It’s time to get real about an issue that many moms are having. Inflation over the last year or two has driven everyday costs through the roof, including food. Everyone is feeling the pinch when it comes to the dreaded grocery budget. While it doesn’t look like prices are coming down any time soon, a few simple strategies can help stretch your grocery budget as far as humanly possible. Let’s face it, kids only get more expensive to feed as they get older. So, let’s talk strategy and chat about how we can take the stress and anxiety out of feeding your family on a tight budget.
As a mom, I know firsthand how quickly grocery bills can add up. Between feeding hungry kids, stocking up on household essentials, and those inevitable last-minute purchases, it can feel like you’re constantly reaching into your wallet.
This is where Sam’s Club comes to the rescue. When you break it down, nearly everything is cheaper in bulk. And, wholesale stores like Sams, BJ’s, and Costco are the best place to score deals on the items you buy most frequently.
In this article, I will focus specifically on Sam’s Club, though many of these tips also apply to bulk stores in general. No judgment if you happen to be a Costco girlie, I just prefer Sam’s Club.
Keep reading and I’ll give you the scoop on how I regularly stretch our grocery budget by buying in bulk.
The Bulk Advantage Of Your Grocery Budget
First things first: let’s talk bulk. At Sam’s Club, everything from toilet paper to snacks is sold in generous quantities, making it easy to stock up and save. I like to think of it as future-proofing our pantry. Toilet paper? Check. Paper plates for those “I don’t feel like washing dishes” days? Check. Snacks to keep the kids (and let’s be honest, myself) happy? Double check.
Beyond Basics: Household Essentials
Sam’s Club is also a treasure trove for household essentials. Buying things like body wash in bulk means fewer trips to the store and less money spent overall. And let’s be real, who has time to keep running to the store for body wash when a mountain of laundry is calling your name? Stocking up on these items not only saves money, but it also saves future me time and energy.
Meat Matters: The Ground Beef Revelation
Let’s move on to the meat section. Ground beef at Sam’s Club is a real game changer. It’s cheaper, and you get more bang for your buck. Have you seen the price of a pound of ground beef in your local grocery store? If you have a family (like mine) that can rival a small herd of cattle in their beef consumption, buying ground beef in bulk is the way to go. Thanks to Sam’s Club we are prepared for taco night, spaghetti dinners, and those impromptu midnight burger cravings. Just make sure you have plenty of freezer space! It is easy to buy too much and not have enough room to store it if you aren’t careful. Don’t let your eyes be bigger than your freezer.
The Produce Dilemma Of Your Grocery Budget
One of the most common issues stopping lower-income families from eating rounded, healthy meals is how utterly expensive produce and fresh foods have become. Thankfully, there are ways to cut down that cost as well without removing fresh fruits and veggies from the shopping list.
The produce section—can be a bit of a mixed bag. While it’s true that produce is cheaper in bulk from Sam’s Club, you need to be strategic with your purchases. Unless your family can devour those fruits and veggies before they go bad, or you’re a wizard at making produce last longer, it might not be worth it.
In my house, we stick to the fruits and veggies we know will get eaten quickly. Take cotton candy grapes, for instance. My kids can inhale 3 pounds of those in a matter of days. So, we grab those without hesitation.
It’s also important to do a quick 30 minutes of meal planning for a week or two before your trip to Sam’s. Spending a few minutes taking account of what you have in your pantry and the meat you plan to buy can help you select what produce you need for your upcoming meals.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Plan Meals Wisely to Avoid Waste and Maximize Your Budget
How do you do that? Try picking two or three veggies you can use in multiple meals. If you are having BLTs for dinner one night, its unlikely you’ll use ALL of the tomatoes from the container. So, plan one to two other meals that utilize tomatoes to ensure no produce gets wasted. For example, southwest omelets for breakfast one day and a hearty crockpot chili for dinner would use up the rest of your uneaten tomatoes, leaving none bound for the trashcan.
Using your local bulk store, Sam’s Club or otherwise to stretch your grocery budget is not just savvy—it’s a powerful tool for moms working with a strict grocery budget. From bulk buys to strategic produce picks, you’ll spend less while stocking up on all the things your family uses on the regular. So, grab your membership card, channel your inner bargain hunter, and stop cringing every time you head to the grocery store. Happy shopping!
Do you have any special tips for making your family’s grocery budget last? Tell us in the comments!
