food shopping

8 Things You Can Make in an Instant Pot to Save Money

Ashley Eneriz — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 09:00:08 +0000

The Instant Pot is truly an amazing kitchen gadget that saves you time when it comes to meal prep. You probably already know that you can make delicious fall-off-the-bone ribs and perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs with your IP, but did you know you can make other everyday necessities? Here are eight items you can make in an Instant Pot to save money.

1. Popcorn

Pop delicious, homemade popcorn in the Instant Pot with just dry popcorn kernels and coconut oil. In less than 10 minutes, you can have a movie-worthy snack. Instant Pot popcorn will also save you money since you can buy the kernels in bulk and avoid prepackaged popcorn, as well as a popcorn maker. Then add your favorite seasoning, such as butter or cinnamon and sugar, and enjoy! (See also: 12 Instant Pot Recipes That Will Save You Money)

2. Vanilla extract

Vanilla extract prices are higher than ever, due to the high cost of vanilla beans and lower crop yields in Madagascar (the world's largest producer of vanilla). But the good news is, you can save a little bit of money by making the extract yourself, especially if you already have vanilla beans on hand. This Instant Pot vanilla extract recipe takes 30 minutes in the cooker and tastes best after one to two weeks of sitting. (See also: 3-Ingredient Instant Pot Recipes That Fit Any Budget)

3. Dog food

Treat your pupper to some divine goodness with homemade dog food. Making your own dog food in the Instant Pot is a great way to create several days' worth of food in less than 30 minutes. Homemade dog food can sometimes save owners money over conventional pet food, and can help remedy pet issues, like weight or skin problems.

Note that many homemade dog food recipes, even ones made in an IP, are not meant to meet all of your dog's health needs. Be sure to research what other nutrients your pet needs in their diet.

4. Cough syrup

The problem with many over-the-counter cough medicines is that they can cause drowsiness, and parents have to buy an adult version as well as a children's version for safety reasons. This Instant Pot cough syrup is safe for both kids and grown-ups and uses fresh herbs to bring natural relief to stubborn coughs.

5. Whole grain bread

Did you know that your Instant Pot can replace a bread machine? This recipe for IP whole wheat crusty bread uses the yogurt function to let the dough rise, and then you can bake the bread in the oven. This fresh, homemade bread takes five and half hours to make instead of being an all-day event. Plus, you can save the money you'd normally spend on bread at the grocery store for much cheaper ingredients and a sense of accomplishment by making your own. (See also: 5 Ways Your Instant Pot Can Save You Money)

6. Hard lotion

Hard lotion is a lotion bar that is solid at room temperature, but will melt into your skin when you go to apply it. It's convenient to travel with and makes nice handmade gifts. This Instant Pot hard lotion can be made with just three simple ingredients: cacao butter, extra virgin olive oil, and beeswax. You can add your desired scent of essential oil, too. (See also: 4 Beauty Products You Can Make in an Instant Pot)

7. Jam

Once summertime arrives, peaches and strawberries will be everywhere. You can stretch the taste of summer into fall and winter by transforming summer fruits into jam. The Instant Pot drastically cuts the prep and cooking process so you can enjoy your toast sooner. Here's a recipe for honey vanilla peach jam and strawberry jam.

8. French toast

I'm sure many of us would love to start our mornings off with a heaping plate of French toast, but who has time for that? With the Instant Pot, you can whip up a delicious batch of French toast in 30-45 minutes, giving yourself a fantastic breakfast even on work days.

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This article is from Ashley Eneriz of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

7 Places to Find Free or Cheap Groceries

Max Wong — Mon, 21 May 2018 08:31:22 +0000

It turns out, almost 40 percent of wasted food in the U.S. is tossed by consumers, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. This waste comes at a huge cost to our environment and to the budget of the average American. Luckily, we can help stop this waste by salvaging perfectly edible, delicious, and occasionally gourmet food with some minor tweaks to our shopping habits.

But why stop at saving the planet when you can also save hundreds of dollars a year on dinner? Here are some of the best places to find salvage groceries.

1. Salvage grocery stores

Salvage grocery stores, also known as discount grocery stores or grocery outlets, stock merchandise that other food suppliers cannot sell. This includes packaged foods with dents and dings, food that is close to its expiration dates, overstocks, and seasonal items that are no longer in season.

Typically, salvage stores offer a 50 percent discount on name-brand items, but some stores offer even steeper discounts depending on the package appearance. My local salvage grocery store even accepts coupons that give me additional discounts. If you're new to salvage grocery shopping, be sure to talk to the store staff about how to maximize savings.

While I have some neighbors who shop exclusively at our local salvage grocery store, the double-edged sword of these establishments is the constantly shifting inventory that can vary from day to day. The store staff can give you the lowdown on delivery schedules so you can grab the freshest produce or the rarest snacks.

Salvage grocery stores buy their merchandise from grocery reclamation centers — both places are regulated and inspected just like regular grocery stores, so the food you buy at a salvage store is just as safe to eat. (See also: 10 Affordable Alternatives to the Grocery Store)

2. The markdown rack

Many regular grocery stores have a discount rack of merchandise that can range from almost expired milk to mint condition product closeouts. While this rack is generally hidden at the back of the store, post-holiday, this discount rack can extend to several aisles of goods. I always purchase a metric ton of Easter candy the day after Easter. No one who eats my cookies or brownies has to know that the dark chocolate chunks are chopped up chocolate eggs or Easter Bunnies. The discount rack discount at the national chain stores is typically 30-50 percent off the regular price.

3. Imperfect produce

Imperfect Produce is a weekly farm box service that delivers to subscribers' front doors. What do stores consider imperfect produce? Items such as curved cucumbers that don't stack easily, gigantic or tiny avocados — really any fruit or vegetable that lacks uniformity qualifies as imperfect. Cost-wise, you will pay 30-50 percent less than what you would pay at a grocery store. Also, unlike most Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm box programs, Imperfect Produce allows subscribers to customize their boxes, so you will never get fruits or vegetables that you hate with your order.

4. The farmers market

It costs farmers time, money, energy, and gas to transport their goods to the market, and then it costs them additional time, money, energy, and gas to transport the unsold produce home or to dispose of it. To get the best discounts at the farmers market, go at the end of the day. Farmers would rather sell their food at a loss than not sell it at all.

As a regular market customer, I get a lot of free produce from several farm stands at my local market. Rather than throw away unsellable, bruised produce, the farmers give me their damaged goods to turn into jams, pickles, and salads. (See also: Buy This — Not That — at the Farmers Market)

5. The farm

If you live in a rural area, you can skip the farmers market and go directly to the source. Farms will often give produce to farm staff as a perk of the job, which is why I work for four hours every week as a beekeeper at a local farm.

Last year, at the height of the avocado shortage, I ate approximately $350 in free avocados that had fallen from the trees during a windstorm. I also took home hundreds of pounds of "squirrel kissed" plums that I converted to jam. This month, I've been enjoying tiny lettuces and really baby carrots in my salads, produce that was too small to be sold at the farmers market.

Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF-USA) maintains a list of organic farms worldwide that provide food (and lodging) in exchange for work.

6. The refrigerator

The average American family throws away more than $1,500 in food each year. What could your family do with an extra $1,500 of tax-free income per year?

There are many ways to manage your food inventory to save money. Even if you hate menu planning or meal prep, you can salvage your random leftovers by using an ingredient calculator to find recipes that will maximize the food your already own. Or, you can just commit to eating last night's leftovers for today's lunch. Or, if you are a thrill seeker, make Thursday Night Soup.

