Groceries are getting seriously expensive. Let’s be honest: Who hasn’t yelped at the checkout total? It’s hardly surprising that we’re taking matters into our own hands, and when we asked the Tasty community how they’re saving money on food, you frugal bunch shared your tried-and-tested tips.From coupons to secret hacks for funding a carnivorous diet (we all know meat is expensive), here’s how frugal cooks save money at home.1. “Making a menu and shopping only for what’s on my menu (and of course paper and cleaning products) and shopping online helps me to not buy trigger items.”
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2. “Plan every meal to become something more the next day.”
—Diane Billy, Facebook
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3. “I buy all my fresh vegetables, especially different colored peppers, onions, chives, green onions, and my husband and I sit, chop everything, put them in individual Ziplocks, and freeze them. It saves money because you aren’t throwing away anything that sits and goes bad, and when I’m ready to cook, no chopping.”
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4. “Shop the specials and download those digital coupons. We typically save 30% by doing this. If you earn points towards additional discounts, even better.”
—Tilly Marlman, Facebook
5. “At my grocery store, if you find an expired item, you can get a fresh one for free.”
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6. “Freeze whatever bulk ingredients you can — milk, herbs (can be frozen in oil), and tomatoes cooked down into passata (a great base for many sauces and not just for pasta). Buy dry goods like spices, salt, flour, and pasta when you can so that you don’t pay the upcharge for packaging.”
—Catherine Regina Cheng, Facebook
7. “When meat is on sale, I buy extra and freeze it for later.”
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8. “I buy a Sam’s rotisserie chicken every week. I pull and shred all the meat while it’s still warm. It becomes a quick quesadilla, or goes on salads, chicken salad sandwiches, etc.”
—Dana Liez Bergfield, Facebook
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9. “I try to have a legume-heavy meal a couple of times a week, like black bean bowls, pasta e fagoli, or charro beans with arroz rojo. Each meal is enough for two nights, sometimes three. It’s inexpensive, and beans have a ton of protein and fiber. I also don’t make meat the main event. The veggies, beans, and grains are the star, and the meat is the supporting character.”
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10. “I have a large deep freezer in our garage to store all of our meats. I buy in bulk and portion everything out, wrapping in plastic wrap and storing in gallon freezer bags.”
—Kyrstal Shao-wei Sulrima, Facebook
11. “I always make a soup at the end of the week to use up all my leftover meat and vegetables.”
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12. “Slow cooker soups and stews. They are not necessarily cheap for one day, but when spread out over four to five days of meals, it’s definitely cheaper.”
—Jim Miller, Facebook
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13. “Have a potluck dinner. Once a week, pull out the leftovers; there usually is enough for a family meal. Not everyone has to eat the same thing.”
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14. “I buy seasonings from the dollar store. Grocery store prices are over $4, up to $7.”
—Zaida Miramontes, Facebook
15. “I live in an area saturated with home gardeners and farmers, so there’s always fresh fruits and vegetables, chickens and eggs, honey, and other goodies at the farmers markets. We also have lots of lakes and rivers to catch our fish.”
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16. “Pretty much stick to the outer aisles of a grocery store. Fresh items only, except for maybe when I run out of my garden veggies in the freezer, I will buy frozen peas or corn.”
—Vicki Lemishka Paulson, Facebook
17. “Put onion peels, carrot peels, etc., in a baggie. At the end of the week, put them in a pan, cover with water, and boil. Makes a great veggie stock.”
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18. “I buy bone-in chicken thighs. Debone and save the bones and skin to make bone broth.”
—Lora Miller, Facebook
19. “If there is a cheaper option, go for it. There are brands that can taste as good or better than the “name brand.”
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20. “We save leftovers in the freezer and make pizza from them when there is enough.”
—Merete Brøndum Pedersen, Facebook
21. “I’ll boil three to four potatoes (depends on the size) and add dehydrated potato flakes to stretch the potatoes. My family can’t tell the difference, and I’m not stuck peeling a bunch of potatoes.”
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22. “My local grocery store has a great bakery and will let you split their breads in half for a half loaf. I like fresh-baked bread, but it just doesn’t last long enough for me to use it all by myself before it goes stale.”
—Jackie Sheppard, Facebook
23. “Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry.”
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Got something to add? Comment below or drop your hacks underneath the original Facebook post. We’re all ears.
NOTE: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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