These days, you are paying more not only at the gas stations but also while grocery shopping, thanks to ever-rising fuel prices, reduction in crop yields, and global warming. You need to work on smarter ways to save money on food. A well thought out plan and strategy is required to save without compromising on nutritional value. Here’s a list of some tips to save money on food by opting for budget grocery shopping:

1. Planning helps
Before venturing out for grocery shopping, you should always take stock of what you have at home. This will prevent any overbuying. It is usually helpful if you work on a detailed shopping list based on your needs and weekly food plan. You should also work on how to use the leftovers to avoid wastage of both food and money.
Make a point to have a light snack before going out for grocery shopping. This will help in cutting down impulse buying as you may tend to feel hungry at the sight of packaged snacks on the aisle. It is important to stick to the planned shopping list to avoid any costly mistakes.

It works well if you check out available coupons and sale advertisements before planning the weekly menu. This helps you to take advantage of sales and discount coupons and enables you to save money on food. You can subscribe to various email alerts to know various sale offers and discount coupons.

2. Make healthy choices
In addition to health benefits, eating healthier also helps you save money on food. In this practice, the savings are achieved by reducing portion sizes and purchasing low-calorie foods. Typically, high-calorie foods cost more and increase your grocery store expenses. Try to avoid high-calorie foods that have low nutritional value like sodas, bakery items, and chips.

You will get more out of your money if you opt to buy nutritionally rich foods that are less expensive like cranberry juice, instead of buying expensive sodas that do not have any nutritional value.

3. Seasonal foods
While buying fresh foods, make it a point to procure only seasonal foods. Seasonal foods are less expensive and help you save money on food. Also, they are healthier as compared to non-seasonal produce. You should always buy them from your nearest local market as this helps you to get them fresh and also helps you cut down on the shipping cost.

4. Use sales and coupons
Always stay alert for deals, sales, and discount coupons as they can help you save money on food. Check your phone, inbox, and daily newspapers for them. Try to buy a majority of items on discount coupons as it helps in reducing your grocery bill. However, make it a point to avoid the artificially juicy offers like “Buy one, get one free.” Such offers may make you buy more, which leads to unplanned spending that may actually raise your expenses, and it may also lead to food wastage.