The cost of groceries has been steadily rising over the last year, and there is no end in sight. And with winter here, all you will be craving is comfort food.
That said, beyond meal planning, learning how to grocery shop on a budget is very helpful. When you make savings, your budget has more room for other expenses like bills, family outings, and achieving larger financial objectives. Being on a budget can be difficult during winter. The winter weather causes many of us to overindulge.
We list some of the important grocery items that you need to buy to help you avoid spending too much while you grocery shop in winter.
In-season vegetables
Cold-weather vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, parsnips, and squash are all affordable, filling, long-lasting and versatile. Keep them in a cool, dark place and they will last weeks or even months. You can eat them as side dishes but you can blend them together too.
Bread
Bread is something you are always going to want to have on hand when you are struggling to make ends meet.
It can be the cornerstone of breakfast and lunch. Forget about the expensive artisan stuff and go for the store-brand loaves. Wholewheat costs a little more, but it is still cheap.
Pasta
Pasta is comfort food that is versatile and inexpensive and is a pantry staple of many cost-conscious shoppers. It is the ultimate cheap food and has plenty of beneficial nutrients. Thanks to the versatility of pasta, you can pair the dish with a variety of inexpensive ingredients.
Meat
There are certain cuts and types of meat that are more affordable than others. This does not mean that meat is not more expensive than produce, because it certainly is, but meat is a staple in millions of people’s diets, so it is worth exploring the ways to cut costs where you can. Think lamb shoulder chops, chuck roast, flank steak, and whole chicken.
If you are looking to spend even more money on meat, it is also worth considering purchasing wholesale meat.
Beans
Beans are a great cheap alternative, but they are also a good addition to the weekly grocery shopping because they are high in protein and fibre and low in fat, which means they are fantastic for your health.
Popular beans to include in your grocery list can be chickpeas which can be lovely cooked with onions, or make hummus. Lentils are good for stews and soups and also brilliant as a side dish with meat or fish, and also butter beans; which are good in salads as well as stews.
Canned soup
While we all would much rather devour home-made soup, sometimes we have to stew over the fact that buying fresh ingredients for home-made soup is expensive. To stay on the cheap course, a can of soup from your local grocery store is sometimes just as good, and even more nostalgic. Channel your childhood days and heat up a can of creamy tomato soup, or the infamous chicken noodle.
Dairy products
Dairy products, which include things like milk, eggs, butter, and cheese, have all risen in price. When it comes to saving money on these refrigerator staples, start by choosing store-brand products over name-brand ones, and consider buying certain items in bulk as opposed to individually packaged portions. For instance, getting a store-brand block of cheese and cutting it up for a snack will be cheaper than buying pre-packaged cheese snacks.
Frozen vegetables
Frozen vegetables are affordable and nutritious, and they can serve as go-tos when your pantry and fridge are running low.
You can buy them in the store or freeze extra produce from your garden or the local farmer’s market.
Frozen vegetables are a good idea if not many fresh vegetables are in season. Serve them as a side dish, toss them into pasta sauce or soup, or incorporate them into a vegetable omelette.
Baking ingredients
In winter, you will see yourself baking more because you crave that delicious cake or muffin that you can have with a hot cup of coffee. I know that when the weather gets cold I crave vetkoek with cheese and mince. And since there is no store around my area that sells this ready-made combo, I know I have to start baking and cooking to sort out my winter cravings.
Besides cakes, muffins, and vetkoek, there are many cheap foods you can make with flour, baking soda, baking powder, yeast, and things you probably have on hand like sugar, salt, butter, and water. Keep these super cheap ingredients in your cupboard and make home-made bread, pancakes, pasta, tortillas, cookies, and more.
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