4 Types of Expensive Grocery Items You Should Swap for These Replacements To Save Money
One of the best diets you can go on is walking down the grocery aisles of stores like Walmart, Costco, Whole Foods or Target and getting so sticker shocked from rising food costs that you lose your appetite.
That’s why knowing which items to potentially skip and what to buy instead to save a bit of money, can cut your grocery bill down so it doesn’t take quite so big a bite out of your monthly budget.
The good news is that some of the most overpriced items also have super easy (and tastier) swaps. Here are four expensive grocery culprits and what to replace them with for serious savings.
Precut Fruits and Vegetables
Swap for: Whole produce
Price for precut pineapple at Walmart: $8.66
Price for a whole pineapple at Walmart: $1.98
Precut fruit might feel like a time saver, but it comes with a hefty markup. In some cases, precut produce can cost almost triple to quadruple the price for the same amount of food, as you see with the pineapple from Walmart. This is what shopping experts call the convenience tax, and to save money, stop paying someone else to chop your food for you.
Whole produce has the additional bonuses of not coming with wasteful packaging and having a longer shelf life once you get it home. That’s a tasty amount of savings.
Name-Brand Pantry Staples
Swap for: Store-brand items
Price for name-brand Myrtos Greek extra virgin olive oil at Costco: $99.99 for 6 liters (or $16.67 a liter)
Price for Costco brand Kirkland Signature organic olive oil: $20.99 for 2 liters (or $10.50 a liter)
Brand loyalty is expensive, which is why you even have to check your label preference at the door when shopping in bulk in warehouse stores like Costco. In fact, Consumer Affairs reports that store brands can be up to 40% to 70% cheaper than name-brand versions.
Olive oil is just one example where you can save, as the same savings go for many other pantry staples like pasta, cereal, rice and more. Remember, you’re often paying for branding, not better quality, so making these swaps can really add up.
Salad Kits and Prepackaged Salads
Swap for: DIY salads
Price for Whole Foods Market organic pear and honey balsamic salad kit: $6.29
Price for Whole Foods salad ingredients: Arugula ($3.89); Pear (82 cents); Feta crumbles ($4.99)
Salad kits are convenient, but man, are they also pricey for what you get. A typical prepackaged salad can cost more than $6, while making your own salad can drop that cost to as low as $1.50 to $3.50 per serving. Yes, getting all the ingredients up-front may cost a bit more, but it will provide you with several more meals than just the one.
You can even meal prep a few salads at once and store them in containers. This can almost prove the same convenience as a salad kit, but still be way cheaper.
Chicken Breast
Swap for: Rotisserie chicken
Price for name-brand Tyson boneless & skinless chicken breast from Target: $8.29
Price for Good & Gather oven roasted rotisserie chicken from Target: $5.99
Surprisingly, rotisserie chicken can actually be a better deal than raw chicken and makes a great quick and easy weeknight meal. Not only is it cheaper than buying and cooking a raw chicken breast once you factor in seasoning, but also much more when you factor in the energy costs of your effort. It’s great for multiple meals as well, that you can break up into salads, tacos or soups.
Editor’s note: Pricing and availability are subject to change.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
More From MoneyLion: