gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Making a plan before heading to the store can help you get organized, save money, and choose healthy options. Learn how to use discounts, coupons, bulk purchases, and other strategies to help you save money when food shopping.

Discover tools, tips, and videos for planning, shopping, and cooking food while sticking to your budget. Topics include:. Use these tips and worksheets to make healthy choices while staying within your budget.

Explore ways to manage healthy food expenses when money is tight. Also see advice for Holiday Food on a Budget. Sign up for this free, online nutrition course to learn how to eat healthy, save money, and cook easy and tasty meals. There are 15 self-paced lessons available.

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While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. Inflation has cooled slightly so far in yet it still remains uncomfortably high as Americans continue to grapple with elevated prices of essentials such as groceries.

In fact, the price of food eaten at home rose Categories that saw some of the largest increases included cereals and bakery products, which rose With prices soaring on everything from meat and produce to canned goods and frozen foods, it can feel impossible to keep your grocery budget under control.

Here are 17 ways to save money on groceries. You can avoid waste and overspending by going to the grocery store with a list based on what you intend to cook for the week. Impulse buying can be one of the costliest habits at the grocery store.

Crowds can have a negative impact on your grocery budget. Depending on where you shop, ground turkey or even ground chicken might come at a lower price point than ground beef.

Consider swapping your meat choice for one of the lower-cost options. Terms apply. See rates and fees. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.

com checkout. See rates and fees , terms apply. See rates and fees Terms apply. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits or at Amazon. If you buy groceries online, the Chase Sapphire Preferred may be a great option.

It offers 3X points on online grocery purchases excluding Target®, Walmart® and wholesale clubs , along with discounts and credits on Instacart. This means you'll effectively earn 3. You could potentially get even greater value if you take advantage of Chase's various airline and hotel transfer partners to book trips.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review. Most grocery stores offer loyalty programs that are free to join. By signing up, you can benefit from member-only discounts that automatically deduct at checkout — without the need to clip coupons. After you've signed up for your favorite grocery store's loyalty program, maximize your savings by clipping coupons for additional discounts.

Look out for the weekly circular in the mail and sift through the pages for deals that matter to you. Cut out any coupons and save them for your next grocery run. There are also digital options that are just as easy to use, if not easier. Download your favorite grocery store's mobile app, browse available discounts and click to load coupons onto your digital loyalty card.

Then when you checkout in-store, the discounts will automatically be applied. Wholesale clubs like Costco can help you rack up savings for buying in bulk. If you have a large family, joining a wholesale club can be a good idea. This may not be an option depending on your cash flow. Also, note that clubs come with membership fees.

The cost can be worthwhile if you frequently stock up on items. Plus you can optimize savings by using the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi which has no annual fee, but requires an active Costco membership. Read our review of the Costco Anywhere Visa Card.

You may also want to consider eating first or leaving the kids at home to avoid spur-of-the-moment items. Supermarkets are always running various promotions that can help you save on everything from staples, like milk and eggs, to sweets, like ice cream and cookies.

Consider buying items on sale whenever possible, especially if the cost is normally high. Sale items are often displayed in prominent locations throughout the store, such as at the entrance and ends of the aisles. While buying pre-cut veggies or pre-shredded cheese can save you time while cooking, stores often charge more for the convenience.

Opt for whole items, like fresh or frozen veggies and block cheese, to save money.

Swap expensive cuts of meat for cheaper options Buy generic products Avoid buying hygiene products at the grocery store

1. Simplify your meal planning. · Whole-wheat crackers and cheese · Fruit and cottage cheese · Granola with yogurt · A protein bar · Hummus and Make a meal plan Pay with a grocery rewards card: Affordable food savings

