Does anyone buy groceries just because they're on sale?

[The empressof all]

I'm beginning to feel like such an idiot. I've been having some work done in my house due to a flood from my upstairs washer. One of the things that was replaced this week was my pantry floor. The floor guy remarked that I must have a lot of kids because there was so much stuff crammed into there. I have a huge walk in pantry and it is stuffed with canned stuff and....other things. I don't keep or buy "junk food" but am I the only one who usually has a case of chicken broth. It was a good deal at Costco.

I confess that I do go through the ads for the grocery stores every week and do get suckered into buying the canned and packaged stuff that I like when it's on sale. (As an aside---Kraft Mac & Cheese was .49 this week----This is one of my favorite junk foods and it took every bit of self restraint not to throw on clothes and run to buy a half a dozen)

Looking through the shelves, I have a lot of canned pineapple, microwave popcorn (we've been off that kick now for a while), canned tomatoes, refried beans, Spicy V-8 Juice, Roasted Red Peppers, Pasta, a few different kinds of rice Miscellaneous baking stuff and about 7 bags of powdered sugar. (Why...I don't know)

There's just two of us here now full time. I think I need to re adjust my thinking about food shopping and even though I usually don't buy stuff that I won't use someday I think It's time to just stop with the crazy bargain shopping already.

[bicentennial_baby]

1. Yep, especially pasta

When Barilla goes on a good sale, we buy 6 boxes or so. Good thing I eat a lot of pasta. :rofl:

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Sparkly and I were in the grocery one time, and Barilla was on sale .....

.... and I said to her, "Do we need any?" And she said, "We have a good bit in the (basement) pantry." And I said, "Yeah, well, maybe 12 or 15 boxes, but we're outta some shapes."

A woman was in the same aisle, within earshot of this. I caught her glancing at my prodigious beltline, then quickly looking at Sparkly (svelte). They both laughed at me.

[The empressof all]

5. Oh Shut Up--Barilla's a Buck a box this week

It's on my list....

:hide: :hide: :rofl: :hide: :hide:

[Stinky The Clown]

2. No so much what's on sale ......

.... but we often buy thngs by the case to save a trip later. And then, of course, find ourselves making that 'saved trip' a hundred times over for other crap we have to buy by the case. :)

Triscuits are one exception. We buy as many as we can carry when they're on sale.

We like these the best:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51mVFb0JMaL._SL500_AA280_PIbundle-12,TopRight,0,0_AA280_SH20_.jpg

And these, too:



And then there's these:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51W6Q1mRHaL._SL500_AA280_PIbundle-5,TopRight,0,0_AA280_SH20_.jpg

And we really like these:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FV41M37DL._SL500_AA280_PIbundle-12,TopRight,0,0_AA280_SH20_.jpg

..... you get the idea! :)

[Tab]

17. I think the roasted garlic sucks

but I like the rye and the cracked pepper ones.

The rosemary is too overpowering for me, and god knows what they did to the roasted garlic.

but, hey, that's what a variety of flavors are for!

[Warpy]

3. If you know you will use it within a couple of months

then stock up. Canned goods can last a year, but you're pushing it. The flavor really goes fast, although it remains safe to eat.

Unless you're planning catering a series of birthday parties, it might be time to send the sugar and most of the popcorn to the local food bank. The popcorn will be stale by next winter when Xmas tree decoration time rolls around.

The other stuff sound like stuff you can use fairly quickly. Just start planning meals around your stash and you'll be fine.

[Arkansas Granny]

6. When I was raising 4 kids I did that a lot. I planned my menu around

what was on sale and stocked up on non-perishables whenever I could. Now that I've adjusted to it just being me I don't really pay attention to what's on sale and just buy what I want to eat within the next couple of weeks. I don't buy anything in large quantities. It took some time to get used to shopping for just one because it never looked like I had enough food in the basket when I went to check out.

[The empressof all]

7. I rearranged my pots and pans yesterday.

I moved all the huge frying pans and pots to the back of the cabinet. I've been cooking in larger quanitites for so long, my freezers stuffed to the gills with meatballs, soup, pulled pork. I need to use it up before I cook some more. I may have to think about having a cleaning out the freezer party in the next few weeks if we don't make a dent in it.

[Arkansas Granny]

8. I gave my daughter my humongous cast iron skillet. I never use it at

home anymore and she's has coveted it for a long time. She refers to it as "Mom's teflon". She has assured me that she is taking good care of it. She was so proud of the pan of cornbread she made in it the other day and says she will never fry potatoes is anything else again. She still loves her Calphalon, but for some things the cast iron is better.

[wryter2000]

16. What a great gift!

No wonder she's coveted it. I, too, only cook home fries in my cast iron. I'm working up the courage to see how an egg does in there. Vegetables don't stick at all in there, but I hate the thought of having to scrape something off it and ruining the nice surface.

