During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many people were caught unaware of just how unstable their food stores were. Once word got out that government officials might ask people to stay in their homes to help combat the spread of this very contagious virus, people started hoarding toilet paper, groceries, hand sanitizer and other items. Those who could not afford to go shopping right away ended up not being able to find certain items. Even weeks later, toilet paper was hard to find. Instead of getting caught with little or no products and food, build up your stores over time.
Shop Smart Tips
Even those with very little money can stock up on the necessities over time. The point is to have a little extra of everything in your home – preferably up to six months' worth of food for each person in the house. Part of the trick is to have a variety. You don't want six months' worth of any one food. You want enough food to create meals for six months. It is very easy to do this when you take steps every month or every week to increase your kitchen wealth.
- Take stock of what you have now. Write everything down, including what is in the freezer and the refrigerator and the paper products and cleaners you use.
- If you use a meal planner, plan out meals for six months. Write down what you would need if you had to buy everything today. If you don't use a meal planner, you can also do this step by thinking about what meals you frequently make and how much food you need to create those meals for six months. For example, if you eat an average of one pack of hot dogs per month and you have one, you will need five or six more.
- Start looking for coupons and sales. If at all possible, avoid buying extra food if it is not on sale.
- When you do your weekly grocery shopping, pick up the items you normally would, then pick up one or two extra of whatever is on sale. If you can afford more, then pick up more. For example, if the store has the store brand soup on sale for $0.59 a can, and the regular price is $1.00 per can, even those on a tight budget can afford two cans instead of one. If you normally buy two cans per week, buy four at the sale price.
- When you use something you bought, add it to next week's grocery list. Using the soup as an example, just because you have four cans and only use two doesn't mean you should skip buying the two cans you normally buy the next week. At this rate, you'll always have two extra cans. When soup goes on sale again, do the same thing, and you'll always have four cans.
Apply the same tactics with paper goods and cleaning supplies. Many stores have apps that give you digital coupons. Download the apps to your smartphone and browse the coupons. Download them onto your phone (into your account). The next time you check out at that store with an item that has a coupon, it will subtract the coupon amount as long as you scan your card or enter your phone number when you check out.
Invest in a Freezer
Buy a freezer. If your home doesn't have a lot of space, you can put it in a garage or even on a covered porch, as long as it's protected from the rain. If you are one person, you just need a small 5 cubic-foot freezer. However, if you can swing it, get the biggest one you can afford and fit into your house.
Once you have a freezer, you will be able to buy frozen goods when they go on sale. For example, if you normally buy chicken at $3.49 per pound for breasts and you find them on sale for $3.29 per pound, buy an extra pound or two and put it in the freezer. Many stores also put pork on sale. For example, you might find Boston butt on sale for $1.09 per pound when it is normally $1.79 per pound. Buy an extra roast and put it in the freezer. If you stay away from roasts because they are too big, you can buy one and cut it into the size you need for a meal. Wrap the meat in plastic wrap and freezer paper, or use zippered freezer bags to prevent freezer burn.
When You Have a Small Kitchen
If you don't have a large pantry or kitchen to store extra food, you can store it in sealed plastic tubs in a closet or even in an outdoor storage building, basement or garage. Be sure the tubs you use have lids that snap closed so it's harder for animals that might get inside to get into your food.
If you have an extra closet in the hall that you don't really use, have a friend or relative help you install shelves to convert it into a pantry. You can even use a bedroom closet if you have a bedroom that you use for a guest room – store tubs with your food on one side of the closet, leaving the other side for your guests to use.
Prevent Waste
Always remember to rotate the food. Use what you bought first – look at the dates on the packages – so that you don't have to throw away food that goes stale. When you put food into the freezer, be sure to always re-wrap it – don't use the Styrofoam containers that meat comes in – and date it. The store packaging is not enough to protect your food against freezer burn.
Start Shopping!
Start checking for deals now. Remember, buy extra as you can afford it by looking for sales. You can also set aside some extra money each week to buy extra food. If you set aside $10 and you find a good sale, you can still get quite a lot of food for that $10, especially when stores have a 10 for $10 or a 5 for $10 deal.