Become a Savvy Grocery Shopper

Become a Savvy Grocery Shopper!

Plan- Plan a menu for the week with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack foods. At this point it is good to hunt for coupons and check the food you already have on hand.

• Know your budget and how much you have to spend.
•  Know your needs.

   Create- Create a grocery list based on your menu plan and your grocery store aisle layout.

• Consider aisle layout to make it easier to follow your list. Organization is helpful.
• Write down the prices of your “usual” items to compare for the future.

    Shop- Shop based on your grocery list. You made it for a reason.  Stick to the plan.  You are prepared!  

•  Don’t forget to compare prices and read labels. Pay attention. Remember the prices you “usually” pay for items and refer to past grocery lists with price comparisons.
• Check higher and lower shelves for product comparison and price. The higher priced items tend to be at eye level.

Randomly

Helpful Grocery Shopping Tips

This is not your typical 10 step tip list, just some fun random shopping info.         

• Plan your meals to use seasonal foods. Check out http://www.pickyourown.org/MIharvestcalendar.htm for a calendar of Seasonal Michigan Items. Local farmers markets tend for be more fresh and cheap. 

• FINISH your grocery list BEFORE going shopping, don’t shop when you have 0 time, and don’t go hungry! Don’t become careless because options look much better when you are starving and when you can quickly grab the most expensive item at eye level.

•    Shop only once per week. The more trips to the store. The more money you spend. I personally am TERRIBLE at this one...its almost as if I like hanging out at the grocery store...looking at new things...picking up "one" thing. :)

•    Pick the Grocery Store with the best prices for the foods that you buy. Try putting the common prices of items on your grocery list to help you remember and compare for the future.  It sometimes can benefit you to buy certain items at different locations.  A specialty store versus a supermarket versus a dollar store.

•   Know when not to use your list. Take the “farmers market” approach – Buy what is fresh, cheap, and in season.  This past summer many farmers at the farmers market would let residents in the community join a "fresh" list where they would bring you a basket of all their fresh foods for the week that they grew specific to the people on their list.  My mother in law did this and received multiple WONDERFUL and sometimes surprising foods. 

• Coupons- Use them when they will help you save. REALLY save. Beware of becoming a coupon junkie. Ask yourself if it is really a good deal and if you really need it.  This is VERY easy to get caught up in.  Do not buy more to save more...are you really saving when it is something you do not need.

• Buy day old bread from the quick sale table, bakery outlet, bakery - Jimmy Johns and Panera bread are great yummy corporate examples. Freeze day old bread or try toasting it to maintain quality. Also, check the local bakery's and farmers markets Co. to see what “day old” and fresh products are for the day.

Helpful Grocery Planning Sites

•        http://www.meijermealbox.com/ Use the helpful Meijer tool to create meal plans, grocery lists, find coupons, and recipes!
•        www.valpak.com Search for local coupons
•        www.grocerylistmaker.com – Create your digital grocery list by aisle.
•        http://www.fieldtoplate.com/guide.php - Seasonal Foods throughout the United States
• http://www.pickyourown.org/MIharvestcalendar.htm - Seasonal food calendar for the state of Michigan