How To Save Money On Your Grocery Bill

As a stay-at-home mom, I'm always looking for ways to cut corners on my grocery bill.  My husband and Scarlett eat a lot and it seems like I have to make big portions of food to have all of us eat.  Of course all of this costs money and it feels like I'm constantly going to the grocery store.  It's nice to save money when you can, everyone enjoys it.

Here are some of my tips that allow you to save some $$ on your food bill and get the most bang for your buck.

1. Buy one get one free items.  For example a pack of Sargento cheese that's $3.99 is also buy one get one free.  So, you're getting two packs of cheese for $4.00, instead of $8.  That's a big savings! We go through sliced cheese a lot in my house for sandwiches or grilled cheeses.  

2. Make a volume of food that will last for your family for a few days.  I cook 5-6 nights a week. One night I might make a pan of baked ziti or a casserole and it lasts my family about two days and we can get a few meals out of it.  Scarlett may have it for lunch twice or so.  If you make a big pot of soup or a stew, that will feed your family for a while too.  Always try to buy everything on sale too if you can, that will instantly save you money.

3. Buy reduced meats if your grocery store has them.  My grocery store always reduces the meat set to expire in a day or two about 40% off. That's a big savings if you think about it.  If you freeze the meat, it lasts months.  I recently bought a large package of ground beef for $2.50.  I was able to make 26 meatballs with it for my family.  If you pair that with pasta, it's a cheap dinner.  Just pull the meats out of the freezer and defrost it when you need it. I use ground beef also for tacos and enchiladas as well as casseroles.  

I've found chicken sausage, turkey sausage and chicken breast for 40% off and have bought a few packages of each to freeze.  The options for what you can make with those items are endless.  My family loves Perdue chicken burgers and today when I went to the grocery store they were on sale for $2.69 for four patties.  My husband has two burgers and Scarlett and I each have one.  So $2.69 for a main meal is great! All you need is rolls and a small side to go with it.

4. Check the bakery department for reduced breads and bakery items.  I can always find nice rolls or breads that are great for sandwiches.  Today, I found chocolate chip sea salt pretzel cookies that were originally $5 reduced down to well under $3.  I probably would not buy them at $5, but for the reduced price you bet I grabbed them.

I hope these tips help and save you some dough.  Happy shopping!