Save money and the planet with 10 eco-friendly grocery tips!
Follow our tips for a sustainable grocery shopping on a budget!
I love saving money, and I try to do that anytime I can. But there are certain things which we need to buy in order to survive, and one of them is food. Food shopping can take a considerable chunck of your paycheck; and that is true especially if you are also trying to eat healthy and sustainably. Good quality and nutritious food can often be more expensive. But ethically sourced organic food doesn’t have to be only for the rich.
Keep it green without going broke
Make your grocery shopping sustainable while staying on budget by simply taking these 10 steps:
- Make a list Check what you have in your cupboards and fridge/freezer before going to the shops. Write down what is missing; at the store, save time and money by buying only the items on your list. This will help you to not forget things. You will also be less prone to the compulsive purchase of ready made foods.
- Choose whole over processed foods, and frozen vs fresh produce Swap ready made food, salads and cut fruit for the loose fresh alternatives. They’ll be cheaper, and you’ll also eat healthier and fresher! Dry goods have a longer shelf-life than perishables. Fruit and vegetables can sometimes be cheaper if bought frozen, and they will last longer.
- Choose locally sourced and seasonal fruit and vegetables when buying fresh produce: they are usually cheaper, and tastier 11. If you also choose to buy from nearby farms and markets, you can reduce food miles and lower emissions.
- Buy generic brands When shopping at the supermarket, look out for generic store-brand products. These alternatives are usually as good as the more expensive brands. They cost less only because their packaging is less enticing.
- Buy in bulk Family sizes are usually cheaper, and stores often offer discounts based on quantity. Buying in bulk is not only cost effective but also reduces packaging waste. You can also minimise packaging by choosing refillable options when they are available.
- Keep a look on discounts and special offers, and organise your shopping around them buying whatever is on offer. Nowadays you can easily check and compare prices online and choose the cheaper supermarkets before going out shopping. Also look for the ‘clearance’ section in your supermarket, where you should find near-expiry but still good food. But remember to always double check the quality of the food, especially when buying fresh.
- Store your food correctly Organise your fridge and freezer to make food last longer. Dairy and fresh produce are better stored at the top: it is usually warmer than the bottom, good for raw meat and fish 22 .
- Choose a plant-based diet Fruit and vegetables are cheaper than meat and fish. A balanced plant-based diet can boost your energy and improve your overall wellbeing, and has a lower carbon footprint.
- Plan your meals Cooking everyday can be tiring and time consuming. It is not easy to start making tasty foods from scratch after a full day at work. But if you learn to plan your meals in advance, you will spend less time cooking. With a bit of practice you can dedicate one day to batch cook everything you will eat during the week. You will be less tempted to call that tasty takeaway. Buying only what you intend to cook will reduce impulse purchases. And it will make you save money when grocery shopping and reduce waste. And that works particularly well when you also…
- Learn how to freeze all kind of food Different foods have different rules when it comes to preservation: you need to adhere strictly to the instructions to avoid growing (possibly very dangerous) bacteria in your food3. But I’ve learned to freeze all kind of food (from potatoes to home-made lasagna) without getting any stomachache; and anytime I fancy any of that I just need to pop it into the oven and voilà…dinner is served, at a fraction of the store price!
Waste less, spend less, live better
Becoming less wasteful and more environmentally conscious will require most of us to change a lot of our habits and routine. Keeping our grocery shopping sustainable is an important step in that direction, and you can do it while staying on budget.
At the beginning you might think that planning your meals will take too much effort; or that spending your Sunday afternoon freezing two kilos of potatoes is too boring and time consuming.
The secret is to develop a routine which will fit with your lifestyle, to make sure that the additional time you spend in what look like tedious activities will be gained back (often with interests!) in the near future. And you can make these activities less boring by putting some good music on, or watching your favourite tv show while doing them.
Freezing some of your veggies, for instance, when done on large quantities per batch, will provide you with healthier and tastier portions ready to be cooked when you need them. It can also help planning your meals in advance, and you can bulk buy fresh food without the risk of it going spoiled. That will save you some money, and time, as you will need to go to the supermarket less frequently. And your home-frozen chips will always taste better than the ones you can buy in store.