend.

21. Avoid convenience stores. They have higher prices and few specials, and most of what they sell is candy, soda, and chips, that you probably don’t need anyway.

22. Spice blends (taco mix, BBQ, steak seasoning, etc.) can be costly, and often contain a high percentage of salt – the cheapest ingredient. Besides making your food salty enough to choke a horse, it’s hard on people watching their sodium intake. Try making your own spice blends to cut costs and control the amount of salt. For recipes, check https://chewandchat.com/2017/12/make-spice-rubs-and-seasonings-for-neighbor-gifts.html.

Typically the way to figure out the salt content when buying seasoning products is to read the ingredients list on the label. If salt is the first ingredient, the mix contains more salt than anything else. But some manufacturers get around this by listing “spices” first, since all the spices together are greater than the amount of salt. So watch for this ploy, too.

23. Try “catch-and-release” shopping with high-end items. Put that bottle of high-end, extra-virgin olive oil in the cart, and while you finish the rest of your purchases, ask yourself if it’s something you can live without. Then before you check out, put it back on the shelf. After all, dreaming is free. (However, if you end up convincing yourself to buy these things, or you forget to put them back, this method isn’t for you!)

Coupons

24. Check the coupon inserts in your Sunday newspaper ads for products you usually buy. (Although they don’t have as many good coupons these days.) Clip and keep them in an envelope in your purse so you can easily find them to use.

25. Check other sources for coupons and discounts: digital deals on store apps, brand websites, the back of store receipts, home mailers, or “peelies” that are stuck on the product itself.

26. Sometimes a brand name with a coupon is still more expensive than a generic brand. And resist buying things you may not ever use, just because you have a coupon for it.

27. Some grocery stores match competitor coupons if you have the advertisement with you.

Cereals & baked goods

26. One reason people avoid buying cheaper bagged cereals is because they’re hard to store and pour. Store them in a plastic pitcher with a pour spout.

27. Consider how much you could save by cooking whole grains for breakfast instead of cold breakfast cereal. A single mother of three cut her breakfast costs from $1,000 per year to $58 per year by cooking cracked whole wheat, bought in bulk from Honeyville Grain. (You can also use the wheat in your food storage — just cook in simmering water until it’s soft and chewy.)

28. Buy whole-grain cereals and breads. They’re more filling, so you are satisfied with less. And they’re better for you.

29. Go ’90s retro and pull out your old bread machine (or find one at a thrift shop.) Besides bread, it can be used for rolls and pizza dough.

30. Make croutons or bread crumbs from day-old bread or hotdog buns. Add seasonings to the bread crumbs and use as a “shake-and-bake” chicken or seafood coating.

31. If you’re not sure how an unfamiliar spice or herb will taste in a dish, ladle a half cup of the soup or pasta sauce etc., into a cup, and stir in a pinch of the seasoning. Wait a minute and then taste it. If you don’t like the flavor, you’ve only ruined a half-cup of the food instead of the whole batch.

32. Bake muffins from scratch and freeze for on-the-go breakfasts. Even if you use a mix, you’ll still save over bakery prices.

Produce

33. Buy fruits and vegetables in season when they’re cheaper and taste fresher. When compared to the price per pound of meat, cheese, chocolate, etc., they’re usually a nutritional bargain.

34. If you’re preparing a commercial meal kit — whether it’s Hello Fresh or the humble Hamburger Helper — toss in a few more veggies. Chopped bell peppers, celery, carrots, broccoli or peas add color, flavor and nutrition, and can help stretch the meal into more servings.

35. Ready-prepped veggies usually cost more, but may be worth it if you actually use those shredded carrots or sliced mushrooms. A USDA study found that vegetables have the highest throw-away rate of any food group, and more than a half-pound of fruits and vegetables are tossed out daily by the average household.

36. A bag of chopped iceberg lettuce salad usually costs more than a head of lettuce that you clean and chop yourself. But if bagged salad greens keep you from buying restaurant salads, there’s still a savings.

37. When lettuce prices are high, consider making cabbage, spinach, carrot or broccoli salads.

38. Grow small pots of your favorite herbs year-round in your kitchen window. It’s so convenient to cut a few sprigs as needed, and small packets of fresh herbs can cost $2-$4 in grocery stores. You can also dry your home-grown basil, oregano, etc. to use later.

