How are you coping w/ rising food prices?

[Aleta]

Lux Living: Thank you for all of your research to us. These are all great guides to go on.

[ceejay74]

We use coupons some, and stock up when there's a good deal. My husband is gaining an encyclopedic knowledge (all kept in his head) of which product is cheapest where (of the four places readily available to us as non-car-owners).

We stopped buying as many little extra treats and stick to the menu/shopping list much more strictly.

We moved to juices from concentrate rather than bottled (this has saved a TON of money).

We no longer buy wine or liquor with our grocery budget; if someone wants it they have to use their spending cash for it.

We frequent the farmer's market in summer and intend to buy more this year and freeze what we don't use immediately.

I'd cut back somewhere else before I cut back on eating fresh, local and/or healthy food. My family has made some drastic changes in lifestyle, but one comfort is the enjoyment of great quality food. Americans have the option of much cheaper food than the rest of the world but a lot of it is cheap in nutritional value as well, and we'll pay elsewhere down the line if we don't splurge a little on fresh fruit and veg in the grocery store.

[disneysteve]

One thing I've started doing (inspired by a different thread) is digging into the pantry and freezer more and trying to use up food we already have. We've already found a few instances of recently buying an item only to discover we had a package of it buried and forgotten in the closet. By using up existing stock, we avoid spending on that item entirely.

[JanH]

For Hurricane time, I start buying earlier than the June start date. For sure you won't like what's left over when a hurricane watch and warning is announced. You certainly won't like the long lines either.

We've already started stockpiling for hurricane season, too. Don't forget things like toilet paper which goes into short supply during a hurricane watch! And we stockpile stuff for cleaning supplies and garbage disposal, repair supplies, and keep our cars filled with gas. And a little of the types of medicines you might need for illnesses.

This is a great reminder to do this year round and plan for a longer term. I get so lax after the hurricane season is over. Thanks for the reminder!

[clubneary]

I try to make a dinner menu for 2 weeks at a time. I sit down on Sunday with the store fliers and check to see what type of meat is on sale. I will pick 2-3 types of meat, poultry or pork and use those as my base. I then search on Allrecipes.com or through my cookbooks to find recipes that use these types of meat. I make the rest of my shopping list with items needed for the recipes and things that are on sale. I try to match coupons with what is on sale and have noticed a small savings. I am doing the CVS thing too but find that I buy things I don't really need b/c I will get extra bucks. I am trying to stay away from that.
I am also thinking about planting a small vegetable garden this spring.

[Aleta]

I've noticed that the CVS thing (extra bucks ) can be a trap if you are not careful. Lately, I've gone there and spent very little only because the items that were on sale were items that I wanted in the first place.

[LuxLiving]

Why I am concerned...
Food Prices and Supply News - The New York Times

[mom-from-missouri]

I got a mailer from the county extension office yesterday.

They had been tracking the increase of prices in fuel and foods in our county. Of what they tracked, the cheapest went up up 17% and the highest (milk) went up 27% from last March 31.

I also now bake all our bread. Even if I buy the frozen bread dough loaves I save us money. They are 6 loaves for $2.98. Or I can make it cheaper yet from scratch.

Last week I peeked at the bread at the store. The cheapest loaf they had was $3.07.

I know many have suggested the day old bread outlets and such. But we don't have one here--the nearest is 27 miles away, and I do sometimes go if I am already in that area, but their prices have gone way up too.

[scfr]

Thanks - So many great ideas!

I have never lived near an Aldi's, but you can bet I'll be checking it out if I ever do!

If you manage to squeeze a few dollar's out of the food budget, do you carry it over or do a little extra stock up? In the past, I would have said carry it over, but given the way prices are rising I think a little extra stock up makes more sense right now.

[Saving in So Cal]

I am pretty much doing what everyone else is doing. Planning menus, sticking to lists, shopping sales, stockpiling deals, using up what's on hand, and eliminating extras. Although it's been hard, I have really reduced my impulse buys.

For bread, I have been buying fresh french and sourdough bread in the bakery section (costs about $1.25 a loaf, frequently less).

Milk is a bit of an issue, since I like to buy organic. I buy shelf-stable vanilla soy milk for myself, which is a little bit cheaper, and I am going to switch to powdered for baking.

We also still buy bottled water and I am considering one of those faucet filter devices if I can talk my husband into it. He likes a particularly brand of water, so it won't be easy.

Since we have good weather, we have already started a garden with tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and herbs. We had mixed results with last year's garden (pest problems), but are hopeful we'll do better this year. We have an apple, an orange, an almond, and an avocado tree, as well as blueberry bushes, but none of them will begin producing for another year or two. We'd like to eventually grow most of our own produce, but we're a long way from that goal. In the meantime, we try to stick to buying what's in season.

[Aleta]

I am saving my coupon money from food and the CVS and Walgreens stores but am keeping any other savings to buy extra food in bulk because of increasing prices. I am also considering some vegetable pot plants. Like the above poster, we like Almond milk which can be stored and I probably will start buying powdered milk for baking and also will start buying dried fruits.

[JBinKC]

I haven't been buying much. This winter I have been eating into my stockpiled food. Normally, I rotate a 6 month supply but I have whittled it down to 2. I also have been eating fewer fresh fruits and vegetables and more cheaper alternatives like potatoes and cabbage. Back to the Ol' Irish cookbook.

I also intend to expand my garden by the elimination of planting annual flowers and have upped my inventory of canning jars by 3 dozen.

[garilon]

why not try shopping online - you are price focused - not tempted by fancy displays and marketing - the kids aren't nagging to get a lolly and you won't be tempted to buy more because you're hungry. Save money on groceries - more tips here