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Shopping Tricks to Reduce Grocery Bills

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Grocery shopping
Plan ahead and make a shopping list to reduce impulse buying for unnecessary items.
Photo: USDA

If you’ve been shopping at the grocery store lately, you know that the cost of many items has gone up. And that can cause us to question what foods you purchase. Here are some tips to save some money on your next grocery bill.

  • Shop store brands instead of popular brands. Have you tried a blind taste test to compare? You may find your family will not even notice any difference. Brands name foods are often selected because of advertising or packaging.
  • Check unit pricing. The larger quantity size may not be a bargain. Check the unit pricing located on the tag on the shelf.
  • Stretch meat with plant proteins. Adding beans to meat based soup or casseroles can stretch out meat and add beneficial nutrition.
  • Properly store fruits and vegetables. Make the most of what you buy and use it in a timely manner. See our guide Safe Food Storage: The Refrigerator and Freezer and Safe Food Storage: The Cupboard for more information.
  • Use ripe fruit in other ways such as a smoothie, quick bread, cobblers or crisps. This helps reduce food waste.

Source: https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/spendsmart/2022/04/11/the-total-is-what/

 

Our Health and Food Behaviors During COVID-19

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Healthfulness is a strong purchasing driver today compared to last 10 years.

As the saying goes, timing is everything. The 2020 International Food Information Council Food & Health Survey was conducted in April 2020, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, that backdrop must be considered when looking at the results. Yes, consumer beliefs and actions have made a major shift. The question is, will those changes remain?

It’s not surprising that cooking at home is the biggest change for 8 in 10 Americans. Along with that, they are snacking more, washing fruits and vegetables more, and just giving more thought to food choices.

Going to the grocery store has decreased since consumers make fewer trips to the store each week.  Online grocery shopping has gone up.

Food safety concerns about food have increased and more than a third of consumers avoid some foods and beverages. Keep in mind, COVID-19 has not been found to spread through food or food packaging. Consumers are more concerned about food safety when grocery shopping online.

In spite of all the challenges with COVID-19, 67% of respondents are at least somewhat confident in the overall safety of the food supply.

Download the entire report at https://foodinsight.org/2020-food-and-health-survey/.

Online Grocery Delivery & Pickup Takes Off

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

A survey done by Brick Meets Click/ShopperKit was done in March 2020 and compared to August 2019 to assess online grocery delivery and pickup activity in the U.S. direct from grocery stores.

To say the least, most numbers are staggering.

  • Sales +233%
  • Average dollars spent +14%
  • Number of orders +192%
  • Number of active customers +146%
  • Average shopping frequency per shopper +19%

Source: Food Technology, May 2020

Tracking Food Expenditures

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Over the years, consumers have changed how they acquire food. Foods purchased away-from-home have increased over purchasing food to eat at home. The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) studies all food purchases to get a broad picture of consumer buying habits.

The ERS study looked beyond eating at restaurants to include sources such as airline food, hospital and nursing home food, and prison food. They also looked at food purchased through assistance programs such as food and nutrition assistance programs, meals at work locations, and meals served at government-sponsored locations. In the last two decades, shoppers have increased food expenditures from warehouse club stores and supercenters instead of traditional grocery stores.

Away from home, food purchases are increasing at fast food restaurants while full-service restaurants have remained steady.

For details, see www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2018/november/new-us-food-expenditure-estimates-find-food-away-from-home-spending-is-higher-than-previous-estimates/

The complete report can be found at https://bit.ly/2Fu6Tb4.

 

Reference to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation. Paid for by Kansas State University