39. If you’ve no space, time or water to plant a whole garden, add a few strawberry or tomato plants to your flower beds. You have to weed and water the the flower beds anyway. Or add a fruit tree to your back yard.

40. Yellow onions are often 25-50 cents less per pound than red (purple) onions or sweet onions. Use them in this easy, thrifty French onion soup.

41. When your favorite fresh vegetables are off season, look for canned and frozen versions. Do the math and figure out which offers the best price per serving.

42. Beans are an inexpensive protein. Add them to tacos, casseroles, salads, etc., so you can use less meat. Dried beans are often less than half the price of canned beans. But they take time to cook. Cook a couple of batches in your slow cooker at a time; then portion and freeze for later use. Add pinch of baking soda to the cooking water to soften the beans more quickly.

43. Learn some winning ways with zucchini, it’s the most-given-away veggie in Utah. You can use it as a stealth veggie, with chopped bits on pizza or in stir-fries or pasta dishes. Or just put it front-and-center, with recipes for Thai Crunch Salad, Zucchini Scalloped Potatoes, Parmesan Zucchini Crisps, Zucchini Bacon Soup, Impossible Zucchini Pie.

44. Vegetables frozen in butter or cheese sauce usually cost more than plain frozen vegetables, and they have more fat and calories. Buy plain, and you can control the amount of butter.

45. Are you (or your family members) willing to put in some sweat equity? Some CSA farms (community supported agriculture) offer a share of the crops in exchange for help with the picking and sorting. And be alert to neighbors who are overwhelmed with too many cherries or apricots and just want someone to pick them.

46. Serve a vegetable “medley” when you have small amounts of several different vegetables that could go to waste. Mix together and microwave, and top with a little cheese or a sprinkle of nuts.

47. In the summer, stop at local roadside stands or farmers markets. The price may or may not be cheaper than your grocery store, but often the locally grown corn, tomatoes, etc. taste better.

48. Add a handful of fresh spinach to your homemade smoothies. It may not look as pretty, but adds more nutrients. It has a mild flavor, so the smoothie doesn’t taste any different. AND, bagged fresh spinach can also be frozen to use in smoothies later. That way, you don’t have to waste a half a bag of spinach if you don’t get around to using it. Here’s Spinach Strawberry Smoothie recipe.

Dairy

49. Unless you buy powdered milk in bulk for a price break (or you already have it sitting in your food storage), you won’t save much money over fresh milk. Plus that, it tastes chalky, although you don’t notice it as much in soups or sauces. (Save it for the famine.)

50. Buy a large container of flavored yogurt and divide it into portions yourself. A 32-ounce container, at $4.99, yields five 6-ounce portions for about $1 per serving. The same brand in single-serve containers was $1.25 cents each.

51. Although the price of eggs has skyrocketed lately, a $4.50 carton of eggs can still supply a protein-rich meal. Scramble them with leftovers such as chopped ham, crumbled bacon, chopped peppers, onions etc. Or make an individual Mountain Man breakfast-in-a-mug. Also, check around for neighbors who keep chickens and want to sell their excess eggs.

52. If you use margarine instead of butter to cut costs, only use 100 percent-fat margarine for baking. Lower-fat spreads have water and fillers that bake up poorly, and when poured over popcorn turn it to mush. Save the less-expensive spreads for your toast.

53. There is little, if any, nutritional difference between brown and white eggs; it just depends on the color of the hen. White eggs (laid by white-feathered hens) often cost less.

54. Freeze butter, still wrapped in its packaging, to keep its flavor. Grate it, frozen, over toast, baked potatoes, etc. for portion control.

55. Finely shred cheese when topping pizzas, grilled ham and cheese, etc. You’ll use less.

56. Often a grocery store will have a “bargain” area of high-end cheeses with soon-to-expire sell-by dates. You can try some interesting cheeses for a lot less; but be prepared to use them in the next couple days. Ditto for the meat section.

Meat

57. Unless they’re on special, chicken breasts are usually more expensive than dark meat. Try boneless skinless thighs instead. The dark meat is more moist and flavorful.

58. Take a cue from restaurant chefs who can make a small portion of seafood, meat or chicken look plentiful. Slice it thinly and fan out the slices, usually on top of a mound of rice, veggies or potatoes.

