Despite the promises, food costs, including eggs and other staples, remain high. From grocery store shelves to dining out, food prices are climbing, and it’s not just affecting families on a tight budget. Meal planning and grocery shopping are ever more challenging, and nearly everyone (except the uber-rich) is looking for ways to navigate rising food prices.

Food prices are unlikely to fall anytime soon. Tariffs, a looming trade war and ongoing geopolitical tensions, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, have disrupted global food supply chains. Rising fuel costs and extreme weather conditions due to climate change also contribute to higher prices. Add to this mix the lingering impact of COVID-19 (and now Bird Flu), farm labor disruptions due to haphazard immigration enforcement and basic corporate greed. All these, and other factors, are making it more difficult to feed your families without breaking the bank.

There are ways to lower household food expenses. Some require only small changes while others are a bit more complex but still doable. These time-tested strategies effectively reduce food expenditures and many have other additional environmental and social benefits as well.

Plan. By creating a weekly menu, you’ll be able to make less-costly bulk purchases, reduce the number of trips to the grocery (lowering fuel costs), avoid impulse purchases and decrease food waste.

• Create a Weekly Menu: Plan what meals you’ll make throughout the week and create a shopping list. Buy what you’ll actually use and avoid exotic ingredients that will sit in your pantry for months. Choose recipes that use similar ingredients to reduce waste but change flavorings to avoid recipe burnout and boredom. Consult internet food sites for ideas.
• Use Leftovers: Incorporate leftovers into your meal plan. Roast a chicken one night and use the leftovers for a salad or sandwich the next day. The internet is a great resource for leftover usage.
• Budget-Friendly Dishes: Select recipes that include cost-effective ingredients such as seasonal produce. Incorporating plant-based proteins into your meals can also be a cost-effective way to ensure you’re getting enough protein while keeping your grocery bill in check. Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are packed with protein and fiber, and they can be used in a variety of dishes, from soups to salads. Soy-based proteins such as tofu and tempeh are great alternatives to higher-priced meat in many recipes including stir-fries, sandwiches, casseroles and soups.

Buy Big. Buying in bulk can offer significant savings, especially for non-perishable items since bulk items often come at a much lower unit price compared to their smaller counterparts. Especially staples like rice, beans, pasta and canned goods.

• Join: A membership in a warehouse club like Costco or Sam’s Club provides access to lower costing bulk items, frequently at wholesale prices. Most wholesale clubs will mail members coupons to use at their store and some also offer special discounts for online purchases. If home storage is an issue, divide your purchases (and the costs) with friends and family.
• Go Branded: Warehouse clubs’ branded merchandise are often even better values. Many are made by well-known, high-quality manufacturers that are sold under the warehouse club’s label.
• Reducing Impact: By purchasing in bulk, you lessen the amount of wasteful packaging while decreasing your fuel costs with less store visits. Be sure to bring your own bags to have an even greater impact.

Shop Smart. Timing your purchases and being strategic about where you shop can help reduce your grocery bills.

• Shop Sales and Discounts: Keep an eye out for sales and special offers to help create your weekly menus. Many stores have rotating discounts on different items each week. Discount grocery stores often carry the same products as major supermarkets but at lower prices. Don’t be afraid to explore these options.
• Use Coupons and Loyalty Programs: Sign up for free grocery stores digital coupons and loyalty programs that provide discounts on specific items. Store-branded items are frequently discounted even further when you are member of their loyalty program.
• Shop Local and Seasonal: Locally grown produce is often less expensive than imported items. Additionally, buying seasonal produce ensures you’re getting fresh ingredients at their peak, which tend to be cheaper. They also last longer thereby increasing menu options and reducing food waste. Join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to receive locally-grown farm products, shop at farm markets and consider utilizing “imperfect” food providers that purchase produce from farms when there is a surplus or when the produce doesn’t meet cosmetic requirements.

Start Gardening. If you have the space and time, growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs in your home garden provides fresh produce and reduces your reliance on the grocery store.

• Begin Small: Consider easy-to-grow plants such as tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and herbs. Site selection and preparation is key. If you have limited space, grow food in containers. Herbs and small vegetables can thrive in pots on a balcony or patio.
• Get Help: Gardening is more than throwing seeds into the ground. It includes regular watering, weeding, pruning, fertilizing, pest control, weed preventions and loads of other tasks. While the internet is a good resource, seek out others in your area that have experience with the local soil and the plants you’re considering to avoid frustration and disappointment.
• Composting: Create your own compost from kitchen scraps to improve soil quality and reduce the need to buy costly fertilizers.

Make Every Bite Count. Avoiding food waste is a way to get most out of your grocery budget.

• Look Before Discarding: Produce that may appear past its prime, as well as odds and ends of ingredients, are often still fine for cooking. They can be incorporated into soups, omelets and stews.
• Portion Control: Serve smaller portions to avoid throwing away uneaten food. You can always save the rest for later.
• Proper Storage: Knowing where foods are best kept in important. Some foods need airtight containers in the refrigerator while others are best stored on the counter. Freeze items in air-tight containers clearly labeled with the contents and the date it was prepared.
• Dump Less: Have a bowl nearby while doing food prep to collect scraps and other compostable materials. Add them to your compost pile to reduce landfill waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden.
• Preserve: Learn how to pickle, dehydrate, can and make jam/jelly from surplus fruits and vegetables – especially abundant seasonal produce. A home dehydrator is a good investment. Canning can be tricky, and potentially dangerous, so consider getting hands-on instruction before trying.

With food prices continuing to rise, it’s crucial to adopt strategies such as meal planning, buying in bulk, shopping smart, reducing food waste and growing your own food. By being proactive, conscious of your purchasing habits and learning a few new skills, you can ensure that you and your family continue to eat well even in these uncertain economic times.

For more insights and guidance on navigating challenging economic conditions, green investing, sustainability, climate change and other related issues, stay tuned to our blog for future updates and expert analyses.

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