The cost of food and just about everything is breaking records. The truth is people tend to waste a lot of food, myself included. One day I decided to do something about that. I had way too much food. Mad food in fact. I had food that was stocked or way to much fresh foods that would spoil or eventually go out of date. I now only have a small stock of unperishable in case of an emergency of sorts; sick, weather. I only go grocery shopping every two to three weeks, ensuring that I use everything that I have before it will parish first.
I'm a farmers market type girl, so I only buy fresh food/produce/meat, honey, eggs from our locals. My freezer now has very little food stored in there, same with my pantry. I keep my food budget the same no matter what, shopping the sales helps. I whip up new or different healthy dishes that I can eat for more than on day, if need be. Of course, there are times where I spend more or less depending on the occasion or holiday, etc..
The money I save is the money I use to help others. I donate to food banks and to other causes instead of throwing out food that I'll never use. I no longer go shopping while hungry, that's a game changer, lol. These changes didn't happen over night, it's definitely a learning process. Especially, and because we humans are creatures of habit.
Too add, I feel this way on just about everything now. I think most people live beyond their means, and are wasteful with just about everything, with food being the number one. Bottom line food management really works, (especially in times like these).