Grocery Shopping

I'm one of those people who go grocery shopping armed with a calculator, shopping list and with my shopping bags - don't leave home without these.

Relying purely on memory as to what is and is not in your cupboard will result in over shopping and also forgetting to buy some essentials.

This method also leaves you no control over the amount you are about to spend.

This is where a bit of forward planning will help...

HOW TO SAVE ON GROCERIES.

• Waste not want not.

  This is one of my pet hates. I hate wasting but sadly I often had to throw food away.

  • Bread that's gone all moldy (Yuk!)
  • Fresh vegetables that's been in the fridge a tad too long
  • Leftovers
  • and the list goes on....

  I DECIDED TO REDUCE THE WASTING BY

  1. Reducing our portion intake.

     I love a nice big plate of food but by sticking to good healthy portions, I'm not starving myself but I am definitely reducing the amount of food wasted...

     ... AND shedding a few extra pounds! A slice of bread or two will fill any gaps left in hungry tummies.

     How much is enough? A hint I was given - protein such as fish or chicken breasts should be the size of the palm of your hand.

     One serving of starch is usually a handful of rice, 100g of pasta or a medium-sized potato.

  2. Freezing what I can.

     I try to freeze things when they're still at their freshest.

     Things like leftover stew or sauce, bread and milk are frozen regularly.

     I end up using all the bread - taking out what I need for the next day and most times even popping the bread in the toaster, straight from the freezer.

     No more moldy bread and fewer trips to the shops for bread and milk (where I end up coming home with more than just bread and milk).

     I also grate and freeze cheese and then I use it straight out of the freezer as and when I need it.

     Unless you are definitely going to use it quickly, don't buy fresh vegetables but rather buy the non-perishable variety, such as tinned beans, frozen vegetables, tinned chopped tomatoes etc.

     I agree that fresh is probably better but not if it is going to go to waste.

  3. Planning ahead.

     Use all that's in your cupboard or fridge before running back to the supermarket.

     By planning your meals for the month carefully and drawing up your grocery list accordingly, you will not only prevent over-shopping but you'll end up using all the food in your cupboard and fridge.

     I will discuss meal planning in more detail on another page on this website.

  4. Starting a compost heap.

     My mother-in-law recently celebrated her birthday and one of the gifts she received was a compost maker - "absolutely brilliant!", I thought - now all those vegetable peels, tea bags etc. can go on the compost heap and end up "feeding" her garden and saving her the money she would have spent on buying fertiliser for her garden.

So what does a typical grocery list look like? Have a look at

mine and tweak it a bit to suit your individual needs.

But before you go grocery shopping, list in hand, remember...

• Don't go shopping when you're hungry.
• If you're buying fresh produce, choose loose produce wherever possible so you only buy as much as you really need.
• Buy what's in season, I often use a recipe as a guide only - changing some of the ingredients, according to what is in season AND affordable at the time.

Want more? Learn how to save a bunch on your grocery bill while keeping your family smiling at the dinner table! No coupons are necessary, but can be used!

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