What are you doing to deal with the rising cost of groceries?

[Melanie_M]

For the most part I will make a grocery list pick the best sales from 2-4 grocery stores. Then stock up on some of the items that can be frozen. This seems to trim my food bills pretty good.

[Tweets77]

I attempt to keep the impulse buying to a minimum.

[coupon girl]

I stock up on sales ,try to utilize checkout51 and caddle along with regular cpn usage like and example today I got 1 kg jiff for .99 cents (it was on sale 4.99 at shoppers -2.00 cpn-1.50 checkout51 -.50 caddle=.99)
try to boost my optium points also by using some of my personal points offers

[Arjon]

I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but I've been shifting toward thinking more about portion size and cost in addition to cost per weight. This has been fairly illuminating. For example, spareribs at $2 a pound can cost more per meal than steak at $7 because I can easily eat 2 pounds (pre-cooked weight) of ribs, and am more likely to eat a small steak, especially if it's not served as a single piece of meat, than a small portion of ribs.

I like a big steak at times too, so I'm not saying steak always costs less, just that it can at times, which was less apparent when I used to focus more on just cost per weight.

[Ciel]

I have problems with impulse spending. While I may put on my list which reduced price produce or bakery item I'd like, sometimes I make a point to check the reduced bakery or produce carts in two stores a few times per week (since I'm passing said trio of stores almost daily) and I'll buy 1-2 things if I see something I don't usually find, instead of waiting for a big grocery shopping day. That said, that is how I'll find I need a chocolate bar or cookie or pop--then the $ fly out.

Flyer day-I sit and read through them. I still preview some main store flyers here given the various show/no show paper deliveries of late in my area. I will jot down specials of interest on a list then compare them to items I know we are out of of or almost out of. I seldom think of a grocery list in terms of set recipes, only one or two dishes if they have not been made for awhile. The hardest part of the specials vs needs comparison is knowing I'll only have Metro or Sobey's coupons/offers known to me on Thursday and having to wait until Sat to load my PC Plus offers or Shoppers offers. Yesterday I realized I cannot keep walking on Fridays to a more distant library branch-I've worn down one corner of a boot heel and I have to make these boots last the winter and snow to come.

[Ciel]

I rarely buy meat until that is an ingredient in bouillion cubes or canned soup like Campbells. Yes I miss tacos and pizza with ham but oh well.

[Arjon]

I have problems with impulse spending. While I may put on my list which reduced price produce or bakery item I'd like, sometimes I make a point to check the reduced bakery or produce carts in two stores a few times per week (since I'm passing said trio of stores almost daily) and I'll buy 1-2 things if I see something I don't usually find, instead of waiting for a big grocery shopping day.

We each need to find tricks that work or at least help us; there are no magic bullet-type tips that work all the time for everyone. One of mine is that I avoid looking at the reduced racks unless I'm actually looking for something I might find there. It doesn't have to be specific; for example, I'll check the bakery rack if I'm looking for something for dessert tonight, or to replace something I took out of the freezer and used. In the latter case, I may not even be looking for the same thing; e.g. I might buy a different type of dessert or bread from what I used up. But I won't look "on spec" with nothing at all in mind.

[Frugalbigmama]

We each need to find tricks that work or at least help us; there are no magic bullet-type tips that work all the time for everyone. One of mine is that I avoid looking at the reduced racks unless I'm actually looking for something I might find there. It doesn't have to be specific; for example, I'll check the bakery rack if I'm looking for something for dessert tonight, or to replace something I took out of the freezer and used. In the latter case, I may not even be looking for the same thing; e.g. I might buy a different type of dessert or bread from what I used up. But I won't look "on spec" with nothing at all in mind.

I shop with an open mind. I always check the meat section. And If I find a deal I stock up. With hungry men it will be eaten. I try to buy real food mostly so I don't find the costs too bad really. There is always fruit and veggies on sale.

[Ciel]

@Frugalbigmama -yes, you keep finding great meat deals when grocery shopping! I should make a point to stop at the meat dept. to see if there's a cycle as to which cuts or meat varieties get put on sale. I seldom go into that dept. unless hot dogs are on sale or I want an St. Hubert's frozen tourtiere.

I have noticed some price variation on reduced Granny Smith apples-4-6 large ones might sell for $2.49 at one store but another store might have a tray of 5 for about $1.99 or less. A third store had a tray of smaller GS apples for $1.57 and I bought it as it meant I had apples to eat daily plus two or three extra to use as I like.

