THE INFORMED SHOPPER- PART III-FOOD PRICING

Last week the discussion was about dealing with the marketing ploys stores use to lure us into spending. Now let’s look at actually selecting the products we buy. Most people, me included, are very brand loyal. For this reason, although I recommend against storing extra items, I do recommend keeping spares of those products you use frequently when devoted to one brand.

If you get to the market and find your preferred brand is out of stock, check the Courtesy Counter to inquire if they might have some in supply. If it’s on a special that week ask for a raincheck. This will hold the item at the stated price for from 30 to 60 days, depending on that store’s policy. If you need the item that week, or find the price has skyrocketed since you last bought it, then you need to find a substitute. Trying alternative brands is not really a bad idea in general. You can find back-ups, but might even discover preferences. This happened to me with mustard recently. I had always bought one famous brand but had to settle for another and was so pleased that I’ve stayed with it.

Choosing an alternative brand sounds more difficult than it is. If price is the main concern, don’t search the shelves at eye level; instead, look to the top, near the bottom and the ends of the section. There you’ll find the less expensive brands. If finding the best substitute is the goal, the brands on either side of the one you like are usually the ones with comparable sales. If it’s taste duplication you’re after, study the labels. Ingredients are listed in order of amount. The brand having the list in the same order as your preference will be the closest. This requires that your brand be available for comparison. It’s a good idea to do this in advance, so if the need arise, you’ll know what to buy.

During the discussion on menus a few weeks ago, I mentioned the wisdom of using a store’s flyer as a guide to plan the week’s meals. I explained the difference between “features” and “sales” and suggested basing dishes or filling in menu gaps using listed products. Under many of the items listed in the flyers there often appears in small print; ”members price, all others pay—-“ This means that the Courtesy Counter in that store will issue a card entitling the costumer to the stated discounts when shopping there. These cards are well worth the savings and unlike coupons, never expire.

Speaking of coupons, they can be a curse or a blessing. I’ve often told the story of a neighbor a stay-at-home-mom, who stopped for morning coffee at a Starbuck’s located in a supermarket. She picked-up a paper, saw some coupons and decided to shop while she was there. The rest was history. Coffee and shopping became a daily thing, then came spending every morning chasing down coupon sales at local markets. In a short time she was coupon shopping, not food shopping and within months she had filled the basement with bags of “good deals.” The spree stopped when her husband declared it a health hazard and threw out most of the food… My point is chasing down a coupon just because it looks like a saving isn’t worth it. Be sure it’s a product you will use. Otherwise, it’s money lost.

Still coupons can be helpful. I especially like the ones on Apps. They are more selective, unlike the old cutting frenzy with the newspaper inserts, when any coupon that looked appealing got clipped, saved and often used, just so it didn’t expire, not because it was needed.

Store coupons are usually a 2 or more for deal. If you can’t use the complete amount, pass on it and buy only what you need even if you pay full price. In the long run you’ll spend less. Again unused excess leads to waste and waste is money lost. Which reminds me always check a store’s policy on sale prices on multiple items. Be sure if a price states 2/5 or 10/10 you can buy 1 at $2.50 or 3 for $3.00. Some stores require purchasing the whole stipulated amount to get the price.

Moving on to pricing, nearly everything is being geared to larger quantities. Thirty years ago when B.O.G.O. meat sales became popular, the packages were of various sizes. Now they average several pounds, making it difficult for people buying for families of three or less. The thing to remember in these sales is that the advertized item will be priced higher than normal to make the offer worthwhile to the store. Therefore the customer must buy two to realize value from the sale. If you don’t want to buy the double amount the price will still be above the regular, and you should look elsewhere and wait for that item until the following week when prices return to normal.

Nowadays, meat sales in general are presented in larger quantities. When written in the flyer, “3 lb. or more” beneath the advertisement, the packages in the bin will all be “family pack” or Valu-Pacs. Lately, their weight amounts are closer to 5 lbs. than 3 lbs. Moreover, many sales on roasts include only whole loins or butts, no longer sections. Again the smaller family pays the price, unless they are planning to entertain, have adequate storage space or can split the purchase with a friend.

The situation has been greatly influenced by reduction of the number of meat processing centers in the U.S. from dozens to single digits and the Meat Packer’s Union has largely disappeared. Under these circumstances the best way to satisfy the increasing demand is to supply, in pre-cut bulk lots, the most popular cuts from a sales standpoint.

This bulk marketing mentality has crept over to the produce section. Items formerly sold loose, are now pre-packaged, broccoli spears, mushrooms and grapes to name a few. The problem here is that the packages are all the same weight and one-size-fits-all doesn’t hold true in food shopping.

