If your grocery budget isn’t quite covering as much food as it used to, you’re not alone. Food prices are rising around the world right now, and some economists have warned not to expect relief any time soon. This means it’s never been more important to stick to your grocery budget. Here are some tips for staying on track!

1. Move away from meat

Meat prices are rising, so look for ways to switch it out. It’s not just a budget concern; eating less meat is also good for your health. Start making a few days of the week meatless, or find ways to substitute cheaper ingredients. For example, you could use half the ground beef you normally do in tacos and make up for the rest with some smashed black beans.

2. Use frozen produce

Fresh isn’t always better than frozen. In fact, with fruit and veg often flash frozen when it’s at peak ripeness, it can be even fresher than what you find in the produce department that made its trek through several countries before hitting the store shelf. Frozen produce is cheaper, and it also lasts a lot longer, so you can say goodbye to the guilt of binning browning cauliflower and soggy spinach.

3. Don’t shop in a hurry or while hungry

I know that telling mums not to be in a hurry is a big ask, but you need to go to the shops when you can take your time to find everything on your list. You don’t want to just start grabbing things you weren’t planning to buy because you don’t have time to find that one random ingredient you need. And whatever you do, don’t go to the store hungry or you’ll end up bringing home all kinds of impulse snacks!

4. Look out for “shrinkflation”

Food companies have been dealing with rising costs by making their packaging smaller but keeping the price the same. Pay close attention to the quantity on the labels of foods you buy routinely to make sure you are still getting as much as you think, and consider switching brands if not.

5. Pay with cash

If you pay for your groceries with cash and only bring the exact amount you’ve allotted, there’s no way you can exceed your budget. Just make sure you leave your debit and credit cards at home!

6. Consider switching shops

If you’re really struggling to stick to the budget, it may be time to give a different grocery store a try. You may just find that your grocery budget goes a lot further in another store. And if you can’t find everything you normally buy at cheaper stores, you can at least bulk-buy meat to freeze and staples like frozen vegetables, paper towels and tinned foods where brand isn’t important.

7. Compare prices carefully

Make a habit of scrutinising the price labels on your grocery store shelf. Sometimes one product is a lot cheaper than another because it contains less, even if the packaging is the same size. Look at the price per kilo or unit to make a more accurate comparison.

8. Shop online

If the idea of tallying up your groceries as you navigate the shop with kids in tow makes you break into a cold sweat, try shopping online. You can see your cart easily and eliminate items that aren’t truly necessary until you’re happy with the total.

9. Avoid convenience foods

Those bags of shredded cheese and matchstick carrots are great time-savers, but you can save a surprising amount of money if you’re willing to put in a bit of extra work. If you don’t have a food processor, investing in one could help you save a lot on groceries in the long run.

10. Meal plan

When you meal plan, you’ll have a list of which cheap and healthy meals you’re making for the week ahead, so you won’t need to pop into the shops as much. It also means you don’t need to buy extras “just in case” and won’t end up with food waste.

>>> If you don’t meal plan, and need help – check out The Dinner Plan before doors close at 11:59pm CEST TODAY! Let me make dinner times easy for you: I’ll give you super simple recipes together with the shopping lists, so you can save time and money, while cooking homemade meals! <<

There are lots of great ways you can stick to your grocery budget while still keeping your family well-fed and happy!

Nakita xxx