Juggle Around with Your Grocery List

Have you been wondering lately that how come you end up spending a rather considerable amount of money on grocery items? Since food prices are on a rise, people are facing a hard time trying to cut expenses off their grocery bills. Here are a few pointers on what’s worth spending and what’s not. Keep these tips in mind next time you visit a grocery store.

• Meatier Deals – When you buy meat, go for quality and not quantity. Besides finding out whether the meat is farm raised or organic, look for the variety which comes under the ‘never frozen’ category. Fresh meat is considered better as compared to frozen meat. When you buy fish, go for the sustainably caught varieties, they taste great and are absolutely environment friendly.
• Are You Wasting Your Money on Water? – Eliminate bottled water from your grocery list and not just that, remove expensive items which are mostly water, as well. For instance, if you spend money on store-bought chicken broth or canned beans, it’s time to look for their alternatives. You can conveniently prepare chicken broth at home and you can buy dried beans and cook them overnight. Also, avoid drinks like fruit punch and soft drinks, they are just not worth it and they are bad for your health.
• Add Spice to Your Life! – Having a variety of fresh spices in your kitchen is the key to happy cooking and delicious food. Splurge on fresh spices, they add wonderful flavours to your preparations and they are an excellent alternative to unhealthy oils and salts which we normally use for seasoning purposes. Opt for the brands which are rich in flavour and have a long lasting aroma.
• Create Your Own Blends – Fresh spices are definitely worth spending your hard earned money but some of the spice varieties are simple blends of two or more basic spices. For example, Italian seasoning is a simple blend of oregano, basil, rosemary, black pepper, thyme and garlic powder. Chicken enhancers and beef enhancers are simply salt, pepper and sugar mixed together. So why spend money on such spices, when you can easily create them with the ingredients you already have in your kitchen.
• Pick the Finest Dairy Products – Pick the best dairy products for yourself. These products provide essential nutrients and help in keeping you at prime of your health. While choosing milk, you are confronted with a variety of options ranging from low-fat, soy, skim and organic milk. It is recommended to pick the organic options since they taste better and last longer.
• Get Your Sweet Tooth Extracted – Most of us are tempted to pick packaged candies, cookies and baked products like cakes and muffins. Keep a distance from these unhealthy and expensive items while shopping. With a little self control, you’ll be able to avoid such unnecessary items and who knows, you might cut down a few inches as well.
• Olive Oil for Special Occasions – Instead of cooking everything in olive oil, you can use other oils like vegetable or canola oil. They are equally healthy but much less expensive. Save your fine quality olive oil for special occasions when you prepare dishes like grilled meat or for salad dressings.
• Cultivate a Kitchen Garden – This isn’t that difficult as it sounds. You do not necessarily need a huge lawn for cultivating your own herbs and spices. Buy some pots and you are sorted. You can grow your own herbs that will turn out to be fresh and rich in flavour. You can save a good amount of money and also, your home will look greener and prettier.
• Explore Seasonal Treats – Avoid flash frozen veggies. Find out what is the season’s speciality and buy fresh fruits and vegetables instead. You will find a major difference in taste, plus they are much healthier and eco friendly.