To remind my husband to pack leftovers for work lunches, I put everything that is approaching its "eat by" date on the top shelf of the refrigerator. This shelf is clearly labeled "Eat Me First." This simple hack has dramatically cut down on food waste in our house. (See also: 11 Ways to Turn Leftover Sweet Potatoes and Other Starchy Foods Into Something Special)

7. The dumpster

Dumpster diving is the new recycling. Actually, it's an old, barely hidden secret activity enjoyed by TED Talkers, professors, and activists who have figured out how to eat like royalty on the budget of paupers. (See also: Dumpster-Diving 101: 6 Strategies for Success)

Dumpster diving for food is actually less disgusting than dumpster diving for anything else. For one, most of the garbage found in most grocery store dumpsters is just food, and much of it is at least protected from the elements and from cross-contamination by a plastic bag. (You won't find super gross stuff like medical waste in grocery dumpsters.) Also, because food sellers have to be super-vigilant about vermin, your average store will take the necessary steps to protect their garbage from rats.

Rob Greenfield, a sustainable living activist, biked through cities around the United States, eating food from around 300 different dumpsters. His blog features a decent photo representation of the quality and quantity of food available for the taking behind your local grocery store.

Dumpster diving, just like every other variety of foraging, has a learning curve. If rescuing food all by your lonesome seems daunting, there are Meetup and Facebook groups full of salvage foodies who regularly run dumpster tours and rescued food dinner parties. It has become a much more common and accepted practice than most people would think. Even I, who thinks of herself as a seasoned urban scrounger, was shocked to discover Yelp reviews for dumpsters in my area! And New Yorkers actually have a directory of dumpsters by borough on the freegan.info website.

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This article is from Max Wong of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

25 Low-Cost Foods Packed With Nutrition

Dr Penny Pincher — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 09:30:18 +0000

If you are on a tight food budget, it's only natural to prioritize the cost of food over nutritional value. After all, junk food is the cheapest food you can buy. But I have found that some of the most nutritious food can be surprisingly affordable.

Here is a round-up of my favorite cheap and highly nutritious foods, listed in order of lowest cost first. The entries below are all priced for four-ounce portions that are all under $1, to make it easy to compare prices. There are even some superfoods on this list. Of course, prices for these items may vary by location and season. Keep an eye out for sale prices on them in your local grocery stores, and you might be able to buy some or all of these items for even less than the prices listed here. (See also: 31 Foolproof Ways to Lower Your Grocery Bill)

*All food prices were determined using HyVee's online grocery store.

1. Bananas

Bananas are highly portable, and are packed with potassium, dietary fiber, and magnesium. They make the perfect sweet treat, and they come with their own natural packaging.

Cost per 4 oz: 12 cents

2. Carrots

Carrots are delicious raw or cooked, and make a great addition to any lunch. In terms of nutrition, carrots are bursting with vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.

Cost per 4 oz: 22 cents

3. Cabbage

Cheap and nutritious, cabbage is great in a stir fry, eaten steamed, or microwaved with a little butter on top. Cabbage offers loads of vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin B6.

Cost per 4 oz: 22 cents

4. Onions

Onions pack a lot of flavor for very little money, and you don't need to use much to get the taste you need. Nutritional highlights for onions include potassium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber.

Cost per 4 oz: 25 cents

5. Mandarin oranges

Mandarin oranges are another great on-the-go snack option. For those afternoon sugar cravings, reach for one of these instead of a candy bar. They have vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium.

Cost per 4 oz: 25 cents

6. Black beans, canned

Black beans offer protein, fiber, and potassium, and they're tasty right out of the can, or cooked into chili, soups, or served on tortillas.

Cost per 4 oz: 26 cents

7. Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), canned

These are an excellent pantry staple because you can eat them cold in salads, warm in soups, or use them to make your own hummus. Chickpeas contain plenty of dietary fiber, protein, and iron.

Cost per 4 oz: 26 cents

8. Brown rice

This healthy carb is a wonderfully versatile base for meals. All you need to add is vegetables or meat. Brown rice contains protein, fiber, and magnesium.

Cost per 4 oz: 30 cents

9. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a healthy alternative to white potatoes, as they have more fiber and vitamin A, and a lower glycemic index. They are also packed with potassium. (See also: 11 Ways to Turn Leftover Sweet Potatoes and Other Starchy Foods Into Something Special)

Cost per 4 oz: 32 cents

10. Whole wheat bread

The question is not, "What can you do with whole wheat bread?" It's, "What can't you do?" The sky's the limit, really, when it comes to this healthy alternative to white bread, which offers your body plenty of iron and potassium.

Cost per 4 oz: 38 cents

11. Cauliflower

You can buy it frozen, fresh by the head, or fresh and pre-cut. It's a filling, hearty meat alternative for vegetarians, and loaded with vitamin C. If you prefer it pre-cut, look for fresh or frozen bags to go on sale.

Cost per 4 oz: 40 cents (fresh head)

12. Barley

You can use barley in stews or as a savory side dish with herbs and spices. Barley offers iron, protein, and magnesium.

Cost per 4 oz: 45 cents

13. Strawberries

Strawberries are naturally super sweet, bursting with vitamin C and potassium, and make for a great, healthy dessert.

Cost per 4 oz: 47 cents

14. Dried lentils

Toss some dried lentils in your slow cooker or Instant Pot and you can do some easy meal prep for the week ahead. You can use lentils in soups, stir fry, dips, and spreads, and they provide iron, fiber, and protein.

Cost per 4 oz: 47 cents

15. Steel cut oats

You can make your own oatmeal at home using steel cut oats that are cheap and delicious. And with tons of calcium, iron, protein, fiber, and potassium, they're also nutritious.

Cost per 4 oz: 50 cents

16. Peanut butter

Whether you like it smooth or crunchy, this spreadable goodness can be put on bread with bananas for a great sandwich packed with protein, potassium, fiber, and iron.

Cost per 4 oz: 53 cents

17. Whole grain pasta

Who doesn't love pasta? And if you opt for the whole grain version, you're also getting a healthy meal base with plenty of protein and fiber.

Cost per 4 oz: 55 cents

18. Greek yogurt

Plain Greek yogurt makes for a protein- and calcium-filled snack that you can add cinnamon or honey to in order to satisfy that sweet tooth.

Cost per 4 oz: 62 cents

19. Raisins

The dried version of grapes, raisins are generally cheaper and have a longer shelf life due to the way they've been dried and preserved. Raisins make for a great snack, or they can be added into salads and other dishes. They are also packed with potassium and vitamin B-6.

Cost per 4 oz: 74 cents

20. Peanuts

A handful of peanuts is all you need for a filling and protein-packed snack. Choose low sodium or unsalted for the healthiest option.

Cost per 4 oz: 74 cents

21. Avocados

Use avocados on sandwiches, in salads or guacamole, or just cut one in half and eat with a spoon. Avocados are delicious and filled with protein, potassium, and vitamin C.

Cost per 4 oz: 75 cents

22. Frozen blueberries

Fresh blueberries are great, but often pricey. Buy the frozen version and you've got a cheaper cereal topper or snack option that is bursting with vitamin C.

Cost per 4 oz: 75 cents

23. Spinach, bagged

The great thing about bagged greens is that they're typically already cut and washed. Use bagged spinach for salad, add it to omelettes, or steam it in the microwave. Spinach also has vitamins C, A, and K, as well as zinc and fiber.

Cost per 4 oz: 75 cents

24. Broccoli

Enjoy broccoli florets raw or microwaved, and reap the health benefits of eating this nutritious gem, which is loaded with vitamin A, B1, fiber, and potassium.

Cost per 4 oz: 83 cents

25. Mushrooms

You can add mushrooms raw to salads, or grill or sauté them for extra flavor. Mushrooms give the body iron, fiber, and lots of vitamin D.

Cost per 4 oz: 94 cents

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This article is from Dr Penny Pincher of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Keep Food Waste From Spoiling Your Budget

Carrie Kirby — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 08:00:06 +0000

How much food do wealthy nations waste? More than all of Sub-Saharan Africa produces, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. In the United States alone, from the farm to your kitchen, half of all produce ends up in the trash, according to a report by The Guardian.

What does that waste mean for your household budget? If you're like the average family of four, you're literally throwing away $1,800 a year, the National Resources Defense Council estimates.

