Tag: reduce food waste

Hi Savvys,

Going to the store to do my weekly grocery shop used to be my alone time where I could spend hours exploring all of the products of various grocery stores on a any given week.  I used to not really set myself a budget or a grocery list and would shop till my heart’s content.

Since COVID and having 2 babies, grocery shopping is still my alone time but it looks a little different now adays.  I now shop within a schedule and with intention: if I am not utilizing online grocery, then I am limiting myself to 1 store a week, and 2 every other week for a bigger grocery shop.  Of course, I now set myself a budget.

Since creating this new routine, I wanted to share my tips on how to beat inflation and stick to a budget when grocery shopping for a family of 4!  Check out my video for a grocery haul where I was able to spend under $50 at Real Canadian Superstore and Walmart for the week.

A few things to keep in mind:

• In 2022, we spent about $12,000 in total on groceries, which averages to about $1000 a month.
• This year, our budget is $600 a month, which I think is still realistic and I will get into why in the next bullet point
• Our current budget for restaurants is only about $120 a month; last year we were under budget for this (only spent about $1000 for the year), which is why we overspent in groceries.  This year, we plan on utilizing our budget for restaurants more, so we decreased it for groceries.
• We consider all consumable goods such as diapers, toilet paper and laundry detergent as part of our grocery bill
• We are primarily plant-based at home and our protein sources include tofu, beans and meat-alternatives.  I also stock up and freeze when they are on sale so I do not necessarily purchase these on a weekly basis.
• I am currently on maternity leave, so my shopping habits are slightly different than when I am working full time
• We are a family of 4: 2 adults and 2 under the age of 4.  Your budget will look different based on the age of your children and activity level of your family

Here are my tips for beating inflation when grocery shopping:

1. Order Groceries Online – I limit myself to one online grocery order per month and use this as my monthly stock up.  I like to utilize online grocery ordering to help keep us in a budget since it’s easier to set a budget and add/delete items according to need and priority.  It also saves me so much time since I will slowly add items during the month, and the week of my order, I will check the weekly flyers and adjust my cart accordingly.  I budget myself $400 max for my monthly pantry stock up, giving me a remaining $200 for the next 3 weeks on smaller stock up trips.  I mainly shop at www.walmart.ca for all of my online grocery needs.
2. Minimize how often you shop – as mentioned, I limit myself to 1 trip a week and 2 trips in the week where I have to do our monthly stock up.  This is an easy way to keep me on budget and more manageable since I know I get to spend roughly $60 that week on that trip.  Keep in mind that the fewer trips to the store you make, the fewer opportunity there are to spend money and go over budget!
3. Don’t be afraid of the clearance section – half of the time, the clearance section has items that are almost about the be expired but still good to consume that week (or frozen for a later use).  The other half of the time, the clearance section will contain products that have been discontinued by the store so they need to clear it out to make room for new product, however its best before and expiration dates are still well into the future.
4. Buy in Bulk – when you buy in bulk, the cost per unit/gram ends up being cheaper than when buying the smaller format.  You are also reducing your carbon footprint by purchasing in bulk since there is less package being used per unit/gram of that item.  I do recommend only purchasing in bulk on items that you consume regularly or that have a longer shelf life to reduce any potential food waste.
5. Shop store brands – store brands are usually made from larger national brand just with a different labeling on top.  You can save money by shopping store/private label brands without sacrificing on quality or taste!  At RCSS and No Frills, I like their naturally imperfect produce since you can get a large amount for a cheap price.  Walmart’s Great Value brand has lots of great pantry items and I always buy this brand when doing my pantry stock up on flours, spices and snacks.
6. Shop what’s on sale.  My boys go through berries like little monsters and if I purchased them every week without looking to see what’s on sale, that means I could be buying a pint of blueberries for over $7!  Since I limit our berry intake to what’s on sale, I can easily save 50% of normal retail value when shopping only what’s on sale.  I also love finding meal inspiration based on what produce is available and on sale that week and this also ensures that my family is getting a variety of nutrition by changing it up every week!
7. Price Match – most retailers have a list of stores they are willing to price match from and usually have a maximum quantity that you can price match, however I highly recommend utilizing apps like Flipp to search items that you can easily price match.  This will save you time by consolidating your shopping trips as well as money by keeping you on track for your budget.
8. Flash Food App – I love this app because it allows me to research clearance items before hand and stock up where I can!  For example, whenever I see that there is medium to firm tofu available on this app, usually it is listed for $1 when regular retail is over $3.  I am able to save over 66% by shopping our protein staples and freezing them so that they are always available on hand.  This means that on a monthly basis, I may not even need to replenish our plant-based proteins because I already have a well stocked reserve in the freezer. Use code JESSS1PW for $3 off your first order over $15

Now set forth and be savvy!