1. Plan ahead
Check Co-op’s weekly flyer for deals on items you regularly purchase. Prepare a meal plan based on items during Co-op's sales. You may want to make more than you need as leftover items can turn into another meal or lunch the next day. Brown bagging your lunch instead of eating out can significantly reduce your food bill.
2. Buy (and cook) in bulk
Prepare meals in advance in batches and then preserve by freezing or canning. Larger quantities are often featured at great prices, including the value and warehouse packs in Co-op’s meat department. For items like snacks, buy a larger package and divide into individual portions at home. Cutting up products like pineapple or block cheese may take more time, but will help you save in the long run.
3. Waste not, want not
One exception to the above is knowing the amount your household will consume. A 2014 study estimated Canadian food waste amounted to $31 billion. This is not only bad for your budget, but potentially bad for the environment. Select smaller product sizes if you tend to throw out the savings you may have earned from buying larger volumes. Or save excess for later dates by preserving or freezing food before it expires.
4. Coupons
Not that they ever left, but coupons are experiencing a recent resurgence. Watch for coupons in your flyer, newspaper, in store and online. Major brands post their own coupons to their websites. Download the Co-op App on your mobile device for weekly deals directly from Co-op or through Coupgon. It’s a quick and easy way to save.
5. Food selection
Buy your fruits and vegetables in season to take advantage of the best prices. Produce is transported from around the world, which increases costs along with today’s economic conditions. An alternative to buying fresh is to purchase frozen, canned or dried products. Nutritional value is retained so you’re ensuring your diet remains packed with vitamins and nutrients.
6. Shop Co-op
Store brands are a great way to cut back on costs. CO-OP® GOLD, CO-OP GOLD PURE™, MARKET TOWN®, CO-OP ¢ENTSIBLES® and CARE+® offer quality products and different price levels for your consideration.
7. Do the math
Take another look at the price tag. With product sizes constantly changing, it’s difficult to compare the face value of prices. Luckily, Co-op has done the math for you. Many shelf labels in Co-op Food Stores provide the price based on a product’s weight or volume.
8. Rain check
We like to save for a rainy day. If a sale item is out of stock, don’t be afraid to ask for a rain check at participating stores. It’s a note letting you take advantage of the best price when the product is available again, even after the sale has ended.
9. Membership
Are you a Co-op member? Co-op members are owners. Our profits are your profits. Profits may be returned to members as cash or equity, which is held in an account to be paid at a later date.
There are many ways to save with Co-op, from three-day sales to the three-week Price Drop. Sign up for a weekly e-mail to have information on Co-op sales and promotions delivered directly your inbox. Now that’s easy.