A few days ago, I read a “Shoppers Advisory” written by an “Expert” who flatly stated that the biggest mistake made by people food shopping today was not taking advantage of bulk buying. I’ve been on both sides of this debate, having graduated to “empty nester’. The larger amounts were great when I could use them, but I can assure you that provisioning a small family with these marketing tactics is the more difficult task. If I want grilled burgers I don’t need a bulk package, or a whole loin for a stuffed pork roast, nor for that matter is it an economy for me to buy a whole gallon of milk

 

Yet sometimes it makes more sense to buy the bulk package, especially ground beef, considering the current price. My personal solution is to shape the meat into about 3 balls per pound, (one portion) wrap each in plastic wrap and freeze them. I hold back 4 or 5 to make a meatloaf which leaves 8 or so, a manageable amount. The meatloaf I cook that night and serve the leftover later in the week.

 

The course in started with the basics of viagra cost india good site architecture and is familiar with fundamental SEO techniques. If fact, it’s more effective than wine, grape juice, green online levitra no prescription amerikabulteni.com tea, blueberries and cranberries. Vessels surgery for long-lasting results – Leaking or obstructed blood vessels can cause erectile dysfunction in this case. discounts on cialis Isn’t this http://amerikabulteni.com/page/115/ purchase cheap levitra great news? This fruit can certainly make the person seriously constipated. Pork and chicken lend themselves to so many sauces that it’s simple to brown enough for two, or even more dinners, hold some in the fridge for a few days and serve them as completely different meals, not leftovers. The remaining pieces can be treated as the ground beef, individually wrapped and frozen. The point is to get the bulk packages down to a manageable quantity. As for butt roasts and whole birds, see my Blog Posts for April 9 and 12, 2014.

Produce should be kept refrigerated and frequently checked to be sure it’s dry. Stemmed produce such as asparagus, broccoli, scallions, even celery stay really fresh when placed in water as fresh flowers would be. That way it’s ready for an encore if you bought more than needed for one meal.

Strangely, the opposite trend has taken over in frozen produce. The 1 lb. bag of vegetables has been replaced by the 8 to 12 oz. “Steam in Bag” version costing 25% more. If the recommended serving of vegetables is ½ cup or 4oz., then neither the smaller nor the larger family can fulfill their needs as they would with one 16oz. bag. The smaller family often has one portion too many and the larger family not enough. Either the bag is opened and the correct amount cooked the traditional way, or one is stuck with leftovers, which won’t mix well with freshly cooked for another meal.

They both must buy 2 bags of “steamables” at a cost of 50%more. That’s a hike, especially for a nutritional staple. Unfortunately, price of the traditional 1lb. bags of frozen vegetables has also gone up, but not equal the price of 2 of the “Steam in Bag” ones. My solution has been to wait for a local supermarket to have a sale on “Bagged” vegetables and stock up. Finding a store that still carries them is another option. The best bets are dollar stores and bargain markets.

 

Dairy products rose quickly a year or so ago, but have somewhat stabilized recently. Ice cream can fluctuate seasonally, but overall, it’s path has resembled the frozen vegetables. The price rose drastically two years ago, then steadied, but for a lesser amount. The most popular size, the ½ gallon is now 1 ½ quarts..

 

Many products have been altered in this way. The price may have stayed the same, or risen only slightly, but the net weight of the contents has been reduced. So make a habit of periodically checking the information on the container and the size and shape of the container too… It’s wise to remember that 99% of the products we buy contain corn, soy or wheat in some form. These products’ prices are controlled by large corporations, from seed to shelf, and can be changed at will. Don’t anticipate any derivation from the steady rise in the foreseeable future.

 

There’s no doubt with food prices rising as they have over the past few years, you, the shopper, seek a way to gain control. The surest way to do this is to adopt an organized approach and be informed about the subject. You need a plan.

Study the different market flyers; choose the one that best fits your ideas for the week’s meals. Using that flyer as a guide, plan the week’s menu down to the last ingredient and include every single one in the shopping list. Then eliminate duplications you have in stock. Again using the flyer’s prices as a guide, and relying on the knowledge you have gathered during past shopping trips about the costs of the items you regularly buy, or what’s reasonable in their categories, you should be able to make a reasonably accurate estimate of the total food bill for the week. There’s no register shock, and less time spent stress free, because you know in advance exactly what you’re going to buy and can anticipate the cost..

This approach has worked for me for several years. I call it The Diet for the Food Dollar Plan and describe it in detail, along with tips and incentives to make it work for you in my book How to Control Food Bills. I guarantee you’ll save the price in the first weeks you follow it.

Next week, we’re delving into the subject of slow-cookers.