Here in France, our grocery bills have gone through the roof over the last year or so, and I know from speaking to friends in other parts of the world that it’s the same for them. It’s so easy to burn through $200 a week on groceries and not even realize it till you come to the checkout. Then you get that shock and wonder how on earth you managed to spend so much.
The worst of it is that the shopping cart doesn’t even look that full. So how is it that a simple food shop is now costing you so much, and how can you stop it?
Well, it’s not all doom and gloom. There is a simple explanation, apart from the obvious one, that the economy is shot to pieces right now. But aside from that, so much of what ends up in your cart is a more expensive version of something you could easily swap out or make yourself in minutes.
9 Grocery Items to Ditch to Save Money
So here are nine items costing you a fortune when you go grocery shopping that could easily be substituted for something else that doesn’t leave a dent in your wallet.
My mom is a guru when it comes to saving and shopping, and many of these are her suggestions and things she has done all her life, so she can spend her money on more fun things.
Brand Name Products
Many store-brand products are made in the same factories as their pricier branded counterparts. The practice is called private labeling, and it’s widespread. Walmart’s Great Value range and Target’s Up and Up are classic examples.
The product inside the packaging is often identical, but the price on the shelf can be significantly higher for the brand name simply because of marketing and packaging costs.
Go through your regular shop and swap to own-brand versions of staples like pasta, rice, canned tomatoes, olive oil, flour, and oats. Most people can’t taste the difference. Keep the brand loyalty for the one or two things that matter to you, such as Heinz Ketchup, and switch everything else.
Bottled Water
Americans spend around $16 billion a year on bottled water. Let that sink in for a minute, as that is huge.
If you’re buying bottled water regularly because you prefer the taste or have concerns about tap water quality, a decent water filter is a one-time investment that pays for itself within weeks. Options range from basic jug filters to under-sink systems, depending on your budget and the amount of water you use.
Beyond the cost savings, you’re also reducing plastic waste, which can take centuries to break down in a landfill.
Pre-Cut Fruit and Vegetables
Pre-cut produce is one of the biggest markups in the entire store. A whole pineapple can cost around $2.19, while the same pineapple, pre-cut, sits at $4.99 per pound. You’re paying for someone else to spend two minutes with a knife.
There’s another reason to skip it beyond the cost. Once fruit and vegetables are cut, they begin losing vitamins as the flesh is exposed to air. Whole produce holds its nutritional value for longer and carries a much lower risk of foodborne illness. Buy whole, store properly, and cut as needed.
Out-of-Season Produce
I live in France, as you’ve probably gathered by now, and we eat seasonally here. Meaning, if it’s not in season, you won’t see it in your local grocery store. It’s been that way for a long time here, and I don’t see it changing any time soon.
Buying strawberries in January or asparagus in October comes at a price, and not just at the register. Out-of-season produce is imported from other regions or countries, which drives up the cost and often means it’s picked before it’s fully ripe to survive the journey.
The result is fruit and vegetables that are more costly, less flavorful, and lower in nutrients than their in-season equivalents. Frozen fruit and vegetables are a good, smart alternative. They’re picked at peak ripeness and frozen immediately, which locks in both flavor and nutritional value, usually at a lower price than fresh.
Prepared Foods
The deli counter and prepared food section is where grocery stores make some of their highest margins.
Pre-marinated meats, deli salads, ready-assembled sandwiches, and hot counter meals all carry a significant markup because you’re paying for labor, packaging, and convenience. A marinated chicken breast, for example, can cost two to three times as much as a plain one you season yourself in under a minute.
A basic meal prep habit, even just preparing proteins and grains a couple of times a week, cuts this expense sharply and usually results in healthier eating too.
Cleaning Supplies
Take a look under your kitchen sink. There’s a good chance you have a different product for every surface in your home, most of which you rarely use and cost far more than they should.
The reality is that the vast majority of household cleaning needs can be handled with a handful of basic ingredients. White vinegar, baking soda, and a good concentrated castile soap like Dr. Bronner’s cover almost everything from bathroom tiles to kitchen counters to floors.
Concentrated castile soap in particular goes a very long way when diluted correctly, and making your own solutions removes a recurring expense from your budget entirely. It also cuts out chemicals linked to respiratory irritation and other health concerns with long-term exposure.
Paper Towels
Another mind-blowing stat for you. Americans spend $5.7 billion a year on paper towels. They’re used once and thrown away.
Switching to reusable cloths, whether microfiber cloths, Swedish dishcloths, or a set of washable cotton cloths, is a one-time purchase that handles everything paper towels do.
Swedish dishcloths, in particular, are incredibly absorbent, machine-washable, and last for months. Keep a small stash of paper towels for the occasional task where you really need them, and switch everything else to washable alternatives.
Frozen Dinners
Frozen dinners are easy. They’re also among the worst-value items in the freezer aisle, both financially and nutritionally.
A single frozen meal can cost $3.50 to $6 or more and often isn’t filling enough to satisfy a proper appetite. They’re typically high in sodium and saturated fat and low in the nutrients that matter more as we get older.
For around the same cost, a simple homemade meal made from whole ingredients goes further, tastes better, and does more for your health. Batch cooking on a Sunday afternoon means you have quick, ready-made meals for the week without reaching for the freezer.
Batteries
Batteries are one of those things you grab at the grocery store out of habit or desperation, and you pay a significant premium for the convenience.
Grocery stores mark up batteries heavily because they know you’re buying them on impulse. The exact same batteries cost considerably less at warehouse stores like Costco or Sam’s Club, or through Amazon, where bulk packs bring the price per battery down dramatically.
If you use Duracell or Energizer regularly, buying in bulk once every few months rather than picking up a small pack at the checkout is one of those simple switches that saves more than you’d expect over the course of a year.
Word of Warning: Sale Items and Buy-One-Get-One Deals
Sales and BOGOF deals are not always the savings they appear to be.
Grocery stores use promotions strategically to move products that are near their sell-by dates, overstocked, or simply not selling well at full price. If you’re buying two of something you genuinely use regularly and will get through before it expires, a BOGOF is a genuine saving.
But if you’re buying something purely because it’s on offer, you’re spending money you hadn’t planned to spend. That’s not saving, that’s just a different kind of impulse buying with a discount sticker on it.
The same applies to bulk sale items. Buying three jars of pasta sauce because they’re reduced sounds smart until one sits at the back of the cupboard for eighteen months and gets thrown away. Before reaching for anything on promotion, ask yourself one question: would I have bought this anyway this week? If the answer is no, walk past it.
Disclaimer: The content in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional financial advice. For guidance specific to your situation, consult a licensed financial advisor.