When it comes to saving money on food, these ideas shared by readers are simple and practical, and may change the way you shop and cook. I love that these ideas don’t require extreme couponing or hours of prep work. These are practical daily habits to cut your grocery bill and reduce food waste.
I recently asked the following question on Facebook.
“What do you do to save money that others might think is unusual?”
We’ve seen some amazing reactions, especially when it comes to food.
If you missed the conversation, read it here.
This post is a compilation of some of the best food-related ideas shared in that thread. Grocery prices have been steadily rising in recent years, and even small increases in the prices of everyday items like eggs, meat, produce, and groceries can easily add hundreds of dollars to a family’s monthly budget. It’s not just “snack” foods that are expensive. That’s basic.
How to save money on food
Here are some of the smartest (and slightly unusual!) food saving strategies shared by our community.
1. Check your inventory first. Second shop.
One of the most repeated tips is simple but powerful. The idea is to check everything in your freezer, pantry, and refrigerator before you shop.
This does two things:
- Prevents duplicate purchases of items you already own.
- Meal ideas come from what you have at home.
Try this:
- Save your running freezer list to your phone.
- Plan two to three meals each week using only what you have in your pantry or freezer.
- Then, only buy things that fill in the gaps.
2. Use a grocery pickup service
Several readers also said that using grocery pickup helps eliminate impulse purchases by not having to walk past end caps or seasonal displays.
To avoid this temptation and save time, it may be worth paying a small fee. — But Kroger also doesn’t charge for grocery pickup.
Even better, you can have your groceries delivered with Kroger Boost (check out this post to see if Kroger Boost is worth it for you).
When shopping at Walmart, online ordering (and Walmart+) makes it even easier to stick to your list and avoid temptation, whether you’re shopping for groceries or other household essentials.
3. Pack at least one meal for your big trip.
Traveling can quickly destroy your food budget. One reader shared that when she travels, she tries to prepare at least one meal a day and stays in hotels with kitchenettes.
Meals you can pack include:
- sandwich supplies
- yogurt and fruit
- breakfast items
- easy pasta dinner
Replacing just one restaurant meal per day for your family can save you $40 to $80 per day while traveling. It adds up quickly!
4. Reuse leftover glass bottles
This is a very smart (and sustainable!) idea. When you’re done using pasta sauce, jelly, salsa, etc. in glass jars, wash the jars, remove the labels, and reuse them.
Glass bottles are ideal for storing:
- leftover tomato paste
- used can of beans
- extra soup
- small amount of cooked grains
Don’t waste small amounts of food, store it properly and use it later. Free containers + less waste = double benefit.
5. Keep a cooler in your car
This tip is especially helpful for families with children. One reader shared that when her kids were little, she always kept the following in a cooler in her car:
- water
- juice box
- cheese stick
- yogurt and granola
- snack
By doing so, I avoided a quick “run to grab a snack” trip that led to a $30 impulse purchase. What are the important points? Plan ahead to avoid convenient spending.
6. Buy (and freeze) meat on clearance.
Clearance meat, apps, etc. flash hood It was mentioned many times. If a store lowers the price of meat early in the morning or on certain days:
- shop strategically
- I’ll pack it right away
- Label and freeze
One reader shops at multiple stores once a month early on a Saturday, stocking up for a month and saving about $50 each time. That’s $600 a year.
7. Plant your garden and freeze it for later.
If you garden, maximize your yield.
A reader shared:
- Freeze whole tomatoes
- Chop the peppers and quickly freeze them.
- Save extra for future meals
Even if you don’t garden extensively, you can offset your grocery costs by simply growing a few high-yielding items (like tomatoes or herbs).
8. Split meals at restaurants
This is surprisingly effective. When eating out, some families can afford to split one main dish and have dessert after the meal.
Some look for nights without children’s meals. Even couples without children shared meals regularly. Restaurant food is often enough for two people, and cutting the bill in half makes eating out much more affordable.
9. Arrange holiday hams and roasts into multiple meals.
One reader shared an incredibly smart strategy.
When bone-in hams are heavily discounted at Christmas or Easter, she buys some. She cubes some and freezes some, grinds some for ham salad and uses the rest in soups.
The same goes for a whole turkey or crockpot beef roast. If stretched intentionally, one roast can become 3-4 servings.
10. Freeze vegetable scraps for soup
Instead of tossing leftover vegetables, place them in the freezer in containers like old Cool Whip or cottage cheese containers, or the glass jars mentioned above.
Add extra carrots, onion scraps, corn, green beans, etc. throughout the week. Once it’s full, switch to vegetable soup. Reduce waste and get nearly free meals.
11. Fill with bread, peanut butter, and jam.
This may sound simple, but it works. Pack bread, peanut butter, and jam for your travels or busy days so you don’t have to stop at fast food.
It’s not luxurious, but it’s plentiful and cheap.
12. Choose casserole over steak.
One reader shared that she stopped buying steak and went back to the inexpensive casseroles her mom made. Especially for retirees and small households, casseroles are cooked over several days. They often contain low-cost ingredients and are available in multiple doses.
This is an old thrifting “trick” that still works, and having ready-made meals on hand reduces the temptation to eat out.
13. I rarely eat out and when I do, I use rewards.
Several readers mentioned ways to save money on eating out, including:
- Significantly reduce eating out
- Eating at home and drinking home-made coffee before heading out will reduce the urge to go to the drive-thru.
- Use the gift cards you earn from Swagbucks and other income-generating apps on the go.
If you have a few minutes to fill out a survey or scan your receipts, you can easily earn gift cards and use them for occasional restaurant meals to save money on food.
14. Eat at home and bake at home
What is one of the biggest areas of savings mentioned? Not only do you eat at home, but you also make baked goods at home instead of buying them.
Inviting friends over for dinner instead of meeting at a restaurant can cut costs and also build community. Keep in mind that hosting doesn’t have to be fancy to be affordable. Soup and bread are important!
Small eating habits = big savings on groceries
None of these ideas are complicated. But they are intentional.
And since food is often one of the biggest monthly expenses for families, small improvements here can make a big difference.
Focus on creating a meal plan around what you already have. Many of us have some bags of rice, random canned goods, frozen vegetables, or forgotten protein. Starting with what you own means you waste less and buy less.
If you do this intentionally once a month, you can reduce your grocery expenses by $50 to $100.
More ideas to save money on food:
- Make the most of Amazon’s subscription and savings sales: Tips and tricks to maximize your savings
- How to use Target Circles (and get the most value from them)
- Is Kroger Boost worth it? Here’s what you need to know…and why it might become your new favorite mom hack!
- Walmart Plus Membership | 30-day free trial!
- My 25 Favorite Items to Buy at ALDI
- How to save money on groceries when working full time
- Ask Crystal: How can you save money on groceries when your expenses keep increasing?
- 22 Easy and Affordable Spring Dessert Ideas
- 50+ Easy Ways to Practice Hospitality on a Budget
- Children’s free restaurant
Also, be sure to check out our $10 family dinner ideas and the latest grocery deals.
What are some practical, proven hacks to save money on food?
One week’s worth of menu plans are free!
Your own dinner recipes using simple ingredients and a grocery shopping list!
Source: Money Saving Mom® – moneysavingmom.com
