23 Common Sense Ways to Stretch Your Food Budget (2024)

There are a lot of different ways to save money on food, and we may have to get creative and use all of them in the years ahead. We’ll share common sense ways to stretch your food budget with smarter shopping, creative sourcing, and thriftier food use.

23 Common Sense Ways to Stretch Your Food Budget (1)

It's hard to step foot into a grocery store and not notice the rising food prices. Packages are getting smaller, too, as I'm sure you've noticed if you use any older recipes that include any sort of boxed or canned item as a component.

The USDA Food Price Outlook for 2022 is grim, as supply chain issues, bad weather, rising fuel costs, and other factors hammer food costs.

There is no magic bullet or one size fits all plan, but there are several strategies you can use to make food dollars go farther. I'm breaking the ideas into three main groups – grocery shopping, alternatives to the grocery store, and making better use of food.

Meal plans can be a great way to save money on groceries, but be ready to adjust your plan if needed to take advantage of unexpected sales.

Stretching Your Grocery Budget

1. Before you head out shopping, make up a grocery list to reduce impulse buying. Don't go shopping hungry if you can avoid it. Check your refrigerator and pantry, and make up at least a rough menu plan using what you have on hand with what you purchase.

2. Watch for sales and discounts on seasonal produce. In our area, market gardeners set up roadside stands, and we have some great farmers markets.

3. Use coupons only if they are items you really use. Don't buy a more expensive item “just because you have a coupon” and not end up saving at all.

4. Watch store flyers for loss leaders and stock up on items that last a long time. Compare prices between stores is a good idea, but be mindful of high gas prices. Don't spend more running between stores than you save on groceries.

5. When appropriate, buy store brands. Quality may vary, but as you try different items you'll find those that work for you.

6. Watch for discounted day old bread and baked goods. Sometimes stores will mark down other items, such as meat, that are close to their expiration date.

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7. Choose cheaper cuts of meat, and alternative protein sources such as peanut butter or beans. Whole chickens are usually cheaper than chicken parts, or boneless skinless chicken.

8. Watch for “must sell” fruits and vegetables near the end of their shelf life. I have purchased many bags of brown bananas over the years. Slip the skins off and freeze them, and they're great for smoothies or banana bread.

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9. Buy fewer processed items and more raw ingredients. Example – whole carrots will likely be a better deal than baby carrots. A bag of potatoes provides more nutrition for the money than a bag of potato chips.

10. Buy block cheese and grate it at home. Block cheese is almost always cheaper then shredded cheese, and it keeps better and tastes better, too.

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Don't Forget Food Storage

With inflation rates continuing to climb, it makes sense to buy non-perishable food items at today's prices to save money later.

11. Buy in bulk, and repack at home for serving or storage. Family and bulk sizes almost always cost less than single serving containers.

See “Best Non Perishable Foods (For Home Use or Donations)” and “Long Shelf Life Foods – What Lasts Best” for more information.

12. Look for ethnic markets to get great pricing on certain foods. Our local Asian markets have great bulk rice prices.

Stretch Your Food Budget Using Other Food Sources

13. Grow some of your own food. I've said it once and I'll keep saying it – if you can, plant a garden. We have LOTS of gardening articles on the site you help you get started, including:

  • How to Start a Garden
  • Indoor Gardening
  • Small Space Gardening

14. Join a CSA or buy directly from local growers. If you really don't have time to garden or you have a black thumb, you can support people who do.

With a CSA arrangement, yYou pay up front so the farmer has money to cover expenses, and your price is locked in for the season. Some CSAs will offer a discount in exchange for help on the farm, or offer excess crops at a discount to CSA members.

When buying directly from local farmers, you can cut out the middle man. You can sometimes buy “seconds”, fruit or veggies with minor blemished that are still fine for eating and preserving. We packed our home freeze dryer with apple seconds from a local orchard last fall.

15. Forage for wild edibles and unharvested surplus. There are many edible wild plants, and often folks with fruit trees will have more fruit than they can use. In our area, we sometimes have an opportunity to glean beets or carrots from fields after the harvesters have gone through.

Ask around your community, and look around on walks or when driving around. These foods are free for the picking (but always ask permission before gleaning).

You can learn more about edible wild plants on our Herbs and Wildcrafting page.

Reduce Food Waste

16. Make sure you're using as much of everything you grow and purchase as you possibly can. A great deal is not a great deal if food goes to waste. Avoiding food waste is a great way to stretch your food budget.

