Just about everyone is looking to save money on their monthly grocery bill, which is why it's important to avoid common money-wasting traps at the supermarket.
Kayla Pasquale, a registered dietitian who loves finding great deals, said she sees people waste money at the grocery store simply by opting for convenience.
Expensive pre-cut vegetables
"Trying to avoid some of the precut, prepackaged fruits and vegetables can definitely help savings," she said.
Pasquale said whole lettuce, broccoli, and carrots offer huge savings compared to precut, ready-to-eat versions.
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Or she said to opt for larger bags of produce you'll use over time, such as a bag of Idaho potatoes for less than $5.
"Potatoes are such a value in a bag," she said.
Markups on prepackaged produce items are "almost double with some of the salad bags and cut fruit," she said.
Watch as our experts show some of the biggest money wasters in the supermarket:
Sneaky small snacks
Store packaged snacks can be convenient but are also marked up in price. Pasquale suggests you skip the small, prepackaged versions of nuts and trail mix, for example, and make your own.
"Buy in bulk and make your own versions," she said.
The same applies to single-serve yogurt cups, or individually-wrapped protein bars, according to Danny Jensen, managing editor of the site Cheapism.
Instead of buying individually wrapped crackers or cookies, for example, buy the whole-box counterpart and separate them yourself.
“Whether it's in little snack bags or containers," Jensen suggests. "Feels like, ‘Oh, it's another step.’ But, you know, I think if you do it, maybe designate a day or time.”
Say no to non-food items
Jensen also suggests crossing some non-food items off your grocery list such as paper plates or diapers, which are often cheaper per unit at warehouse stores or in bulk online.
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"Over-the-counter medications, batteries, toilet paper or paper towels," he said. "They just tend to be a little bit more at the grocery store."
Here are five other wastes of money to avoid at the grocery store, according to Cheapism:
- Frozen fruit
- Bottled water
- Packaged dips
- Precut cheese
- Bulk items you'll never use
Pricey name brands
For the ninth and final tip, Jensen also encourages shoppers to buy generic brands over brand-name products.
"Some places, it's actually produced by the same company," he said, "it's just packaged with the store brand label."
Jensen especially recommends store brands for categories like spices, frozen foods, and cereals.
"Things that are not going to fluctuate in the flavor too much," he said.
In these inflationary times, Pasquale said a little effort could cut some grocery costs in half.
"Definitely, if we can, buy larger items or items that are not wrapped in plastic," she said.
And that way you don't waste your money.
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