The latest thing to hit the snack food isle is Oscar Meyer’s P3 protein snacks. They are two ounces of protein in a handy portable package. They contain a few cubes of lunch meat, a few almonds and a few cubes of cheese.
On the Safeway website, they run $2.29 per package. That’s more than $18 a pound. You can buy some really nice fish or a fancy steak for that price. What if you cut up your own meat and cheese and bought your almonds in bulk? Here’s what it will cost you.
| Cost/Pound | Cost/P3 Serving | |
| Turkey (pre-cooked) | $10.00 | $0.42 |
| Colby Jack Cheese | $11.00 | $0.46 |
| Almonds (bulk) | $3.76 | $0.16 |
| Total | $8.25 | $1.04 |
So, you can essentially have the same thing in your own reusable package for less than half the cost. Convenience foods are expensive. This may not seem like a big deal, and it’s not if you grab one on the go once in a while. But if food like this is a staple on you’re grocery list, it’s an easy place to look for savings.
Here are a few other items where you can find big savings if you do your own slicing and packaging.
| Pre-packaged | Unpackaged | ||
| Bottled ice tea 6 pack | $9.89 | Home brewed ice tea Same volume | $1.00 |
| Steel cut oatmeal 24 oz package | $3.00 | Bulk steel cut oats 24 oz | $0.60 |
| GoGo squeeZ applesauce 12 pack | $8.79 | Applesauce Same volume | $3.84 |
| McCormick Ground Cinnamon 2.4 oz | $2.37 | Bulk cinnamon 2.4 oz | $0.58 |
| Sliced apples Five 2 oz multi-packs | $4.49 | Apples 10 oz | $2.18 |
There are savings from 50 to 90 percent here. Next time you are at the grocery store, see what’s on your list that also comes with less packaging. You’ll find your savings add up quickly.
On the road to meeting your financial goals, it helps if you have a few short cuts. Finding a way to cut expenses without giving up anything is one of those. By doing your own portion sizing and packaging you can save big on your grocery bill. And that is one step closer to everything you want to achieve with your money.
Photo by Thanos Pal on Unsplash
Save Yourself; Your Guide to Saving for Retirement and Building Financial Security, is available on Amazon.
Julie Grandstaff 