I recently got this book. Haven't had a chance to look through it yet.

http://books.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?WRD=cast+iron+skillet+cookbook

[Arkansas Granny]

20. Now she's dropping hints about my big dutch oven, but she can't

use it on her glass cooktop because of the legs. I may have to get her a legless one and get it all seasoned up for her and give it to her on her birthday or something. She loves to cook and always appreciates gifts that she can use in the kitchen.

That cookbook looks very interesting. Let us know what you think after you've had a chance to look it over.

[wryter2000]

22. Will do

Maybe I'll get it out tonight and give it a look. I'm not sure when I can try the recipes.

[cbayer]

9. I have such limited storage space that I try to empty it all out before I go shopping again.

But I also use the ads to make my shopping list, I just try to force myself to find some way to use whatever I have bought. There are also just two of us, so I don't buy in bulk or get more than one or two of an item that is on sale.

:hi:

[Vinca]

10. Definitely. One day I was in the dollar store and spotted Davinci pasta

and bought enough spaghetti for half the year. Our grocery store has a bin where they put stuff marked down 75% and I was nearly orgasmic over getting Carapelli extra virgin olive oil cheap. I think it's great to stock up when you find a deal.

[Shakespeare]

11. Yep, especially meat.

I shop according to whatever meat is on sale super-cheap, get a little extra in the freezer, and then plan our menus around that and whatever veggies are in season.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

12. Sure do........

Especially since you know the prices are not going down.

My freezer is filled with meat and chicken and butter and sausages and frozen vegetables ("Steamers" on sale for a buck each). When tuna is a good price, I'll get ten or twenty cans of it. Same with microwave popcorn, canned corn, pasta, rice. Beyond that, we don't eat too many canned things, since we have the luxury of fresh whenever we want.

[The empressof all]

13. Butter is super cheap right now

Thanks for reminding me to add it to my list. It's down to 1.29 at one of our local stores. There's always room for butter in the fridge and I NEVER have to worry about not using it. Eggs are down too. With Easter coming and that deviled egg thread here I've been craving eggs.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

15. That's amazing!

You should stock up on it. I keep at least four pounds in the freezer, and really should stash more.

It's on sale here - on sale - at $2.97 a pound. Eggs are down, though, with the free-range antibiotic-free eggs at half-price.

I wonder why the disparity in the butter prices...................

[wryter2000]

14. I would use a case of chicken broth

It'd take me a while, but I find it very useful. :)

My dh used to buy anything on sale, whether we needed it or not. Drove me nuts! Now, I only buy things I'll use on sale, although I'll buy them before I need them and save/freeze them.

[Tab]

18. As a rule, I don't

unless it was a particularly good price and something I'd use anyway. I don't believe in buying something I wouldn't normally get just because it's on sale.

However, if this economy continues to suck, this attitude might change.

[hippywife]

19. Not really.

I don't buy much in the way of canned or packaged processed food. I buy fresh food, bar soap, laundry soap, and fair trade coffee through our coop, we have our own chickens for eggs, and I buy farm fresh raw milk every three weeks or so from a local lady with Jersey cows. The pantry is still full of jams and pickles I canned last summer. I don't buy my peanut butter from the coop because it isn't organic.

I only really buy stuff that isn't available through the coop like all my different flours, lemons, limes, dry beans, a few convenience items like Amy's soups and veggie burgers and maple syrup. I do stock up on butter, olives, brown sugar, cream cheese, that kinda stuff at Aldi's every few weeks.

The only other thing I make sure to always have on hand is canned tomato products (crushed, diced, paste, etc.) to make spaghetti sauce with. Even if I have no plans to make it this week, it better be in the cabinet at all times. Once we get our own good crop of tomatoes going, I'm still gonna can my own.

I venture into the middle of the store very rarely.

[AwakeAtLast]

21. If it's something I know I'm going to use - sure!

That way the only extra shopping I have to do is to pick up odds and ends to round out a meal.

I do notice that most of the stuff that's on sale is prepackaged crap. That's also what most of the coupons are for, too.

What I normally buy on sale: Milk, bread, meat, frozen vegetables, pasta and sauce, canned goods. Maybe a favorite snack food but that's about it.

[Retrograde]

23. It depends

is it stuff I need? that I'm going to use? I'll stock up on staples like tuna, refried beans, canned tomatoes and pasta if they're on sale since I can always use them for a quick meal and they have a several month shelf life, at least. If I'm shopping and chickens are on sale, well, guess what's for dinner today (and tomorrow, and the day after that, and probably the one after that: it takes 2 people awhile to go through today's chickens).

My pet peeve: the fish department tends to have all the fresh fish on sale at the same time. I can't use it that quickly.

[NMDemDist2]

24. I'm better

but still do it

my newest little trick is to forget I've already bought something I was out of a month ago

I have 5 jars of sweet pickle relish right now :hide:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

25. Thank you

Would you like to see my mustard collection?

[NMDemDist2]

26. that was my trick about 4 years ago

wanna trade me some relish for some mustard??

