Passover is only a couple of weeks away, which means you may already be behind on shopping for the 8 day celebration. Don’t start stressing out though as there’s still plenty of time to get the savings you deserve for your holiday! Although many holiday items tend to skyrocket in price around this time of the year, there’s still a few ways you can ensure your meal won’t cost you a pretty penny. With a little shopping know how and discipline your Passover table will be filled with delicious items that will make the whole family enjoy the holiday even more! Better yet, each item on the table won’t force your family to go on a low cost diet for the rest of the month!
1. Shop Around
We all have our favorite market places, but when it comes to the holiday season you may want to break away from your routine and branch out to find the best prices. If you can, try to visit a few different stores and price items before you sit down and make a list of what you plan on preparing for your holiday. Of course, not everyone has time to do this and going from location to location may actually end up costing you too much in gas. So, if you have friends that also plan on celebrating then you can easily break the shopping up into sections. Each of you can take on a few stores in your area to see what store has the best prices. You can even break up the shopping to ensure that everyone gets what they need at the best possible prices. Of course, you can also take to apps to help find the same information. There are even apps that cater to kosher markets, so you can get everything done in mere minutes!
2. Bulk Shopping
When it comes to grocery shopping it’s no surprise that shopping in bulk can save you a whole lot of money. This is especially true when it comes to buying items like meat and flower. There’s no doubt that some of the items you’re going to need for your Passover meals will be better off bought in bulk, so take to your favorite wholesale store to get the best deal possible. If you’re not sure about spending extra on bulk prices then see if a few friends want to go in on the purchases too. You can split the cost between the group so that each of you actually save some money on the items you need to cook. These savings can go pretty far, especially when it comes to saving on the more expensive items on your list. With any luck, some of the items will actually carry over past the holidays so you’ll have less groceries to worry about when things go back to your normal routine.
3. Coupons
Shopping is always better when paired with coupons. Nothing says fun at the grocery store quite like saving a whole lot of money on items your household needs. Before you go shopping try to look in sales ads from your local stores as well as ads you may find on your favorite stores’ social media pages or websites. This should arm you with quite a few coupons to work with, especially when it comes to basic baking supplies and meat. Of course, if you’re looking for a lot of traditional Jewish and kosher foods then you may have to put a bit more work into it. Some manufacturers do offer coupons for their products but they’re not readily available to the general public. Simply look online to see if there’s any contact information you can find that will allow you to ask if there are any coupons available to you. Most companies will be happy to ship some coupons your way and, just for your efforts, you may begin receiving coupons from them regularly which means more savings for you!
4. From Scratch
It’s really tempting just to toss pre-made items into the basket in the grocery store. This is especially true when you know you’re going to be cooking for the holiday for the next eight or so days! Although the convenience of the pre-made or boxed foods sounds nice, you’ll save quite a bit of money by stepping away from these items entirely! Generally, when you add up the costs of ingredients you actually do save a lot of money when you make things from scratch. This is especially true when it comes to items you need to make in big batches. Although it may mean you’re going to spend more time working in the kitchen the savings will make you feel a whole lot better about the holiday. Not to mention, most of these pre-made foods are actually filled with additives that aren’t good for your family. These unnecessary ingredients don’t taste as good as naturally made food does either. So, you’ll be doing everyone a huge favor by skipping out on convenience and doing all of your cooking the old fashioned way!
5. Choose Menu Wisely
Just because it’s a holiday, doesn’t mean you have to go all out and purchase incredibly extravagant items. This can be very pricey and may leave you in a bind when the holiday is over. Luckily, with a little bit of editing to the menu you should be able to cut down some of the higher priced items and replace them with items that won’t cost you much at all. For instance, one of the easiest things to give up on is some of the higher priced salad dressings that are commonly used during the meals. You can quickly make up some of your own using basic ingredients. If you’re still looking for something similar to your pricier dressings then look online for copycat recipes as there will definitely be something online that can save you money. Cereals and meat dishes are another item to reconsider as the price tag per person will add up really fast. Instead, try using cheaper items such as eggs. You can do a lot of different things with them so they’ll suit your family for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You should also stick to produce that is in season. This will still provide you with delicious and fresh meals at a price that won’t make you cringe.
6. Learn Frugal Recipes
Planning a menu isn’t the only way to save money on your Passover meals. Knowing recipes that are delicious and frugal are a big part of the savings process. Although many Passover meals may seem expensive, you can easily find copycat recipes online that will help you cut out the high priced aspects of the meal. This may mean changing the flavor up a little bit but it’ll be worth it when your grocery bill doesn’t give you the cold sweats at night. There are also some recipes you can find online that are already incredibly frugal. These usually only take a few basic ingredients and if you spend some time practicing them they could be on their way to becoming a family favorite! Some of these recipes may even take you back to the roots of the holiday which will make your meal seem even more incredible!
7. Forget Your Usual Shopping List
Passover is going to span for eight full days, which means there’s no reason for you to shop for basic groceries during this period. This will actually save you a whole lot of money so you can enjoy the holiday without having to worry about having food money when the event is over. For instance, your family will be eating classic Passover dishes during this time, so there’s no reason to break out the Peanut butter and Jelly or to keep taco night enforced. Thus, foods you spend money on often won’t have to make it into your cart at all. The family will have to eat Passover meals and leftovers, thus ensuring no food has to go to waste. Another item to leave off of your shopping list is soda and luxury drinks. Your family can easily take a break from the sugary drinks during the holiday which will save you more money than you think!
8. Potluck
Remember, you don’t have to bear all of the work when it comes to Passover. In fact, one of the best ways to save money on your holiday is to host a potluck for your close friends and family. This will allow everyone to get together and enjoy the holiday even more as no one will have to spend a lot of money to enjoy their favorite Passover foods. You may want to ask guests to sign up for different foods so you don’t end up hosting a party with an abundance of one or two different dishes. Now, Passover is 8 days long so you may have to host a couple of events or you may want to go to another person’s Potluck event. This will still save you quite a bit of money though as you’ll always have leftovers to rely on during the days no one brings food or those in which you don’t visit another’s home! You may also be able to pick up a few secrets from an elder who has been cooking a certain dish for decades, which will make your future Passover celebrations amazing.
9. Avoid the Passover Section
Stores are great at marketing things for the holiday. They place food at eye level and mark up the prices so we feel like we don’t have any other option but to buy these certain foods. The trick is to avoid the holiday sections altogether though, especially during Passover as many stores don’t typically cater to these types of foods. Instead of shopping in this area try to look around for the foods in areas they’d typically be displayed. Usually, you’ll find the generic brands or cheaper items here which will help cut down on the price of your groceries. If you do have to go down the Passover section then keep your eyes low or high. Stores will put the cheaper items here as most people tend to go for items at their eye level. You should be able to get the same foods on these less popular shelves at a lower price.
10. Budget
One of the most important things you can do before shopping during a holiday is to set out a budget. Before you go shopping sit down and make a list of all the items you know you’re going to need for the meal. Then work with your finances to see how much you can actually spare for the meal. If you have a lot to spare then you may still want to cut your budget a bit short to see if you can save even more money. Before you step foot in the store make sure you have the budgeted money in the form of cash. This will help you stick to the budget, especially if you leave your plastic money at home. With only cash to check out with you’ll be really careful as to not get caught going over your budget in the checkout line. You’ll also be more aware of what you’re buying, its worth and whether or not you need it when you have less money on you!
Passover doesn’t have to be all about the money, especially if you’re planning a few big meals to celebrate. With these frugal tips you should be able to get the best possible deals on your food while ensuring your budget stays healthy. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying an amazing feast with friends and family!
