Saving on groceries is possible with just a bit of careful planning

It used to be the case that meat was the most expensive item in your grocery basket, while fruit and vegetables tended to be much more reasonably priced. However, climate change effects such as drought have wreaked havoc on crops with the result that vegetable prices, in particular, have soared. For example, data from the Pietermaritzburg  Economic Justice & Dignity group’s Household Affordability Index shows that over the past two years, the cost of potatoes, carrots and oranges has spiked.

 10kg potatoes went up 66% from R70.42 to R116.97.

 5kg carrots increased in price by 25% from R32.78 to R41.04.

 7kg oranges went up 55% from R39.21 to R60.93.

Although we have just entered a cycle of interest rate cuts, money is tight for most people. These five tips will help you maximise the groceries in your shopping cart on a tight budget.

Shrinkflation: Look at the quantity or weight of an item versus the price. Companies often leave prices unchanged, but they reduce the size or weight of the items. This often happens with food such as chips, chocolates, soft drinks and ice cream, or with household cleaners.

Be aware of marketing placement: Take time to look at all the products on the shelf. Often the cheaper products are either on the highest or lowest shelf. The sale sticker price might not be discounted at all, and a “regularly” priced item could well be cheaper.

Buy less meat: Meatless Mondays was an initiative from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and while the name was new, the practice is not. The idea is that you don’t need to eat meat every day. Reducing meat consumption is expected to have a knock-on effect on climate change (fewer cows equals fewer gases) and also reduces your grocery spend. Substitutes could include beans, lentils and/or mushrooms for ground beef, and white beans or extra vegetables for chicken.

Plan ahead: Grocery shops are laid out to encourage you to make impulsive purchases. Use a meal planner and grocery list, then stick to that when you are in the store. Grocery lists in the notes app on your phone are convenient to access and can easily be updated each week.

Frozen food: Frozen vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh ones, are usually cheaper and don’t spoil, so you save on food waste. And freeze your bread – it’s great for convenience and can simply be taken out a while before you want to use it. It also means you always have a convenient meal option at hand.

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This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.