Lifestyle / Smart Grocery Shopping Tips

Smart Grocery Shopping Tips

Lifestyle Dec 05, 2014

by Anokhi Admin

Shop Smart This Holiday Season

As the holidays near, it’s time to get ready to host relatives, family, and friends. What better satisfaction is there than being able to host a delicious dinner on a budget that is affordable?

Navigating through grocery stores is never quite as easy as you think. Grocery stores cleverly store produce in such a way that it attracts the naive customer to spend more than what they originally intended to.

Environmental Psychologist and author of What Women Want: The Science of Female Shopping, Paco Underhill tells Bon Appetite Magazine, “Upward of 50 percent of what we buy in a supermarket we had no intention of buying as we walked in the door.” He adds, “In the modern 21st-century grocery store, someone has thought through everything about it in every way, shape, manner or form. The basic layout hasn’t changed much in almost 80 years: I walk in, produce tends to be up front and to the right, meat and seafood tend to be back and to the right, dairy is generally in the back left-hand corner—the deepest section of the store. The reason why is that virtually everyone who walks in has some dairy product on their list.”

Here are some ways you can save money and be the perfect host (or hostess):

Know Your Budget

The simplest rule of thumb is so know and stick to your budget. If you know that you have a limited budget, do not spend more than what you can afford. Opt for quality over brand names which only end up burning a hole in your pocket.

Pre-Shop

While having a list will keep you focused, it is always tempting to get more groceries for parties (and extra for yourself) since it is the festive season. Be smart and go online. With a mere click of a button, see what deals the various grocery stores around town are offering. If you have specific diet fads or dietary requirements, call the grocery store ahead and ask them if they have the necessary ingredients in their store beforehand in case it has to be shipped internationally from India or another country.

Don't Be Afraid To Ditch Items Last Minute

Supermarkets have started making checkout lanes more narrow to discourage the over 60 percent of shoppers who change their minds about an item while waiting in line.

Focus

According to Troy Johnson of Food Network, the grocery stores lays out the bakery near the entrance so that the smell of baked goods stimulates your taste buds, making you buy groceries from the enchanting smells of the cinnamon rolls.
“The grocer stimulates your appetite with one the world’s most primal intoxicants: the smell of baked bread. It urges you to shop with your stomach, not your budget-conscious brain.”
Remember to keep focused on your grocery shopping list and never enter a grocery store with an empty stomach as it will automatically and invariably compel you to buy groceries you do not necessarily need.

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