UACES Facebook Made at Home: Taste Buds on a Budget Series! Part 2: Cheap Tricks
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Join me as I partner with University of Georgia FCS agent Becca Stackhouse to bring you a new food budgeting series. Learn ways to save money on food as you plan, shop, prepare, and entertain!

Made at Home: Taste Buds on a Budget Series! Part 2: Cheap Tricks

grocery cart and woman with list


by Katie Cullum

Who loves to grocery shop?!  Maybe you’ve been doing the pick-up thing since this pandemic.  Either way, keep reading (and watch the video) to learn some shopping tricks to save money!

  • Ask for advice – ask friends and family where they shop and how they find good bargains. It could be a place you’ve never tried.
  • Eat before you go – never shop hungry! That’s a sure-fire way to spend more on impulse buys because they ALL look good when you’re hungry.
  • Check the flyers – look at the sale flyers. Most are online or you can check the store’s entrance.  You may find good deals to stock up on. 
  • Use coupons – Just remember that you don’t save money if you buy something you don’t really need! Check store loyalty programs, look for coupons on receipts or products. 
  • Look up and down – things at eye-level tend to be more expensive. So look up and down to find better deals.
  • Check store brands – sometimes the store brand is cheaper than the name brand, even with a coupon! I like some store brands better than the name brand. 
  • “But eating healthy is SO expensive!” – You don’t have to buy only fresh, organic produce. Check the freezer aisles and the canned goods to compare. 
    • I like frozen vegetables because I can use just what I need. Look for plain vegetables (no sauces) for the best value.  Also check for low-sodium and no-salt-added on the labels. 
    • For fruits, look for no-sugar-added or in-100%-juice labels. 
    • 10 Tips for Affordable Fruits & Vegetables
  • Budget-friendly protein – most Americans get plenty of protein.
    • Choose smaller portions.
    • Beef up small portions with beans and peas.
    • Choose plant protein foods more often (beans, peas, soy products, nuts, seeds) – Meatless Monday! 
  • Savvy Swaps – save money with these tips (and you’ll be healthier too)!

    • Choose water or milk instead of soft drinks or special coffees or teas. Tap water is free!
    • Instead of sweetened cereals, choose generic hot or cold cereals. This time of year, I love hot oatmeal in the mornings! Don’t buy the packaged kind though – choose the canister and make your own
    • Instead of cakes, cookies, chips, and snacks in individual portions, choose fruit and vegetables in any form. Bananas & apples have their own “packaging.”  But grapes, baby carrots, and many others are very portable and filling. You could even make your own chips
    • Buy whole foods. Some foods are cheaper in less processed forms.  For example, cheese blocks tend to be cheaper than shredded cheese.   
    • Dry beans are an inexpensive source of protein.  Swap beans for all or part of the meat in the recipe. 

Vegetable Stir-Fry with Becca

1/2 Cup Mushrooms

1/2 Cup Squash

1/2 Cup Carrots

1/2 Cup Peas

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Ginger

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Oil

  1. Warm up pan on medium - high heat on stove top.
  2. Place oil on pan and add in vegetables.
  3. Add spices and let cook to tenderness.

Check back for our next post about freezing to save money!

Made at Home: Taste Buds on a Budget - check out the whole series!

Part 1: Planning

 
 
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