How many shopping trips have you made this week? Regardless of what the actual number is, I’m guessing it’s probably higher than you’d like it to be! Those trips can be a real drain on your time and budget, so check out these 8 money-saving tips to help you shop smarter.

1. Meal plan

I’ve made no secret of my love for meal planning, and reducing shopping trips is one area where it really shines. You can account for every day until your next shopping trip, making the best use of the ingredients you buy and ensuring all your fresh ingredients are used up before they expire. It’s my number-one tip for saving both money and time by making less trips to the store!

2. Have a ‘forever shopping list’

One of the top reasons people go to the store in between big shopping trips is because something essential runs out and they forget to re-stock it. Having what I like to call a ‘forever shopping list’, is an easy way to eliminate this problem. With this list, the instant something essential which you always keep on hand runs out, add it to your list. I know that sometimes it is virtually impossible to do so at that exact moment, and a workaround to that is to leave the empty packaging out on the counter until you do. Today’s technology makes it easier to do this: I use my Apple Watch and prompt it via voice to add the said item to my list. This can also be done on other smart watches, mobile phones, and other smart devices.

3. Be smart with produce

The key to reducing trips to the store while still enjoying plenty of produce is to eat quickly expiring fruits first, and use a good storage system. Fruits that expire quickly, like berries, should be eaten in the first day or two after shopping. Keep produce like carrots, zucchini, potatoes, onions, apples and citrus fruits on hand for later in the week. I like to keep some frozen veggies on hand to use later on in the week too. Investing in a food vacuuming system is a huge help! You can get one for around €70 today, and your produce will last up to 5 times longer. This alone saves me running to the stores for fresh produce, because everything lasts a week at least!
PS: if you’re based in Malta drop me an email (nakita@themamamanual.com), and I can send you a discount code from the FoodSaver brand.

4. Use your freezer

I’m a big fan of buying various things people usually run out to buy daily, and freezing them. Bread, cheese, and ham are 3 of them. The most important thing is to freeze properly: i.e, pack your foods well so they do not come into contact with air and start to lose quality through freezer burn.

5. Stock up on things you use a lot

If you’re constantly running out of rice or pasta is your go-to when you don’t know what to make, stock up on these foods. Buy the generic versions in bulk sizes so you never run out of these staples. Bulk buying also helps you reduce your grocery bill!

6. Batch cook

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: batch cooking is the answer to so many food-related problems, from high grocery bills and not having time for cooking every night to taking too many trips to the store. If you double or triple at least one meal per week and freeze the extras, you will soon find yourself with a nice supply of ready-to-go meals in your freezer. This means that on hectic days or times when you can’t stick to your meal plan, you can shop your freezer rather than the supermarket. If you struggle with coming up with meals that are quick to batch cook, are nutritious, family friendly, and varied, set a reminder to join The Dinner Plan that opens it’s doors on Tuesday (18th July) for just 1 week. One of the recipes we provide weekly is a batch cooking recipe that ticks all these boxes.

7. Store everything properly

Even if you’ve nailed meal planning, sometimes your plans go awry. For example, you did buy the broccoli you need for dinner tonight, but when you pull it out of the fridge to cook it, it’s full of yellow blooms. You can avoid this type of problem by storing your food properly when you bring it home from the store. This might mean putting it in airtight containers or checking meat expiration dates and freezing as needed. As I’ve already mentioned, I love using a FoodSaver vacuum sealer to maximise the longevity of my food.

8. Organise your pantry

If you have a lot of space for food storage, being organised can make all the difference. I still cringe when I think about that time I made a last-minute trip to the store just to buy rice I needed for dinner – and ended up spending 40 euros on a bunch of other things I wasn’t planning to buy – only to come home and find a bag of it sitting way in the back corner of my cabinet while searching for a different ingredient. If you keep everything organised and you can tell what you have on hand at a glance, you can avoid this all-too-familiar scenario.

With these smart grocery shopping tips, you should find yourself spending a lot less time at the supermarket, which means more time for doing the things you love! Your wallet will thank you!

PS: ALL of this will be simplified when you’re a member of The Dinner Plan! I’ll give you meal plans, and wonderful quick recipes, plus done-for-you shopping lists, so you don’t need to do shopping trips more than once a week! Plus, access to a wonderful community where you can ask questions and get support from me and my team. Doors are open on Tuesday (July 18th) for just 1 week! Be sure to come in and try it out for at least a month!