Shopping on a Budget Just FACS

Background People waste food everyday in the lunchroom, restaurants, and even at home. We are only 6% of the world’s population, yet we consume 40% of the world’s resources This is more than what we need, especially when we have people who are poor and hungry.

Can We Afford It? Food is one of the largest expenditures in an individuals spending plan. Majority of high school students are unaware of the amount of money spent on groceries on a weekly basis. Many individuals both young and old, lack the skills needed to stock a kitchen with economic food items which can be effectively used to create several meals.

The Challenge Determining the amount one can spend on groceries depends on the factors relating to one’s income and overall expenses. Once a budget is set, the task of staying within a specific dollar amount becomes the goal, and the creation of meals for a period of time becomes the challenge

Convenience Breaks the Pocket Time and circumstances has an impact on people’s daily lives. In today’s society, people become rushed in daily events and chooses to find simpler ways to complete the tasks. Meal preparation and management are one of the daily tasks that people tend to try to make simpler Today’s marketplace has introduced the mighty and popular convenience foods. However in exchange for time or convenience, consumers may be sacrificing cost, quality and taste.

What is a convenience food? There are three types of convenience foods Semi-convenient (you only have to add a few items to it) Convenient (you don’t have to add anything, you just slice and bake) Ready to eat (previously prepared and require no action on the part of the consumer)

More Questions??????? Write these questions on your own paper. When would purchasing an item of convenience be beneficial? When would making an item from scratch be beneficial? How hard was it to determine, by sight, which preparation method was used? Explain. How hard was it to determine, by taste, which preparation method was used? Explain.

Store Brand vs. Name Brand When choosing the type of product, the brand must be taken into consideration Three brands exist: generic, store brand, and name brand Generic contains black and white advertising and are cheaper because they are not advertised. Store brand are produced and marketed by the store. They are usually cheaper than name brand and of similar quality. Name Brand are mass produced, marketed and distributed nationwide. They are usually more expensive than the other two and are advertised on t.v. regularly.

Which is Which?

Which is Which?

Grocery Shopping Tips Clean out the fridge before shopping and do a basic inventory of existing food. Make meal plans and a grocery list based on the plans Create a grocery master list. The list should contain food items commonly purchased and should be arranged in a format. (Sections in the grocery store, types of food, etc.) Remember to stay disciplined and follow the list and do not impulse shopping. Remember: Do not go to the grocery store hungry!

Shopping Tips (Cont.) Only use coupons for normally purchased items Don’t buy it just because you have a coupon for it. Check comparable brands to make sure you get the best buy. Buy meat in family packages and freeze in smaller “meal” size packages. Avoid trips to the corner store. Due to volume discounts, larger stores are generally cheaper than smaller ones.

More Grocery Shopping Tips Shop alone! Helpers will only add items to your shopping cart Produce, bakery, and meat departments are great resources. Sometimes you can catch specials on day old items Look at higher and lower shelf items for bargains. Most expensive brands are always eye level. Buy in season fresh fruits and vegetables. They will be less expensive and are better quality. Check store entrances, newspaper, and flyers for coupons.

And More Shopping….. Department stores like Wal-Mart and K-mart can be considerably cheaper for paper products, laundry detergent, and soft drinks. Do one bulk-shopping trip for a month for staple foods. Stock up on sale products on the list (canned fruit, veggies, frozen juice, and pasta products) Shop for bread products at bakery outlets.