When Less is More: Choosing a Simpler Lifestyle

Cutting Grocery Costs

For some of us, food is just a necessity. For others—notably the Europeans—it is an experience. The French are, undoubtedly, the finest culinary alchemists in western Europe. Their meals, a complex balance of rich flavorful sauces and healthy ingredients, offer a symphony to the tongue.

Visit the French market with me and you’ll find shoppers squeezing the melons, sniffing the cheese, or tasting slivers of charcuterie or foie gras proffered by vendors. At the fish stand, silver eels glisten with beads of water staring, unseeing, from their beds of crushed ice. Fresh clams, scallops, and prawns the size of my fist fill one’s nostrils with the briny smell of the North Sea.

Butchers call loudly to shoppers, large, bloodstained aprons taut across their ample bellies. “Foie Gras!” they yell, their booming voices redolent of town criers from centuries ago. Pheasants, lambs, ducks, and rabbits hang from poles crisscrossing the green canopy above the tables. Plump sausages, linked like box cars on a train, promise a delightful cocktail of flavors.

In December, the smell of roasted chestnuts wafts through the air, their strong, earthy scent tantalizing on nippy days. Purchase a sack full and relish the warmth that seeps through the brown paper sack as you clasp them in gloved hands. 

Bakers set out tall wicker baskets packed with crispy, golden loaves of bread still warm from the oven. The crust crackles when you break off one end, steam rising from the loaf’s spongy, white center.

Cheese stalls abound, offering large wheels of Gruyere or Emmental laid out, ready to be matched with the right wine. This is a skill the French have mastered, a great achievement when you consider France boasts more varieties of cheeses than days in a year.

While many Europeans are skilled in the art of cooking, I am not. For those of us who are culinarily challenged, it can be tempting to shop for ready-made meals you can just heat up and serve rather than go to the market and buy fresh produce that is in season and likely much cheaper (no middle-man). This, however, can lead to more expensive grocery bills. While prepared meals can cost $5–$15+ per serving, cooking from scratch costs roughly $2–$3 per person.

One of the biggest money savers is meal planning. At the end of each month, draw up a meal plan for the coming month. This simple trick has saved us hundreds. Set aside one day per week to use up leftovers and reduce waste. You can also create a ‘pantry day’ once a month to use up those soon-to-expire items. Be creative. I’ve also discovered that just about anything will taste better with a bit of melted cheese on top 😊It’s all about reducing the amount of food many households simply toss out and stretching those grocery dollars.

Cook larger quantities of food and freeze leftovers. Not only does it save money, it also saves time, cuts energy costs, and reduces waste.

Before you head to the grocery store check your pantry, fridge, and freezer to plan meals around food items you might currently have. Also, don’t go on an empty stomach as you’ll be more easily tempted by impulse purchases. My husband and I now order our groceries online and pick them up at the store. This saves us all those impulse purchases that are so tempting when we walk through the pastry or deli aisles and reduces the stress I typically experience the moment I walk into a store.

One thing I’ve noticed in the United States, is that we consume a lot of meat. This can get rather expensive. Replace a few meals each month with ‘meatless’ meals such as pancakes, crepes, French toast, waffles, mac ‘n cheese, salads, soups. Hearty ingredients such as lentils, beans, tofu, or nuts provide plant-based protein, while roasting the vegetables before adding them to the pot enhances flavor and texture.

When shopping, select in-season produce for lower prices. Plan your monthly menu accordingly. Purchase generic products or store-brand items as opposed to well-known brands (be careful when it comes to low quality items like toilet paper or paper towels—we found that we ended up using more in the long run because the generic brand is so shoddy). Buy items in bulk versus smaller packaging. Check store circulars for specials, or digital coupons. Some stores place more expensive items at eye level while cheaper options are on lower or higher shelves. Finally, use a calculator to stay within your budget.

You can eat healthy while still cutting grocery costs. If you have a garden, consider growing some of your own vegetables (need help? I know just the right persons. Check out their YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@holisticheritagehomestead for some excellent and practical tips).

Curb the habit of going out to eat or stopping by the local coffee shop on a regular basis. Save those treats for special occasions. You’ll likely find that you appreciate them all the more when used sparingly.

Budgeting is not synonymous with deprivation. It’s about learning how to curb impulse buying and choosing to be more intentional with our money. One of my favorite quotes is by Abraham Lincoln: “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most”.

With so many options in terms of ready-made meals or fast food joints, it can be tempting to skip the effort and planning required to cook from scratch. Yet it not only saves money, it also allows you to experiment and savor dishes that you might never have tried otherwise.

Perhaps a delicious serving of Coque-au-vin just might make up for a few less indulgences.

Question? Suggestions? Please share in comment section below.