Meal-Plan Your Way to Savings at the Grocery Store

Why Planning Matters: Avoid Impulse Shopping and Overspending

There’s a common piece of advice when it comes to grocery shopping: “Don’t ever shop for groceries on an empty stomach.” This guidance is especially important when you’re working to cut costs, particularly during periods of inflation. Without a plan, grocery trips can lead to rushed, mindless purchases that increase expenses and may not align with your health and fitness goals.

Imagine arriving at the store with an empty fridge and limited time. In this scenario, it’s easy to grab items without considering sales, price comparisons, or quantities. You may end up purchasing unplanned items from prominent displays. The consequences are clear: you spend more than intended, leave with unhealthy, high-calorie convenience foods, make choices that don’t support your fitness goals, and risk buying too much food, which can spoil or lead to overeating in order to avoid waste.

Instead, consider the advice: “Don’t grocery shop without a plan.” A solid plan empowers you to make choices that support both your healthy habits and your budget, eliminating mindless shopping, unnecessary food waste, and overspending.

Monthly Meal Planning: The Key to Maximizing Savings

To truly maximize grocery savings, plan your meals for the entire month. While monthly planning may seem overwhelming, it can be simplified by reusing a weekly menu or swapping recipes for variety. Every planned meal helps you stick to your budget.

With meals mapped out on your calendar, grocery shopping can be divided into two parts: monthly buying and weekly buying.

Monthly Purchases

Start by purchasing frequently used ingredients in bulk at discount stores. These are items that appear in many meals and can be stored safely for extended periods. Examples include oatmeal, pancake mix, condiments, egg whites (watch their shelf life), canned goods, frozen vegetables, and fruit. If you have freezer space, consider buying meat in bulk and portioning it for meals throughout the month. Plan ahead by moving frozen meat to the fridge so it can thaw in time for cooking.

Some bulk items can even be purchased every other month if they have a long shelf life. If you share nutrition goals with a friend or family member, consider making larger purchases together to split both the food and the cost. Wholesale stores like Costco often offer significant savings on these types of items.

For example, ketchup at a premium store may cost $4.49 for 1 L, while a wholesale club offers a two-pack of 1.25 L containers that breaks down to $4 per 1 L, saving you about $1.22. Likewise, a 225-g box of Kraft dinner may sell for 70 cents per 100 g ($1.57 for the box) at a major retailer, but buying a package of twelve jumbo 340-g boxes at a wholesale club drops the price to 39 cents per 100 g ($1.33 per box).

The savings can be substantial as long as you only buy what you need and prevent bulk items from going to waste. Monthly purchasing also lets you capitalize on sales, which can further reduce costs. For instance, boneless, skinless chicken breasts at $12.10 per kg on sale versus $14.31 per kg at regular price could save you $6–$10 on one item if you have a meal plan and freezer space.

By identifying items you need in larger quantities each month, you can keep more money in your bank account by buying in bulk and taking advantage of sales.

Weekly Purchases

Fresh and healthy items often don’t last a full month, so proper planning helps you avoid food waste. Regularly discarding food is costly, but weekly meal planning can help reduce that waste.

Knowing what you’ll eat each week allows you to shop for the precise amounts of fresh produce, dairy, eggs, and baked goods. If something spoils before you use it, adjust your list for the next trip. Comparing prices and using coupons can result in significant savings. As you get accustomed to weekly shopping, you’ll notice trends in pricing and can make budget-friendly substitutions—such as choosing spinach over romaine if it’s on sale.

Occasionally, you might find a great deal on an item and decide to stock up, moving it to your monthly list. Supermarkets often have unadvertised sales, so you may find bargains unexpectedly—just be sure to stick to your meal plan and avoid impulse buying.

Weekly shopping with a meal plan delivers savings in three main areas:

·       You waste less food by buying the right quantities at the right time.

·       You always have food at home, reducing the temptation to order expensive takeout.

·       You can take advantage of unpublicized sales on items you already need.

Plan, Budget, and Save: Putting It All Together

The foundation of grocery savings is your meal plan. Once you have it, you can create monthly and weekly shopping lists. Sticking to your plan helps you refine your lists and budget over time. For instance, if your monthly food budget is $1,000, you might allocate $400 for a monthly shopping trip and $150 for each weekly trip, then adjust as sales or bulk opportunities arise.

If a monthly meal plan feels intimidating, start with a three-day plan and buy only the food needed for those meals. While the savings may not be as great, this reusable block can become part of a larger monthly plan. Treat each planned period as a building block, like LEGO, for healthy eating and cost control.

Ultimately, the keys to saving money and eating well are meal plans and grocery lists. Avoid shopping without a plan—otherwise, you may leave the store with overpriced, unhealthy convenience foods instead of nutritious options.

If you need help combining healthy eating habits with your fitness goals, reach out for support. We’re just a click away!