We all know how expensive groceries are. Your dollar doesn’t stretch as far as it once did, making it harder to feed yourself and your family well. According to Canadian economists, those price increases will climb by five percent in 2025.
If you’re feeling the strain on your wallet, you aren’t alone. Take note of the expressions on other shoppers’ faces, and you’ll see the look of sticker shock. A 750-gram container of yogurt was about $4 just a couple of years ago. Now, that’s considered a sale price, with the regular price averaging about $7. Butter used to be about $3.50 per pound in 2021. Now it’s about $8.
There are ways to protect our money from soaring food prices. To do this we must become like ninjas. Grocery ninjas; are skilled, cunning, and able to stay focused while steeling themselves against unplanned purchases.
Like any good mission, we must first prepare a foolproof plan. This begins with looking at what food we already have in our fridge, freezer, and cupboards. Don’t forget those leftovers. They can be the basis of your next great meal. I can hear some of you saying ‘No thanks. I don’t eat leftovers.’ The difference between reheated, day-old food and a delicious meal is all in the preparation.
If you’ve got a couple of eggs and milk you can add almost any leftovers such as veggies and cooked meat and you’ve got the makings of a delicious frittata. Got some naan bread, an almost empty bottle of pasta sauce, and a bit of cheese? That’s the basis of a quick pizza.
Back to the grocery shopping plan. Never shop on an empty stomach. Eat before you go to the store. This will save you from impulse buying because you won’t be like a ravenous wolf ready to pounce on the donuts, chips, or ice cream.
Next, you scan your grocery store’s sale flyer and determine what you need to buy to restock your kitchen. Grocery stores offer deeply discounted prices on some items each week. The store is willing to sell these lost leaders at cost or a slight loss hoping you’ll buy many other full-priced items.
Here’s where you heighten your grocery ninja skills. Eventually, all items go on sale. You will buy them at their lowest price and stock them for later use so you never have to pay full price.
You will also have corresponding coupons on hand which you apply to those sale items. You will know what a great price is because you keep a notebook of sale prices on the foods you eat on a regular basis.
You also look for reduced priced items which are getting close to their best before date. This can save you up to half-off the sticker price. These items can either be enjoyed soon or frozen and eaten later.
I have been a dedicated grocery ninja for over a decade. I have saved thousands of dollars on groceries and I can help you to do the same. Together we can stock our pantries and win the battle on high food prices.
Laverne Stewart has spent her entire career as a writer, journalist, and communications professional.She’s won multiple literary and journalism awards for her work. After a year in radio, she made the move to TV news, spending 11 years with CTV in Halifax, Saint John, and Fredericton. Stewart has also worked in government communications, most recently in the Office of the Premier. Stewart is a published author and now works on feature stories from her community and beyond. Her life is full and happy thanks to the people who are in it. She is married to her husband Robert. She is mother to Mary Louise and Nicolas. Also included in her family is Sally, a Labrador retriever, and three cats; Dusty, Joe, and Clancy. She can be reached at lavernestewart24@outlook.com.
