Budget Shopping

One of the most frustrating things about going gluten free is it's affect on your wallet. Not only does your diet NEED to fundamentally change, all the sudden you have to dish out 3 or 4 times as much cash for your groceries. Not to mention you still seem to be getting less food. It's enough to make a person lie face down on the computer and wish their budget software would just die. Take this crummy grocery budget and die. I have been there. Recently.


Here's a few fundamental tips for easing the grocery crunch:


Shop store brand whenever possible: Here in central TX that means HEB. I've heard that Trader Joes and Kroger also have their own lines of gluten free product. If your local grocer is anything like mine they may have started labeling EVERYTHING. at HEB if it is gluten free it has a brown "GLUTEN FREE" label next to the price. Many of the store brand items such as spaghetti sauce, cornstarch, and sugar are made on dedicated gluten free equipment. The price of these items is substantially cheaper and you can often get in store coupons or deals.


Find coupons: Visit the websites of your favorite GF products (Bob's Red Mill, Schar, Udi's...) and check for deals. If you had a bad experience with a product, let the company know. They may just send you coupons you can use on something else. Check your newspaper. Sometimes you can find coupons for fresh fruit and produce, or dairy products. Don't clip coupons for things that you don't normally buy. Couponing is only effective if it helps you save money on products you need. (Sorry friends, not an extreme couponing stockpiler here...)


Find your local farmer's market: Although it is still cheaper to buy meat at your local grocer often times you can get fresh produce for cheap at farmer's markets. It is also easier to find organic growers and get produce that is in season. If you are lucky there may be some bakers there who are gluten free.


Most importantly MAKE A LIST: If you have a game plan going into the store you are less likely to buy things that will go to waste. (This is an area where meal plans are great) There are great apps for smart phones where you can record the price of an item and save the information for later. That means that you can plan ahead and know how much you will spend before you ever set foot in the store. (see www.groceryiq.com) If you don't want to use an app, keep a price book.  I've tried both and I find the app much more efficient but either way you have a detailed plan in hand.

Now tackle your grocery store with a list in hand and conquer the crazy!

Happy eating!
Tori Kieschnick