Tips To Save Money At The Grocery Store

Thanks to climbing grocery prices, a lot of us have had to rethink our shopping habits. Budget-minded BuzzFeed readers are sharing their tips and tricks to save on food costs that may help you, too.

• "If something is on sale but sold out in the store, ask for a rain check."
• "I noticed the biggest change to my grocery budget when I stopped shopping for recipes and just started shopping for what's on sale, and figuring out in real time what I can make with it (or frantically Googling for ideas while I wander the aisles). It's honestly made me a better cook, too."
• "Make bread at home in a breadmaker. Homemade bread is pennies on the dollar."
• "We started buying a whole chicken for sandwich meat; it runs between $5–6 at our grocery store and we can get a couple of pounds of meat from it, not to mention making stock from the bones. Way cheaper than lunch meat!"
• "I started adding lentils and barley to my stews when I started cutting back on meat. The taste is just as good, the food is healthier, and costs are lowered."
• "I stick to shopping at one main grocery store and use either their app or physical circular to check out coupons before I go. Recently, I got coupons in the mail from that same store that were personalized — including $15 off my next total order!"
• "If you have any room in your freezer, buy yourself a vacuum sealer so you can buy meat only when it's on sale and keep a treasure trove of frozen meats in your home at all times. Mine definitely paid for itself in a matter of months."
• "I've started grocery shopping on Sundays only so I can leave my kids at home with the husband, even if it means dealing with weekend crowds. If you're a parent, you know how impossible it is to avoid impulse shopping when kids are with you. Even though Sunday shopping is less ideal for my schedule and way more crowded, I've saved a lot of money ever since making this switch."
• "I used to be a cheesemonger, and I wholeheartedly endorse domestic Parmesan cheeses instead of splurging for Parmigiano Reggiano”