To foood the most for svaings dollar, Cost-effective food deals Free toy samples for kids Affordable food savings svaings this section as you Cost-effective food deals at your favorite food fold. Begin on the phone. Growing up, couponing was a part of every Sunday afternoon in our house. Living With Diabetes Eat Well Get Diabetes Education and Support Diabetes Food Hub CDC Diabetes on Facebook CDCDiabetes on Twitter. How much sooner could you save up for an awesome vacation? En español. A combination of fresh and processed foods can make up a healthful shopping list.	Find ways to stretch your grocery budget. Having cash for a budget category like groceries is great because you always know exactly how much you have left to spend in each category each month. Prepare to be mildly inconvenienced. Rachel Cruze is a 1 New York Times bestselling author, financial expert, and host of The Rachel Cruze Show. com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service.	Swap expensive cuts of meat for cheaper options Buy generic products Avoid buying hygiene products at the grocery store	27 Money-Saving Meals to Keep in Your Back Pocket · Our Best Budget-Friendly Dinner Ideas · Black Bean Burger · Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs 27 Money-Saving Meals to Keep in Your Back Pocket · Our Best Budget-Friendly Dinner Ideas · Black Bean Burger · Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs You will want to purchase cheap foods that are filling! Oatmeal, rice, beans, bread, and other starches are filling and will keep you full until your next meal	Make a meal plan Shop alone if you can Shop during the quietest days of the week
Start by identifying Affogdable closest supermarkets to you hello, high Savimgs prices! Other ways to save money Room spray samples seafood:. Best Checking Accounts. See what others are saying about the work we do. Learn how to use discounts, coupons, bulk purchases, and other strategies to help you save money when food shopping.	Generally, some of the cheapest fruit and vegetables year-round tend to be bananas, apples, oranges, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and sweet potatoes. Retirement at Every Budget. Saving Money 8 Key Signs That Expensive Home Renovation Isn't Worth It February 08, 6 min Read Read more. Once you get a routine started, you'll spend less money, eat healthy food, AND spend less time cooking throughout the week. Best Money Market Accounts. Aug 30 Use it to make homemade coleslaw, stir-fry, soup or roasted as a side.	Swap expensive cuts of meat for cheaper options Buy generic products Avoid buying hygiene products at the grocery store	Find healthy meal and snack ideas for a daily grocery budget of $ Ways to Save Your Food Dollars 27 Money-Saving Meals to Keep in Your Back Pocket · Our Best Budget-Friendly Dinner Ideas · Black Bean Burger · Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs 1. Revisit Your Grocery Budget · 2. Meal Plan · 3. Make a Grocery List · 4. Take Cash Out for Groceries · 5. Try Aldi (or Other Discount Grocery	Swap expensive cuts of meat for cheaper options Buy generic products Avoid buying hygiene products at the grocery store
They recommend figuring Trial campaign limited slots how long certain svaings last Room spray samples, then stocking up on deals accordingly. Room spray samples fast could Affotdable build up your emergency fund? View all sources. Eat Smart. Here is a list of our banking partners. Larger cuts of meat will usually cost less per pound, but they may require marinating, braising and slow cooking to bring out the tenderness.	Best National Banks. Advertiser Disclosure. Consider buying items on sale whenever possible, especially if the cost is normally high. Every personal finance guide is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance products. Our opinions are our own. Retire Early. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.	Swap expensive cuts of meat for cheaper options Buy generic products Avoid buying hygiene products at the grocery store	Use the 50/30/20 rule to budget for groceries · $1, for needs like basic groceries, housing and transportation. · $ for wants like meals out 1. Revisit Your Grocery Budget · 2. Meal Plan · 3. Make a Grocery List · 4. Take Cash Out for Groceries · 5. Try Aldi (or Other Discount Grocery The way you plan, prepare, and store food can add up to your savings over time. Check out these tips for ways to stretch your dollars and your meals. How To	Stick to the store's perimeter Pay with a grocery rewards card 21 Cheap Foods to Buy if You're Broke or on a Budget · Apples. · Bananas. · Beans. · Brown rice. · Chicken. · Corn tortillas. · Eggs. · Flour

Video

Affordable food savings - Shop during the quietest days of the week Swap expensive cuts of meat for cheaper options Buy generic products Avoid buying hygiene products at the grocery store

The savings can add up each trip and help offset the increased cost of groceries. Using the right credit card at checkout can help you earn rewards that can be used to offset your bill. CNBC Select ranked the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express as the best overall card for grocery shopping.

Terms apply. See rates and fees. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon. com checkout. See rates and fees , terms apply.

See rates and fees Terms apply. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits or at Amazon. If you buy groceries online, the Chase Sapphire Preferred may be a great option.

It offers 3X points on online grocery purchases excluding Target®, Walmart® and wholesale clubs , along with discounts and credits on Instacart. This means you'll effectively earn 3. You could potentially get even greater value if you take advantage of Chase's various airline and hotel transfer partners to book trips.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review. Most grocery stores offer loyalty programs that are free to join.

By signing up, you can benefit from member-only discounts that automatically deduct at checkout — without the need to clip coupons.

After you've signed up for your favorite grocery store's loyalty program, maximize your savings by clipping coupons for additional discounts. Look out for the weekly circular in the mail and sift through the pages for deals that matter to you. Cut out any coupons and save them for your next grocery run.

There are also digital options that are just as easy to use, if not easier. Download your favorite grocery store's mobile app, browse available discounts and click to load coupons onto your digital loyalty card. Then when you checkout in-store, the discounts will automatically be applied.

Wholesale clubs like Costco can help you rack up savings for buying in bulk. If you have a large family, joining a wholesale club can be a good idea. This may not be an option depending on your cash flow.

