To save money on groceries with a weekly store sale, plan meals around the advertised discounts and buy only what your household will use. Check what you have, make a list, then compare unit prices in the store, including store brands. A weekly store sale is the flyer or app listing discounts for that week. Used well, it sets the menu instead of tempting you into extras.
Table of Contents
- Check Your Kitchen First
- Plan Meals Around Sale Items
- Compare Prices in the Aisle
- Stock Up Without Wasting Food
Check Your Kitchen First
Start by opening cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer before you shop. Note what must be used soon and what staples you already have. Make a short list from that check and bring it to the store.
Buy only sale-priced pantry staples your household will actually use. Sticking to the list keeps sale browsing from turning into overspending. If an item is not on the list and does not fit next week's meals, skip it.
- Check produce, dairy, meat, and frozen items for use-first foods.
- Write meals that use those foods plus sale items.
- Keep the list visible while you shop.
Plan Meals Around Sale Items
Let the sale flyer choose your main dishes for the week. If chicken, carrots, and rice are discounted, build meals around those foods. Keep recipes simple so few extra ingredients are needed.
Cook extra portions for lunch the next day or for the freezer. Mississippi State University Extension advises shoppers to plan weekly meals around advertised sale items. Its guide to stretching food budgets also recommends simple recipes and cooking extra portions to eat later or freeze.
Compare Prices in the Aisle
Unit price is the cost per ounce, pound, or count shown on the shelf tag. Use it to compare bags, boxes, and brands fairly.
USDA tells shoppers to compare unit prices, read food labels, and check sales on store brands in its MyPlate savings resources. Stop and Shop notes that its private-label products offer high-quality options at a lower price than many national brands. When the store brand is also on sale, put it in the cart first.
Stock Up Without Wasting Food
Mississippi State Extension says to buy canned or frozen fruits and vegetables when fresh costs more or is out of season. It also advises dividing bulk meat like whole chickens and family packs into meal-size containers for the freezer. Mississippi State Extension warns that bulk buying needs freezer and pantry space and is not always cheaper. Check the unit price and buy only what you can store and use before spoilage.
EPA reports that one-third of U.S. food goes uneaten. It estimated that in 2019 about 96% of households' wasted food went to landfills, combustion or drains in its food waste prevention page. Plan sale purchases around actual meals so savings do not rot in the refrigerator.