So a melon is a terrible thing to waste. We've heard it before. But what can we really do about it? Here are six ideas for taking action by quantifying food waste. (See also: You're Wasting 1/3 of the Food You Buy — Here's How to Stop)

Weigh your waste

The Environmental Protection Agency suggests that households spend two weeks separating "preventable food waste" garbage from inedible scraps as part of its Food: Too Good to Waste Challenge.

At the end of each week, weigh and record the food you could have eaten but tossed instead. Then, spend three weeks using the EPA's tips to improve your planning, shopping, and storage practices. Finally, measure what you waste during the sixth week, and share the impressive progress you've (ideally) made on social media. (See also: Waste Not, Want Not: Stop Throwing Away Your Food!)

Get the app

So often in busy households food goes to waste because you forget it's there. The iOS app No Waste allows you to scan the barcodes of stuff in your fridge, enter expiration dates, and track everything you've got. If you don't mark a food item as "eaten" before its expiration date, the app marks that food as wasted. It keeps track of the percent of your food that you waste, and shows you a cute little tree that loses its green if your waste increases. It also allows you to compare your waste percentage with other app users, and gives you an estimate of how much money you're saving by eating the food you paid for.

Create a food diary

This printable food waste diary prompts you to record not just the amount of food wasted at each meal, but also the reason and estimated value. This should be helpful to put a weekly dollar figure on your waste and motivate you to consume foods that are about to go bad.

Impose consequences

Whether you used a printable from, a smartphone app, or simply scrawled the amounts and values of your waste on a scrap of paper stuck to the fridge, what do you do with this data? Why not use it to (gently) punish yourself? Take the total value of this week's waste, and deduct it from next week's grocery budget. Chances are, the pain of passing up buying the steak you wanted might help you remember to use up that meatloaf next week.

Track it publicly

Recording your food waste alone in your kitchen is OK, but wouldn't it be more fun to inspire others by planning a Watch Your Waste Meal? In the days leading up to your event, you're supposed to track your waste and share photos of your discards, which a celebrity chef might use as inspiration for a new dish.

Take a picture, it'll last longer

Are you more of a visual learner? Then follow The Frugal Girl's example and photograph every bit of food you waste. If you really want to push yourself to improve, share it online like she does! But even a private gallery of moldy horrors should be enough to encourage yourself to save the kale.

Beyond your kitchen

Once you've got a handle on what you throw away at home, turn your attention to the millions of pounds of food that gets thrown away by businesses before you even get a crack at it.

Buy ugly

In California and Portland, Imperfect Produce delivers weekly boxes of vegetables and fruits that are not cosmetically perfect enough to be sold in stores but still fresh and wholesome.

Take-out the trash

Still in beta, the app Food for All will allow you to purchase unsold food from restaurants at the end of the day, at discounts as steep as 80 percent. Lucky Bostonians get to try this super frugal service first.

Save a mint

If you work in or own a restaurant, try the app MintScraps to track and reduce food waste.

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This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

9 Delicious Reasons Cider Is Our Favorite Fall Treat

Sarah Winfrey — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 09:01:05 +0000

It's starting to get a little cooler, and the leaves are changing. You know what that means? The best autumn beverage will soon be available everywhere. No, not pumpkin spice!

It's apple cider time! We can throw back all that delicious, tangy apple juice — or the hard, drier version — in drinks, breads, cakes, candles, and more. Here are just a few of the reasons cider season is our favorite time of year.

1. It's easy to make

Cider starts to get cheap this time of year. I can usually buy all that I need for a week or so for under $10 at my grocery store — depending on the brand I want and whether there's anything special about it (organic, already spiced, flavor infused, etc.). But one of my favorite parts of cider season is making it myself.

I love this basic cider recipe, because it's delicious as-is, but I can also add anything I want. I've done it with chai spices, with cinnamon and ginger, and even with a little curry (be careful with that one!). It's fun to play around and see what you like, and it's super low cost. And you don't even have to peel the apples! (See also: 18 Easy and Delicious Ways to Enjoy Apples)

2. You can make your own hard versions, too

Hard cider is truly one of the joys of my life, year-round. I'll be honest, making this is a much bigger commitment than making regular cider. But if you have access to some beer-making supplies (usually a demijohn, a rubber stopper, an airlock, and a siphon hose), it's actually one of the easiest brewing projects out there.

There are as many recipes for hard cider as there are cider makers, but this hard cider recipe is one of my favorites. I love that it doesn't require a press for the apples, and tells you how to make both sweet cider and dry.

3. You can make cider in a slow cooker

Cider is wonderful to drink, but it can also be a great way to give your house a good smell over the holidays. I love to pour a bunch in my slow cooker, add some spices, and let it bubble away with the lid off. We drink it slowly, and it makes the place smell all warm and cozy until it's gone.

You can make everything from traditional mulled cider to the pumpkin spice version.

4. Turn it into apple cider vinegar

While not technically a derivative of apple cider, I always make this vinegar alongside my fall drinks. Some people swear that apple cider vinegar makes them healthier, but I just like to have it on hand for recipes and salad dressings. Since you use apple scraps to make it, cider season seems like the best time to stock up. I also love that it's a pretty foolproof venture. Follow the recipe, wait a while, and the magic happens. (See also: 12 Awesome Ways to Use Apple Cider Vinegar)

5. Whip up your own apple cider soup

OK, it sounds a little nutty, but bear with me. I found this apple cider soup a few years ago when I had leftover apple cider that we just weren't drinking (I may have gone a little overboard and made way too much). You can combine apple cider with either beef or chicken stock to make a unique and delicious soup base. Add almost anything you want to the base, and you have a fun holiday soup that everyone will gobble up.

6. Add cider to sauces

Another great way I've used cider to spice up any meal is to add it to the sauce. Making pancakes for breakfast? Put cider in the syrup. Dinner? Add it to the gravy. These are just a couple of ideas to get you started. Honestly, you can add cider to almost any sauce. Its flavor is subtle enough that it won't overwhelm the rest of your spices, but it definitely adds something special to whatever you're cooking.

You can also marinate almost anything in cider. I've used it as part of my marinade for chicken, pork chops, and even short ribs. While you likely won't taste the cider once you cook up your meat, I've found that it adds and richness and a texture to that flavor that I can't find anywhere else. (See also: 11 Instant Pot Meals That Prove Autumn Is the Best Season)

7. Make your own apple cider crisp

What is fall without chowing down on at least one really good apple crisp? When you add cider, though, it takes your everyday, amazing apple crisp to a whole different level. After all, why not make your apple crisp even apple-ier?

8. Spice up your quinoa

Quinoa cooked in apple cider, sweet potatoes, more apples, and all sorts of little add-ins make this dish taste like an autumn dream. While the cider flavor may be more subtle here than in some of the other recipes I've mentioned, it's a great way to enjoy your cider and eat healthy, too!

9. Make scalloped potatoes even better

We all know that scalloped potatoes are truly spectacular as they are. Would cider really make them better? Yes. Yes, it would. These are some of the best scalloped potatoes I've ever had. There's something about adding the cider and the nutmeg that gives them an earthier taste. It's not much, but these two ingredients bring out flavors in both the potatoes and the cheeses that you just don't taste otherwise.

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This article is from Sarah Winfrey of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How Smart Shoppers Will Save at Amazon's Whole Foods

Christa Avampato — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 09:00:06 +0000

Amazon is looking to repeat its e-commerce success in the grocery vertical. Its recent acquisition of Whole Foods brought sweeping and immediate changes to the notoriously pricey grocery chain by taking a page from Amazon's traditional playbook — slashing prices. Here are details on the price changes that were implemented, and how you can cash in while shopping.

Look for the signs

All over Whole Foods stores, you can now find tags and large signage that clearly explain the recent price drops that Amazon has implemented. The produce market of Whole Foods, opulent and historically expensive, is one of the hallmarks of the chain. It makes perfect sense that Amazon would begin there. Certain varieties of apples have dropped a full dollar per pound, from $2.99 to $1.99. Avocados, which have been extra pricey this summer due to crop shortages in California and Mexico, have dropped, too, from $2.50 a piece to $1.49. Bananas dropped from $0.79 to $0.49 per pound, and lean ground beef dropped from $10.99 per pound to $6.99.

