So, How’d Farm Bureau Become the Friendly Food Price Checker?

By Julie Murphree, Arizona Farm Bureau Communication Director

Years ago, Arizona Farm Bureau merged with Farm Bureaus across the United States to join forces and help aggregate national food prices through quarterly reports. And, since we were checking food prices in Arizona for American Farm Bureau at the national level, we decided to share our results with the media so our Arizona families would know whether food prices were trending up or down.

While we stress that Arizona Farm Bureau’s food pricing effort is unscientific we do follow consistent rules. We always price check in the same undisclosed grocery stores and we always quarterly check the same 16 marketbasket food items.

pexels-photo-41123 (1)But beyond reporting whether food prices are up or down, we wanted to help our Arizona families stretch their food dollar. The family food budget is one area where you can find tremendous savings. So, about 10 years ago we compiled a list of savings strategies we collected from our farm and ranch families. Strategies these families use on a regular basis to save food dollars.

While we’ve shared this list every quarter in our news releases, periodically we want to highlight it in our blog to remind our Arizona families how valuable and useful these tips are. Plus, we often update them based on what Farm Bureau members are sharing with us. The list follows.

Arizona Farm Bureau’s 18 Money Saving Tips to Stretch Your Food Dollars:

  1. Sort your pantry and organize to clearly know what’s available. This should be a regular effort in order to make sure you’re using everything you have, not buying unnecessary items and can determine what you really need.
  2. Create a week-long menu. From the planned menu create your shopping list based on local grocery store circulars you receive in the mail or newspaper.
  3. When planning your menu, think of ways to maximize the use of recipes on Fill Your Plate as a springboard to create your own menu. Gather ideas for meals based on the items down in price from Arizona Farm Bureau’s quarterly marketbasket. Let the Farm Bureau’s Fill Your Plate inspire your creativity!
  4. You’ve created the list; stick to it. If you can stick to your list, you’ll curb impulse spending on items you really don’t need.
  5. Don’t shop on an empty stomach. Studies suggest you might spend 10 to 15 percent more on your food bill when you’re hungry.
  6. Don’t take the kids grocery shopping. As with an empty stomach, kids can influence your impulse shopping. While this isn’t always practical, if possible it will help the budget.
  7. Stick to the basics. While basic food items like dairy, meat, fruits and vegetables can sometimes seem expensive, you’re gaining more value per unit and certainly more health benefits. The fewer processed food items you purchase, the more you’ll save.
  8. Regularly survey the weekly grocery store circulars. This will build your knowledge of prices for products you regularly use and give you a sense of which grocery stores tend to have the lowest prices. Take advantage of weekly advertised specials, especially for nonperishable staples.
  9. Be wary of the coupon traps. Use coupons only for those items you normally buy. Don’t let coupons cost you money by buying items you don’t really need. A sale has no value to you if it means you’re spending beyond your budget or on something you really don’t need or use. Do take advantage of “ad-matching” since lots of savings can be found here.
  10. Assess the unit price. This shopping tool lets you compare prices between brands and between sizes. Located on a shelf tag in front of the product, it provides costs in like units for the item. Generally, information is given in cost per ounce, per pound or per count.
  11. Shop the edges of the store, and if items at the ends of the aisles reflect a super deal buy. As aisle-end items are dramatically marked down, they might be a valuable substitute on your grocery list. But they’re budget busters if they become purchased food items you don’t use in your food preparation.
  12. Use grocery store club cards; also compare prices to store brands. Store club cards can generate great savings. Plus, while you might love a certain brand, also compare a popular brand to the store brand for price comparisons and possible savings.
  13. Peak season is prime time to buy fresh produce. The peak of the harvest for fresh fruits and vegetables offers you the best prices and the best quality. Take advantage of this and buy often. To always know what’s in season, go to fillyourplate.org and select the tab “Arizona Produce in Season.”
  14. When not buying fresh, consider buying frozen. Most frozen vegetables are picked fresh, immediately flash frozen, are less expensive and will keep longer.
  15. Buy in bulk, but don’t buy more than you will use. Bigger is not always better. Larger-sized packages usually cost less on a per-unit basis. But it’s not a better buy if it’s too large to use before it becomes stale or spoiled.
  16. Move in on “family pack” savings. Meat departments often have a section that offers larger-sized packages at cents-off-per-pound savings. Repackage these larger sizes into smaller quantities at home and freeze.
  17. Be flexible at the meat and produce counters. This is one area to be flexible with your list. This allows you to take advantage of unadvertised “in store” specials and switch from one item to another.
  18. Use open dating codes, especially on perishables to maximize shelf life at home. Open dating is used on perishable and semi-perishable products to let you know at a glance if the product is fresh. Most stores use a “pull date” – the last day the item is offered for sale. This still allows a few days for using at home. For stores that use a “pack date,” especially with meats, inquire how long the product will remain fresh at home.

 

About the Arizona Farm Bureau

Arizona Farm Bureau began a quarterly Market Basket starting the fourth quarter of 2006. The Arizona Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving and improving the Agriculture industry through member involvement in education, political activities, programs and services. Go to www.azfb.org to learn more. To obtain “Stretch Your Food Dollar” menu and nutrition information go to www.fillyourplate.org.

As a member services organization, individuals can become a member by contacting the Farm Bureau. For information on member benefits call 480.635.3609.

 

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