How to cut food costs with planning, research

COLLEGE STATION – Grocery stores and restaurants should be approached like major appliance outlets – with thorough research and planning.

That’s according to Dr. Jenna Anding, Texas AgriLife Extension Service nutrition specialist, who said rising food costs can be cut with thoughtful study.

More than $3,600 is spent each year per person on food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“That’s like buying a plasma television for each person in your family,” Anding noted. “Wouldn’t you know everything about a major expenditure like that before you buy it?”

About half of a person’s annual food bill is for grocery purchases while the other half is for eating out, the USDA reports. But Anding said people need to assess where their money is being spent in order to make informed choices about where to cut.

“If you can, keep track of all your grocery receipts, your receipts from eating out,” she said. “Do that over the course of a month, and you’ll get a better idea of how much you are really spending on food.”

Anding said individuals and families also should determine how much to budget for food – something many people may not have realized is needed.

“It might be interesting to know where your money is being spent. Are you spending the majority of your food dollars on crackers, cookies, dessert? Are you spending a lot of it on perishable foods that may go to waste?” she asked. “If you don’t know how much money you’re spending, odds are you don’t know where you are spending that money.”

Some things to consider when making changes, Anding suggested, include whether to buy convenience foods or pre-prepared foods or to make food from scratch.

Instant rice costs 27 cents per serving while long grain white rice costs 6 cents per serving, she noted.

“The more someone has to prepare it for you, the more you are going to pay for it,” she said. “So, instead of instant rice, can you cook your own rice?”

Another revelation from examining receipts may be that a lot of non-food items are purchased at a grocery store. Anding said these items might cost less at discount stores.

“You might want to look at the kinds of food you are buying. If you are buying a lot of national or name brands, maybe you can try some store brands,” she said. “There are a lot of private label store brands that are really good quality, and they taste good.”

Another thing to do, she said, is look for sale items and use coupons.

“If you can keep track of what items you need and what coupons you have, then when you hit the store, if it’s a good deal and you have a coupon, then you might be able to save some extra money,” said Anding, noting that one shouldn’t buy an item only because of the coupon.

“Even if you have a coupon, you still might be able to get a better deal looking at a private label or a store brand.”

Other ideas:

Keep a list of items that are bought on a regular basis and track how much those items cost. That will help you recognize a bargain if you see those items on sale elsewhere.

Cut back on things like snack foods, chips, and cookies.

Scale back on sodas to opt for less expensive iced tea (brewed at home) or water.

Buy fresh fruit in season at a lower cost to take the place of a sweet snack.

Stick with traditional grocery stores and supermarkets for many items, but also explore discount stores, farmers’ markets, bakery thrift stores, and dollar stores for best buys.

 Plan well to use what you buy. Some research has suggested that as much as 25 percent of our food goes to waste.

Get others in the family involved. That way, they’ll be more likely to accept what you are cooking.

“The most expensive food you will ever buy is the food you throw away. If you are throwing away that cantaloupe that cost you $2 last week, you are throwing away $2,” Anding said.

“And the $2 here and $3 there, that adds up.”

She suggested doing periodic inventories of food on hand, moving older items to the front of the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. That way, the older food gets used before it goes to waste.

“When I go to plan my meals for the week, I look at what I have on hand. And if I have a package of ground beef or chicken or some fish, those are the things I am going to use first because those are the things I’ve already paid for,” she said. “Use them first and then finish out the rest of your meal.

“It is going to take a little time, but if you think about how much money we spend on food, over the course of a year, it is worth the investment,” she added.

“Take a little bit of time each week to sit down, plan your meals in advance, look at what’s on sale at the grocery store, look at what you have on hand. Then you are using your time to help plan more nutritious meals and hopefully save some money when you are shopping for food.”