Value tips from our shoppers continue to roll in. Thanks! You guys totally have this saving-while-shopping thing worked out. A couple of comments this week reminded me that to get a full understanding of your food budget, don’t forget to include all of your restaurant and fast food meals in addition to your groceries.Some of our customers mention cutting back on eating out and instead making great meals at home with quality ingredients. For example, whenever you order fish in a nice restaurant, it’s expensive. But if you cook fish at home (which isn’t hard, our seafood team members can give you simple instructions) you get a great meal at a fraction of the restaurant price. Give a thought to your food spending outside the grocery store to see where you might be able to save some dollars by preparing your own meals. And, of course, check out The Whole Deal opens in a new tab™ to see what other great tips our customers are sharing.Remember, if we choose your tip to feature here on Whole Story, you’ll receive a $25 gift card! And our featured tips this week are:From Wendy:
“I started shopping at Whole Foods when I lived in Chicago many years ago (the original store on North Avenue!). When we moved to the burbs, I was happy to find the Palatine store close by. Especially since both my kids have food allergies! I don't think I spend any more money on food than any of my friends who don't shop there. For one thing, I make almost all my meals from scratch and don't buy premade items or order carry out very often. We eat leftovers for lunch or take to work for dinner. But most helpful is that I plan my menu for the entire week prior to my trip to the store. This cuts down on unnecessary trips to the store for last minute meals. It eliminates waste because I can stretch my purchases farther by planning meals around certain items that might be left over. I find that I do less impulse buying when I have a list in my hand. My family likes knowing ahead of time what is for dinner, and I also include their suggestions for meals. Sometimes it isn't easy to think of 6 or 7 meals at once, but in the long run, it is a time and a money saver.”
From J. Campos:
“BUY IN BULK!! I rarely buy prepared foods and try to make everything from scratch. I like adding the right amount of pepper and salt as well as spices to my dish. I make large portions of things and store them in little containers (the ones you might get from takeout). On days that are really busy, we microwave or bake casseroles, or perhaps even reheat soup!”
From Megan:
“I LOVE the Whole Foods deli!! I used to work at another health food store and there was not nearly the variety and abundance of amazing entrees, soups and salads. To save money, I always look at the deli and there is always a few items on sale that are yummy and fresh. Since I work so much and don’t have time to cook, these items save me money overall and there is always something in my fridge to come home too!”