59. Tough cuts of meat are usually cheaper. Place a beef brisket in your slow cooker in the morning and by dinner time you’ll have tender beef (and a tantalizing aroma in your kitchen). Or use your Instant Pot to tenderize beef more quickly. Use the leftovers for Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, beef stroganoff or this Root Beer-Braised Vegetable Beef Stew.

60. Don’t throw out your bacon drippings. Refrigerate and try some suggestions from an article in a past “Every Day With Rachael Ray” magazine: Stir it into grits, saute bread cubes in it for croutons, add to cornbread batter, add to barbecue sauce, or brush on ribs or chicken while they’re cooking.

61. Compare meat costs by servings, not pounds. Bony meats are cheaper per pound, but they yield fewer edible servings than boneless meats.

62. Compare costs for buying ready-cooked versus raw. A store-cooked rotisserie chicken at $5 is actually cheaper than buying a raw, 5-pound whole raw chicken at $1.50 per pound and cooking it at home.

63. Whether you roast the chicken or buy it already roasted, use the bones for bone broth. Ditto for roast turkey. Place the carcass and bits of meat in your slower cooker, cover with water, and let it simmer for several hours, or overnight for “bone broth.” Toss in bits of chopped onion, carrots or celery to boost the flavor. Let the liquid simmer with the lid off to condense. Freeze for the next time you make soup. You’ll never need to buy packaged broth again.

64. Buy ground beef in a bulk package to get a better price. When you get home, divide meal-size portions in zip-lock bags and freeze.

65. You can also buy a large bulk package of meat or poultry, and cook it all at once. Freeze the cooked beef, pork, chicken, etc in dinner-size portions. You’ll also save both money and cooking time.

Canned goods

66. Big cans or packages are often cheaper, but not always. Check the price per unit guide on the grocery shelf, which shows the cost per ounce. Also, consider how you use the product. If you buy a big can of tomato sauce, use half and end up wasting the rest, you’re better off buying the small can in the first place.

67. What to do with the last of the jam or jelly jar: Pour in some milk, refrigerate for a little while to loosen the jam stuck to the jar sides, and shake into a fruit-flavored drink.

68. Generic brands are usually cheaper than brand-name products. But try one package or can first, before you invest in a whole case, to make sure it appeals to your family.

69. Stockpile pantry items you normally use, such as spaghetti sauce or pasta, when they’re on sale. Keep a list of quick-fix possibilities on the inside of your cupboard door, such as spaghetti, meatball sub sandwiches, baked tortellini, etc.

Snacks

70. Invest in a popcorn popper. You can make up to 10 times as much air-popped popcorn for the same price as microwave-bag popcorn. And it’s only a few minutes more time. You’ll have to add you own butter and salt, but you have more control over the amounts.

71. When making s’mores, instead of buying chocolate bars and graham crackers, place the marshmallow between two chocolate-striped cookies. A package of Keebler Fudge Shoppe cookies is approximately $4-5 and makes about a dozen s’mores. You’d spend at least that much money on chocolate bars alone.

72. Re-think your drink. If you normally drink even one can of soda per day, even at 50 cents per can, you could pocket more than $180 a year by drinking water instead. If you’re going for a Swig, Fizz or convenience store drink each day, you could easily save more than $400 a year.

73. Make your own coffee at home or work. Besides saving a couple of dollars per cup, you’ll save a lot of time (and fuel) waiting in drive-throughs.

74. Take a tips from health spas: thinly slice half of a cucumber into a pitcher of water and chill it in the fridge for a refreshing pick-me-up instead of soda pop. It costs about 50 cents per pitcher, and is more healthy than a soda. You can also try this with citrus slices, but the rind can start give off a bitter taste after awhile.

75. Every time you have a few leftover strawberries, peach slices, etc., store them in the same zip-lock bag in the freezer. Then every so often, whir them all together in the blender for a smoothie.

76. If you like the look of designer bottled water, buy it once and keep refilling with tap water, which is free. Many bottled waters cost more per gallon than gasoline, which is saying a lot these days.

77. Use food as a reward sparingly. Make treats more significant by using them only for special occasions. With obesity on the rise, most people don’t need them on a regular basis.

78. Nip nighttime snacks. Go to bed a half-hour earlier to keep yourself from that handful of chips or bowl of ice cream while watching the late shows. Your waistline will thank you.

