When the dollar store becomes the $1.25 store, something is wrong. Rampant inflation is driving up the cost of everyday necessities and one of the biggest culprits is food. Here are four tips to combat rising food costs.

Number 1: Be Flexible

In life there are those who mow their lawns on Saturday morning and those who put it off until Sunday night. Similarly, there are list-makers and non-list-makers. If you are a list-maker – and you probably are since you’re reading a financial blog – in the current environment that might not be such a good thing.

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For those of us who compile grocery lists and dutifully head off to the store to fill our carts with everything on the list, there is a better way. You can save a lot of money by being flexible. For example, maybe you have salmon on your list but you see chicken breasts are on sale two for one. There’s a lot you can do with chicken and you can have salmon another time. Do that a few times every time you go shopping and your grocery bills will come down.

Number 2: Try New Things

For years my wife has wanted us to eat more plant-based meals. Like many who grew up on the typical American diet, that sounds like skipping the main dish to me. Then we took a class on vegetarian cooking and it really opened my eyes. Vegetables can be the main course and you don’t feel like you are missing anything.

Most of our children and their significant others are vegans or vegetarians. We have some experience because we try to accommodate their dietary needs when they visit. That along with the sky-high cost of meat has finally pushed me over the edge with regard to plant-based meals. I’m a long way from saying I’ll never eat meat again, but a couple of dishes we now enjoy include eggplant parmesan and cauliflower tikka masala.

Number 3: Avoid Waste

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 35% of our food supply goes to waste. That comes to $160 billion annually. In the face of rising inflation, we need to do better.

A good start is to take inventory each time before you head off to the store. There may be items hiding in your freezer or pantry that you can cross off your list. Especially with perishable items, it makes no sense to buy more when you already have something.

Properly managing leftovers also helps reduce food costs. When more food is prepared than needed, put some in the refrigerator and the rest in the freezer. Avoid creating new meals when you have leftovers. Enjoying previously prepared meals saves both time and money.

Number 4: Dine In

You will come out miles ahead by dining in as much as possible and avoiding wasteful conveniences. Everyone enjoys a nice meal out, but in times of high inflation it helps to cut back. Meals prepared at home are much less costly and are typically healthier, too.

Here is a list of wasteful food-related conveniences to avoid:

• Food delivery apps like Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Doordash are huge money wasters. They take already too-high restaurant prices and inflate them to a whole new level.
• Meal kit services like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh are another wasteful convenience to avoid. Not only do they drain your wallet, but those freezer packs designed to keep perishables fresh waste natural resources and clutter landfills.
• Grocery delivery is completely unnecessary. Why pay someone to do your grocery shopping for you when you can do it yourself? Besides, you could probably use some exercise and a little fresh air.

Photo credit: Mike Ballew Eggstack News will never post an article influenced by an outside company or advertiser. Our mission is to help you overcome uncertainty about retirement planning and inspire confidence in your financial future.