Each week, you probably head to your local grocery store to stock up on food items you’ll need for upcoming meals. There’s some big names in the game to consider when it comes to which grocers to consider, as well as smaller discount retailers including Dollar Tree, Dollar Store.
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That’s right, it is possible to live off of groceries from dollar stores, although it does take some prep work and creative thinking to shop exclusively at one of these retailers for all your meals over the course of seven days.
While it’s a challenge, there’s no reason it can’t be a fun one. There’s opportunity for recipes you do not encounter every day, as well as ways to revamp your shopping budget and learn where to save more money.
Shopping for a week’s worth of groceries at a dollar store can be a smart and budget-friendly move with a little strategy behind it, according to Alexander Ketter, a consumer expert at Coupons.com. He pointed out the key to stretching your dollar is planning ahead, being flexible and getting creative with what’s available.
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Meal Plan Ahead of Time
In Ketter’s opinion, the number one hack for shopping at a dollar store is to plan your meals around what the staple items are within that store. Basically, what do you know the dollar store always carries and is available for your grocery list?
Ketter suggested that shoppers “…start by building meals around non-perishables and freezer items like pasta, rice, canned goods such as beans and tuna, and frozen vegetables. With some recipe research, you can find a huge amount of delicious meal options out there using these pretty basic ingredients, helping you keep costs down.”
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Buy Long Term Use Ingredients
In Ketter’s opinion, the second move to make dollar store grocery shopping for the week work is to stock up on multipurpose ingredients that you can use in several meals.
“Eggs can go into breakfast scrambles, sandwiches or be added to ramen noodles for extra protein,” Ketter explained. “Peanut butter and bread are another power combo — great for breakfast or lunch.”
Shop in Bulk
In order to stretch your ingredients and do what Ketter labeled as “batch cooking,” you should try to shop in bulk at your local dollar store in order to stretch your food for the whole week.
As an example, Ketter offered how “…batch cooking a pasta-based dish like spaghetti can feed you and the family for several meals, giving you leftovers that save you both time and money.”
“Bulk meals out with affordable ingredients, like pulses and frozen vegetables, and you’ll be surprised how far it gets you,” added Ketter.
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Sources
Alexander Ketter, Coupons.com
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: What If You Tried To Live on Only Dollar Store Groceries for a Week?
