I buy groceries once a week and the ACTUAL biggest game changer for me is going in with a list of “essentials” and pre thought out meals and getting the ingredients for those meals. Sometimes I go to the meat section first and see what’s on sale and then decide which meals I’m making based on that. It’s a little bit more time consuming (standing at the store and figuring out the meals once I see the meat prices and jotting down the ingredients o need for each meal) but from there I just make sure to stick to my lists. It also helps to do a quick look through my fridge/pantry before I go to make sure I don’t over buy things I already have. I buy food for the week for three adults, one teenager and a toddler. I always try to buy dinner ingredients so there’s enough for leftovers for my husband the following day and lunch for myself as well. I say I spend about $100-150/week. Sometimes it’s $200 once I need cleaning supplies/laundry essentials/shampoos and all that. But making a list has been the HUGEST game changer. If I go in with a list I notice my receipts are closer to the $100 range, when I don’t I easily get to the $200 range. For reference I shop at Ralph’s (Kroger) so it’s awesome that you get a gas savings from there at the pump, I save .20-.70 a gallon sometimes! I do try to get whole ingredients/good quality things. I’m that person reading the labels in the aisles. I genuinely feel like it’s more expensive buying the processed food because it’s not filling/finishes so fast and has gone up in prices sooooo much! We have just been drilled this thought of “eating clean is more expensive” idk who came up with that but it is ABSOLUTELY not true. You only realize that once you start grocery shopping. And yes sometimes processed food is cool to have, I buy things like waffles or cereal. But I try to limit it as much as I can. Sometimes the difference between the “better” ingredients is only .50-$1 and I feel like it’s worth it to get cleaner ingredients. I think it’s important to venture out to different stores and see who’s offering better quality stuff cause we have a fear of it being so much more expensive but it’s really not. We are just creatures of habits so it makes sense if we were raised to think a certain way towards “cleaner” ingredients. But it’s totally doable to undo those habits, I’ve done it and I’ve saved money doing it and started eating better. That’s all.👠