S aving time is saving money! Supermarkets try to get you to shop longer. The longer you shop the more you buy. But time you save shopping is time you can spend making yummy meals at home. Have you ever wondered how you can get your shopping done faster? What about staying within a budget? Below are some tips that will help you save time and money!

When is the best time to go shopping?

• Shop after you have eaten or when you are not hungry. Being hungry can lead to poor choices, buying extra food, and spending more.
• Try to shop at off-peak hours when the store is less busy. Weekday mornings or late at night will help you avoid crowds.
• Find out when fresh produce is delivered. There could be a day of the week with a better selection of fruits and vegetables.
• Shop when you can get home in time to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.
• Shop when you are well-rested and can make the best decisions.

• Make the most of holiday week sales.

What are some tips for shopping with kids?
Shopping with kids can take more time. Practice patience, make it fun, and share the rewards of spending time together. The following tips can help!

• Feed your kids first and make sure they are not too tired to come with you.
• Talk to your kids on the way to the store and make a game plan.
• Explain to your kids that you will be using a shopping list. If you are able, allow them to choose one item to pick out at the store. Set expectations before shopping and be firm.
• At the store, keep kids safe and in sight.
• Give the kids tasks or make it a game. Have activities for them to do. Smaller children can try these:
  -- Scavenger Hunt
  -- Treasure Hunt
  -- I Spy

• Older kids can help you calculate unit price and practice supermarket math, or use your state’s WIC shopper app.
• Encourage kids to pick fruits and vegetables, weigh them, look at colors, taste, smell, and feel them. 
• Ask your kids for help! They will feel important and needed. This is a great teaching opportunity. There is so much to learn at the store.

Shop aisle-by aisle

• Become familiar with your local grocery store. 

• Make an aisle-by-aisle shopping list. Group foods on your shopping list by aisle. 

• Start by shopping the outside walls of the store, where you will find the fresh foods. Produce, meat, fish, and dairy are less processed and need to be cooled to keep fresh.

• Next, head into the center aisles, avoiding the rows with the chips, sodas, candies, and other items high in fat, salt, and sugar. 

• Last, grab your frozen foods.

• Some stores have shopping apps that help guide you!

Where is the freshest food?

• Grab from the back. Stores typically stock shelves from back to front. They place the newest items behind the older ones. Grab produce, dairy, and meat from the back for the freshest items.
• Look at date labels. Check out our Understanding Food Labels; Sell by, use by, best by and more tips to help make good choices.

Ways they get you to spend more!

• Music - It is usually slow to keep you at the store. Bring your own upbeat music, and wear headphones. 
• Look high and low - Expensive foods may be placed at eye level. Look up and down for the best buy.
• Check out aisle endcaps - Sometimes these displays are priced at a discount, and sometimes they are not. Look at and compare unit prices to the same foods found in the aisle. Check out our unit prices resource for more information.