Overall, prices have dropped an average of 43 percent on the store's most popular items. To find the best deals in-store, be on the lookout for these signs and tags.

Lock it up

One of the signature benefits of being an Amazon shopper is a relatively easy return policy on many items. Amazon will start placing Amazon lockers in select Whole Foods locations where you can drop off your packages for easy returns, and also pick up packages that you order if you don't want them shipped to your home. This makes it more convenient for people to shop both brands in one, while having a single location where returns can be managed. (Lockers are ideal for people who aren't home during the day and don't have a doorman to collect their packages. With Amazon Lockers, there is less of a chance of packages being lost or stolen off of your doorstep.)

Shop Whole Foods products from Amazon

Amazon is in the process of adding Whole Foods private label brand items to the website for ordering through Prime Pantry, Prime Fresh, and Prime Now delivery programs. The Whole Foods private label brands include 365 Everyday Value and Whole Foods Market. They have long been touted as the best deals in the store. Now Amazon is elevating them even higher by making them available online.

Become a Prime member

Amazon is crafting big plans to integrate Amazon Prime into the Whole Foods shopping experience to further enrich the Prime program. Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Consumer, said in a recent statement that Amazon Prime will become the customer rewards program at Whole Foods and will trigger lower prices and other benefits for Prime members over time. Whole Foods created a pilot customer rewards program of its own in the Philadelphia and Dallas/Fort Worth areas, but it never took off nationwide. Amazon provides an opportunity to change that with a quick solution that already has a large and loyal user base. (See also: 7 Amazon Prime Perks You've Forgotten to Use)

We're in the early days of Amazon's ownership of Whole Foods. What's clear is that the two brands intend to continue co-inventing ways to improve the shopping experience, provide enhanced value to customers, and compete with innovation in a traditional market.

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This article is from Christa Avampato of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Feed a Large Family on a Small Budget

Annie Mueller — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 08:30:05 +0000

Feeding a large family is a challenge. You need plenty to eat for plenty of hungry people, and you'd like to accomplish that without draining all of your free time and money. As the mother of four hungry kids, I've learned a few strategies that work well for our family. I also called in an expert: my friend Jeff Page, father of eight and founder of Hectic Meals.

Plan your meals

You need to plan your meals in advance. Winging it on meals, especially with a large family, will cost you. You'll stress every day over that, "What's for dinner?" question, and end up depending on fast food, takeout, or multiple grocery store trips to feed hungry people. It's impractical and terrible for your budget. Jeff calls meal planning, "a matter of self-preservation." (See also: How to Stop the Takeout Meal Cycle and Save)

Meal planning doesn't have to be complicated, though. It's usually easiest to plan a week's worth of meals at a time. Jeff recommends collecting your favorite recipes and using them on a regular rotation.

Get input from your family

You may be the meal planner, but you can get great ideas on favorite meals by polling the crowd. I've found that my kids are quite happy to eat the same basic thing for breakfast everyday, but they get tired of that kind of repetition for lunches.

Work with the seasons and the sales

If you pay attention to what's in season for produce, and what's on sale at your local grocery store, you can plan your menu around these items. You'll not only get fresher, better produce with this approach, but you'll also save money.

Combine new and old recipes

Depend on your tried-and-true favorites for the bulk of your meal planning, but add in some new and interesting recipes here and there. It's a good way to expand your family's eating repertoire without alienating your picky eaters. (See also: Save Money and Eat Better With These 6 Online Meal Planners)

Buy and prepare food in bulk

If your family eats in high volume, buying and prepping your food in correspondingly high volume makes sense. Meal planning will help you determine what you need in advance, and buying in bulk will help you get it at the best price.

What to buy in bulk

Basic pantry items, such as baking ingredients and canned goods, are almost always a good idea for bulk purchases. The savings might not be huge, but since you can go through high quantities of these staples, you want to keep them on hand and buy them in large quantities when they go on sale. (See also: How to Shop for Food Once a Month and Save Big)

Another smart bulk purchase is your main protein source: meat, eggs, beans, dairy, etc. For Jeff's family, their biggest value has been in purchasing meat in the largest quantities possible, then freezing it for use as needed.

Fresh produce can be a great bulk purchase, as well, if you're able to process or preserve it. Otherwise, you might watch it go to waste, which is the opposite of budget-friendly. (See also: 13 Food Items to Always Buy in Bulk)

How to prep your food in bulk

Whether you bring home 15 pounds of ground beef or a couple of overflowing boxes of ripe tomatoes, you need to do something with your bulk food to make it easily usable. Some bulk purchases are best treated with a partial prep. For example, if you bring home 10 pounds of fresh carrots, you can peel and slice them, divide into portions, freeze some for use in soups later and refrigerate the rest for easy snacking. You can buy chicken in bulk, chop and season it, then freeze.

For the most efficient bulk food prep, Jeff recommends a high-quality set of knives and a vacuum sealer. That way you can work your way quickly through a big pile of whatever's in season and ensure that it won't be frostbitten and gross by the time you eat it. Another great tool for bulk prep and preservation is a food dehydrator; couple it with that vacuum sealer for maximum prep and storage efficiency.

Go local

Check into your local grocery options for other bulk food purchases. You may find grocery co-ops, ethnic food stores, and local farmers markets can offer you great ingredients at a much better price than your regular grocery store.

Have a storage plan

Don't bring home the bacon (or any other food in bulk), unless you have a plan for how you will store it. You need to have adequate pantry or cabinet space for dry and canned goods, and adequate freezer space for other items.

Implement a meal schedule

You need a healthy amount of organization to keep a big-family kitchen from falling into chaos. When multiple people access the food and food spaces, basic rules can keep things clean, organized, and usable.

The most important rule is to clean up after yourself. Even young children can learn to wash a dish after they use it. Yes, you will have to remind them of their ability to do so approximately 4,327 times before they will learn it, but stick with it. Eventually, they will remember. Or they'll move out. Either way, fewer dishes for you!

Get organized

For large families, it's very helpful to have a secondary refrigerator and/or freezer, perhaps in the garage or on the patio, for food storage. You can designate the kitchen refrigerator for this week's snacks and meal ingredients, and the other refrigerator can be used for less-often used items and ingredients you're storing for later use.

A key part of food organization is finding a way to communicate it with the rest of your family. Use labels to mark where things should go, and bins or other storage items to keep things separated in the freezer or pantry. (See also: 9 Pantry Tricks That Save You Big)

How to schedule meals

A schedule and a list will help you get through the grocery shopping as quickly as possible. Jeff generates a list from his meal plan and, with that in hand, he's usually able to keep his weekly shopping trip under an hour.

Share the information

Print out your meal plan, so all the hungry members of your family can see at a glance what's for dinner. That might encourage them to quit asking you about it. In an alternate universe, it might encourage them to start making dinner. I have not found the entrance to this universe. If you do, let me know. Please.

Designate shelves

In the pantry, Jeff recommends labeling shelves so there's a designated area for particular items. This can make the putting away process faster for everyone after grocery shopping. We have a designated snack shelf, and when it's snack time, the kids know what they can have and help themselves.

Keep it simple

An endless variety of food costs money. My kids would like to have a pantry that looks like the snack aisle at Costco. I would rather pay the bills — all of them — because having that much variety would cost a small fortune. I keep three to five snack options on hand, along with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and that's enough for us.

Incorporate change every once in awhile

The same snacks or dishes over and over again can get boring for you and everyone in your family. You can rotate options, but you don't have to have all the options at one time. So, choose a few snack options this month, and different ones for next month.

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This article is from Annie Mueller of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Shop the Salad Bar and Other Ways to Save Big on Groceries

Mikey Rox — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 08:00:13 +0000

Feeling the pinch at the grocery checkout line? You're not alone. Food prices have risen an average of 2.6 percent a year over the past 20 years, according to The Balance. And though inflation has slowed recently, you can bet food prices will be back on the uptick when contributing factors change, like fluctuating oil prices, weather conditions, and good ol' supply and demand. In the meantime, give your budget a well-deserved break by adopting these supermarket-savvy practices to reduce your grocery overhead.

