UK: A Naughty or Nice Grocery Bill? Buy organic only when it counts

Source: dailymail.com
By Amy Gannon

OrganicPortal NewsRoom

This week, between last minute shopping, wrapping and cooking, I started going through holiday charges to see if we blew our budget. This year, like most, I over spent again. I also noticed a bigger chunk of my budget going to food. The amount I spent on our Christmas meals was especially high and seemed more naughty than nice.

In this rough economy, the rising price of food is an issue for many families. I’ve compiled a list of tips to help you save some money at the grocery store. Check out these suggestions and you might have enough cash left over to put help pay off your holiday bills and kick off the New Year in a healthy manner too.

» Always shop with a grocery list and plan meals for the week prior to shopping. Check what you have on hand already and plan meals accordingly.

» Check weekly sale ads and plan meals around what is on sale. If you have freezer space, stock up on meat and frozen veggies when they are on sale.

» Buy produce in season. Citrus fruit, apples, pears and bananas are reasonably priced in the winter.

» Compare the unit price of products to see which brand, and which size, is the best buy.

» Prepare a large meal and plan for leftovers. Eating leftovers is more cost effective than cooking a new meal because you will end up buying less ingredients.

» Don’t waste food. Buy only the amount of produce you can eat in one week. If you can’t eat everything you’ve prepared, get creative with the leftovers. Cooked meat and veggies freeze well and can be used later for stews or casseroles. Over-ripe fruit makes a great smoothie when frozen and added to yogurt.

» Make sure a coupon is really getting you the best buy. The store brand is often still the best price when compared to a name brand with a coupon.

» Go meatless once or twice a week. Foods like cooked beans, vegetarian quiche and meatless pasta dishes are healthy and inexpensive to make.

» Plan for a sandwich night each week. Cutting out at least one big meal per week will help save money over a month’s period. Keep cut up veggies and fruit on hand to make it a balanced meal.

» Plan ahead for when your time is crunched. Busy evenings often lead to a beeline toward the drive through. Fast food meals aren’t really cheap anymore, with the average cost for a family of four at about $20. I love to use my crockpot as an alternative to fast food. One of my favorite websites for crockpot ideas is crockpotgirls.com. Not all of the recipes are healthy, but most can be altered to make lower fat/calorie versions.

» Buy organic only when it counts. Most organic foods are more expensive when compared to non-organic. Focus on purchasing only the “dirty dozen” organic produce foods. These are the ones exposed to the most pesticides. Produce with a thick skin that can be peeled (think bananas and oranges) are not good buys for your organic dollar. Stock up on organic dairy products when they are on sale. Organic milk has a longer shelf life than non-organic and will last longer in the refrigerator. Forgo processed organic grains like dry cereal and pasta. Most experts agree these aren’t worth the money.

Tip: OrganicPortal UK - Organic Food

OrganicPortal NewsRoom

26.12.2011

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