Motherhood Incorporated

When buying vegetables and fruit, choose a variety of red, orange or dark green vegetables and fruit; they usually contain more nutrients than those with lighter colors.

Choose frozen vegetables as a convenient and economical alternative to fresh; they are just as nutritious, keep well and reduce chopping and preparation time. Go easy on frozen vegetables packed in sauce; they tend to be higher in fat.

Pre-washed and cut fresh vegetables (e.g. salad mix, mini carrots) are another solution to have vegetables ready in a flash although you pay a little more for the convenience.

When fresh fruit is not available (or too expensive) buy frozen fruit or canned fruit packed in juice or light syrup. Try unsweetened applesauce as a substitute for fresh apples.

Select leaner meats such as skinless chicken, turkey breast, pork tenderloin or chops, flank steaks, beef round roasts, lean or extra lean ground beef or pork; also, choose leaner deli meats such as turkey breast, chicken, roast beef, ham and pastrami.

Any “labor” or extra work that someone needs to add to your food is going to cost you, in other words, grated cheese is probably more expensive per pound than blocks, cut-up chickens are probably more expensive than whole fryers, and so on. Make a note of this difference in price and see if you can’t grate your own cheese at home or slice your own meats and so on.

Plan your shopping to save fuel and time. Do all your errands in one trip. If necessary, write out your errands so you won’t forget the drug store or the bank and be forced to go back out again.

Plan your shopping list to avoid buying on impulse. If you shop at the same store regularly, make a note of which aisles carry which items. Be determined to stick to your list no matter what.

Keep a “diary” of products you buy often and which stores have the best prices and brands. If you can get your toilet paper and shampoo for the same price at the grocery store as you do the pharmacy, why make two trips? If you know that Store X always has a good deal on whole chickens and can save you a few dollars per pound, then you know where to buy them.

Instead of ending up with many plastic bags, bring your own shopping bag to hold smaller items. This eliminates unnecessary consumption and reduces waste. Some stores even give you a small credit for re-used plastic bags.

Select product with less packaging. More packaging means more solid wastes. So, instead of getting those small packages of chips and snacks, get a bigger bag and divide it up yourself.

Buy second-hand goods, such as books, furniture, cooking utensils, etc.

Purchase regularly used household items in bulk. By shopping monthly, quarterly, or yearly at discounted wholesale locations for toilet paper, paper towels, etc, you save not only money, but time.

Sometimes coupons are a good deal, but usually not. If you’re purchasing something you don’t need or won’t use simply because you have a coupon, you’ve defeated the purpose. Consider buying store brands. Or, make sure you shop at stores that double coupons; make a note of which days they do this, if necessary, and shop there for those items on that day.