1. Shop the salad bar for almonds, bacon bits, and more

You might avoid the salad bar at your local supermarket because of its outrageous prices — my local Wegmans cold salad and fruit bar is a whopping $9.49 a pound — but there are deals hidden among all that overpriced produce.

Six ounces of name brand Diamond of California slivered almonds retails for $4.99 at the store, or roughly $13.30 per pound, compared to the flat rate of under $10 at the salad bar. Bacon bits are another big win for your wallet. A three-ounce bottle of Hormel Real Bacon Bits come in at $2.49, making a pound's worth more than $13, but who needs that when you can cop a full pound of the really "real" stuff at around 59 cents per ounce?

To do your own investigative work into how you can save at the salad bar, visit your local grocer's website and compare packaged products and fresh produce to what you might find in the salad bar. (See also: 7 Grocery Store Habits That Are Making You Broke)

2. Break off just the right amount of bananas from the bunch

Did you know that you don't have to buy the whole bunch of bananas? Most stores price the fruit by the pound, but don't require that all the bananas in a bunch stay together. If the bunch is too big for what you think you'll eat, just break off the amount that suits you and be on your way.

3. Compare bone-in and boneless chicken pound-per-pound

Boneless chicken is most people's go-to protein these days, but we're paying quite a markup for the convenience of skin-and-bone removal.

My store doesn't even carry nonorganic bone-in chicken breasts anymore, but nonorganic bone-in chicken thighs (store brand) are 99 cents per pound compared to their boneless counterparts at $1.99 per pound. More than double is quite a leap just to be bone-free.

You also may be able to shave a few bucks off your bill by buying your fresh boneless chicken breasts with rib meat instead of the hand-trimmed cutlets. Those prices are $1.88 per pound and $2.79 per pound, respectively, at my store, which is enough of a difference for me to learn to love to the rib meat. (See also: Great Summertime Grilling for Any Budget)

4. Ask for a rain check on out-of-stock sale items

If the shelf is empty on a sale product, you may be able to still get the deal with a rain check. You can usually obtain these at customer service, but be sure to have the sales circular or your mobile device showing the deal to expedite the process, just in case the cashier is unfamiliar with the promotion. (They shouldn't be, but it happens often when I'm shopping.) Your rain check will allow you to buy the product for the sale price even after the sale is over once the item is back in stock.

5. Stick with frozen seafood

"A lot of time the seafood you find frozen in the store is the same as the thawed stuff on display, which can be marked up by as much as 40 percent," says nutritionist and health coach Jamie Logie, author of the blog and podcast Regained Wellness.

Turns out, she's right. Farm-raised EZ-Peel Raw Shrimp at my Wegmans is $10.99 per pound, but the same exact shrimp frozen and bagged is only $8.49 per pound. Plus, with the frozen stuff there's no rush to eat it before it spoils; it's there whenever I want it.

6. Segment your shopping between grocery and drugstores

By and large, drugstores like CVS, Rite-Aid, and Walgreens have higher-priced items compared to the same products at the supermarket, but you can save in these stores on certain things. My local Rite-Aid offers coupons, sometimes up to 25 percent off, and it often has Buy-One-Get-One (BOGO) deals on the snacks we all love, like chips and ice cream. When I wrote this, Rite-Aid had Cheez-It crackers BOGO for $3.29, whereas two boxes of the same would cost $3.96 at Walmart.

At CVS, I've personally saved $139.33 using coupons, which are plentiful if you're a member of the ExtraCare Rewards program. I also took advantage of a one-time offer to try out its new curbside service to save $10 off a $15 purchase. These promos really add up if you use them the right way.

7. Make spices with your unused vegetables

Think twice about throwing away that half an onion you don't think you'll use before it rots. Yvonne Sanders, from healthy-eating and weight-loss program Slimming World, explains how to turn them into spices.

"Simply dehydrate onion or garlic, then crush it up to make garlic or onion powder seasoning," she says. Same goes for your herbs and hot peppers. Dehydrate them before they start to decay for more fresh and flavorful cooking.

8. Turn nearly expired milk into ice cubes for your morning coffee

If you know you're not going to drink all the milk before it expires or spoils, make milk ice cubes for your morning joe.

"If you're wont to drink coffee with some milk, this is a great way to preserve cartons of milk in your fridge," Sanders says. "Just use an ice tray to freeze and drop into your next coffee or even smoothie."

9. Ditch the cart and pick up a basket

It's scientifically proven that shopping with a large cart compels you to buy more than you actually need. Marketing consultant Martin Lindstrom told USA Today, "We did an experiment with that, and we actually doubled the size of the shopping cart," he said. "And you buy 40 percent more."

Don't let the psychology of shopping cost you. Opt for the smaller cart, or pick up a basket and head to the register once it's full.

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This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 Essentials You Need in Your Emergency Home Food Bank

Marla Walters — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 08:30:15 +0000

I was never good about keeping a pantry, but that all changed when we relocated and the first hurricane came through. Even once it had passed, stores remained closed and power was out. That's when I understood the need to have a well-stocked home food bank.

A food bank also enables you to avoid the panic that sets in when something scary does happen. If you've ever been through a natural disaster, you know well how quickly water and other basic food necessities disappear. For those with electric stoves, consider getting a camp stove to keep around in case you're without power and need to boil water or heat up other food. Here are eight items you should stock in your emergency home food bank.

1. Rice

White rice keeps for four to five years, assuming you have it stored well. Brown rice has a shorter shelf life of three to six months, so if that is your preference, you need to make sure you use it in time. (See also: 10 Foods You Need in Your "Emergency" Pantry)

2. Ice

We learned quickly, and the hard way, that ice is the first thing to go in an emergency. You'll need to keep your perishables cold. If you have room in your freezer, keep extra trays of ice. We also invested in an outdoor freezer where we keep an extra bag.

3. Canned soups

Canned soup is versatile, filling, and can come packed with nutrient-rich beans and veggies. Watch for soups to go on sale or buy by the case at a warehouse for the best price. (See also: How to Save a Ton by Eating Soup Every Day)

4. Canned meat and tuna

Fresh meat and fish will go bad the fastest, but the canned versions are made to last, and can satisfy your body's need for protein in a pinch. Keep cans of tuna, chicken, corned beef, or Spam around, because they can easily be added to any meal.

5. Canned fruit and vegetables

Canned green beans, carrots, and canned potatoes can be used in an easy camping "stew" if you lose power. Canned fruits are delicious, and will certainly hold you over until the stores reopen and you can purchase healthier fresh fruit.

6. Bottled water

We keep five-gallon jugs at the ready. If there is a storm approaching, we fill those with water right away before the storm hits. Because if you lose your water source, you'll need clean water for absolutely everything: bathing, cooking, drinking, etc.

7. Instant coffee and tea

In a power outage, you can still get your daily caffeine fix from coffee or tea if you have a gas stove or camp stove.

8. Pasta

There are a lot of ways to get creative if you have some pasta around, or boxed macaroni and cheese. It's also a filling staple that can be combined with just about anything to create a complete meal. Stock up when prices are low and you won't regret it.

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This article is from Marla Walters of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Shop for Food Once a Month and Save Big

Ashley Marcin — Mon, 01 May 2017 09:00:07 +0000

I've changed my grocery shopping habits quite dramatically, and it's really paid off. First, I've saved several hundred dollars on food in a single month. And beyond that, I've saved a ton of time. What exactly did I do? Well, I started shopping for the majority of my groceries on just one day each month. It may sound overwhelming, but it's definitely doable, and has worked well for my family.

Here's how you can try this method, too.

Take stock

Before I even began meal planning or thinking about shopping, I took a look around my pantry and refrigerator shelves. We actually did a "use-it-up" meal week before the big shop. We ate the remaining pasta, cooked all the beans, and snacked on that rogue pudding cup in the back of the fridge. You know, just so we'd be down to basically nothing.

