Time for our weekly The Whole Deal™ post. If you're just joining us, these are tips from real live customers who are sharing their ideas about saving while shopping at Whole Foods Market. Got a tip of your own? Post it on The Whole Deal opens in a new tab™. Each week we feature tips here on Whole Story and you know what the best part is? Each customer who sends in a tip that gets featured here receives a $25 gift card! Who knows...your tip could be chosen next.
“It is simple. Do not shop when hungry. What one is capable of buying when hungry versus one's "roughly planned well rounded meals for the week" is stridently different and the difference is at the checkout. Well thought out, never overly planned nor stringent meals are a delight and possible on a budget. Try it. Eat first. - Derek”
“I recently wanted to have shish kabobs for a get together and they are quite costly when you buy them prepared and ready to put on the grill. I was talking with the Whole Foods butcher and asked what meat they were made with and he was quite accommodating in giving me the appropriate amount of meat only (cut up in pieces ready for kabobs) for the number of kabobs I wanted at less than $7! I bought just the right amount of veggies I needed in the wonderful Whole Foods produce section and I believe the cost for shish kabobs for 6 people was less than $10 to $12! - Bonnie”
“I found myself throwing away expired food, so I made shopping into a game. First, I go through my pantry and fridge to figure out how many meals I can make with the items I already have. If I'm only missing one or two ingredients needed for a recipe, those items go on my shopping list. Second, I try to make several recipes from the same ingredients. For example, cheese and a can of tomatoes might be used in chili, spaghetti, and omelets. Then, I list meals under entrees or snacks. I glance at the list a few times a week. That way, I don't get stuck making impulsive buys because I'm hungry or rushed for time. I try to make the more difficult recipes on days when I'm not so busy. Lastly, one habit that has really stretched my food savings is storing food in airtight containers. They keep leftovers fresh and allow me to create my own "frozen meals," which I take to work for lunch. - Candice”
