Groceries are often one of the biggest bills for a family. SNAP dollars can be a big help in paying for food, and saving money for other bills. Here is a three-part strategy to help you cut food costs and make the most of your SNAP dollars.
- Plan Ahead: Shopping when hungry or without a plan can end up costing you more money, and you may end up without the things you need to prepare meals throughout the week. Plan ahead by making a meal plan and using it to create a grocery list.
A meal plan is a list of breakfasts, lunches, dinner, and snacks you’ll serve for the week. Some families have 3 or 4 weeks of meals planned out that they rotate through. This takes less work than coming up with a new menu every week. Start your meal plan by brainstorming meals based on low-cost ingredients that keep for a long time, and can be used in many meals. Check out the Cooking 5 Ways series for ideas of how to plan meals around inexpensive staples. You may already have many of these items in your pantry! The Shop Simple with MyPlate app also directs you to budget friendly foods in each food group.
You can also check your grocery store circular to see what’s on sale, and look for coupons. You can save money by basing meals around bargain items.
Turn your meal plan into a list by reviewing the ingredients you’ll need for each meal, looking for what you already have in the fridge, freezer, or pantry, then writing down the items you need to purchase.
- Shop Smart: Bring your list to the grocery store and stick to it. If the items on your list are offered in the store brand, it may be cheaper than buying the name brand. Compare unit prices when deciding which items to buy. This means comparing the price of two similar items if they were offered in the same size container. The unit price is displayed in small print on the price sticker on the shelf. Larger containers are not always a bargain, so look closely.
If you find a sale on items you can use, buying extra can save money. But first think about whether your family can eat it before it goes bad. Most fresh fruits and veggies can be frozen for future meals.
Consider shopping online. Online shopping lets you compare prices and browse options with less pressure than a trip to the grocery store. This can help reduce costs from unplanned items, and can reduce the stress of shopping with young children. Click here for more information on online shopping with SNAP.
- Reduce Waste: Once you have your groceries home, don’t let them go to waste. Wrap the leftovers and enjoy them for lunch the next day! Freeze leftovers that you won’t get to in a few days. If you have fresh ingredients that are in danger of going bad, freeze those too. Be sure to label everything in the freezer so it doesn’t get forgotten.
As you get more experienced at meal planning, you’ll also discover ways to stretch one recipe into several meals. For example, leftover cooked chicken from Monday can become chicken tacos on Tuesday. This helps reduce waste by making sure leftovers get eaten, and stretches a higher priced item such as chicken into multiple meals by combining it with other ingredients.
Like anything else, practice makes perfect! As you experiment with meal planning, smart shopping, and reducing waste, make notes about what works for your family and what doesn’t to help you save more money in the future.
