With an unstable economy, most Americans are looking for ways to be smart shoppers and stretch their food dollars. Melissa Entenmann, the corporate dietitian for the Penn Traffic Company which owns P&C, Quality and BiLo supermarkets, shared some tips for making wise choices on a limited budget.
• Make a list of needed items ahead of time. Your list may change due to what is on sale or not on sale. It is important to be somewhat flexible. Look at the Sunday grocery ad circular in the paper or online and plan meal choices based on what is on sale. If grocery staples are on sale, stock up. Visit your local grocery store's Web site. Certain sites offer the ability to make a personalized shopping list based on the ad and recipes from the Web site.
• Utilize the store's major promotional sales. Take advantage when stores offer what they call “BOGO” (Buy One Get One) free sales. Some stores offer “10 for $10” sales that are also a great sale for the consumer to use to stock up on regularly consumed household items. Shoppers also can benefit from seasonal savings on lower priced seasonally related items.
• Clip coupons. Entenmann views coupons as valuable as money and very important in keeping costs down. Would you throw away $1, $10, $20 or even more dollar bills in the garbage each week? Coupons can be found in the Sunday papers and online at the stores' Web sites. Some other coupon sites include www.coupons.com, www.coolsavings.com and www.redplum.com. Stores will usually double coupons up to 99 cents but if you have questions, please ask a store associate on the company's double coupon policy. Compare your shopping list with the coupons that you have and remember to stick to that list.
• Shop on a full stomach. You will be less tempted to buy unneeded products that can hurt both your budget and waistline.
• Read food labels. Compare similar products to find the healthier choice in fat, calories and or sodium. Companies are aware that most shoppers are looking for healthier products. Starting in the middle of 2009, most major food companies will start using a universal symbol on the front of their packages called the Smart Choice. Its goal is to clear up label confusion and help the consumer.
• Choose produce when it's in season. You'll pay higher prices for fresh produce when it is not in season. For better off season bargains, choose frozen fruits and vegetables without sauces to use in recipes and serve to your family. Canned fruits and vegetables are also plentiful and at good prices. For those concerned with sodium or syrups, just rinse the canned fruit or vegetable in a colander to help get rid of unwanted calories and salt.
• Do some of the work yourself. Increased prices can be linked to convenience, which is generally due to higher packaging and labor costs. Single serve packs can be more costly. You may want to buy a larger pack and divide them into small bags for later use. Skinless chicken breast will cost more than chicken breast with the skin still on. Buying precut vegetables will cost more than if you did the chopping yourself.
• Try the store's private label products. Private label product quality has dramatically improved over the years. Most consumers do not realize that the private label brands are in most cases manufactured by some of the more well-known national brands. In taste tests, some consumers have even preferred the store brand over the national brand. You can get good products at a great price.
• Check the product shelf tag. This is important to help compare unit costs among similar products. For example, choose a food product and look at the private label, the sale item and the same item that you may have a coupon for. Determine which price per unit (unit pricing) is cheaper. Generally, you really get a bigger bargain when the product is on sale and you have a coupon.
• Use your store's loyalty card always at the checkout. This will give you pricing discounts, rebates, coupons and make you eligible for other offers.
• Visit the store's Web site. Besides the circular ad, coupons and recipes, the Web sites offer other money saving ideas and health information.
Entenmann writes a free bimonthly health magazine called “Fresh Ideas” that is in the store and online at www.pandcfoods.com.
Elane Daly is director of Health and Human Services for Cayuga County.
She can be reached at 253-1560 or cchealth@dfa.state.ny.us
• Utilize the store's major promotional sales. Take advantage when stores offer what they call “BOGO” (Buy One Get One) free sales. Some stores offer “10 for $10” sales that are also a great sale for the consumer to use to stock up on regularly consumed household items. Shoppers also can benefit from seasonal savings on lower priced seasonally related items.
• Clip coupons. Entenmann views coupons as valuable as money and very important in keeping costs down. Would you throw away $1, $10, $20 or even more dollar bills in the garbage each week? Coupons can be found in the Sunday papers and online at the stores' Web sites. Some other coupon sites include www.coupons.com, www.coolsavings.com and www.redplum.com. Stores will usually double coupons up to 99 cents but if you have questions, please ask a store associate on the company's double coupon policy. Compare your shopping list with the coupons that you have and remember to stick to that list.
• Shop on a full stomach. You will be less tempted to buy unneeded products that can hurt both your budget and waistline.
• Read food labels. Compare similar products to find the healthier choice in fat, calories and or sodium. Companies are aware that most shoppers are looking for healthier products. Starting in the middle of 2009, most major food companies will start using a universal symbol on the front of their packages called the Smart Choice. Its goal is to clear up label confusion and help the consumer.
• Choose produce when it's in season. You'll pay higher prices for fresh produce when it is not in season. For better off season bargains, choose frozen fruits and vegetables without sauces to use in recipes and serve to your family. Canned fruits and vegetables are also plentiful and at good prices. For those concerned with sodium or syrups, just rinse the canned fruit or vegetable in a colander to help get rid of unwanted calories and salt.
• Do some of the work yourself. Increased prices can be linked to convenience, which is generally due to higher packaging and labor costs. Single serve packs can be more costly. You may want to buy a larger pack and divide them into small bags for later use. Skinless chicken breast will cost more than chicken breast with the skin still on. Buying precut vegetables will cost more than if you did the chopping yourself.
• Try the store's private label products. Private label product quality has dramatically improved over the years. Most consumers do not realize that the private label brands are in most cases manufactured by some of the more well-known national brands. In taste tests, some consumers have even preferred the store brand over the national brand. You can get good products at a great price.
• Check the product shelf tag. This is important to help compare unit costs among similar products. For example, choose a food product and look at the private label, the sale item and the same item that you may have a coupon for. Determine which price per unit (unit pricing) is cheaper. Generally, you really get a bigger bargain when the product is on sale and you have a coupon.
• Use your store's loyalty card always at the checkout. This will give you pricing discounts, rebates, coupons and make you eligible for other offers.
• Visit the store's Web site. Besides the circular ad, coupons and recipes, the Web sites offer other money saving ideas and health information.
Entenmann writes a free bimonthly health magazine called “Fresh Ideas” that is in the store and online at www.pandcfoods.com.
Elane Daly is director of Health and Human Services for Cayuga County.
She can be reached at 253-1560 or cchealth@dfa.state.ny.us
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