The grocery bills are adding up, and now here comes the holidays! Buying food at the supermarket is an inevitable expense for everyone, but there are tried-and-true ways to limit your spending and put money back in your pocket.
It all starts by considering the number of meals you need to make each week and creating a flexible menu. Ask family members to help brainstorm recipe ideas for the week, then take inventory of ingredients you already have on hand. When it’s time to head to the store, consider these financially savvy tips to avoid overspending.
1. Stick to Your List
It may sound obvious, but avoiding impulse purchases is one of the easiest ways to save at the store. Creating a menu and buying only what you need keeps the bill lower when you head to the checkout counter. As an added bonus, this helps limit food waste at home by avoiding buying more than what your family can actually eat. While I prefer to shop for my groceries aisle for aisle and pick out everything myself, it’s worth noting that I save a lot of money when I use H-E-B's curbside pickup, because it eliminates a lot of impulse purchases.
2. Sign Up for Loyalty Programs
Many grocery stores and chains offer the opportunity to join free loyalty programs. Oftentimes, these programs include savings provided only to members without having to sift through coupons. Alternately, some stores provide cash back rewards or additional savings once you accrue a certain level of points, while others include partnerships with other retailers, like gas stations, that provide savings at the pump based on your grocery spending. I especially appreciate the fuel savings I get when I stock up on points at Kroger.
3. Shop for Seasonal Produce
While it’s easy to get caught up buying specific items for specific recipes, remember to keep seasonality in mind. Oftentimes, in-season produce is more readily available and, therefore, cheaper. Take fall for example, when Envy Apples – a cross between Braeburn and Royal Gala apples – can help your favorite autumnal recipes pop and allow you to take full advantage of the best nature has to offer. Enjoy seasonal classics like apple pies, crumbles, and tarts, and consider adding this Apple-Pecan Monkey Bread recipe (below) to your dessert rotation.
4. Use Fetch
Saving additional money this year can be as simple as scanning your grocery receipt using the Fetch app where you can accrue points with every purchase of Envy Apples. It’s as easy as snapping your receipt, earning points to shop available offers, then redeeming those points for rewards like gift cards. If you’re signing up for Fetch for the first time, use the WoodlandsMommy referral code 5BAN46 to receive bonus points.
5. Stretch Your Meals at Home
While it may not show a direct impact on your receipt, taking recipes further at home can limit how often you head to the store. For example, leftovers from one evening’s rotisserie chicken dinner can be repurposed for the following day’s lunches. Or you can turn steak night scraps into a memorable weekend steak-and-egg brunch. When you cook a large meal for guests, don’t let all the extra food go to waste; freeze portions separately then enjoy them later as a family dinner.
Find more fall recipe inspiration that helps you stretch your grocery budget at EnvyApple.com.
Apple-Pecan Monkey Bread
Servings: 10-12
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½ cup granulated sugar
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2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
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2 (16.3-ounce) cans refrigerated home-style
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buttermilk biscuits
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1 apple, peeled, cored, and cubed
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½ cup chopped pecans
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½ cup butter
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⅓ cup firmly packed light
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brown sugar
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½ cup apple butter
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 15-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour.
2. In a large bowl, stir together grantiste sugar ans pumpkin pie spice. Cut biscuits into quarters; toss quartered biscuit dough in sugar mixture untli everly coated. Layer coated biscuits, apples, and pecans in prepared pan.
3. In a small saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in apple butter. Pour sugar mixture over layered biscuits, apples, and pecans.
4. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm.
