food for thought

being a minimalist i evaluate my spending habits often. by far one of my biggest expenses and passions is food. i make things myself and also eat out. when it comes to food i like variation. when considering ways to cut down on this expense i could not figure out the proper way to minimize cost but increase the quality of my food experience.

the other day when speaking to a colleague it hit me. my colleague told me that they followed the sales each week.

variation

by following the sales your sense of wonder increases. having a sense of wonder is one of my favorite things about eating and cooking. if i went to the grocery store i would normally make dinners based on what i usually eat; steak, yams, potatoes, etc…. i would get the typical southern style food, which i love, but i like excitement in meals. why would i pigeon hole myself? well grocery shopping is a cognitive experience. with large numbers of options it’s difficult to make a decision, therefore mentally i go with the simplest categorization; past instances. even though i am willing to try new things when shopping without planning i have sensory overload, therefore logically scramble to organize my thoughts in a way that makes shopping easier.

if i follow the sales each week this gives me the opportunity to experience foods i would not otherwise experience. through eating it will open up my palate and my creativity through cooking. it is a win win scenario lower costs with a sense of adventure in the world of food.

savings

following the deals you receive in the mail is an easy way to grocery shop. before i could not stand receiving something on paper that i never used, but now i look forward to it. finding sales provided by restaurants may be difficult, but possible. good sources include local newspapers, or their websites. the local paper where i live is always recommending places to eat while providing financial incentives for going. browsing the web for deals near your location is the other option.

i found some more helpful ways to save in a post over at zen habits called 50 tips for grocery shopping. i found some of it useful, so check it out if you like me, spend more money on food than you care to spend.