What are your secrets ...

[Kiva]

to keeping your budget down for things that almost never have coupons .i.e. fresh produce, meat etc.

I'm really curious to know what other people do.

I'd have to say my favorite is .... Chinatown markets! They are awesome!

[screamy]

If I had a deep freezer, I would buy stuff in season, blanch it, and store it.

Sometimes people get the "reduced for quick sale" produce and either cook it that day (good idea, but I find it to be sort of a hit and miss kind of thing; you don't know whether or not you'll find what you're looking for...but I check even though I have yet to be successful!) or freeze/etc. whatever it is. If there was one thing I would love to be able to preserve and use later, it would be leafy veggies - lettuce, spinach, mixed greens, etc. - that I could put in salads. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be possible.

I am too paranoid about meat to use the reduced stuff, after reading about how stuff gets bleached/repackaged/etc. at some stores.

[guccigoo22]

I agree with the smaller markets! I have a great one in uptown White Rock, whose prices are sometimes 50% cheaper than any supermarket!

I also make mealplans 1-2 weeks in advance (on a dry erase calander).

I shop fresh, twice a week, so that the veggies don't wilt, and I can keep up with all the fruits my girlies devour!

I think it's important to note price per pound, and compare to the "big bags" one can buy. Sometomes the 3/5 pound bags of apples/oranges are more expensive, than buying them loose, or vice versa (depends on the sale lol)

The same could be said for bulk items.

[cookoo]

1) keep a veggie garden.
2) shop frequently at chinese food markets. and no i don't mean chinatown, as the veggies there are not really cheap and the meats are gross.
3) wait for meat sales. metro is the best.

[Stephanya]

My brother planted a HUGE garden at his new house so i get to raid it and freeze whatever veggies and fruit I want once they are ready. But for now I only buy what I KNOW we will use. Lettuce is usually $0.97 a head. Bags of oranges when they are onsale. Same with everything else. Extra foods usually has eggs on super cheap. They have no name pasta for $0.87 a bag. And I try to buy the cheapest chicken possible. The other day they had chicken drumsticks (about 20 in the pkg) for $11. I just try to buy everything on sale.

[mimi-]

the best way is start your own garden. cheaper and tastier also, buy on sale and eat only the veggies in season. i find that the quality of the produce in chinatown very hit and miss. most of the time, you get what you paid for. at it's worst, the produce can look good and all but have no flavour. i remember some odd 10 years there used to be a place that sold 20 cobs of corn for $1. the corn looked perfectly fine on the outside but had no flavour. only good for filling the stomach. at best, their quality is on par with no frills. usually the good tasting stuff is very ripe and needs to be eaten asap. i've heard the chinese supermarkets get their produce in a lot of rejects or excess after it's been picked over by the western supermarkets.

[Kiva]

If I had a deep freezer, I would buy stuff in season, blanch it, and store it.
I am too paranoid about meat to use the reduced stuff, after reading about how stuff gets bleached/repackaged/etc. at some stores.

I plan to actually use our freezer this year. I know shame on me.
Can you explain about the "bleached/repackaged/etc." comment. please

I also make mealplans 1-2 weeks in advance (on a dry erase calander).

Wow you are super organized.

1) keep a veggie garden.
2) shop frequently at chinese food markets. and no i don't mean chinatown, as the veggies there are not really cheap and the meats are gross.
3) wait for meat sales. metro is the best.

I agree. We planted a small veggie garden (especially for tomatoes) this year. I'm not brave enough to shop for meat in CT - I avoid that section.

But for now I only buy what I KNOW we will use.

This is the best advice - its not a deal if it goes in the garbage.
p.s. Lucky you with the garden goodies. Score!

i find that the quality of the produce in chinatown very hit and miss. most of the time, you get what you paid for. at it's worst, the produce can look good and all but have no flavour. i remember some odd 10 years there used to be a place that sold 20 cobs of corn for $1. the corn looked perfectly fine on the outside but had no flavour. only good for filling the stomach. at best, their quality is on par with no frills. usually the good tasting stuff is very ripe and needs to be eaten asap. i've heard the chinese supermarkets get their produce in a lot of rejects or excess after it's been picked over by the western supermarkets.

Yes, Chinatown can definitely be hit or miss. We live close to one and are familiar with delivery day. I've purchased stuff that was fantastic (meaning flavor&quality) one week and disappointing the next - probably because I didn't pay attention to the day of the week.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

[sweet sparrow]

I love Chinatown markets. I can't go anymore because I moved out of the area, but I found the best fruits and vegetables there. I have never been able to spend $10 on a week's worth of groceries since. For the freshest produce, you have to shop at 10 AM, when it's being unloaded from the trucks and still chilled when poured into the boxes. Skip the stuff that looks wilted, but what I found was almost always fresher than what I can find at Fortinos, Sobeys, RCSS, etc. now.

Once, one lady in front of me in the checkout loaded her cart to overflowing and her total came to $30. She asked the cashier to check again because she thought that was way overpriced. :D

[Kiva]

Once, one lady in front of me in the checkout loaded her cart to overflowing and her total came to $30. She asked the cashier to check again because she thought that was way overpriced. :D

I've seen that too! I thought she'd be happy but nope she wanted to save even more money.

[blueeyetea]

Keep a list of recipes that use pantry staples and buy these items on sale as much as you can.

For example, I have a recipe for white chili that I make often. For it, I always keep turkey ground meat in the freezer and a can of kidney beans in my pantry, plus the onions and peppers that I always buy on a regular basis. Another recipe is salmon pie: canned salmon, potatoes, onions, milk and flour.

To keep food costs down, cut down on meat if you can.

[TheSaltyDog]

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