How to Navigate a Grocery Store to Save Money and Time
June 24, 2025 - Tyler Becker, Michigan State University Extension
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EmailDo you remember the last time you went food shopping? Was it difficult to find what you were looking for? Perhaps you were looking for a specific food item and ended up buying groceries you were not planning on or that were outside of your food budget. A large portion of purchases in a store are unplanned. Not only does this lead to spending more money, but the habit can also contribute to purchased food getting wasted. Grocery stores are designed to encourage us to buy food, remember, they are businesses after all.
There are several best practices to save time and money at the grocery store. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your next trip:
Plan ahead
Prepare a list and only purchase what is on it. Begin creating your list before you leave your home, taking into consideration what foods are absolutely needed, while also identifying foods that you may need to bake or create for special purposes. Additionally, take inventory of what you already have to avoid double-buying. Relatedly, never shop while hungry. If you are hungry when you shop, you are more likely to have impulse purchases of foods that are high in calories and not nutrient-dense.
Shop the perimeter
The borders of a store usually contain more whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, that are often more nutrient-dense than some of the calorie-dense and processed foods offered in the aisles. This is not always the case as plenty of processed foods are nutrient-dense, and sometimes more calorie-dense foods are displayed on the perimeter to make them more visible too, such as during holiday seasons.
Compare prices wisely
Pay attention to the cost per unit. When we focus on the cost of the product itself, we often overlook the cost per unit, which tells us if we are getting the most for each dollar. In most grocery stores this is often found on shelf labels below the product, sometimes near the actual price. This is a great way to compare brands and sizes of the same product to see which one is the best value.
Consider generic products
Buying generic products is often a cost-efficient method to save money while purchasing food and other items. Generic foods must abide by similar regulations and requirements as name brand products. Additionally, the tastes between products are often similar. The next time you are grocery shopping, consider trying out a generic version of a food item you typically purchase.
An alternate option for navigating the grocery store
A newer solution to reduce food costs and save time is using grocery pickup which several grocery store chains now offer, often for little to no charge. Some of these pickup programs also accept SNAP benefits as well, making this option an easy choice. This can help reduce the purchase of unplanned food items and save you time as you do not need to enter the store and shop around. Additionally, grocery delivery services are now being offered by some stores and third-party services, with the latter often the more expensive option. Whether the extra cost of delivery (if there is one) is worth it, depends on how likely your are to purchase unplanned groceries at the store.
Following these tips is a great way to ease the burden of grocery shopping while saving money in the process. For more information on budgeting and healthy eating, please visit MSU Extension or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678- 3464).
