Final Way to Slash Your Grocery Bill

8. Forage for fruit.
Take a look around your neighborhood, and you might be shocked to find free fruit begging to be picked, whether from a tree near the sidewalk or branches hanging off your neighbor’s fig tree (presuming your neighbor won't mind).
There’s a growing interest in neighborhood fruit foraging, and quite a few cities have maps that plot out where you can find fruit trees.
Locate one near you at neighborhoodfruit.com or veggietrader.com. Be sure to wash before you eat.
To make your own natural cleaning concoction: Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, and 1 cup cold tap water in a spray bottle, shake well, and apply to your produce. Rinse with water.

This article was found on http://www.organicgardening.com



Next time, I'll have a guest blogger talking about the benefits of Soy, so stay tuned!

Part 8 of "8 Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill"

7. Make it yourself.
“We’re being convinced that we don’t have time to cook for ourselves anymore,” says Salsbury.
But convenience foods, even familiar kinds like dry cereal or canned soup, eat up your budget.
Buy quick-cooking oatmeal instead and add some jam or (real) maple syrup for flavor.
Throwing your own mix of beans together to make a bean soup is cheaper than cans and doesn’t take that long, says Salsbury.
   

Article comes from: http://www.organicgardening.com

Part 7 of "8 Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill"

Part 7 of "8 Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill - With Healthy Foods 


from: http://www.organicgardening.com

6. Stick to basics and weigh your options.
Oatmeal, beans, whole grain pastas, and whole grain rice are easy to cook, full of protein, and among the cheapest foods at the store.
But double check prices at the bulk bins, says Salsbury, which people assume are cheaper than prepackaged versions.
A quick price comparison sometimes reveals otherwise, and “notice that they put the scales at either end,” Salsbury says.
“You just keep putting scoops of stuff in a bag and assume that you’ve got enough.” If you’re not weighing it, you could be buying more than you need.
   

Part 6 of 8 Ways to Slash You Grocery Bill

5. Look for generic organics.
Organic products are just as creatively marketed as conventional, and we can be tempted to buy more expensive brands by glitzier labels, Salsbury says.
Many stores now carry private-label organics that are just as good as national brands; just look for the USDA organic seal.
“Made with organic ingredients” and “all-natural” products can look convincing, but “we need to read labels and make sure we’re getting what we think we’re getting.”
Also, she adds, look for local organic produce, now working its way from farmer’s markets to chain stores. Stores usually offer it for less than organic produce that’s shipped from far away.

Article is from: http://www.organicgardening.com

Part 5 of 8 Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill

4. Look high and low, but never straight ahead.
The placement of products on shelves is very carefully choreographed, says Salsbury.
Items on lower and higher shelves are generally cheaper than products placed at eye level.
Likewise, she says, “we have come to assume that anything on a display table or displayed at the end of the aisle is ‘on sale.’ Most of the time it’s just ‘for sale.’”


Again, this is from: http://organicgardening.com

If anyone missed part 2 or any of the posts, just ask and I'll send it along.

Have a great day!

Diane 
   

Part 4: 8 Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill

3. Beware of store loyalty programs.
Coupons, store discount cards, and even advertisements are all designed to promote store loyalty, Salsbury writes in her book.
But, she says, you’ll get the most out of your food dollar if you shop around instead of sticking to the store that gave you a card.
Read the ads and write down which stores are having (real) sales on the items you need, and “you can normally save $25 go $30 per trip,” she says.


This article is from: http://www.organicgardening.com

Part 3 - 8 Ways to Slash Your Gocery Bill......

8 Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill—with Healthy Food

Shop healthy and save money on your next trip to the grocery store.

2. Consider the cupboard.
Many of us diligently make lists and plan out our weekly meals before we shop, to avoid temptation from junk food we don’t need. But instead of looking at what we already have, we read recipes and get more stuff we don’t need.
“Throw out the traditional meal menu planning, and start by making do with what you have in your cupboard,” says Salsbury. So if you’ve already stocked up on staples, and you have a box of pasta and some frozen vegetables, you may just need some spices or a different kind of cheese to make that into a meal.
Or, once you’ve sharpened your deal-spotting skills, make meals from the food you find on sale at the store, she says. True, supermarket discounts favor unhealthy foods, but if you consistently shop for the few healthy items that are on sale, you’ll make a huge dent in your grocery bill.

Again, this article is from http://www.organicgarding.com


Step #3 on Thursday............