how to stock up on groceries for cheap

• Set a weekly grocery budget, and one stock up budget each month. ...
• Add $10-$20 to your weekly grocery budget for stock up items. ...
• Make a list of items you would like to stock up on, and make room in the budget when you see a great sale. ...
• Look for bulk deals. We were so blessed to find the bulk meat deal! ...
• Organize your stock. I tackled this the other day and feel so good about it! ...
• Use your freezer. You can freeze a ton of different groceries, just Google “Can I freeze ___” to see if you should stock up on something and stick it in ...

Full Answer

How do you stock up on groceries without going over budget?

Determine a weekly or monthly amount that you can use for stocking up. Create a list of items you use frequently. Figure out the best possible price you can get them for. Watch the ads and in-store sales for when the items hit their rock-bottom price. As the items go on sale, stock up as much as you can without going over budget.

Why is it important to stock up on groceries?

Save Money on Groceries The #1 reason you should be stocking up on groceries is that it can save you tons of money. It helps you save money because if done right, you’re buying foods when they are at their lowest price and keeping them in your pantry.

How much can you really save by stocking up food?

For example, brown rice might usually cost you $2 a kilo. But if the lowest possible price is actually $1 a kilo and you only ever buy at that price then you are saving 50%. Extrapolate that across many other items on your stockpile food list and you can see how the savings are going to mount up nicely.

How do I stock my pantry on a budget?

Here are some quick tips on how to stock your pantry on a budget. Know your likes and dislikes. Be honest with yourself about what you really like. Don’t stock up on things that your family would really rather not eat.

What is the cheapest food to stockpile?

Luckily, some of the best foods for stockpiling are extremely cheap to buy....Budget Foods to StockpileOats and Oatmeal. ... Canned Meat. ... Canned Soups and Stews. ... Macaroni & Cheese (aka Kraft Dinner). ... Milk. ... Tea. ... Juice. ... Coffee. Coffee, while not exactly cheap most places, stores extremely well and goes on sale often.More items...

What food should you stockpile?

The Best Foods You Need in Your StockpileBottled water.Canned or boxed milk.Canned meat.Packaged dried meat like beef jerky.Canned fruit in juice or water, not syrup.Canned vegetables in water.Canned low-sodium soup.Protein bars.More items...

How do you store groceries for cheap?

10 Expert Tips for Grocery Shopping on a BudgetShop for nonperishable items online. ... Buy perishable foods in quantities you'll use. ... Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season. ... Buy meat and cereals in bulk. ... Be an informed shopper. ... Limit your purchase of ready-prepared foods. ... Clip coupons with caution.More items...•

How do you start a stockpile on a budget?

How do I start a stockpile on a budget?Set a weekly grocery budget, and one stock up budget each month. ... Add $10-$20 to your weekly grocery budget for stock up items. ... Make a list of items you would like to stock up on, and make room in the budget when you see a great sale. ... Look for bulk deals. ... Organize your stock.More items...•

What food never expires?

13 Foods That Will Never ExpireHoney. Honey may crystallize over time, but it won't actually expire or become unusable. ... Sugar. Both white and brown sugar can be used indefinitely if they are stored in an airtight container away from light and heat. ... White Rice. ... Salt. ... Cornstarch. ... Vinegar. ... Pure Vanilla Extract. ... Maple Syrup.More items...

What does a 3 month supply of food look like?

A three month supply would require 90 breakfast bags, 90 lunch bags (if desired), and 90 dinner bags. It's that easy. Gather your favorite quick and simple recipes and make copies of them. One copy for each time you would like to eat that meal.

What is a good grocery budget for 2?

Average grocery bill for 2 people For a two-adult household, the figure above will double: $458 to $838. The average cost for groceries per month can go down a bit for adult-plus-child households. Numbers vary widely depending on a child's age and household budget.

How can I spend 150 a month on groceries?

Feed A Family Of 4 For $150 For 1 MonthChicken thighs – 20 lbs. for $17.00.3 lbs. hamburger – $9.00.3 boxes taco shells – $3.2 packages tostada shells – $4.Corn tortillas- $3.68 for 80.Lettuce- $2.3 Tomatoes- $1.50.1 package Cheddar cheese- $2.More items...

How can I save on groceries in 2021?

Here's How To Save Money on GroceriesChange Where You Shop.Buy Store Brands.Make a Shopping List and Stick to It.Plan Your Meals for the Week Based on What's on Sale.Know the Sales Cycle and Stock Up When Things Are on Sale.Shop the Loss Leaders Each Week.Check Unit Prices.Find Coupons Before You Go to the Store.More items...•

What is the longest lasting non perishable food?

Stay prepared: Foods with the longest shelf lifeBouillon cubes. ... Peanut butter. ... Dark chocolate. ... Canned or vacuum-pouched tuna. • Shelf life: 3 to 5 years after "best by" date. ... Dried beans. • Shelf life: Indefinite. ... Honey. • Shelf life: Indefinite. ... Liquor. • Shelf life: Indefinite. ... White rice. • Shelf life: Indefinite.More items...•

What are the best foods to store for survival?