You don't have to clear out all your food to get planning. Still, it's a good idea to take stock of what you have before you start making grocery lists. That way you'll avoid buying duplicates. Heck, you may also realize that you mindlessly pick up a can of salsa or jar of jam every week even though you don't need them.

Begin meal planning

After you've assessed your situation, you can get to meal planning. This part of the process is the most important. It may even be the most time consuming. Taking time to plan your meals, though, is the key to success. You don't want to buy a mega load of groceries and then not know what to do with them.

What I do is sort of old school. I have a regular notebook and I write down the number of weekdays and weekends for that month. From there, I'll start planning the dinners. I write out how many we'll cook at home and how many nights we might eat out (or be out of town, in meetings, etc.).

Last month, I ended up with a total of 23 dinners at home.

Breakfasts, lunches, and snacks are a bit different. We tend to fall into habits with those. I'll eat oatmeal every day, my daughter likes cereal, and my husband noshes on eggs and toast for breakfast. On weekends, we may do something like pancakes.

Lunches are pretty much the same: PBJ, pretzels, and applesauce for my daughter. My husband packs salads and big Greek yogurt creations. I usually eat leftovers. The baby eats bits of what we eat since she only just started eating solid foods.

How to plan your meals

So, how exactly can you plan meals efficiently? We have a running list of the dinners that have been hits in our house. I'd say there are 15-20 meals on this list. When I'm meal planning, I choose maybe six of these meals to incorporate into our month.

For example, we may do something like this for our 23 dinners:

Breakfast for dinner x 4 nights
Slow cooker chili x 4 nights
Homemade pizza x 4 nights
Sloppy lentil sandwiches x 4 nights
Tofu stir-fry x 4 nights
Slow cooker chickpea curry x 3 nights

From there, I go through the recipes (they may be in my head or on a website, but it's helpful to actually look at them) and write down the ingredients I'll need for each. It can be helpful to pick recipes that use similar ingredients, so you can take advantage of bulk pricing, if available. (See also: 10 Fruits and Veggies That Stay Good a Month or Longer)

Pick a day and a store

Choose a day for your big shop when you have plenty of time and energy. For some, this may be the weekend. I am able to do my big shop during the week, so I avoid the crowds. I also try to leave my kids at home if I can.

You may not want to go to just one grocery store for this shop, either. I hit up Aldi and Wegmans and sometimes a bulk place like Sam's or BJ's. Where I go has a lot to do with what's on our meal plan and my knowledge of prices. Aldi wins out on most items. I've seen their eggs as low as 70 cents for a dozen. Their Greek yogurt prices can't be beat and I buy six tubs of it at a time. They also carry avocados for a fraction of the price I can find them anywhere else. I can't say enough wonderful things about Aldi.

But there are some things, like our favorite huge jars of organic peanut butter, that I like to buy at Wegmans. Tofu isn't an item I've seen at Aldi, so I buy a three-pack of that at Wegmans, as well. They also have certain bulk items, like lentils, beans, etc.

Find the best prices in your area and choose where you'll go from there. (See also: 10 Affordable Alternatives to the Grocery Store)

Set aside funds

For our monthly shop, we set aside $350 for our family of two adults, one kid, and one baby. We also set aside $150 each month for grocery trips throughout the month, when needed. That's to buy things that spoil more easily, like milk or certain produce (berries come to mind). Because we do the big monthly shop, these trips to the grocery store are extremely quick and easy, since we only buy a few items from the fresh sections of the store.

That means that we are spending $500 total on food for the month — a little over $100 a week. But as I got used to shopping this way, we've started spending less than the allocation. We were spending $800 a month on food before. This process has cut our monthly food spend by almost half.

Cook, cook, and cook some more

The other critical piece that makes this way of shopping work is to cook. Cook all the meals you have planned. You may feel like you're on food-overload when you first come home and put everything away. But if you stick to your list, you'll be using everything by the month's end. Stick with your plan and you'll be fine.

If you have the space and the time, I have found it incredibly helpful to batch cook and use our freezer space to make things ahead. For example, I make my daughter homemade Uncrustable sandwiches for each school day and store them in the freezer. I have even started experimenting with freezer dump meals where you do all the prep, put everything in pre-portioned freezer bags, and then cook in the slow cooker the day of your planned meal.

I also buy more frozen foods that won't spoil and can carry over into the next month if we don't use everything. (See also: Save Time and Money With a Monthly Assembly Cooking Weekend)

What about meat?

You may have gathered that I'm a vegetarian. Meat eaters can totally follow this type of shopping, too, though. Freeze your meat and thaw the night before in your refrigerator. If you don't have the freezer space, simply figure in how much meat will cost and add it to your small weekly shop.

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This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Affordable Alternatives to the Grocery Store

Marla Walters — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 08:30:09 +0000

Are you sick of taking weekly trips to the grocery store? Maybe you'd like to try to save some money, buy fresher produce, support your local farmers, or even grow food yourself. Here are 10 affordable alternatives to that hectic and tiring grocery-grind.

1. Contact farmers directly

If you know a farmer or rancher, consider approaching them directly about buying their goods. Personally, I have found this method enables me to purchase certain cuts of meat, or other things I need at a discounted price. It's also nice to know the source of your food and be assured that it is truly organic or grass-fed. If you don't know someone, try calling your local agricultural extension, 4-H Club, or FFA (National FFA Organization) chapter.

2. CSA shares

CSA is an acronym for Community Supported Agriculture. When you become a member of a CSA, you purchase a share of vegetables, fruits, eggs, or other agricultural goods from a farmer (or several farmers) in your regional area, often for less than you'd normally spend in the grocery store.

If you like a challenge and to learn about how to cook things, a CSA box is going to be right up your alley. I have cooked and eaten things I never would've tried. CSA boxes are a fun way to support local agriculture, save money, and learn how to cook new things.

3. Vegetable or fruit stands

During family road trips when I was a kid, my dad would take back roads in the California central valley in our family station wagon. Along the road, we'd stop at numerous fruit stands. We'd load up on peaches, nectarines, tomatoes, dates, and nuts. Everything was sold in bulk, in big flats, but at a huge discount from the grocery store. My mother would spend hot summer days canning, but what a treat when those jars of peaches came out, midwinter. I'll still hit the brakes for a fruit and vegetable stand, where I know I can get farm-fresh, locally grown produce.

4. Farmers markets

Farmers markets seem to be everywhere these days, and with good reason. Besides being a great place to stock up on fresh local food, they often offer food tents, music, plants, and crafts. Farmers markets have made shopping fun again.

5. Co-op grocery stores

You don't usually have to be a member of a grocery co-op to shop at one, but if you join, you will get a vote — and some input — on how the co-op is run. For a fairly nominal fee, you will become a member who can give input about the items purchased or carried by the store. While the prices may not be rock-bottom, you'll usually find high-quality organic and natural foods. During profitable years, you may receive a dividend. Co-ops tend to be very community-minded, and some have delis and household goods, as well.

6. Ethnic food stores

A Chinese exchange student, missing food from home, took me to our local ethnic grocery. Not only was it fun to have her explain the interesting selection of foods, but I was shocked to see those same foods at my regular grocery store at a considerably higher price. Similarly, when I make Mexican food, I head to one of those specialty stores to get ingredients. You may also be able to locate hard-to-find spices there.

7. Online Delivery

Online grocery delivery was something I pooh-poohed until our daughter moved to Brooklyn. I've stopped teasing her about it after she emailed me copies of her lists so that I could see the prices. Surprisingly, it's not unreasonable. Yes, she does pay an add-on price for delivery, but I pay for gas to drive to the market, so the difference is a lot closer than I assumed. With online delivery, you also avoid the lines and parking hassles. If you want to try it, do some comparisons between services to see which delivery policies best suit your lifestyle. Also be aware that ordering at "peak times" may result in not being able to get everything you need. Services such as FreshDirect even offer special deals and savings on specific items from week to week. (See also: 6 Ways Having Your Groceries Delivered Can Save You Money)

8. Trade

I have too many bananas, and my neighbor needs to get rid of avocados. (I get the better end of that deal, honestly.) It's great to be able to trade produce. Do you have an overactive orchard, or did you plant too many hills of zucchini? See if you can trade produce with a neighbor.

