Saving money on meat, produce and dairy products is not a whole lot different than buying other grocery products. Other than of course, we rarely have coupons for these products! Given this, saving money can be a bit more challenging if you don’t know how to shop smartly.
Here are some tips and tricks on how to get these products at prices you can afford:
Understand how to shop the sell by dates
When it comes to buying meat and produce, you have to learn how to buy the discounted meat. The date they get marked down varies depending on the store you shop, but generally it will be about two days before they hit the sell by date. That still gives you plenty of time to get it made into a meal or freeze it. Shop the discounted meats and dairy products to find deep discounts. I have found Safeway is a great place to get discounted dairy products if you are near a Safeway store!
Get to know your local managers
If you shop a particular grocery store, get to know the various market managers, produce managers and store managers. Eventually you will feel comfortable enough to ask when they mark down their meats. If you know the time of day that they do this, then you can swoop in for the savings. Managers want those discounted products gone so they certainly won’t mind.
Shop the circulars
Watch your store’s circulars to save a ton of cash. Sign up for your local store circular online, or get it in the Wednesday or Sunday newspaper (depending on your store’s ad cycle). Watch the prices on items that you buy regularly and stock the freezer when the price is low. You would be amazed what you can all freeze!
Go to the local farmer’s market regularly
There are few things you can do to save more money on your food bill than visit a local farmer’s market. They discount deeply, but they also give you the freshest, longest lasting produce you can find. Some also carry dairy and meat products as well. Farmer’s markets are one of the most awesome tools in a shopper’s arsenal!
Buy a freezer
Giving yourself the ability to buy in bulk is the best way to save money on these particular food groups. Try to find a bargain on a good freezer and then buy up plenty of meats when they go on sale. You can literally cut your grocery budget in half by doing this. Some produce freezes up well, and milk and some yogurts also do well in the freezer!
Do you have any other tips for saving money on these food groups? We would love to share them with everyone if you do! We can all help each other save!
Asking questions is always good. When we went to buy fruit salad for a party, the Giant employee told us to grab one of the marked down salads. They have to mark them down after 3 days even though the salads are still fresh.