Is it just me or are food bills in Barbados just ridiculous? It seems as though everything is just sky-rocketing through the roof. You have to eat to live, so you have to grin and bear it. Or do you? There are many ways that you can save money on food, but you must be willing to try them.
Five Ways to Save Money on Food
Although food prices often make me shed a tear, there are a few things that I have done to cut back on my grocery bill. To save money on food in Barbados, I usually use a combination of the following methods:
- Buy in bulk
- Grow my own food
- Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season
- Buy local products
- Choose lower grade meat
1. Buy in bulk
This is one tip that has been around for years. It can be a blessing for large families. Meat is a great item to buy in bulk and store in the freezer. Canned foods like vegetables and fish are also good items to buy in bulk because they have a very long shelf-life.
2. Grow your own food
I’m a firm believer in this. I’ve hatched onions, sweet peppers, beans, squash, watermelons and a wide range of other fruits and vegetables. The good thing about growing your own food is that when they are scarce and the supermarkets up their prices, you have your own crops to depend on.
3. Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season
When locally grown fruit and vegetables are plentiful, the prices tend to drop. This tends to happen when they are in season. For example, when sweet potatoes are cheap, I whip up sweet potato pie, sweet potato chips (fries) and creamed sweet potato.
4. Buy local products
My thoughts behind this are based on the hope that local products are cheaper than imported products. The quality of local products are good, and is comparable to that of similar imported goods.
5. Choose lower grade meat
Do you know the difference between Grade A and Grade B chicken or the difference between prime and choice grades? Sometimes the difference is not that noticeable, but the quality is still good and price is a lot better. Differences can include marbling of the meat or whether or not the meat has been cut up.
All of these are things that I have incorporated into my buying habits. I would encourage you to try them and see what differences you come up with in your grocery bill. I’ll admit that although my bill is still a bit unnerving, it would have been a lot higher if I did not put these tips to work.
What other tips do you use to save money on food in Barbados?