9. Discount outlets

Some outlet stores carry things that just didn't sell, but are still perfectly edible. Maybe the packaging was just too strange, or the label was off-putting. One of our friends carried a corkscrew and would just try some wines out in the parking lot of the local wine outlet after purchase. If they were good, she'd go back in and buy a case.

There are no bells and whistles in outlet stores, so come with an open mind. It's not Whole Foods. There are some amazing bargains at outlet stores, which can offer goods sometimes at 50-80 percent less than grocery stores. Cereal is usually a good buy, as are frozen foods. And don't forget a corkscrew.

10. Your own garden

I don't have the greenest thumb in the household, but I can handle growing green beans, carrots, beets, and tomatoes. Even if my carrots are misshapen, they are delicious. To get the best results, check out your soil. We took a soil sample to our local college's agriculture department, where they analyzed it and told us what to add (your local co-op extension may offer this service, too). Even a small garden plot is a very rewarding thing. Plus, the fresh air, vitamin D, and exercise are essential to your overall health. (See also: 10 Most Valuable Things to Plant in Your Garden This Spring)

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This article is from Marla Walters of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 Hot New Food Trends — The Frugal Way

Ashley Marcin — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 08:30:13 +0000

It seems there’s always a new health food trend going on, and companies are quick to capitalize by conveniently packaging and offering them on store shelves for us to try. Unfortunately, trying what's new and different isn't always affordable. You're in luck, though. Here are the trends, and how you can enjoy them on the cheap.

1. Wellness beverages

The chilled beverage sections at your grocery store are probably teeming with new tonics and juices. Many of them include ingredients like turmeric, vinegar, and maca. There are even beverages that contain medicinal mushrooms! While this is all very interesting and even quite tasty, these drinks come at a premium — costing anywhere from $5–$14 per bottle.

I make my own vinegar-infused beverage at home. It actually tastes a lot like kombucha, just at a fraction of the cost. First, I crack open a can of my favorite sparkling water from Aldi, usually lemon or lime. Then I pour it over a tablespoon of Aldi's organic apple cider vinegar. Mix and enjoy.

2. Oily byproducts

A company called Eco Olea has made a variety of house cleaners using the water that's left over after making olive oil. Another company is using the liquid from cooking chickpeas to make vegan mayonnaise. Incorporating byproducts into new products is definitely on the rise, and it's great to see that less is going to waste.

How can you try this trend at home? Stop before you toss the liquid you drained from that can of chickpeas. That gooey stuff is called aquafaba, and there are many good things you can make with it. Try this vegan chocolate pudding made from aquafaba. Sounds strange, but when you combine it with dark chocolate, maple syrup, and vanilla extract? Delicious.

3. All things coconut

You've probably tried coconut water and coconut oil to see what all the fuss is about. This year, the coconut is expanding its horizons. You can buy coconut flour, coconut chips for baking, and a whole host of other products. While coconut flour costs about $3 a pound, prepackaged foods made with this ingredient are even steeper.

Here's an easy recipe for homemade coconut flour tortillas. You need just three ingredients: coconut flour, eggs, and nondairy milk. It only requires a half cup of flour. Whisk the ingredients together. Then heat a skillet and cook it like a very thin pancake, flip, and fill with your favorite hummus or whatever else you like wrapped up. (See also: The Best Credit Cards for Groceries)

4. Purple foods

You may have heard that you should eat the rainbow — vibrant, fresh veggies that come in all colors. In 2017, the color everyone seems to be focusing on is purple. You can find purple cauliflower, purple potato chips, purple corn, purple asparagus, and much more at your local grocery store.

If you want to try this one at home, try making this gorgeous purple sweet potato pie. If you don’t want to deal with the almonds and dates for the crust, you can always stick with a traditional pie crust out of flour and butter. It will still look gorgeous.

5. Healthier pastas

You can find pasta made from chickpeas, lentils, and quinoa on shelves at the store. If you take a walk around the produce section, you may even see some varieties of spiralized vegetable "pastas" that are healthy alternatives to the traditional noodles we all know and love. I'm especially flabbergasted by the price of the spiralized noodles because produce can be quite cheap when it's in season.

The up-charge is all about the noodle-making process. And that's an easy at-home thing you can do yourself. Invest in a spiralizer, and you'll be set with beet and zucchini noodles for life.

6. Unique condiments

My husband and I are addicted to interesting condiments. But I can't say it's good for our wallets. These days, you can find anything from ghee with pink Himalayan sea salt to pomegranate molasses to chipotle adobo sauce. One way I like to save on these splurges is to check out what our local Home Goods (a discount store) has on the shelves. I can often find condiments a few dollars cheaper than they might be at the grocery store.

Making your own cool condiments is another option. Buying ghee at the store can cost around $1.20 an ounce. You can make it at home for around 67 cents an ounce. Just get eight ounces of a good-quality organic butter and heat it over low heat in a medium saucepan. Continue cooking until the milk solids turn brown and fall to the bottom of your pan, around 10 minutes. Then pour through cheesecloth into a glass jar for safekeeping. This makes five ounces of ghee.

7. Meal kits

Eating out can be expensive. But making everything from scratch can be time-consuming and messy. Many people are turning to meal kits you can easily toss in the oven. You can find some awesome vegetable mixes in the freezer section that won't break the bank. Others include pasta and even meat for a no-fuss meal. Just check your prices carefully and take advantage of coupons and store sales when you can.

You may also want to try make your own meal kits. Sure, the process takes some effort — but it will save you time and money in the long run. I actually tried this method out last month when I made a bunch of "dump meals" to stash in my freezer. I'm hooked. It's seriously as easy and opening cans, chopping stuff, and tossing it in a bag to freeze for later cooking in the Crock-Pot.

8. Japanese food

Japanese foods are becoming more popular, as well. But move over sushi, the trend this year is going beyond the roll. Check out ingredients like miso, seaweed, and mirin. Have you ever heard of Japanese-style pickles? I hadn't either, and now I'm utterly intrigued.

My own family regularly eats udon noodles with our stir-fries. This ends up being cheaper than buying Japanese takeout because we get a huge bag of stir-fry veggies in the freezer section and buy tofu in bulk. We also like incorporating miso into our meals — a little goes a long way. Try a miso-tahini dressing on anything from roasted sweet potatoes to salads. Combine a quarter cup tahini with just one tablespoon miso. Then add in lemon juice, warm water, and cracked pepper. You'll enjoy the flavor every day!

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This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Flashback Friday: 53 Grocery Shopping Tricks That'll Make Your Life Easier

Chrissa Hardy — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 09:30:40 +0000

You head to the grocery store, armed with a list and a plan to be as efficient as possible, and then somehow you become an aimless browser. You fall victim to impulse buys and overpriced salads from the deli. And when you get home, you spent more time and money than you should have, and you forgot one of the key items you need for upcoming meals. No more. Here are 53 grocery shopping tricks that'll make your life easier.

21 Fresh Food Delivery Services That Can Save You Big — Skip the trip to the store entirely and have all your food delivered! Sound like a dream come true? It is. Here are all the best services to try.

5 Checkout Line Tricks to Finish Shopping Faster — When you just want to get in and out of the grocery store, follow these smart shopping tricks. Avoiding chatty cashiers and opting for the checkout lanes on the left could save you lots of precious time.

5 Offseason Foods That Are Destroying Your Grocery Budget — A really easy fix to staying on-budget is to avoid the sections of the store with foods that are currently offseason. Stick to what's in-season and you'll save time and lots of money.

6 Ways Having Your Groceries Delivered Can Save You Money — You might assume that getting your groceries delivered is a luxury only the rich can afford. Not true! If you shop smart, you can actually save money by having your food delivered to your door.

