So you’ve moved into your first apartment, and the food your family carefully packed for your first few days has run out. Time to head to the grocery store…but what do you buy? Here are some tips for making your trip to the grocery store a little easier.
1. Think in terms of meals
You’re no longer asking your parents to pick up a couple of your favorite snacks with the groceries; now you have to plan out each piece of your daily diet. When considering a food item, try to think about what it could pair with in a meal, and purchase those items as well. If you can’t figure out what to put onions in this week, don’t buy them just because you like them; they’ll just go bad before you can use them, and you’ll waste money.
2. Stay healthy—buy a rainbow of food
Just like your parents told you, your dinner plate should have a rainbow of colors—and so should your grocery cart. (And no, those cute cupcake sprinkles don’t count).
3. Try new things
Buy something you haven’t tried and incorporate it into a meal. You could find a new favorite! That being said, only buy a couple new items each week to avoid having a fridge full of food you dislike.
4. Go homemade
If you really love your baked goods and sweet treats, it can be more cost-effective (and fun!) to bake them yourself. You can get several batches out of a few inexpensive ingredients, and it’s easy to change up your recipe with just a few new additions.
5. Stock up the pantry
If you pick up all of the basics now (i.e. flour, sugar, spices, etc.), your grocery list will be far shorter in weeks to come. Plus, having a well-stocked spice cabinet means you can have flavorful food without buying loads of ingredients every week.
6. Clip coupons!
You can plan a meal around what’s on sale relatively easily, or you can seek out coupons for some of your favorites! Coupons are great for buying your favorite pre-packaged snacks and treats, which are often more expensive than raw ingredients. Also, look into getting a discount card at your local grocery store if they offer them.
Everyone’s grocery needs are different, but hopefully with these tips the grocery store will seem a little less intimidating.