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

[Silk]

With grocery prices skyrocketing, I thought we could share our tips and strategies...


Right now I'm using a lot of stuff in my stockpile, including food in my freezer

I'm also thinking of using my PC MC more over my Optimum MC, so I can use the pcplus points toward groceries. MY SDM doesn't have produce or a lot of the groceries I buy (or their prices are too high).

Silk

[Silk]

Fyi, Jasperandchar posted some interesting reads about food price increase in this thread:

http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/412698-...-201-a-canada/

Silk

[jasperandchar]

@Silk very sweet of you

[walkonby]

yes, it is on everyone's mind, tough not to get swept up in a panic isn't it? For the most part we are good. ( although that would never prevent me from complaining about the high price of celery! lol ) But I guess what we are doing is just being careful what we bring home now more than before. No mindless shopping, no dropping a few of this or that into the cart on a whim or craving.
Asking myself the tough questions as I shop like " are we really going to use it all up before it turns " and do we need THAT item or can we substitute it with something else for it in the recipe?
Small changes may just find us stretching our dollar further.

[Silk]

^ Walks, I like what you said about not shopping mindlessly and using things before they turn. I have to admit that I have tossed out my share of produce that has gone bad before I was able to use it up I'm going to start limiting how much fresh produce I have in the fridge at one time.

Silk

[kfair]

I've been googling things like "How to eat like it's the Great Depression"

Kidding... sort of. Substituting things for cheaper versions, making more soups, using more cabbage... Putting my Grandma's 'use-it-up' tricks to work, like making bubble and squeak.

I've always shopped to a specific list based on a meal plan, but the meal plan was always based on what I felt like cooking and if it coincided with a sale or pricematch, then great. Now I'm planning the meals based on what's cheap or on sale that week.

[walkonby]

I've been googling things like "How to eat like it's the Great Depression"

Kidding... sort of. Substituting things for cheaper versions, making more soups, using more cabbage... Putting my Grandma's 'use-it-up' tricks to work, like making bubble and squeak.

I've always shopped to a specific list based on a meal plan, but the meal plan was always based on what I felt like cooking and if it coincided with a sale or pricematch, then great. Now I'm planning the meals based on what's cheap or on sale that week.

oh!! @kfair yes!! I forgot to say that is what we have usually done too. We scour the sales first, see what is the cheapest THEN plan meals around that stuff. I sure would get ornery at times whenever DH would decide to be " Chefmaster " for the weekend and what he wanted to make meant buying ALL new grocery items??!

[Frugalbigmama]

I keep an open mind when shopping. Went to RCSS to get a request for DS. Decided I was going to redeem $20 in PC pts since it was a splurge shop. Only $8 for DS (4 packs of pizza pockets in the kind he likes- I will hide and bring out now and again lol)
So had to spend $12 more to hit $20. Found gift pack of FUJI apples on for $5 with a 30 percent sticker (12 good size apples) Figured it was a good deal. Cashier tried to charge me per apple lol Rang in at $89 lol. Then she realized I was right, it was $5 for the case. She couldn't do the discount so rang it in for $2.50! So shop the sales but if you find a deal/clearance adjust your shopping accordingly!

[Frugalbigmama]

oh!! @kfair yes!! I forgot to say that is what we have usually done too. We scour the sales first, see what is the cheapest THEN plan meals around that stuff. I sure would get ornery at times whenever DH would decide to be " Chefmaster " for the weekend and what he wanted to make meant buying ALL new grocery items??!

I have one of those. He doesn't price match or care of price for "date night" He is getting better. (he use to hide the meat package when he would buy from butcher etc lol)

[Silk]

I keep an open mind when shopping. Went to RCSS to get a request for DS. Decided I was going to redeem $20 in PC pts since it was a splurge shop. Only $8 for DS (4 packs of pizza pockets in the kind he likes- I will hide and bring out now and again lol)
So had to spend $12 more to hit $20. Found gift pack of FUJI apples on for $5 with a 30 percent sticker (12 good size apples) Figured it was a good deal. Cashier tried to charge me per apple lol Rang in at $89 lol. Then she realized I was right, it was $5 for the case. She couldn't do the discount so rang it in for $2.50! So shop the sales but if you find a deal/clearance adjust your shopping accordingly!

That is too funny - the cashier trying to charge you per apple! But you got a great deal in the end

Silk

[Silk]

I like what everyone said about shopping the sales. I'm a vegetarian so I'm a bit more limited in what I buy/eat but I do eat fish occasionally and have gotten some decent deals in the past couple of weeks.

I have to remember to use https://www.salewhale.ca more often for the times when I'm looking for something specific. Anyone else here use it?

Silk

[lecale]

I have to remember to use https://www.salewhale.ca more often for the times when I'm looking for something specific. Anyone else here use it?

I do, but it has no Freshco, so I still have to check that one separately.

[SassyAshley]

So far by shopping the sales and finding deals in stores we have not been effected yet. In our house it is the rule if it is not on sale we do not buy it but with that being said rarely and I mean rarely is there ever a complaint about missing having something in our diet.

I will admit on certain items we wait until we have a $100 surplus in our grocery account and shop at Costco, even though I can get Chicken Breasts cheaper at a grocery store on sale the quality does not compare and they are so large we can use 1 to feed 2 of us or depending on the dish I have even split one in half and made 2 meals with leftovers from 1 chicken breast. Granted there was not a ton of chicken in the dish but if no is asking where is the chicken it is a win, win in my eyes.

[wimbly11]

I'm vegetarian too Silk, but like you eat fish from time to time and I have seen some good deals on fish lately, which makes my finance happy! lol

I love Sale Whale and use it all the time to scout out best deals for items I may need. My finance is finally starting to understand my budgeting and planning. He used to never look at prices and just bought what he wanted...part of the reason for his debt load! lol But last week he actually passed on several items on our list because we could do without them for the week and they weren't on sale! I was shocked!!

I like what everyone said about shopping the sales. I'm a vegetarian so I'm a bit more limited in what I buy/eat but I do eat fish occasionally and have gotten some decent deals in the past couple of weeks.

I have to remember to use https://www.salewhale.ca more often for the times when I'm looking for something specific. Anyone else here use it?

Silk

[ashleygorecki282]

I think what we are doing is just being cautious what we get now more than before. No senseless purchasing, no losing a few of this or that into the trolley on impulse or wanting.