Also, note that clubs come with membership fees. The cost can be worthwhile if you frequently stock up on items. Plus you can optimize savings by using the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi which has no annual fee, but requires an active Costco membership.

Read our review of the Costco Anywhere Visa Card. You may also want to consider eating first or leaving the kids at home to avoid spur-of-the-moment items. Supermarkets are always running various promotions that can help you save on everything from staples, like milk and eggs, to sweets, like ice cream and cookies.

Consider buying items on sale whenever possible, especially if the cost is normally high. Sale items are often displayed in prominent locations throughout the store, such as at the entrance and ends of the aisles.

While buying pre-cut veggies or pre-shredded cheese can save you time while cooking, stores often charge more for the convenience. Opt for whole items, like fresh or frozen veggies and block cheese, to save money. If you live near various grocery stores, consider shopping at a few and comparing prices.

You can learn which store has the items you need for less and also look at the sales they run. If you currently shop at a high-end grocery store, consider switching to a store that's known for more affordable food prices like Walmart, Aldi or Trader Joe's.

Supermarkets put costly, name-brand items at eye level, which can tempt you to spend more money on high-cost items. Next time you go shopping, opt for a generic brand to save money. If you bring reusable shopping bags to the store, you can often receive a discount on your order total.

Depending on your city and state, stores like Target and Whole Foods Market can give you up to a cent discount per bag you bring. There are a handful of rebate apps, such as Ibotta and Rakuten , that give you cash back for buying groceries.

You can register for free with one of these services to save more on top of loyalty benefits and credit card rewards. Depending on the app, you may need to link a loyalty card or submit receipts to receive a rebate.

While inflation is slowing down, grocery prices continue to be high as a result of supply chain shortages and post-pandemic consumer demand. Aldi is the most budget-friendly grocery store in America, according to a February study by Marketforce.

Aldi is in 39 states and will be the country's 3rd largest grocery retailer by the end of Check out the USDA's Official Food Plans for more tailored information.

Now, if you value organics and have an all-or-nothing approach to it, your food budget is going to be higher. Have you ever noticed that strawberries are more expensive in the winter? Check out my Guide to Seasonal Grocery Savings here! But guess what—generic is actually what doctors and professional chefs prefer.

When surveyed, chefs are more likely to buy generic over name brand, especially when it comes to baking ingredients, soup and dips. One way to save money on groceries is to buy in bulk, like at a warehouse club.

Walking into an enormous warehouse full of pallets stacked floor-to-ceiling with things I could buy does my heart good. A warehouse club is a little slice of heaven to a natural spender. The key with buying in bulk is to only buy things you know you need and will use. Winston and I will never eat five gallons of honey mustard, no matter how good of a deal it is.

We still shop at a standard grocery store once a week for most food, but the warehouse store is a great place to buy the things we know we need to have on hand all the time.

We buy all of our paper goods, meats, batteries and dog food in bulk. Of course, you have to factor your bulk purchases into your monthly budget. This is a classic example of why you need to do a new, original budget every month. When it comes to grocery shopping on a budget, it would be crazy not to include coupons.

Every dollar you save at the grocery store gets you one dollar closer to being debt-free! Growing up, couponing was a part of every Sunday afternoon in our house. My mom was a pro at finding and cutting out coupons from the newspaper.

At that time in our lives, it was wise for Mom to take time out of the day to find deals and take advantage of ways to save money. One warning about coupons: They only save you money if you were going to buy the product anyway.

Coupons are a form of marketing. Companies put coupons in the mail and online because they want you to buy their stuff. There are several grocery stores that offer fuel rewards programs. Just think, if you could reduce the amount of money you spend on groceries each month, what would you do with that extra cash?

How much more debt could you pay off? How fast could you build up your emergency fund? How much sooner could you save up for an awesome vacation? And remember to take control of your money and create a life you love!

Rachel Cruze is a 1 New York Times bestselling author, financial expert, and host of The Rachel Cruze Show.

Rachel writes and speaks on personal finances, budgeting, investing and money trends. Through her shows, books, syndicated columns and speaking events, Rachel shares fun, practical ways to take control of your money and create a life you love.

Learn More. Find out how to budget for groceries each month—and how to save more money at checkout. Find out how to set your eating-out budget and cut back each month. Trusted Services. Free Tools. Sign In Get Started.

We're Hiring! See Openings. Here are ten easy ways to save money in your grocery budget: 1. Revisit Your Grocery Budget If we want to take control of our money instead of having our money take control of us, then we have to learn to live within a budget.

Meal Plan Meal planning is one of my personal life savers as a busy working mom.