Money Saving Tips: How To Cut Your Family Grocery Bills

If the last few years have taught us anything it’s that we all could use some money-saving tips! Bringing up families in Hong Kong doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think.

As parents, we are always looking for ways to feed our family with quality nutritious food. Unfortunately, supermarkets in Hong Kong can be very pricey, making it hard to stay within budget. However it is possible to save money on your groceries in the city, you just need to do a little extra planning. Here are some simple money-saving tips to help you become a more frugal foodie when feeding your family.

Read More: Online Grocery Stores In Hong Kong: Sites And Stores That Deliver

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#1 Money Saving Tip : Be a Frugal Detective

Knowing your prices is the crucial starting point on your way to becoming a frugal foodie. Make a note of the price tag on staple items at your usual supermarket. Then you can easily compare when you head out in search of the best deal. These are three go-to stops on my grocery run.

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Local Wet Markets

Get to know the stall keepers and find out what’s in season and when they reduce the price of fruit and veg (at the end of the day or just before their next delivery). At my favourite stall, there is a $5 bargain bowl where I regularly find gorgeous mangoes, figs and other normally pricier goodies. Use these to inspire your weekly meals or freeze for later use.

Read More: Health Food And Organic Vegetables In Hong Kong

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Discount Stores

Don’t pass by the “pile ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap” stores such as DS Groceries and PrizeMart. They are a great source of cheaper canned goods, pasta, rice, sauces, Korean and Japanese ingredients. You can pick up a can of chickpeas for $7 here, rather than $20 at more well-known supermarkets.

Read More: Kid’s Pocket Money: When To Start, How To Do It And Pocket Money Apps

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Independent Ethnic Grocery Stores (Indian, Thai, Chinese or even Nepalese!)

Check out local independent stores for harder-to-find cooking ingredients, spices, sauces and canned goods, as well as smaller, cheaper quantities of rice and dried pulses.

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Smaller Supermarkets

Head to Vanguard and USelect for cheaper cheese (feta cheese is around $37 here versus $60+ at the bigger stores), butter, canned and frozen foods, great veggie deals and some organic foods.

Read More: Ethnic Grocery Stores: Indian, Thai, Japanese And Korean Supermarkets

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#2 Money Saving Tip: Make Your Food Efforts Go Further

Fresh food sometimes has to travel a long way to get to us here in Hong Kong, and then, unfortunately, doesn’t last once it’s here. Now that you’ve saved money at the checkout, make sure that your efforts don’t go to waste.

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Batch Cook Meals

This is a great way to save on time, money and effort. Cook extra large stews, soups, pasta sauces, casseroles and curries, and then freeze or refrigerate for a quick family-ready meal. I also like to roast or steam lots of vegetables on a Sunday to see us through lunches for the week or a midweek dinner.

Read More: Handy One-Pot Dinner Recipes From One Wholesome Meal

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The Freezer Is Your Friend

Not only can you have your batch meals ready to go, but you can also freeze ripe fruit for a quick morning smoothie or cake filling. Peeled bananas and mangoes, as well as chopped kale and spinach, can easily be frozen and stored.

Fresh herbs also freeze well. Just chop, mix with a little olive oil (use a volume that is about a sixth of the volume of the herbs – e.g. 100g herbs and 16g oil), pour into ice cube trays, freeze, then pop into labelled zip lock bags.

Read More: Butchers In Hong Kong: Where To Get Meat And Seafood

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Waste Not Want Not

Make your fresh food go even further by keeping the tops and tails of carrots, onions, turnips, cauliflower and broccoli stalks, which can all be used for stock.

Similarly, when you buy chicken, try to find better quality whole chicken rather than packaged parts and learn how to butcher yourself. This is great as you’ll generally get more, better quality meat and a higher number of meals for your money from one whole bird. You can use the bone-in meat for stews and curries, or roast the whole chicken on a Sunday for meals throughout the week. When you’re done use the chicken carcass for stocks too.

Read More: Best Zero-Waste Stores In Hong Kong: Sustainable Choices For Hong Kong Families

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#3 Money Saving Tip: Bang For Your Buck Foods

Being savvy with your dollar doesn’t mean you lose out on nutritious foods. Knowing which foods give you the most bang for your buck is key to being a frugal foodie. Here are five great value foods that will keep both your wallet happy and your family healthy!

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Dried or canned pulses

Pulses are a great, low-fat source of protein, fibre, iron and other vitamins (one cup of cooked lentils provides over a third of our daily iron intake need). This is why they make a good alternative to meat. Be aware that canned pulses tend to have higher levels of sodium than dried pulses, but are a handy cupboard staple for a quick meal. If you want to better control sodium levels, follow our principles and batch cook, then freeze recipes with dried pulses.

Meal Ideas:

• Chickpeas – hummus, curries, salads.
• Kidney beans – blend with cumin to make a tasty dip, add to stews and curries.
• Lentils – replace or halve the meat content for lasagna, curries or a stew.

Read More: Lovely Lentil Recipes From One Wholesome Meal

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Eggs

Eggs are an inexpensive source of complete protein and packed with a whole host of vitamins. They are also extremely versatile and make an excellent kitchen staple to quickly whip up a meal.

Meal Ideas:

• Omelettes with your favourite fillings.
• Boiled eggs for easy lunch box snacks.
• Use up leftover veggies and make a frittata for dinner.

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Tinned tomatoes

Tomatoes are loaded with antioxidant vitamins, anti-cancer molecules and a significant source of vitamin K to build strong bones.

Meal Ideas:

• Blend with herbs and onions to make a basic pasta sauce or add to curries or stews for an extra zingy health kick.

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Nut butters

Nut butters are a great source of protein, fibre, good fats and nutrients to boost heart health (like vitamin E and magnesium). Just be sure to check the ingredients label to avoid hydrogenated oils (e.g. palm oil, soybean oil) and sugar (sometimes listed as maltodextrin). A good nut butter should really contain just the nuts and a little salt.

Meal Ideas:

• Use as a dip, create Asian sauces for noodles, salad dressings or simply spread it on toasted bread.

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Vegetables

Veggies are a crucial baseline for your family’s healthy diet. The key to being frugal here is to keep your eye on what is in season and on sale.

Aim to eat a rainbow throughout the week. Cover these vegetable groups and ensure your family is getting all the essential nutrients, fibre, folate and vitamins A, E and C:

• Green (spinach, kale, gai-lan, sweet potato leaves)
• Cruciferous (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, cabbage)
• Orange and red (carrots, tomatoes, peppers)
• Peas and pods (green beans, peas, mange tout)
• Smelly (onions, garlic, spring onions) 

Always remember that frozen vegetables can sometimes be a cheaper and healthier option than buying them fresh. Often produce is snap frozen to store essential nutrients. Leafy greens like spinach are usually much better value frozen than bags of fresh leaves (that come in less than half the volume).

Read More: Family Health: Where To Buy Vitamins And Supplements In Hong Kong

Editor’s Note: This article was originally written in April, 2019 by Melissa Au and updated in July 2022 by Jess Mizzi.