According to the Congressional Research Service and, more importantly, the 22,000 Annapolis Moms in our group, the price of food has gone up, on average 25% this year. So, our money is going in our stomachs.
Last week, my husband and I worked on our taxes and as we were going through our bank account, we were shocked to see that almost every day, we were buying coffees, sodas, McDonalds for the kids and before we knew it, we had spent about $2,500 on food a month… at least! So here’s the deal, let’s talk about how we can still dine out occasionally but stick to somewhat of a budget.
1) Meal Plan! It’s not as fun as winging it but if you plan and cook most of your meals at home, you will have more money to have meaningful meals out! Cook in batches, freeze half and pull the second half out for another time or eat the leftovers for lunch.
2) Shop the sales. Many of our stores are close together. You may have to go to 4 different stores but you will save a lot of money! Join the club memberships and use coupons if you can.
3) Subscribe to What to Eat Wednesday. Our Editor, Sarah Amyot often lists great places that have awesome specials weekly! You’ll save money and find out about the hottest new places to try!
4) Learn what good prices look like. How much should you be paying for chicken? What’s the average price of ground beef? How much is an apple? Stores often increase the price and then put it “on sale”. The fact is that it’s trickery. Become an informed shopper. Many Annapolis Moms report that they start at Lidl or Trader Joe’s and then work their way to other stores.
5) Shop for perishables every few days. It used to be that I would buy the larger item that was more expensive but the unit price was cheaper. Lately, I’ve noticed that the perishables are going bad before I can finish what I purchased. We were throwing money away every few days. Now, I stop by the grocery and purchase the few items I need to cook dinner and almost nothing goes to waste.
6) Make a budget! I’m not suggesting you forgo your daily coffee but know what you are spending. Know that you are spending $75 a week on coffee and account for it. What will you give up for that?
7) Include your children in your decisions. I have given my daughter a budget and when it’s gone, it’s gone. It’s amazing how differently our children spend money when they understand the value.
8) Frozen vegetables are a less expensive option and retain a lot of the benefits. We use spinach in our eggs. A box of frozen spinach is far less expensive than a bag of fresh spinach but has the same benefits.
9) If you buy soda, stop now. Besides the fact that it’s not good for you, even if it’s diet soda, it is very expensive!
10) Still go out to eat but keep in mind what you want to spend on your meal. If you only want to spend $20 on lunch but you really want a $15 meal, order water instead of iced tea. If you really want a bottle of wine with dinner, split an appetizer and a meal. Oftentimes, there is plenty of food for two people!
So there you have it, my tricks to surviving the crazy food inflation. What will you put into practice to save on food bills?
The Baker’s Wife at Colonial Players