Can Your Grocery Shopping Pays For Itself?

When everything becomes more expensive, it becomes crucial for families to look at the best possible options to save money durably and safely. While investments can gradually increase your revenues, they also represent a risk that most households are not comfortable with – and with good reasons as when money is tight, nobody wants to take a gamble. However, there are recurring costs that can be dramatically improved, such as, your grocery shopping. As the average American household produces a lot of food-related waste – over one-third of your grocery shopping goes to waste – it becomes essential to educate families to quantities and quality, and food production. Ultimately, the question you need to ask is not whether you can reduce food waste, but whether you can create a profitable grocery habit that doesn't burden your household budget. 

Common tips to reduce costs

Starting with the essential tips that every family should know and apply to their grocery shopping is key to set the mood. According to WRAP – Waste and Resources Action Programme – customers in the UK throw away around 24 meals per months. In the USA, the food waste is even more significant. Consequently, if you don’t do it already, it’s important to plan your shopping and meals. Knowing what you will cook can help you to limit impulsive shopping and buying more than you need. Additionally, you should focus on keeping your food fresh, which means that a weekly shopping works better than a monthly or fortnightly grocery shopping. Don’t hesitate to look for cooking recipes online to incorporate your leftovers or your unused ingredients. AllRecipes and Jamie Oliver offer plenty of helpful advice for mindful cooking! 

You waste food all the time

Waste, waste, waste. Americans waste more than a third of their food every year, increasing the need for more grocery shopping – and indirectly the global food waste figure too. Unfortunately, the waste culture extends to most elements in the household, leading many families to struggle to make ends meet and rely on debt relief services to control their finances. Why do we waste so many resources? Because we don’t know any better and, also, because we can. Food waste starts with the intention of buying fresh and nutritious food. But unfortunately, bought in large quantities the fresh avocados, raspberries, lettuces and other fresh greens get spoilt in your fridge and pantry. Additionally, lack of food safety knowledge forces people to throw away good and edible products for fear of food poisoning. This must change!

Can you grow your own? 

It’s well-known that growing your own vegetables and fruits can help families to become more self-aware and reduce food waste. However, not all states welcome home growers. Florida, for instance, has ruled illegal to grow your food in your front yard. Nevertheless, there is a way around if you choose to join a community garden. You can rent an allotment and use it to grow your food, and even keep hens to get fresh eggs. In the long run, you can save tons in grocery shopping, and you can even sell your extras. 

To the question whether your grocery can pay for itself, the answer is yes. Indeed, using an allotment enables you to grow your food and even sell everything you don’t eat. Additionally, you can also improve your food safety understanding to reduce unnecessary waste and save money.