14 foods to keep in your bunker to survive the apocalypseYou can consume honey past its expiration date. ... Uncooked rice can last 30 years. ... Peanut butter needs no refrigeration. ... Alcohol won't perish easily. ... Dried beans last indefinitely. ... Energy bars are a must. ... Certain types of candy can last up to a year.More items...•

Are stockpile sales illegal?

The short answer is yes. of the Supreme Court wrote that “The purchaser and all subsequent owners are free to use or resell the product just like any other item of personal property, without fear of an infringement lawsuit.”

Know your likes and dislikes

Be honest with yourself about what you really like. Don’t stock up on things that your family would really rather not eat. I’m not talking about “it’s not my favorite”. I’m talking about “we really can’t stand this”.

Look at expiration dates

While “best by” dates are a little ambiguous, it makes no sense to stock up on foods that will “expire” in a few weeks. Check near the back of the grocery shelves. You may find the exact same thing with a later date. If you find a great sale, buy extras, but make sure their dates are far enough out there to give you time to enjoy it.

Watch the sales and store markdowns

So, I might not have “needed” ten packs of pepperoni last week. But, at $2 a package, it was a steal. That’s about half the regular price. I bought ten, stretching my money twice as far. They store well in the freezer, so I’ve got ten weeks of pizza night taken care of.

Keep track of prices

In order to stockpile effectively, you need to know what a good deal is. Using a price book to track your prices or simply holding on to your receipts can help you get a sense of what a great price is, particularly if you buy the same item often.

Buy in bulk

Not all bulk purchases are a great deal, but they often are. The unit price of spices, rice, beans, or oats often goes down as the package size goes up. If you know it’s something you like (see point #1), that it’s not going to go bad before you buy it (#2), that it’s a good deal (#3), well, then go for it. Stock up!

Check the sales and clearance racks regularly

Every week grocery stores offer a few loss leaders that are basic food items offered at an incredibly low price, so low that the store might even take a loss on it just to get you in the door.

Make sure you leave room in your budget for necessities

Don’t get so excited about nabbing a good deal, that you forget to buy regular staples that you might need like milk, eggs, and flour. Plan your menus around what’s on sale, stock up on good sales, and also make sure the non-sale necessities are covered.

What is the temptation to go grocery shopping?

When grocery shopping, it's really tempting to go to the section of the store that has all of the chopped and pre-packed fruits and veggies. The work has been done for you — those fruits and veggies are just sitting there, waiting for you to buy them without having to lift a finger to prepare them.

When you find a sale item that is a REALLY good deal, stock up on it?

When you find a sale item that is a REALLY good deal, stock up on it! This is one of our most important notes. If it's something that will keep in the pantry, or you can freeze and it won't go bad before you use it, then buy as many as the budget will allow.

How to keep vegetables fresh longer?

Adding paper towels helps keep your vegetables fresher longer. Avocados – Keep avocados separate from your other fruits and veggies! Avocados produce ethylene gas, which can make other fruits and vegetables ripen faster. Brown Sugar – Stick a piece of bread in clumpy, hard brown sugar.

What to do with hard brown sugar?

Brown Sugar – Stick a piece of bread in clumpy, hard brown sugar. After a day or two, it makes the brown sugar soft, powdery, and beautiful again. Cookies – The same bread trick works for cookies that have gone hard and crumbly! You can even use the heel of the bread!

Can you freeze cheese?

Cheese – You guys, cheese freezes beautifully, and it's just too expensive to just throw out. And it's so easy, especially if your cheese is individually-wrapped, like string cheese. You can freeze an entire brick of cheese, but it's probably something you should shred first since it can become crumbly once thawed.

What is the best food to stockpile?

One of the best foods to stockpile is rice, my personal recommendation is to buy rice in bulk at 25 pounds Click here to check it out on Amazon.com. There are a lot of reasons why you should stockpile food, while most people do it for emergencies but there are a lot of people who stockpile food for everyday use.

Can you eat everything that has a shelf life of a couple of weeks?

There is simply no point buying a lot of food that has a shelf life of just a couple of weeks, you will not be able to eat everything and you will only end up throwing most of them out. In addition to this, you should also think of foods that have both long shelf life and they do not need to be frozen.

Is it hard to stockpile food on a budget?

As you can see stockpiling food on a budget is not that difficult, all you have to do is to shop in a smart way. Generally speaking the smarter you shop the more you will be able to buy with your money. Keep in mind that making a decent sized food stockpile will take a while, so do not hurry, take it one step at a time and always follow your budget.

Do supermarkets have loyalty programs?

Most big chain supermarkets will have a loyalty program, although the name of it might be different . Generally speaking, these loyalty programs will offer a special card which the customer can use only in that specific brand of a supermarket and the customer gets a discount. These discounts can be fairly large especially if they often have sales, so before you commit to a sale make sure to ask if they have a loyalty program.

Should I make a monthly budget for my food stockpile?

Even if you are on a tight budget you should still make a monthly budget for the food stockpile. The reason why I am recommending a monthly budget is that there is simply no point in making an overall budget for your food stockpile. If you start thinking in terms of money then you will try to achieve your goal as fast as possible, and this will lead to bad shopping practices which in the long run will only cost you a lot more money.

