15 Overpriced Groceries You Should Stop Buying Now
If inflation isn’t enough reason to examine the items you buy at the grocery store, the exorbitant prices that some items carry should be. It’s so easy to get into the habit of grabbing something off the shelf because it’s easy and already prepped for you.
However, reading both product and pricing labels will help you understand whether or not the cost is worth what you’ll be spending on certain items. Sometimes, the prepackaged, preservative-filled grocery staples we pay out for aren’t worth the rising cost.
So, if you’re wondering what items might not be worth the price you’re paying for them when you shop at your favorite grocer, we’ve curated a list of some of the most overpriced items people pay for but shouldn’t.
1. Pre-Washed Anything
Generally speaking, any time you have to do work on a food product, it will be less expensive. This principle is why making homemade pasta is usually cheaper than buying it from the store. However, the sheer time involved can be worth the price you’d pay.
On that note, don’t pay extra for pre-washed fruits and vegetables. Taking your produce home, running it under clean water, or purchasing a vegetable wash is easy. Cleaning off the pesticides and other travel-related debris is important, but do this simple task and save some money.
2. Name Brand Products
Okay, I totally understand if you absolutely have to pick up Oreos instead of cream-filled cookies. I’m a stickler for Cheetos brand snacks and don’t like to purchase the off-brand version. That being said, you’ll usually pay out simply because you’re buying name-brand items.
Are they always better? No. Sometimes, they are exceptional over their off-brand counterparts. However, you can often make the off-brand work well and don’t need to pay extra just for the name that comes on the package.
3. Ready-To-Eat Meals
As a busy working mom of seven, I can wholeheartedly understand how lovely it is to pick up food that just pops in the microwave, and dinner’s served. However, ready-to-eat meals are full of unhealthy food preservatives, sodium, and unnecessary sugar. Not to mention that you’re also paying more for the convenient packaging.
One way to ensure you’re getting healthier food is to stick to the outside sections of your grocery store. Fresh bread, milk, cheese, butter, eggs, meat, and produce are all (usually) located on the outer rim. As you move into the middle of the store, you run into your ultra-processed food with little nutritional value.
4. Gourmet Coffee
Okay, I wanted to set a torch to this one as I am a coffee nut. I haven’t met a coffee I couldn’t work with, and I have several on my “absolutely love” list. However, picking gourmet coffee up at your local grocer can be a trap for overpaying.
If you have a brand you truly can’t live without, try ordering online from their website first. Most of the time, you can get a discount code to use. The Honey browser extension is also a great way to find online coupon options. Still, if you’re out of your favorite roast and will have to wait a bit for your reorder, there’s no judgment here for snapping up a bag while you’re shopping.
5. Out of Season Produce
If you love fresh berries in your yogurt, oatmeal, or morning smoothie, opt for the frozen variety when berries and other produce are out of season. Paying such a high markup for fruits and vegetables out of season isn’t worth it. Also, in my experience, they don’t taste as fresh, because they have to travel from further away.
The two exceptions I have to this rule are bananas and bell peppers. I don’t think either freezes well, so they should be purchased fresh if possible.
6. Prepared Salads and Sides
I love a fresh, crisp salad. The more it’s stuffed with leafy green goodness, the better, and pile on those veggies! However, I also don’t mind making my own at home. I can add the portions of leafy greens, veggies, cheese, protein, and dressing I prefer. I can also scale it back to a side salad if I’m eating something else for my main dish.
If you’re out and need something healthy, a prepared salad is a great option. Overall, these premade meals will cost you far more over time than if you’d just prepped them for the week and stored them in the fridge. Shout out to all my meal preppers out there!
7. Individual Produce
Okay, so here’s the skinny on those individual potatoes and fruit: put them back on the shelf. They are not worth the money you’re going to pay. Instead, purchase some plastic wrap or aluminum foil, a five-pound bag of potatoes or apples, and take them home. Give your produce a good wash (but NEVER wash your potatoes before storing them!) under some clean water, dry them well, and then wrap them up if that’s how you prefer to have them.
