Save Money on Groceries

Enlarge Image Image Gallery When you buy in bulk, you buy food without the extra costs for packaging and marketing. PHOTO: MATTHEW T. STALLBAUMER

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Having a garden and putting by our own food is the ideal for which many of us strive. It’s the optimal way to save money on groceries. The food source doesn’t get any more local, the cost is low, the flavor is incredible and the carbon footprint is not much more than a muddy footprint on your doormat.

Shopping at Local Farmers Markets

Not everyone has the time or resources to tend a big garden, so we wondered: What if you bought your produce in season at a farmers market and preserved some of it for winter use?

To find out whether you’d still save money, take a look at the Organic Fruits and Veggies: Store-Bought vs. Home-Preserved chart, which compares the cost of canning or freezing produce bought in bulk at local farmers markets with the cost of buying canned or frozen organic vegetables at the supermarket. We found that buying at the farmers market and preserving at home yield substantial savings.

Many canned foods show a savings of 25 percent, while the best deals can save you as much as 75 percent. For frozen produce, the numbers are even better, with many of the home-preserved foods saving you 50 to 80 percent over the store-bought versions!

To get the best prices, always buy produce when it’s at the height of the season. Tomatoes in early summer cost far more than they would in August or late summer, and their cost will rise again when the season winds down. Try shopping the farmers market at the end of the day, and seek out farmers who have a surplus of something they would rather not cart home. Or, talk to farmers about special prices on surplus produce when it becomes available.

Is It Worth the Effort?

Preserving your own food requires some labor, but you can reduce the workload and make it fun by working with friends or family — you could even throw a canning or freezing party. And there’s another benefit to home food preservation: Looking at a pantry full of one’s own home-canned food is incredibly satisfying. To find a local farmers market, community supported agriculture program, or farms near you that sell direct to customers, visit Local Harvest.

Buying Staples in Bulk

Americans spend their paychecks on cleverly packaged food products that cost way more than necessary. When you buy in bulk, you buy food without the extra costs for packaging and marketing. If you focus on buying bulk dry goods you can store, you can save thousands on your annual grocery expenses. For examples in savings, see Dry Goods and Staples: Costs for Packaged vs. Case vs. Bulk, and read on for tips on how and what to buy in bulk.

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