Storage

79. Keep an eye on your pantry inventory so you use up all the pancake mix or corn syrup, etc. before buying more.

80. Oil goes rancid fairly quickly. Unless you use it often, buy in small quantities or refrigerate after using.

81. Post a “must use” list on the fridge to remind yourself of the half-empty can of pineapple, three hot dogs, etc. that will go bad quickly.

82. Label leftovers with date and contents before putting them in the freezer (stick-on address labels make it easy). You’ll actually use your leftovers instead of having mystery containers stuck in the back of the freezer.

In the kitchen

83. Use smaller plates. Studies show that when people are served on larger plates, they take larger servings, whether they’re really hungry or not.

84. One night a week, have leftover night. Pull out all the leftovers from other meals — the half-cup of spaghetti sauce, the slices of ham or stray chicken breast, the chunk of cheese, the corn or peas. Bake some potatoes and let everyone pick the leftovers for toppings.

85. Pack a lunch from dinner leftovers for the next day, instead of eating out for lunch.

86. Use meals to stretch your entertainment dollars. Go on a picnic in a park, do a backyard barbecue, get out the Dutch oven pots, have a hot dog roast at a campsite, or go fishing and then cook your catch.

87. When serving a crowd buffet-style, put the low-cost items, such as salad, pasta or rolls, at the beginning of the line. Station the most expensive item — usually the protein — near the end. Guests will usually fill up on the lower cost items and take a smaller portion of the meat or cheese.

87. Have meatless Monday meals. Meat is usually the most expensive ingredient.

88. Homemade soups are a good way to use leftover meat and vegetables. Their liquid content also makes them filling and satisfying. Here are links to recipes for Chicken Vegetable Soup, Salsa Chicken Soup, Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup, Pumpkin Curry Coconut Soup, Slow Cooker Nacho Chicken Soup,

89. Pasta or rice can stretch small amounts of protein into a meal. Throw in chopped chicken or ham, or even peanut butter, as I did for this Thai Peanut Linguine. Add veggies like diced peppers, shredded carrots, ribbons of spinach or basil, peas, chopped tomatoes, etc. for a one-pot dinner.

90. Instead of soda pop, juice, punch, milk or juice at meals, serve a pitcher of ice water. Your family will fill up on the actual food, not on the drink.

91. Use small appliances, such as the microwave, slow-cooker and electric grill as much as possible; they use less electricity than a stovetop or oven. When you use your oven, cook a couple of different items at once to make use of the heat (baking rolls while roasting carrots, for instance).

92. Don’t open the oven door to preview baking food. Each time you open it, the temperature drops by 25-50 degrees. It takes longer to cook your food and adds to your energy bill.

Dining out

93. Use your gift cards soon after getting them. Some have expiration dates, or you forget to use them.

94 Look for coupons and dining deals through restaurant websites, social media and newspaper ads.

95. Go out to lunch instead of dinner, when many restaurants’ entree prices are often a few dollars less. Some restaurants (such as Texas Roadhouse) offer Early Bird specials, where certain entrees are at a discount around 5 or 6 p.m.

96. If a full-course dinner comes with soup, salad, drink and dessert, it’s only a great buy if you really want (or need) all that. You may be satisfied ordering an a la carte entree without the extras. Ditto combo meals in fast-food restaurants — do you really need the drink or fries with your sandwich?

97. Guard against up-sell, when you’re asked if you want guacamole with your taco, extra cheese for the fondue, or beef brisket instead of pork. If it costs extra, you might not want it that much.

98. At fast-food restaurants, order a kids’ meal for yourself (if there’s no age limit). Most of the time, you’re getting a more appropriate portion of food (and a toy to boot!).

99. Watch beverage costs. Alcoholic drinks can double your tab, but even soft drinks can add $12-16 to the bill for a family of six. Water is a healthier choice anyway. Be sure to specify “tap” water, some restaurants may bring you bottled water at $4 or $5 per bottle.

100. If you feel you can’t afford to tip, choose a fast-food or fast-casual eatery where tipping isn’t expected. In sit-down restaurants (in Utah), servers’ salaries are below minimum wage, and they depend on tips to make up the difference. So, skimping on the tip isn’t appropriate.

101. Consider delivery fees versus your time and driving costs. If you’re paying $10-$15 to have DoorDash or Uber Eats delivered to your doorstep, is it worth it? You could pick up your own takeout and pocket the charges.