17. Plan meals that stretch leftovers into a whole new meal. For instance, have roast chicken one day, and then turn the leftovers into meals such as:

  • Chicken broth for chicken and gnocchi soup (or your favorite chicken soup)
  • Quesadillas
  • Chicken and broccoli alfredo

Dice up leftover beef roast, sauté onions and mushrooms, add beef broth and thickening, and you have beef tips and gravy. Serve it over rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles.

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18, Save bones and vegetable scraps to make stock. If you don't have enough to cook up a batch right away, keep a small container in the freezer to collect them until you have enough.

19. Batch cook and freeze meals for busy days. You can do batch prepping, where you prep ingredients so they are ready to go into a slow cooker, or fully prepared meals ready to heat and eat.

Batch cooking makes it easier to use up fresh produce so it doesn't spoil. You can use the whole onion or whole head of cabbage instead of leaving half to roll around in the refrigerator.

20. Stretch your food budget by pairing meat with less expensive pantry items. Pair meat with pantry staples like rice and noodles, or spaghetti squash and cabbage.

My friend, Victoria, shares tips for stretching ground beef with:

  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Cabbage
  • Mushrooms
  • Oats (cooked or uncooked)
  • Cooked Rice
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Lentils
  • Cooked Beans (any type)
  • Eggs (1 per pound of meat)

See her article “How to Stretch Ground Beef” for step by step instructions.

Eat Frugally Away from Home, Too

21. Pack lunches and/or snacks. It's almost always cheaper to do the cooking at home than to buy food at a restaurant or convenience store.

22. If you decide to eat out, drink water and skip dessert. Drinks and desserts tend to come with hefty price tags, especially mixed drinks and specialty desserts. Sticking to the basics and weekly specials will stretch your food budget.

23. Watch for money saving promotions. Keep an eye out for coupon specials, senior discounts, kids eat free, and any other promotional offers that fit your family.

More Budget Friendly Ideas

If you're ready to save some money and be more prepared, check out these articles:

  • Prepping on a Budget (with Little to No Money)
  • 5 Lessons from Great Depression Life that Still Make Sense Today
  • 13 Homemade Bread Recipes
  • How to Raise Chickens Cheaply
  • 3 Ingredient Sandwich Spread Recipe for Sandwiches or Dip (great for leftover meat)

Leave a comment and share your tips for saving money on food and other staples.

23 Common Sense Ways to Stretch Your Food Budget (6)
23 Common Sense Ways to Stretch Your Food Budget (2024)

FAQs

What are 3 ways that you can stretch your food budget? ›

Stretch your food dollars
  • Keep a running grocery list.
  • Budget the amount of money you have to spend on food per week.
  • Do inventory of what you have on hand before you shop.
  • Plan meals for the week using grocery circulars, coupons and in-store sale items.
  • Eat before you go shopping, so you will not impulse buy.
Jun 3, 2024

How can I stretch $30 for groceries? ›

How to Stretch Dollars at the Grocery Store
  1. Stretch time between supermarket visits.
  2. Plan ahead.
  3. Buy produce on sale and in season.
  4. Buy foods whole.
  5. Schedule prep work.
  6. Buy in bulk when possible.
  7. Make meat the accent.
  8. Make soup.

What are 7 ways you can cut down on food costs for your family? ›

8 Tips to Reduce Your Food Bill
  • Limit Eating Out. It's probably obvious, but takeout, that delicious ramen place, and even quick "cheap" burgers add up quickly. ...
  • Plan Your Grocery Shopping. ...
  • Reduce Food Waste. ...
  • Buy in Bulk. ...
  • Set a Food Budget. ...
  • Plan for Leftovers. ...
  • Meal Prep. ...
  • Brew Your Own Coffee.
Dec 14, 2023

What food stretches your dollar? ›

Staple food items store well and stretch meals, so keep plenty of them on hand. This includes foods such as canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, canned green beans and corn, raisins, canned fruit, and dry beans.

What are the three P's for eating on a budget? ›

Page 1
  • Eating on a Budget — The 3 P's.
  • PLAN.
  • PURCHASE.
  • PREPARE.

How do you stretch out food? ›

Add an inexpensive item like rice, beans, a side salad, or an extra vegetable side dish to stretch meals further with little extra effort or cost. You can also stretch leftovers into an entirely new meal by using leftover protein and veggies in dishes like eggs and pasta.

