Note from Angela: Food prices are on the rise, so what can we do about it? Thanks to reader Kalen for this guest post with some great ideas. Any other ideas? Add them in the comments. :)
The world is currently experiencing some of the highest food prices on record. The United Nations has recently stated that the price of food has increased over 30%. This has triggered crises around the world, which are now starting to come to America.
As the prices of food start to grow, you need to think about what you can do to keep them from draining your bank account. Here are some things you can do so that you don’t feel the pinch of rising food prices:
- Stock up on nonperishables. This will be important, because the cost of food will probably be going even higher in the near future. Make sure you find canned and dry foods which are on sale. If you stock up now, you won’t feel the bite later on.
- Find fresh foods that can be frozen as well. Of course, you can buy extra meat at the store and freeze it for months, but many foods that you didn’t think could be frozen should also be considered. Many people know they can freeze bread and fruits, but don’t think to do so. However, they don’t realize that they can safely freeze milk, eggs, vegetables and a number of other foods as well. Learn how to do these safely and you should be able to save a lot of money in the long run.
- Cheaper foods will be out of sight. Stores will place the most expensive food where it is likely to catch your eyes. Pay attention to the lower shelves where you will find the best deals.
- Learn how sales work at your local stores. You will find that the sales of most stores operate on a certain rhythm. Meat may go on sale at a certain time and produce at another. These cycles are not publicized and you will have to get a feel for them so you know what to look out for. Once you discern their pattern, you can be better prepared to take advantage of the sales that they offer. Be prepared to store the foods that are on sale during that time and buy as much as your budget and diet allow. Many stores offer their sales mid-week to midweek, so this is something you should look out for.
- Don’t always limit yourself to a list or a weekly budget. Many people think that if they make a list beforehand, they will save on unplanned purchases. However, unplanned purchases are not always a bad thing. If you find an item is on sale that you will likely have to purchase at some point anyways, why would it make sense to pass up on it because it isn’t on your list at the moment? By all means, make a list to help get yourself organized, but don’t pass up on opportunities to save yourself money.
- Stay away from many of the prepared and prepackaged foods. These foods typically have the highest profit margins. It is better to buy a head of lettuce than a bag that is packaged and sealed for you. Keep in mind that you will need to use up fresh foods before they perish.
- Grow your own food. This is going to be very important if the price of food increases beyond what you can afford. You can save and plant the seeds of many of the vegetables that you purchase.
The price of food is getting a little pricy for many people’s taste. Try to take advantage of cost saving measures that will help you reduce your food bills now. You will be glad that you got in the habit if things get even tougher down the road.
Keep preparing! Angela
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I would add to at least give your local farmer’s market or local store a shot. I fully expected Braum’s, a local ice cream/produce/meat market owned by a local dairy, to be more expensive than the chain grocery stores on produce, but found tomatoes there for .99/lb the other day when the chain stores wanted 1.59/lb. There’s a new farmer’s market opening tomorrow that I can’t wait to check out!
Also, surf the web for couponing/money-saving websites that pertain to your area. One of my favorites here in Oklahoma is http://www.simplesavingsavvy.net. There’s a lot of negativity surrounding “extreme couponing” since the TLC show came out, but you don’t have to take it to extremes for it to be a great money-saving or stockpile-building tool. I typically save about 10-20% on my grocery bill, and I’ve learned to play the drugstore games, using their “register rewards” and “extra care bucks” along with coupons and sales to get GREAT bargains on hygiene, suncare, and OTC medications.
I just bought a food saver on craigslist and I love it! My veggies keep much longer now. I’m also using it to seal my leftover garden seeds to keep for next year.
I recently read a blog where the writer said that he opened a can of beefaroni to find it had more liquid and less pasta and beef contents than it previously did. Same size and net weight, only now it was less real substance and more filler. This is another trick we’ll probably see more of in the future, and another incentive to can your own foods.
Good list. I’d add to #4 that my wife uses a subscription site called thegrocerygame.com. It more than pays for itself in the savings. Wife wrote about her experiences with it here if you’re interested. http://preppingtosurvive.com/2011/04/11/stocking-the-pantr/
On #7, growing a garden is a good way to cut down on the cost of fresh veggies while they’re in season. But I’m not sure that it’s a money saver if the intent is to can the produce for eating over the winter months. Nevertheless, it’s a good skill to have just in case it really hits the fan in the future.
Thanks for the article!
Joe
My local grocery stores have sections for marked down meat – meat that is within 24 hours of its sell by date. If you can check them out at various times, you may be able to figure out the best times for getting a good selection. You still have to be careful – higher priced meat tends to be more common there than cheaper meats, and some of them even at 50% off may be more than you plan on… Even then, if you want an occasional steak, 30% or 50% off is better than you’d get otherwise.
Also, if you’re serious about canning – I’d contact local farmers (probably by visiting the local farmer’s market or stands) and see if you can plan a time to buy large quantities for a major canning day of work. Ask them when the crops are likely to be at their peak. Maybe join with others to make prices cheaper and work lighter?
With the long shelf life of freeze dried food and the great taste it is easy to store because it can be easily rotated and used every day, but also lasts about twenty years on average. Thanks for the great information and variety. I would like to be added to your blog roll. Thank you.
There are lots of good ideas here.
Our attitude toward saving money on food is toward dried protiens. We rotate them through our emergency cache. We have a homemade drier which we use constantly to preserve meat, fruit and vegetables. Once dried, we use a vacuum sealer to ensure long-term preservation. There is nothing better than a stew made exclusively from dried meat and vegetables.
We also make our own sausage, bacon and ham. This is a huge cost saver with little investment. The resulting products can be vac-packed and stored at room teperature for months.
Following is a montage of my last sausage making spree. the ‘smoker’ is an old upright freezer, modified somewhat.
http://s973.photobucket.com/albums/ae215/steelchef/Sausage%20June%202011/