:hi:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

27. As if

I don't already have three jars. Plus one in the fridge.

That reminds me - I need hot dog buns....................

:hug:

[NMDemDist2]

28. hey, I missed the foodie orgy girlfriend date post

got a linky handy?

what did ya get a Penzi's ????

[Tangerine LaBamba]

29. We got snowed out!!

That was the day the BIG STORM hit DC - we got seven inches of snow, which is a lot for here.

We're going on Saturday. I shall report back. We're starting at a great down-home Hong Kong place, then the Thai market - want some rice noodles? - then to Penzey's, then to Trader Joe's, then a couple of other stops. Babyback ribs are on sale at Harris Teeter, out of beer, stuff like that.

A Saturday food orgy in mild weather. So far, my Penzey's list is: granulated garlic, black peppercorns, green peppercorns, white peppercorns, sesame seeds, smoked Spanish paprika, cayenne, crushed red pepper - and whatever else I stick my nose into.

Got any requests?

[NMDemDist2]

30. hmmmm

nope

hey, good news!!! the local super market put in a teeeny tiny asian section and they stock WIDE RICE NOODLES

:woohoo:

have a great day!! I can't wait for the report. I'll need some cheering up as the Mother in Law will be here all weekend

:hide:

[troubleinwinter]

33. Can I get in on this with my five boxes of brown sugar?

[Inchworm]

31. I do, but I'm a little more careful now

Who knew canned goods "expired" hehe?!?

I once had 8 boxes of outdated Philly Cream Cheese 'cause it was on sale the week before.

I still get my meat that way, sadly. I even go for the orange stickers (goes bad soon). What is a good deal determines my menu.

Hec, I could just live on hotdogs since it's just me and the dogs, but I love tasting stuff and love cooking.

:hi:

[pengillian101]

32. I could just live on hotdogs since it's just me and the dogs, but I love tasting stuff and love cook

Check this out :hi:

http://www.greatdepressioncooking.com/Depression_Cooking/Episodes.html

[troubleinwinter]

34. Not "just because they're on sale"

I don't buy a name brand item at 50 cents off when I can get the same store brand thing at ordinary price for a dollar less.

I moved to a location three years ago, a ways from town, and we do get some snow. Not usually a problem, but has known to be.

Two years ago, daughter visited for the first time and said, "Oh my GAWD, Mom! You are a PACKRAT!" No, I'm really not. But should the snow get bad, or I get the flu or somethin', I want to have a pantry of stuff, so do pick up things when they are a deal.

I buy boxes of noodle and rice mixes, cans of tuna, soups, pastas & sauce, even canned ravioli, and MOST IMPORTANTLY boxed mac & cheez!! I keep a couple of cans of condensed milk.

Those are not foods I generally eat much. But they have been a convenience when I'm under the weather.

I figure if the road washes out, get snowed in, even if power to fridge is gone or gas stove, I have enough easy cook stuff I could do on the propane grill, if need be. I figure I could hang out comfortably (maybe not glamorously) for a few weeks without any power or access. It's extremely rare around here, but not unknown to be stuck for a week or better.

[pengillian101]

36. I so understand!

I figure if the road washes out, get snowed in, even if power to fridge is gone or gas stove, I have enough easy cook stuff I could do on the propane grill, if need be. I figure I could hang out comfortably (maybe not glamorously) for a few weeks without any power or access. It's extremely rare around here, but not unknown to be stuck for a week or better.

At an extreme power outage, don't forget your fondue pot and a sterno heat source.

We've used that more than once.

Our northern Minnesota country power sent a letter of warning recently, Our dirt road will be having power delays due to new and upgraded buried power lines.

We broke down and bought a generator. It is supposed to power the fridge and additional freezer, and hopefully the pump to the well...so the water faucets and toilet works - we'll see, eh? Price started out at $600 and jumped to $1,000.

[troubleinwinter]

37. I read a funny post

by some guy who fancies himself knowlegeable on 'survival' stuff. He advised that people buy and store unroasted coffee beans. He said that (when the sky falls and civilization ends), the beans could be roasted in an electric popcorn machine. I guess he figures that when the world ends, the utility company will still have people seeing to it that the electric lines and supply will run to his *basement* so he can roast his coffee beans! How 'bout a can of MJB, genius?
:eyes: :rofl: :eyes:

Generator is absolutely smart, especially when you are on a well. One can easily lose electric to the well in a wind storm, ice storm, slide, brown/black-out, etc. for a week. Having that generator for the well is very good. Even if you lose the frozen or refirgerated foods after a few days, the well makes living a whole bunch easier.

[troubleinwinter]

35. **CORNED BEEF ON SALE!!! NOW***

Yep, NOW is the time. Safeway, Kroger/Fry's: $1.29 per pound point cut, $2.49 flat cut. (usually $3.49 - $4.49)

Get 'em now! Buy two (or three) & throw one in the freezer.

Cabbage: per pound: 3/$1 and 4/$1

I'm going tomorrow!