How We Eat Organic and Still Save Money on Food

 

Today I wanted to write about something that is near and dear to our hearts, food.  We sure do love food and we also value eating good, quality food too.

 

Picture from our dinner last night

 

We like food so much that we even have it in our name :o)

 

And the cost of food can definitely be high ticket item for many families.  Unlike cutting cable or getting rid of a car, it's one of those costs that you can minimize, but can't get rid of altogether.

 

But have no fear, I've put together a short list of the ways that we have cut down our grocery bill and have actually started eating even better *eh hem organic* food while at it.

 

I'd also like to point out that we do not have a Costco membership, nor do we have an Aldi near us.  These are strategies are for anyone to utilize at any plain-old-boring super market.

 

So what's our secret?

 

Eat Before You Go

 

First things first, and this might sound silly, but eating a meal before going to the grocery store has been killer for us.  It is extremely difficult to fight the urge to buy something when the little man in your tummy is hangry and you are surrounded by tempting goodies.  By putting some base in your belly, it's much easier to buy only what is needed and avoid spending unnecessary money.  Not only that, but it is way easier to fight the temptation one time while at the store, rather than buy the bag of cookies and then constantly have to fight the urge to eat them once you get them home.

 

Make a List (And Check It Twice)

 

The next simple task is to make a list before you go and then stick to it.  Comb through your pantry and refrigerator to see what you need.  Then write it down and do not deviate from that list.

 

Again, when presented with temptation, it is easy to just buy (insert unnecessary object here) when you really don't need it.

 

If you come across something that you think you need while at the store, jot it down for the next visit. If you still need it then, buy it.  If not, scratch it off the list.

 

Dollar Bins Aren't Just at Target

 

Fortunately for us, our local grocery store has a $1 fruit and veggie bin which is the first thing that I hit when getting to the market.  Basically, they bag up the stuff that needs to sell and mark the price way down to get it off the shelf.

 

And let me tell you, this little bin is fantastic.  I've found everything from potatoes, mangos, bell peppers, squash, zucchini, apples, oranges, onions, eggplant, pineapple, pomegranate, and many, many more.

 

 

All for $6. Keep in mind there were 3 mangos, but 2 got eaten before the picture was taken.

 

 

It's always a gamble as to what will be there, but that adds a little adventure into our meals.

 

In addition to these items being super cheap, we've also found that most of these goodies are also organic.  It's a double win for Team Waffles.  We would never pay full price it to eat that stuff.

 

100% organic. The sticker does not lie

 

Buying On Sale and In Bulk

 

One of the other big things that we do to save money on food is only buying items that are on sale and buying in bulk. And I'm not talking that kind of bulk-size at Costco, but actually just the larger items at the regular grocery store.

 

While I scavenge the $1 fruit and veggie bin, Mr. Wow attacks the meat counter.  I always know what is on sale when he comes staggering back to the cart with 10 packs of delicious meat in his hands, does a quick drop off, and then runs back to grab more.

 

"I got some ground turkey," he'd say with a huge smile on his face, knowing that he just scored an awesome deal.   I.e: regular price being $5.99/lb and he just loaded our cart with 3lb packs for $6.

 

"Yes you did," I'd respond, shaking my head because I know it is way more than just "some".

 

And I'll add that even though we buy our meat in bulk, Mr. Wow takes pride into portioning it out as soon as we get home.  Some things like turkey, steak, and chicken get placed in bags with enough for 4 servings.  That way we have one for dinner for both of us and then enough for leftover lunches the next day.

 

Below= package from store, Above= individual portions

 

Other items, like sausage and bacon, get portioned into 2 servings that pair lovely with homemade waffles or whatever else we cook up on the weekends (and sometimes on Wednesday like when we are traveling or when a holiday falls on that day).

 

One of my favorite views

 

After the meat counter, he'll take a look through the discount racks to pick up any staples such as olive oil, bread, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, etc that happen to be on sale.  He'll also pick up any spices that we need, buying only the big containers since we make our own dressings and seasonings, including taco seasoning, salad dressing, peri-peri sauce, and rib rub.

 

If you happened to be at our place for our Financial Independence Day Party a few weeks ago, here's the recipe for the rib rub everyone was raving about.

 

 

Just ask the 1500s what they thought of it. 

 

 

Usually, this whole "buying only what is on sale" thing is not an issue, since we tend to stock up and replenish our supply when it starts to run low and goes on sale again.  But one time, we dreadfully ran out of Cholula and had to go weeks without it since it never went on sale at our market.

 

Now, this is a BIG deal and if you follow us on twitter you already know how much we like it.  We put it on everything!

 

But luckily, we found a replacement on Amazon that is actually cheaper and should last us a little bit ;o)

 

So glorious!

 

Simple

 

So there you have it.  A few easy strategies that anyone can pull off at any grocery store. Simple, straightforward, cheap, and good, just the way we like it.