Perimeter shopping is a great way to save on your groceries. In fact, at least two thirds of your purchases should be made there. Why? Because perimeter shopping usually means healthy food at great prices.
When you enter the grocery store, how do you shop? Do you follow your lists, zig zagging through the aisles? Do you start at one end and go back and forth through each aisle? The next time you shop for groceries, start at one end and go all around the perimeter, that is all around the outside of the store, close to the outer walls. This is where you will pick up the savings. It is perimeter shopping.
Around the perimeter of your store, you will find several things that will lower your grocery bill. You will find the basic staples, such as milk, bread and meat. You’ll also find fresh produce that is loose or bundled. These items are generally lower in cost compared to highly processed food. If most of your diet consists of more whole foods, not only will you save, but you will also be eating a much healthier diet than the average family does.
The perimeter also features end cap displays. These displays usually show off items that are on sale, another way to save. Some stores, most notably Target, place their clearance grocery items on the end caps in the back of the store. Other stores have a special clearance section, and again it is usually tucked away somewhere in the back or the perimeter of the store. That clearance section can be a boon of items for your stockpile or freezer. Often these are the same products you would see on the shelves but maybe with some dented or damaged packaging, or a discontinued flavor of a product.