How to save 200 a month on groceries? ›

Here are the most important habits that we regularly used to spend no more than $200 a month on food.
  1. Create a weekly perishable food inventory. ...
  2. Plan a menu each week. ...
  3. Focus on buying loss leaders. ...
  4. Find the markdowns. ...
  5. Buy in Bulk. ...
  6. Avoid processed foods.
Feb 21, 2024

Is $60 a week enough for groceries? ›

$60 a week is not a lot of money, but if you plan ahead, buy in bulk, get good at meal prepping, and avoid impulse shopping, it really is enough for two people! I would love to spend more on food, but the reality is, it would delay being debt free. And I would much rather be debt free!

How to survive on $30 dollars a week of food? ›

Here's how I keep my grocery bill under $30 a week
  1. Breakfast: Cheerios with milk and a banana, plus the free coffee I get from my office.
  2. Mid-morning snack: Granola bar or orange.
  3. Lunch: Whole wheat pasta dressed up with butter and salt.
  4. Dinner: Fried eggs, a side of rice, and a glass of milk.
Jan 13, 2017

How to decrease grocery bill? ›

Here are 11 tips you can follow to save money on your next grocery run.
  1. Pay with a grocery rewards card. ...
  2. Sign up for the loyalty program. ...
  3. Clip coupons. ...
  4. Join a wholesale club. ...
  5. Go in with a list and stick to it. ...
  6. Buy items on sale. ...
  7. Avoid pre-packaged items. ...
  8. Compare prices between stores.

How to cut food bills? ›

Learn tricks to cooking on a budget

Tins, and dried foods such as pasta, rice, noodles and oats should feature heavily on your shelves. Replace fresh fish, veg and fruit with frozen. Choosing frozen salmon rather than fresh, as in these salmon and pesto parcels, can save you over 55 percent.

What is the 6 to 1 grocery method? ›

The 6-to-1 grocery method entails buying six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads and one treat. Continue to shop carefully while at the store to get the best deals. Flexibility with your purchases will be a key to making this method a success.

What foods drag you down? ›

Avoid high-fat proteins such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs and full-fat dairy products. High fat foods are difficult to digest, rob your body of energy and can drag you down. Beware of eating a lot of salty foods, as these cause your body to retain water, making you feel bloated and sluggish.

What foods help inflation? ›

Berries, fatty fish, nuts, leafy greens, oatmeal, and olive oil can all be part of an anti-inflammatory diet. But it's best to include a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

How can I eat $1 dollar a day? ›

More $1 Meal Ideas
  1. A boiled egg, brown rice, and raisins with milk.
  2. Whole wheat pancakes and a side of fruit or juice.
  3. Oatmeal pancakes and applesauce.
  4. Scrambled egg, toast and juice.
  5. Hash browns, eggs, and fruit.
  6. A green smoothie with a side of toast.
  7. A muffin with a side of banana and yogurt.
Dec 7, 2022

What are 3 tips for saving money on food? ›

Try these tips to see a difference in your grocery bill—all while eating healthy and getting your favorite foods, too.
  • Go into the grocery store with a plan. ...
  • Always round grocery prices up. ...
  • Shop the sales (and get the extras) ...
  • When it comes to pre-prepped food, DIY when you can. ...
  • Shop at warehouse stores when it makes sense.

What is stretch in a budget? ›

A stretch budget is a budget based on sales and marketing forecasts higher than estimates. They aren't used to estimate expenses. Expenses are estimated at the budget target. Stretch budgets are often complex and subjective.

What is the best way to budget for food? ›

If you're wondering how to create a monthly food budget, another tool to use is the 50/30/20 rule. This simple and intuitive grocery budget formula suggests that you spend your net (after-tax) monthly income this way: 50% for living essentials (e.g., groceries, housing, transportation, healthcare, etc.)

How do you make a tight budget meal? ›

68 Easy And Cheap Dinner Ideas That You'll Want To Make On Repeat
  1. Buffalo Chickpea Wraps. ...
  2. 3-Ingredient Teriyaki Chicken. ...
  3. Garlic Veggie Rotini Pasta. ...
  4. Sweet Potato And Black Bean Burritos. ...
  5. Chili Lime Baked Tilapia With Avocado Crema. ...
  6. Barbecue Beer Can Chicken. ...
  7. Energy-Boosting Buddha Bowl. ...
  8. Zucchini Noodles with Kale Pesto.
May 3, 2024

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