10 Things We Cut in Our Grocery List to Save Hundreds

Let’s be real, grocery prices are no joke lately.

If your cart total is creeping higher (even though you swear you didn’t buy that much), you’re not alone. That’s why we started trimming the extra from our grocery list budget.

The results? BIG savings without sacrificing the meals we love.

Ready to cut the fluff, not the flavor? Here are the surprising things we stopped buying in our grocery list, and how you can, too.

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Table of Contents

10 Things I Quit Buying To Save on Groceries

And I’m not sorry!

1. Processed Snacks For Home

First, my kids were eating their way across the world with all the single packaged processed foods I was buying. Bars, granola bites, crackers – they are tasty! But because of this, my kids (and I) always want more.

Now, I only buy packaged convenience food when there’s a purpose (an outing) and I’m low on time. With three kids, this has easily saved hundreds of dollars all by itself.

2. Frozen Pizza

Frozen pizza is SO convenient on busy nights. But I got tired of the quality.

So, we started making our own. Not only is it way less greasy, but it’s cheaper too. And you might be surprised by just how easy it is to make yourself.

You can also buy pre-made crusts to save on time but still be cheaper and healthier.

3. Fancy Coffee Creamers

My sister-in-law showed us the power of flavoring your coffee with a little vanilla extract. Now, we make a simplified “fancy” coffee at home and mostly skip the Starbucks.

4. Meat

I’ve tried to be more intentional about how much meat we’re eating over the last few years.

Living in the midwest, people LOVE their meat. But it’s one of the costliest things you buy at the store, takes the most time to cook, and isn’t great for your health in large quantities.
We’ve been:

Trying meatless Mondays in the meal plan rotation
Stretching the meat – adding more beans to our taco meat, less meat in pasta etc.

5. Bakery Treats

For awhile, I got into the bad habit of picking something “fun” up if I was near a grocer or coffee shop. This was mostly a way to treat myself when my kids were young. Now that they’re a little older, we just make these treats ourselves or I skip them.

6. Precut Fruits and Veggies

I used to buy this all the time! And paid hundreds extra over time for it.

Now, I still buy the occasionally pre-made salad when we have a gathering or party. (Hey, time is money too!) But I save it for special occasions.

7. Flavored Yogurt Cups

Flavored yogurt is an expensive sham that’s usually high in sugar.

Instead, buy plain yogurt and stir in honey, fruit, or granola. We also now double it as sour cream for nachos when we occasionally have it. It’s healthier and cheaper not to have to buy both.

8. Condiments We Won’t Actually Use

I used to get excited about trying new, exotic condiments and sauces. Until I realized I was throwing most of them away. To reduce food waste and money, I stopped this! It saves time when I clean out the fridge too.

9. Cereal

Cereal is one of the biggest wastes of money out there. When I do buy cereal, I stick to plain Cheerios. There’s no way I’m going to get my kids hooked on the sugary stuff. I’ll never hear the end of the begging.

10. Drinks

And finally, drinks are another drain on your wallet that you don’t always notice. I gave up pop a long time ago, but was buying a lot of canned sparkling water. Now, I only buy it occassionally and instead put fruit or lemon in my water to flavor it myself. This has saved a surprising amount of money!

What Has Stayed in the Grocery Budget?

Now, some things are absolutely worth the money in our grocery list budget. Here’s what stayed:

Quality Fish and Meats
All produce (fruits & veggies)
Rice, pasta, whole grain bread
Milks, cheese
Chocolate (I love my chocolate, but now try to buy a high quality 80% chocolate bar)

Your turn!

What have you stopped buying on your grocery budget list (and you’re not sorry!)? Let me know in the comments so we can all learn 🙂

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