Not only will they be ready and waiting just how you like them, but you’ll also have a surplus and won’t have to worry about running out to the store for that one pre-wrapped potato or piece of fruit.
8. Baby Food
We all know hindsight is 20-20 and real clear. However, baby food is not nearly worth the price you’ll pay at the store. Those little jars are also loaded with chemicals to preserve them. Making fresh, chemical-free baby food is as easy as purchasing an emulsion blender.
Simply cook your baby food (if necessary) and then smash it with an emulsion blender for stage one foods. Stage two can quickly be done with a fork or potato masher (if you’re making bulk food to freeze), and stage three is as easy as cutting those fruits and vegetables into small cubes for tiny hands to pick up.
9. Single-Serve Yogurts
Oh, these little packs are so convenient, and the yogurt companies know it! If you prefer a specific flavor, you can buy a two-pound bulk yogurt option, purchase some reusable yogurt-sized cups with lids, and divvy your yogurt out into single-serve containers when you get home.
Not only is this method economical, but it’ll also save you time in the long run. Less runs into town for yogurt meansless time and gas for your vehicle. Add this step to any meal prepping you might do over the weekend for a busy week ahead.
10. Cereal
Because I’m a mom, some of my weekday mornings run on cereal. However, these boxes with half the three-quarters of a bag of cereal will suck you dry of your grocery budget. They also don’t keep you satisfied as long as protein options.
If you have to have cereal to live, try cutting back your portion and adding some eggs or yogurt to your morning meal. I like to make a parfait out of my favorite yogurt and cereal. Layer it up and enjoy a more nutritious meal that’ll satisfy you much longer.
11. Baked Goods
Convenience can kill your grocery budget. I love a great donut or handy pie that fits in my hand. However, these items are expensive because they are easy to pick up and take home. You’ll save a bundle if you learn to bake several cakes, pies, or other dessert options and store the extras. You can make several pie crusts ahead of time and freeze them with proper care.
You can also prepare filling in bulk and make it shelf-stable until you can put a pie together and pop it in the oven. When properly stored, biscuits and other pastries can also be kept for several days.
12. Prepared Drinks
I know how easy it is to run into the store, snatch your favorite smoothie blend off the shelf, and get on with your day. I also know how unhealthy most of those premade drink options actually are.
One of the awesome things about lots of premade drinks is that you can make the same drink in a healthier fashion at home and then just freeze several small freezer bags full of them. Not only will you always have your favorite drink on hand in a few minutes, but you’ll save huge over trying to buy your favorite smoothie blend from your local grocery store every day.
13. Anything Individually Wrapped
So, I’m a sucker for a Snickers bar. I love the caramel and nougat center and the smooth milk chocolate coating. However, at up to $2.39 a piece, buying one single-serve bar is not worth the expense.
If you love a product that you can buy individually wrapped, consider buying them in bulk. Purchasing many of them at one time can help you save money. One great example is Jack Links beef jerky sticks. Individually, they run about $1.79 each on Amazon. In bulk, you can purchase them from $14.99 to $28 depending on where you shop, and you’ll walk away with 20 sticks for considerably less than if you bought 20 sticks individually.
14. Trail Mix
This is a hit-or-miss for me. If you have lots of little ones running around, making your own bulk trail mix can absolutely be worth buying individual nuts, seeds, dried berries, chocolate chips, etc.
However, if you only eat trail mix once in a blue moon when you’re just grabbing something quick, it might not be worth taking the time to divvy out individual or even bulk servings. For me, this one’s a toss-up based on your love of trail mix and how often you’re eating it.
15. Deli Meat
I may get slammed for this, but my family can plow through some deli meat. Turkey, chicken, and ham are our go-to selections, and we splurge once a month on about six pounds of meat.
We also go into that purchase knowing full well that deli meat is expensive. For us, the price of that one-time trip is worth it. If you love deli meat but hate the price, you may be able to find a wholesale meat supplier who could cut you some of your favorite options for a much cheaper rate than your local grocer.
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