9 Ways You Are Sabotaging Your Weekly Grocery Budget — The best way to improve any skill is to learn from your own mistakes, right? Take a look back at your previous grocery receipts, give meal planning a try, clip those coupons, and your grocery budget will remain intact.

The Best and Worst Times to Go Grocery Shopping — A big part of making grocery shopping easier is knowing when to shop in the first place. Because there are certain times — weekend afternoons, for example — when you shouldn't go at all.

This article is from Chrissa Hardy of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Ways Having Your Groceries Delivered Can Save You Money

Camilla Cheung — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 10:00:11 +0000

I started getting my groceries delivered several months ago, after I realized Amazon Prime Now offered free grocery delivery in my area. I've never looked back.

With two young children, going to the grocery store is a hassle and takes away from time that we could be on playdates or at the park. But aside from the convenience, I've found that grocery delivery has been helping me drastically cut down on my grocery bill. I've been able to trim a couple hundred dollars from my monthly budget simply by ordering groceries online.

While Amazon Prime Now offers free same-day grocery delivery with a $99/year Prime subscription (fresh groceries may or may not be available in your area), there are many other affordable grocery services now available. AmazonFresh offers grocery delivery for an affordable monthly fee ($14.99 per month), and many grocers like Safeway and Whole Foods offer grocery delivery for a small fee per order, or a yearly membership. Safeway's delivery service costs are $9.95 on orders $150 or more, and $12.95 for orders under $150. Whole Foods' service is free for the first order, then $5.99 for one-hour delivery, $3.99 for two-hour delivery, or you can pay an annual membership fee of $99 and get any order over $35 for free.

Often grocery delivery services have coupons offering free delivery for newcomers, which can make it easy to try them out and find which service is most convenient and economical for you. Here's how this modern convenience can improve your budget.

1. Eliminate Impulse Shopping

Cutting down on impulse shopping is hands down the number one reason I've been saving money on grocery shopping. When I'm shopping from the comfort of my own home, it's so much easier for me to avoid the impulse buys of snacks, chocolates, and other unnecessary treats that I frequently indulge in if I see them at the store. This benefit is multiplied even more when I can avoid stepping into Target or another one of my favorite stores (somehow I'll go there for milk and leave with a cart full of toys, shampoo, clothes, and cookies).

I often shop for just a few staples — eggs, bananas, bread, milk, and lettuce — and avoid filling up my cart with impulse purchases. Amazon Fresh does require a minimum total of $40 on deliveries to avoid a $9.99 delivery fee — it's free over $40 — but they will sometimes offer free delivery credits on top of Prime orders if you choose free, no-rush shipping. (See also: 21 Fresh Food Delivery Services That Can Save You Big)

2. Reduce Waste

I like to order groceries on my phone while rummaging through and taking inventory of the contents of my fridge. That way, I only order items when I've run out and I cut down on duplicates of things I have. This reduces wasted food in the long run because I only buy what I need. It's much easier to do this when I'm able to look through my fridge instead of trying to remember what I need while at the store.

Another strategy I have is to add things to my online cart as I run low on them, which makes it easy to check out when I need them. No more running to the store to buy one thing that you forgot on your last shopping trip!

3. Enjoy Comparable Prices

I've found that, most of the time, online grocery prices are comparable to what you would pay in a regular supermarket. Sure, you will occasionally get an oddly high price, but once you know what the prices should be, you might be pleasantly surprised at how similar the prices are for delivered groceries. And when there's an extra good deal (like jars of pasta sauce for $1) you can order a lot without having to lug all those heavy bags home yourself.

4. Waste Less Time

It takes me far longer to prowl through the aisles of a grocery store looking for a specific item than to simply type it into the search bar on my grocery delivery app. Adding things to my cart as I run low on them also saves time. Now I no longer have to block off an hour or two of time to go grocery shopping (including driving time), and I can take the kids to the park instead (where I don't get tempted to spend money!). Or I could write an article in that time, and get paid!

Amazon Fresh's delivery service doesn't even require you to be home to accept the delivery. The items you order are packaged accordingly — frozen and perishable items together in coolers with ice packs — and arrive at your doorstep. You can choose to be home for the delivery or not, but if you know you won't be home, you can select that option while placing your order, and you can expect the delivery to be left on your doorstep during the scheduled delivery time of your choosing. You also don't have to tip the driver.

Further, services like FreshDirect allow you to save your shopping list so you can conveniently reorder with one click later. If you reorder your groceries using your "Every Time List," you save even more time when you shop.

5. Meal-Plan More Efficiently

I often find that my best-laid meal plans get derailed when I arrive at the grocery store and see something else that tickles my fancy instead. If you're really into meal-planning, having your groceries delivered can help you meet those meal-planning goals. When you're setting up your menu for the week, add the groceries to your online shopping cart as you go. The bonus of shopping this way is that you can order everything you need for the week at once, making the most of the delivery fee.

6. Stay Under Budget

It's easy to check how much my total purchase is going to cost by glancing at my online cart. If I have a weekly grocery budget, this makes it far easier for me to tweak my purchases and stay under budget. If, for instance, I'm a bit over, I might buy apples instead of more expensive grapes, a head of lettuce instead of a bagged salad, or chicken thighs instead of steak. If you've ever gone to check out at the grocery store and realize that you've underestimated your purchase by $40, this is one way to avoid that.

Grocery delivery is convenient, and it can definitely save you money, but it's not magic. You still have to be vigilant about checking prices just like you would at a physical supermarket. It might take a while to figure out which delivery service works best for you. And I still do have to run to the brick-and-mortar store once in awhile, just far less often than I did before.

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This article is from Camilla Cheung of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

5 Checkout Line Tricks to Finish Shopping Faster

Kyle James — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 10:30:32 +0000

Have you ever picked a checkout line at the grocery store only to realize that every other line is moving faster than yours? If you're like most, it can drive you crazy and make you feel very unlucky. Here are some checkout line tricks, many of which are based on science, to help you pick the fastest line and get you out of the store as quickly as possible.

1. Get Behind a Full Cart

This one will surprise many of you. If you have the option of getting behind a shopping cart packed full of groceries, or a line with several smaller purchases in it, always opt for the full cart. This is due to the fact that it takes significant time to complete the purchase when you consider bagging, paying, and exiting of the checkout line.

According to the New York Times, each shopper will take approximately 41 seconds to complete the purchase (including pleasantries) once the items are scanned and bagged. So if you opt for the one full cart, instead of several smaller ones, you'll quickly remove all of the fixed time it takes to complete those purchases.

2. Avoid Chatty Cashiers

Nothing holds up a line more than a cashier who likes to chat you up and ask you about your day. If you want to get out of the store quickly, avoid them like the plague. Focus on cashiers who are all business and are scanning items at a quick rate. As you begin to shop regularly at stores in your area, you'll quickly determine who the chatty cashiers are and learn to pick another checkout line.

3. Head Left for Fastest Checkout

According to Robert Samuel, who stands in line for a living, you should always head to the left cashier when walking up to the front of the store. This is because 90% of us are right-handed and tend to head to the far right cashier because of it. Be the fish swimming upstream and start with the cashier furthest left and you'll typically find shorter lines and get out of the store quicker.

4. Pick a Line That Leads to Several Cashiers

Single lines that lead to more than one cashier are good things. They tend to move quickly and are often a better option than a single line leading to a single cashier. While not prevalent at grocery stores, you'll will see these types of lines at banks and discount and department stores like TJ Maxx, Ross, Target, and Marshalls.

5. Examine Self-Checkout Lanes

As a general rule, if the self-checkout lanes are stacked with shoppers, go stand in line at a regular register. This is because a trained cashier can scan your items, collect payment, and bag your stuff much quicker than most shoppers can on their own. Also, if you're buying large items, it can be a bit tricky navigating the self-checkout lane as they require you to place items on a scale. Large items typically won't fit and will require you to get the attention of a store attendant, making it a longer process.

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This article is from Kyle James of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: