Grocery Shop Smarter and Healthier

How to save money while buying nutritious, better-for-you food

From the LifeMinute.TV Team

May 5, 2023

Food shopping can be the ultimate chore, but if you are going through the motions to get it done, you may do more harm than good. Being intentional and planning before you go to the store can help you cut costs and pick more nourishing fare for your family. Here’s what to do before and during your next grocery trip.

Make a List and Stick to It
There are several benefits to jotting down what you need before you hit the store. The first reason is so you don’t forget anything. Once you write down what you need, survey your fridge and cabinets to see what you need to ensure you are not buying something you already have at home. Lastly, a list can help you stick to a budget and avoid impulse purchases while at the store, but just being committed to only buying things you have listed out. A 2022 survey by Slickdeals via OnePoll found 73% of Americans admitted to spending more on impulse buys. As long as you don’t stray from what you wrote down, you will find yourself saving money and time but just buying the things you need.

Eat Before You Go
Never go shopping hungry. Research has found that the shoppers who reported being hungry had spent 64% more money and had bought more non-food items than the store’s less hungry customers. Also, if you are ravenous, you may go for quick food to fix your craving, which is often less healthy for you.

Go Solo
Another way to make grocery shopping more efficient is to go alone. When you shop solo, no one is distracting or influencing you to buy something not on your list. A Mint study of 1,500 Americans found that 25% of shoppers have felt pressured by others to spend money on things they don’t need. Of those, kids and partners were the key influencers, with 14% of Americans feeling heavily influenced by their children.

Shop the Perimeter
If you want to avoid processed and junk food, do most of your shopping in the outside perimeters of the store. This is where you will find all the produce and meats, but there are some aisles you will still need to peruse to find staples such as oatmeal, beans, and soups.

Read Labels
Before you put something in your cart, make sure to read the labels. Look out for foods high in sugar or with added sugar. Other ingredients to look out for include trans-fat, artificial coloring, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, oils like canola, corn, vegetable, palm, and soybean, sodium nitrates, sodium nitrites, and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin.

Join Your Store’s Loyalty Program
Most grocery stores offer a loyalty or rewards program you can sign up for free. You can earn points to get rewards or money off. Or take advantage of deals and sales only offered to loyalty members.