10 for $10.00 : Grocery Injustice!

 Are the Grocery Stores Run By The Illuminati?

 10 for $10 seems to be the newest grocery bargaining trend over the past 2 years.  Everybody is doing it; major grocery chains, smaller stores even Mom and Pops stores are on the pricing band wagon.

But what grocery items can you get 10 of for $10?  Well popular “shelf” items like salad dressings, canned goods, condiments, boxed foods, frozen foods, sometimes cheeses, sugary juices and every blue moon, fruit.  Basically anything processed!  With the rising costs fresh non-processed foods like produce and meats like poultry, fish, shell fish, beef, pork and wild game meats; healthy eaters and dieter’s alike are facing a financial dilemma at the grocery store check out. 

Everything costs too DAMN much!  Gas today as I write, is nearing $4.00/gallon in my local area!  Chicken Breast at my local grocery store was $1.99/lb, 2 Cucumbers were $1.35, and a selection of my favorite freeze dried Herbs (Tarragon, Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic Essence, and Dill Weed) alone yesterday cost me $26.44 and that was not in bulk!!!   So what are healthier eaters and dieters like me to do?   Do we continue to eat the processed foods packed with Sodium, preservatives and saturated fats and other chemicals added in production for longer shelf life?  Or do we dip into our already limited disposable income to make sure we are buying proper selections at the grocer?

This is a thought that plagues me each time I grocery shop.  In my individual case, I shop at least once per week because I have not yet mastered the art of deciding what I am going to eat for an entire month at a time.  I watch the prices and try to adjust to the trends.  For instance I know that Chicken goes on sale most anywhere every 12 weeks.  So as long as I adjust to that 12 week cycle I am able to stock up on Chicken at the “sale” price.  Fresh and Organic veggies are another story.  I rarely find it possible to ever get a price break on something as simple as broccoli or Romaine Lettuce.

I have a theory about the price of groceries and why fresh foods are much more expensive.  A theory other than the hyped “trucking / delivery / stocking costs” that consumers are fed.  Want to know what I think?  Ok, here it is.  I think it is Corporate World’s way of keeping themselves profitable.  Ok, ok, I know I am about to sound like some radical lunatic conspiracy theorist right about now, but follow along for a moment if you do not mind.

The more processed, frozen and canned foods we put into our diets the bigger our waist line gets, thus prompting us to do one of two things – 1) Shop ($pend) for larger clothes or 2) Buy ($pend) Diet Products; and on the extreme end Buy ($pend) a larger vehicle.  Furthermore the medical community is also profiting from this “food revolution”.   Foods high in sodium = High Blood Pressure (which can lead to or increase any number of other ailments) = Doctors Visits ($$), Prescriptions ($$), Purchase ($$) of foods that are “marketed” as “healthy alternatives”.   I think I even saw a commercial for a weight loss clinic that said you can lose 10lbs for $10!!!

So what are we healthy eaters and dieters to do about our inflated grocery bills?  I suggest doing the following:

1. Determine the cycle of sales on fresh meats (including fish) stock up and freeze. 
2. Only buy the Veggies and Fruits you are definitely going to eat within the next 2-4 days (the longer they sit in your refrigerator the more likely you are to toss them because they have gone bad.)
3. Shop Farmers Markets / Start A Garden (seasonal)
4. Befriend a local butcher (You get more bee’s with honey)
5. Watch the Sale Papers Closely (In most markets new weekly sales begin each Sunday)
6. Clip Coupons – And Use Them
7. Buy Less Beverages – Soda, Juices and Bottle Water have little nutritional value and can take up over 50% of your grocery bill.
8. Shop the Perimeters - The perimeters are where you’ll find the fresh produce, bread, milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese, etc.  This should be the main focus of your meal plan and grocery budget. If you start in the middle your money will be spent before you get to the items your healthy / diet lifestyle require.
9. Meal Plan – buy only what you need to create your meal.
10. Check your receipt – Cashier’s make errors, and things are not always priced properly!

A Grocery Shopping we will go! And Good Luck!

Xoxo,

BG