While rising prices are forcing families to restructure their spending, one necessity can be trimmed a bit more — the grocery store. Sure, bargain hunting and coupons have helped, but experts say using the grocery store in your favor can fatten wallets and find you healthier.
Julie Gray, registered dietician for Purdue Cooperative Extension Service, states while people feel they are faring well feeding their family, truth is, most people don’t know how to shop wisely. The key to cutting costs is being prepared ahead of time.
Claudia Bloom, associate research editor, Real Simple magazine, agrees. Developing a system that works for the shopper will help with efficiency and guarantees food in the house. The magazine suggests organizing your list by the grocery aisle. Keep the list on your computer or refrigerator to jot down items once you run out. Once at the store, the list prevents the shopper from running around the store for items.
“It won’t be perfect, but it’s pretty fool proof if you follow it and make it a habit,” said Bloom.
Preparing begins at home, but the real test comes when you arrive at your favorite grocery store. Overall, stores such as Wal-Mart or Meijer may be more economical because of high sales volume, but bottom line, grocery stores are in the business to make money.
Banking on your repeat business, stores will use certain tactics to first lure you into the store then make attempts to capitalize on your “smart shopping sense.” For example, shopping carts are larger than in years past. Plus if you listen hard, there’s soothing music playing in the background meant to relax the shopper.
Stores know the more time you spend there, the more you’re going to buy, hence being armed with a shopping list. While a list cuts time and unnecessary spending, Gray states shoppers shouldn’t be married to certain brands and to take your time and really look for substitutes or store brands.
“Stores will put the most expensive items at eye level. What’s going to be right in front of you are all the cereals advertised on TV, what kids see on cartoons. Look high and look low,” said Gray.
Stores also strategically put displays on the end of the aisle. If you go to the designated aisle for that “sale” item, it may not even be on sale. Because it’s featured at the end, one is led to believe that particular product or brand is on sale.
What may further lead to lower grocery bills is buying fresh fruits and produce that are in season. Be conscious of your need, though. Buying excessive fruits and vegetables that end up in the garbage is wasteful in more ways than one. Gray also urges buyers to check out frozen fruit and vegetables that are equal in nutritional value.
“We don’t get enough fruits and vegetables in our diet and we’re filling up on unhealthy, expensive, chips, pop and cookies. We need to go back to the days when our snacks were an apple, raisins or carrots and dip,” added Gray. “Plus we need to rethink convenience. Instead of buying a bag of salad, buy the lettuce and cut it up yourself.”
Federal and state food programs, such as the Women Infant and Children or food stamps, also realize the health and financial aspects of grocery shopping are providing assistance to clients to help them get more bang for their buck.
Lauren Auld, director of media relations for Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) says the Indiana Family Nutrition Program helps clients with just that. The program is a collaboration between FSSA, Purdue University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is implemented in 82 Indiana counties.
The Indiana Family Nutrition Program also provides educational programs that increase likelihood of food stamp participants making healthy food choices and choosing active lifestyles. It provides nutrition interventions on a variety of nutrition subjects including diet quality, food safety and physical activity.
