Spending too much on groceries? Local savvy shopper shares tips, tricks

Next time you’re at the grocery store and find yourself wondering why you spent so much, there are a few things to keep in mind.

We spoke to one local savvy shopper to learn her tips and tricks.

“Make a meal plan, and shop accordingly to that plan. Food waste is a huge problem, all of us have done it. Something gets pushed back to the back of the fridge. You forget about something and if you shop with a list, you have a use for every item,” said expert shopper Tiffany Doerr Guerzon.

She’s been looking at ways to save on groceries for over two decades now and has even published two books on the topic.

At the top of the list is buying what’s in season and ditching the brands.

“Switching to store brands for things like canned goods, frozen goods can really help,” said Guerzon.

She says that most of the time, the taste is no different, and the savings are huge.

“You can save 50% to 80%,” said Guerzon.

When it comes to who has the best deals, Guerzon says there are a few options across our region.

“Winco is probably the number one cheapest store in our area. Next would be like Trader Joe’s. Grocery Outlet has good deals, as well, and Costco,” said Guerzon.

Now, when it comes to buying in bulk, she said it depends on whether you have room.

“If you have the freezer space, meat is a good idea to buy in bulk. You can buy a larger package of, let’s say, pork chops or ground beef, divided up, freeze it up into one-pound or portions you use and have that for later,” said Guerzon.

In terms of coupons, a store’s app is the best way to go.

“I think that when you have an app, usually you can see their sales flyer online — usually get digital coupons that are curated to your buying preferences,” said Guerzon.

As for the big don’ts, she says try to avoid shopping when hungry, and don’t go without a list.