This is a segment on Grocery Alerts where we investigate the grocery shopping habits and tips of popular bloggers. Some bloggers are followed by thousands of people each day.
Bloggers are interesting people – some are anonymous and some keep very high profiles. Grocery shopping is done by everyone – young and old. I thought it would be interesting to compare different bloggers’ grocery shopping habits and tips across Canada and the US.
Each week we will bring another exciting interview.
This is our second interview – with Prairie EcoThrifter– she blogs from http://www.prairieecothrifter.com/.
She was raised on the prairies and is passionate about saving money, being healthy, looking out for our environment, and most of all having fun.
She started her blog so that she could share tips on how to live a simple life while still having fun. In addition to her blog, she also writes for the magazine Environmental Graffiti and is a staff writer for Passive Family Income.
- How many people do you shop for in your household?
There are 2 people including myself in our household.
- Do you have a regular budget for groceries?
Yes, we like to spend $300 or less on food a month.
- Do you have a Costco or Sams Club membership?
We have a Costco membership and use it for some things but we don’t do the majority of our shopping there. We don’t have a Sam’s membership because they don’t have one where we live in Canada.
Do you shop name brand items (Unico, Kraft) or no-name store brands?
We usually buy no-name store brands as often as we can.
Which store do you spend the most of your grocery budget?
Real Canadian Superstore
Do you use coupons on a regular basis?
We try to if there are coupons for things we normally buy. Other wise we don’t. We are not into getting things we don’t need just because there is a coupon.
Do you shop with a grocery list?
Yes. In fact we enter it on my i-phone so we don’t waste paper.
Do you shop at farmers markets on a regular basis?
We have when they are up and running in the summer months. We grow some veggies ourselves and we participate in a CSA so we are usually pretty stocked.
Do you make home preserves or freeze fruits/vegetables?
Yes. Just this past summer I made 9 jars of salsa and I froze a ton of veggies. We are still living off of our summer bounty. I do preserve to freeze most items though as I like to limit our sodium content that comes from preserving.
Do you shop using grocery flyers (planning in advance with sales)?
Yes. The great thing about Superstore is you can get the flyer by email.
Any tip to reduce your grocery bill?
Eat well. Healthy food is not expensive. Buy berries when on sale and freeze them for smoothies or parfaits. Buy dried beans in bulk and use them to stretch out dishes. Avoid the processed stuff.
Any grocery shopping advice (at the store, checkout, planning)?
We meal plan once every two weeks and with that comes making our grocery list. This way we only go to the store twice a month and aren’t tempted to get things on a whim. We also bring our own bags so we can shop eco-friendly.
What is in your fridge at the moment?
What is in my fridge right now: carrot juice, broccoli slaw, carrots, apples, oranges, soy milk, soy cheese, beets, red peppers, curry paste, natural peanut butter, natural almond butter, lemon juice, lime juice, vanilla yogurt, fresh cilantro, fresh parsley, and tofu. There is more but this at least gives the picture.
Conclusion:
I want to thank Prairie EcoThrifter for her assistance in the interview and helping with some great tips on grocery shopping and saving money!
It is interesting that she has a Costco membership yet shops primarily at Real Canadian Superstore. I think this is common for most households that I know that have a membership. It is not always a great deal at the bulk store. It is refreshing to find people still making salsa and home preserves. Based on what is in her fridge her family eats quite healthy. I believe having a list is important when grocery shopping.
I think that her advice for shopping for a 2 week duration could work for some people.