I did pay full price for white pomegranates and must admit the milder flavor/sweetness was favourable to me. I plan to get the 2 for $5 special before it ends on Thursday at Longos.

While I did stock up on some 2L pop when each bottle was $1, the plan was to save them for next week, along with a carton of orange juice. The cola and 7Up have now been enjoyed due to carb cravings at night.

When snow sticks around on the ground, I will be less likely to use my cart for shopping unless the sidewalks are cleared. I'll have to be choosy what to carry in totes when wind chills are a factor>fingers go cold very quickly in such conditions.

In January, expect to see price hikes when Ontario min. wage goes up again. Imported items are likely to show the price increases.

[Arjon]

I shop with an open mind. I always check the meat section. And If I find a deal I stock up. With hungry men it will be eaten. I try to buy real food mostly so I don't find the costs too bad really. There is always fruit and veggies on sale.

Buying prepared food is too convenient for me to give up completely, but the trick I have that helps me to keep how much I buy down is simply having a limit on how many times per month I let myself serve it as a major element of a meal.

Doing this has also had a nice side benefit. I've stopped buying some prepared things completely, e.g. frozen pizzas. I've replaced them with flatbread pizzas (I usually buy the flatbreads, but sometimes even make dough), which are only a bit more work while being tastier and allowing for much more variety. The cost per meal is roughly the same, but I get more and/or preferable toppings.

[sweetmomma]

Have been buying more frozen than fresh or diff alternatives. For example, different options to put in the kids school lunches for snacks.

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[Frugalbigmama]

Buying prepared food is too convenient for me to give up completely, but the trick I have that helps me to keep how much I buy down is simply having a limit on how many times per month I let myself serve it as a major element of a meal.

Doing this has also had a nice side benefit. I've stopped buying some prepared things completely, e.g. frozen pizzas. I've replaced them with flatbread pizzas (I usually buy the flatbreads, but sometimes even make dough), which are only a bit more work while being tastier and allowing for much more variety. The cost per meal is roughly the same, but I get more and/or preferable toppings.

For me it is more about our health then convenience. I prefer to prep my own food.

[Frugalbigmama]

I have problems with impulse spending. While I may put on my list which reduced price produce or bakery item I'd like, sometimes I make a point to check the reduced bakery or produce carts in two stores a few times per week (since I'm passing said trio of stores almost daily) and I'll buy 1-2 things if I see something I don't usually find, instead of waiting for a big grocery shopping day. That said, that is how I'll find I need a chocolate bar or cookie or pop--then the $ fly out.

Flyer day-I sit and read through them. I still preview some main store flyers here given the various show/no show paper deliveries of late in my area. I will jot down specials of interest on a list then compare them to items I know we are out of of or almost out of. I seldom think of a grocery list in terms of set recipes, only one or two dishes if they have not been made for awhile. The hardest part of the specials vs needs comparison is knowing I'll only have Metro or Sobey's coupons/offers known to me on Thursday and having to wait until Sat to load my PC Plus offers or Shoppers offers. Yesterday I realized I cannot keep walking on Fridays to a more distant library branch-I've worn down one corner of a boot heel and I have to make these boots last the winter and snow to come.

I bought a 3lb bag of gala apples for $2.97 at Food Basics on Friday. They are a nice small size perfect for the youngest. He has almost finished the bag already. Will pop in for another tonight!

[Arjon]

For me it is more about our health then convenience. I prefer to prep my own food.

Me too. The large majority of people I know buy substantially more prepared food than I do or ever have. I understand they have their reasons, so this is just an observation with no intent to suggest they should think and act more like I do.

That said, the little trick of setting a limit per month still helped me to reduce our consumption. I simply counted for a couple of months, then set the number a little lower. And I happen to be stubborn enough to stick by it.

[Arjon]

While YMMV vary, I shop more often than I used to on Wednesdays after mid-afternoon. I've found that a couple of stores in my area mark down the advertised prices of various items in the flyer that is about to end. Not everything of course, and sometimes nothing at all; I assume it happens with things that sold less than expected.

Some of the resulting deals are very good money-savers. The latest example was this week. I got lean ground beef for a fraction of a cent over $1 a pound at No Frills. They had marked initially it down by half from the $2.88 flyer price, then pink-stickered it at an additional 30% off by late afternoon. I wasn't even there for LGB, but after seeing it had a best before date of Sunday, I bought ~12 pounds, mostly to re-stock the freezer. I may have gotten there just in time; a few minutes later, I saw maybe half a dozen people around the case grabbing at the remaining packages.