Now that it’s summertime and your schedule is a little more relaxed you may have noticed your grocery bill rising. I’ve overspent the last two weeks and I’m determined to rein it back in.
The following tips have helped me to save on groceries in the summer months.
How to Save on Groceries in the Summer
Re-Boot Your Beverages
Buying specialty drinks and soda can take a huge chunk out of your budget. Make water your drink of choice and use these tricks to “spice” it up:
- Make “Buggy” Ice Cubes – Wash plastic toy insects well, place them inside small plastic containers and cover them with water. Place the containers in the freezer to make large ice cubes. If your kids are small make sure to use a sippy cup with a lid so they don’t swallow the plastic toys once the ice melts.
- Make Your Own Flavored Water– Keep a pitcher of water in the fridge with fresh fruit like orange and lemon slices or berries to add flavor.
- Add Juice – Add some juice to your kids’ water cups to add color and a little more flavor.
- Make Herbal Iced Tea – Herbal tea is usually served warm but we love to make herbal iced tea. The berry flavors are a favorite, but iced mint tea is a treat as well.
Buy Local Produce
Warmer weather means that we’re naturally drawn to lighter, fresher foods and a terrific way to save money on fresh food is to buy local produce. Try weekend Farmer’s Markets or Pick-Your-Own Berry Farms. I have a favorite local produce stand that I frequent during the summer months.
If blueberries are in season in your area try my yummy Blueberry Recipes here.
Package Your Own Snacks
Rather than spending lots on pre-packaged and individual serving snacks take a few minutes at the beginning of the week and package your own snacks in re-usable containers or in plastic sandwich bags. Air popped popcorn is an inexpensive add-in to homemade snack mixes and it’s much healthier than chips.
Skip Cereal for Breakfast
Boxed cereal is convenient, but it’s also one of the most expensive ways to feed your family breakfast. We limit cereal to one or two mornings a week and keep other staples on hand like oatmeal and Homemade Freezer Waffles. You can check my Cereal-Free Breakfast Pinterest Board for more ideas.
Use Your Stash
We all have a few cans and boxes hidden in the back of our pantries and frozen foods lurking in the freezer that we haven’t used in a while. Save money by taking inventory of what you already have on hand and incorporating those items into meals for the next couple of weeks. You will not only save money, but you’ll also avoid wasted food.
Make Homemade Freezer Pops
If there’s one thing my kids love in the summer, it’s freezer pops. Making your own pops is so simple and can save you lots of money this summer. Freeze juice or fruit slices like these Watermelon Freezer Pops or try these Blueberry Yogurt Pops. Check my Freezer Pop Recipe Pinterest Board here for more ideas.
Re-Commit to Meal Planning
If you’re like me, cooking and planning meals is one of the least favorite parts of your week. If you’re not like me, I’m a little jealous. For those of us who struggle in this area it’s helpful to make the switch to simple meals for the summer such as sandwiches, salads and lots of fruit and veggies. My kids love watermelon so I can often get away with serving sandwiches if I follow up with watermelon slices.
To keep your meal planning super simple make a list of five to six easy dinners then plan for leftovers one night. Make your grocery list and BAM! — you’re done.
Shop Once A Week
Once you have a meal plan you can limit your grocery shopping to once a week. Going to the store less often will save you at least $20 a week because you will avoid the impulse buys you inevitably pick up every time you walk through the doors. And if you’re using pick up or delivery, you’ll still save money because you can buy only what you know you will use rather than adding anything that looks good to your virtual cart.
Use Up The Leftovers
Food waste can really drain your budget. I’ve found that I can avoid the waste and save money by making a conscious effort to use up leftovers. I package up the leftovers after dinner for the kids or hubby to take for lunch the next day or I freeze the food in individual containers for lunches later.
I freeze ripening fruit for smoothies, use up veggies in stir fries or scrambles, and I try to make sure that we have used up what’s already open before I buy more at the store. Click here for more ideas for using leftovers.
Buy Less
We naturally tend to eat less food for our summer meals because the heat suppresses our appetite. Take advantage of this fact by monitoring your portion sizes and buying less food than you would during the rest of the year. You’ll not only save money, but you may lose a pound or two as well.
Use the Walmart Savings Catcher
[UPDATE: This program is no longer available.]
I have to admit that I mostly shop for non-food items at Walmart, but if you’re shopping there for groceries you might want to check out their Savings Catcher program. Simply download the Walmart app and navigate to the “Saving’s Catcher” option. The app will ask you to scan your receipt barcode which is found at the bottom of your receipt.
After you scan your barcode a screen will pop up showing how many local competitors are and where they are located. It will then analyze the items you bought and their prices and compare them with the local stores. Within about three days you will be notified if any lower prices were found. If so, the difference in the amount you spent will be added to an eGiftcard.
Need super simple meal ideas?
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Read how I feed my family for less without extreme couponing in my Save More-Clip Less ebook!
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What tips do you have for saving on groceries during the summer months? Leave a comment.
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