Grocery shopping for yourself is a struggle for many reasons. If you’re going from nearly 20 years living at home and having all your food paid for by your parents to doing it all yourself all of the sudden, it can be pretty overwhelming. How many tomatoes do I really need? Will I be able to eat 11 apples before they go bad or should I rethink this decision? A trip to the grocery store can easily turn into the most stressful part of your day. Here are a few tips for anyone who’s struggling with what to buy at the grocery store.
1. Only buy what you know you need.
If you know you don’t drink that much milk, maybe don’t buy a whole gallon of it and expect to use it all for mac and cheese or cereal. Same goes for nearly any produce or fresh food. Trust me, it will go bad before you get the chance to use it all up!
2. Plan your meals
Meal prep is a great way to cut down on waste and make sure you are only buying what you need to buy. There are plenty of ideas on Pinterest and all over the internet. Just pick a recipe, make a list, and buy what you need to buy! Not only does it save money, but it’s a real time-saver, too.
3. Coordinate with your roommates
If you have a roommate, consider asking them to split groceries with you. That way, you can cook meals together or divide up the days you each want to cook. This will also save space in the fridge, so there aren’t two sets of everything!
4. Use coupons
A lot of money can be saved simply by clipping coupons or using a store’s application (Cartwheel by Target). Make your list first, then go through coupons in the newspaper or online and see how much you can save!