5 budget grocery hacks, according to savvy shoppers on Reddit
It was during a recent fridge clean-out when I came to the uncomfortable realization that I’m pretty bad at shopping for groceries.
I’ll admit: much of it is due to poor planning and, frankly, laziness. Amid the hustle and bustle of everyday city life, a trip to the grocery store — whether it’s the local markets in my neighborhood or the Lidl just a short Subway ride away — is always a spontaneous decision. It’s a quick pit stop before coming home after work. It’s a last-minute excursion when I’m craving something specific and missing several key ingredients. It’s a dreaded task when I’m already caught up running other errands — or simply procrastinating.
The consequences are always the same. I either overspend on food items, failing to take advantage of hidden deals as I frantically yet desperately attempt to restock my kitchen. Or, I overstock ingredients, failing to take inventory of what I already have and letting them rot in the hidden corners of the vegetable crisper. One thing tends to lead to the other. It’s an inefficient and wasteful cycle.
I’m on a mission to shop on a budget, systematically, smartly and intentionally. That means planning before I step foot inside a supermarket, spending my money wisely and using all my ingredients promptly.
To help make grocery trips a bit easier, I consulted the savvy shoppers on the r/budgetfood subreddit. Here are a few tried-and-trusted budget grocery hacks that I’ll be implementing:
Prioritize “pantry dump” dinners to use up ingredients that may go to waste
Crisis strikes the kitchen when our forgotten, shelved-away ingredients teeter on the fine line between fresh and spoiled. Leave them behind for an extra day or two and they’re no longer usable. The only solution is to consume them — immediately.
Enter the “pantry dump” dinners, as one Redditor coined. These meals use up ingredients that might otherwise go to waste and are simple and quick to prepare. Examples include taco soup, goulash, casserole, frittata (especially if you have an abundance of veggies) and a classic stir-fry. The formula is simple: have a mix of perishable and non-perishable items (notably rice, pasta, canned beans, canned vegetables and canned seafood) on hand, cook them and enjoy.
“Mine is usually some version of everything stewed with whatever carbs I have left,” writes another Redditor. “A can of tomatoes, random beans, lentils, leftover roasted vegetables, half an onion, maybe pasta or rice thrown in near the end. If I have stale bread, I toast it hard and drop it on top with olive oil and chili flakes so it feels intentional instead of desperate.
“Some of the best meals I’ve made honestly came from that pre-payday scavenger mode. You stop following recipes and start paying attention to texture and balance instead.”
Don’t underestimate the humble rotisserie chicken
Seriously. A whole rotisserie chicken offers more bang for your buck, since it comes fully cooked and can be enjoyed in many meals. It’s also great to snack on when you need a protein boost to power through that mid-afternoon slump.
Many Redditors are fans of Costco’s three-pound Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken (available for $4.99 in-store) and Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken (available for $4.98 in-store). They recommend making a simple chicken salad, which can be enjoyed on its own or in a sandwich, along with fajitas, pot pie, buffalo chicken dip, empanadas and chicken noodle soup.
Others suggest shredding and freezing parts of the chicken for stretch meals. The bones can also be used to make homemade bone broth.
“I always remove all the meat from the bones and freeze one or both breasts for later use,” explains one Redditor. “The leg [and] thighs I airfry to re-crisp the skin and eat with a baked potato & a green veggie.”
“I also freeze all the juices that [are] in the bottom of the bag or container that the rotisserie comes in,” they add. “Sometimes it’s liquid & sometimes it has a jelly-like consistency, save it and freeze it and put it into the stock you make with the bones. It will give the broth a nice richness.”
Go shopping…in your freezer
In addition to freezing your rotisserie chicken, you can freeze just about anything. That includes fruits, vegetables, pastes, sauces and pre-made meals. Freezing ensures that your ingredients stay fresh for longer, cuts down on waste, helps you save money with fewer grocery trips and is a lifesaver on days when you don’t want to cook. Simply warm up your frozen meal and enjoy.
“We like to make at least one slow cooker meal or giant soup a couple times a week, and we freeze the leftovers. It doesn’t take much time to build up a great freezer supply,” says u/LaurelCanyoner. “We have a rule to NEVER cook on Mondays, or Fridays, (Cause Mondays suck, and Fridays we want to relax) to give ourselves a break, and those freezer meals are such a great resource.”
“My favorite is the leftover gravy, roasted or smoked meat juice, or the end of the broth from your soup,” writes another Redditor. “Freeze in ice cube trays or silicone cupcake trays, bag, and label. You will never buy bouillon again.”
Skip the delivery and stock up on frozen pizzas
Whether you’re team DiGiorno or team Totino’s, frozen pizzas are a budget-friendly weeknight meal option and can easily be zhuzhed up with just a few ingredients. Forget the takeout and pick up a few boxes, along with your favorite toppings, during your next grocery run.
“I’ve tried many many brands of frozen pizza, like it was a hobby to figure out which one was the best. My wife and I just keep coming back to Freschetta,” says one Redditor. “I personally like chopping up some garlic, onion, and mushrooms then throwing those on top. Pepperoni, if I have it.”
“Worcestershire sauce brushed lightly on the crust before baking adds a savory depth to frozen pizzas,” says another. “A little smoked paprika sprinkled over the cheese before it melts also gives a nice, complex flavor boost. Both are inexpensive ways to make it feel less like a frozen meal.”
Others suggest jazzing up plain pizza with sprinkles of oregano, red pepper flakes and umami seasoning. Fresh basil and BBQ sauce were also popular options.
Keep a sharp eye out for deals, deals and more deals
Members on the subreddit are always looking out for (and graciously sharing) deals posted by regional supermarkets or major fast-food chains. Examples include sales at Hy-Vee (like their one-day sale and 99 cents sale), deals on Amazon (like this stellar bargain on Campbell’s soups) and free food at Wendy’s. It’s a great reminder to be mindful of deals — and take advantage of them as often as possible.
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