Is it a good idea to stockpile food?

Stockpiling food is a good idea, even if you are not a prepper or survivalist you should still stockpile some food just in case. Stockpiling a lot of food can get expensive if you are not smart about your shopping, the good news is that with the below easy to follow steps you will be able to stockpile food even if you are on a tight budget.

What Does it Mean to Stock Up?

To stock up (on something) is to buy a large amount of that thing so that you will have enough to use in the future. There are a lot of different reasons that people stock up.

Why Should You Stock Up On Groceries?

The #1 reason you should be stocking up on groceries is that it can save you tons of money. It helps you save money because if done right, you’re buying foods when they are at their lowest price and keeping them in your pantry. You then need to be eating those foods on a regular basis instead of buying ingredients when they are at sky-high prices.

What foods should I stock up?

You should be stocking up on any of the food items that you eat on a regular basis. It will be important for every person to determine what foods they eat the most and start tracking what they pay and what the sale prices are in their area. I created my post, How to Make a Grocery Price Book specifically for this tracking practice.

Top 10 Foods for Stocking Up

Again, this depends greatly on what foods you eat, but I find that these are the foods that I can save the most on. They are also eaten frequently by most families and can be stored safely.

How Do You Stock a Pantry on a Budget?

If you’re planning to stock up on food to fill your pantry, it’s possible to completely blow your grocery budget. It’s important to be smart about the way you shop and how much you’re spending.

Stock up Price List – FREE Printable

Be certain that you create a stock up price list for yourself. You absolutely need to know the items you buy the most and how cheap you can get them. Once you’ve done that, you can start to stock up and be certain that you’re getting a great deal.

Is this really transitory inflation?

Transitory inflation is the idea that inflation is only temporary. You may have heard this phrase floating around a lot lately. If you haven’t heard it yet, listen for it. Many experts are saying that what we are experiencing right now is transitory inflation.

Are food prices going up in 2022?

Yes! That is a given. We’ve noticed the effects on our budget, and the latest research confirms it. Average food at home inflation is currently at 7.4%! But let’s break it down a bit more.

How much are food prices expected to increase in 2022?

According to Research firm IRI, food prices are expected to continue rising 5 to 8% in 2022.

How can I prepare for inflation with food prices?

There are a couple simple ways to prepare for inflation with food prices. I think it is wise to prepare now and start buying things before you need them. This is what I have been focused on lately.

What else can I do to get ready for inflation?

There are some simple things everyone can do, regardless of their family size or income level.

How to start a pantry stockpile?

Here’s a few ways to start a pantry stockpile so you can stock up on food and household supplies, and still stay on a budget: Set a weekly grocery budget, and one stock up budget each month. Meaning most weeks, you buy your normal amount of groceries, and one week you do a big stock up at a store like Aldi or Walmart for the best prices.

Why is having a stockpile of food important?

Or there could be a food shortage or uncertain economic times, and not much food to buy at the store.

What to keep in freezer?

Frozen vegetables. Bread (keep in the freezer) Tortillas (keep in the freezer) Meat in the freezer (buy in bulk and freeze in portions) Flour (ke ep in the freezer) Crackers . Granola bars. Apple juice (find a good stock up sale) Peanut butter and cracker packs.

How long do breakfast meats last?

Breakfast meats – sausage and bacon (buy on sale and freeze) Eggs – these won’t keep as long as, but they do stay fresh for a few weeks and can be used in many ways. Again, think about what foods your family eats, and what foods will keep for several months.

One-Pan Wonders

These simple, one-pan or sheet-pan dinners are as easy as they come. Grab some chicken from the freezer, and pair it with a veggie and some seasonings and you’ve got yourself a delicious dinner!

Easy Dinner Recipes With Four Ingredients or Less

It doesn’t get much simpler than these 3-and-4 ingredient recipes. They’re fast, easy and so, so good:

Low and Slow Dinner Recipes for a House That Smells Divine All Day Long

The upside of being at home—what better time to tackle those recipes you’ve always wanted to try that take all day to cook!? That Sunday gravy you’ve always wanted to try, or baking a loaf of bread from scratch. Or any of these TMP simmer-all-day favorites. And, of course, these recipes rely mostly on freezer and pantry ingredients:

Easy Vegetarian Dinners, Straight From The Pantry

A well-stocked kitchen and a little elbow grease are all you need to make healthy, delicious vegetarian dinner recipes. Here are some of our very favorites:

Pasta, Pasta and More Pasta

Is pasta the ultimate dry good? Quite possibly. It’s filling, delicious, kids love it and it lasts forever. Plus, you don’t have to dress it with much to make a lovely meal. Here are the recipes that are at the top of our we-kind-of-can’t-believe-this-is-a-phrase-we’re-using quarantine cooking list:

Treat Yourself!

We read somewhere that one of the most important things to stock up on (in addition to the essentials, of course) are treats! Things you like to eat, that you’ll look forward to—little indulgences. We’re all for that. In this strange time, we’re seeking to comfort ourselves, our families and friends, in whatever small ways we can.