5 tips for saving money when stocking up - plus bonus tip
Kira Zabe
October 1, 2024
Effective stockpiling is a great way to save money in everyday life. With a few simple strategies, you can reduce your household costs and at the same time ensure that you always have enough food or “everyday products”, as they say, at home. In this article, we share ten practical tips to help you become more efficient and cost-effective in your stockpiling. Whether it's through clever shopping lists, taking advantage of offers or storing food correctly, there are many different strategies you can use to save money. Here too, you don't have to slavishly follow our tips. Pick out what you can implement best or modify it so that it is feasible for you. Incidentally, I can say from my own experience that there are definitely advantages to having at least a few basic groceries at home. We've been a bit stressed over the last few weeks and thanks to our stockpile, we haven't had to go shopping every third day. Now, however, we urgently need to stock up again.
The good old shopping list
What's the saying? Good planning is half the battle. This also applies to shopping. Even if it's really annoying (at least that's how I feel), a shopping list only helps me to buy the things that we really need. Well, okay, every now and then I might take one or two products with me that I don't necessarily need, but this is about progress and not perfection. Before you start writing your shopping list, you should at least think roughly about what you want to cook this week. Of course, this will then go on the shopping list. By the way: TheSmantry.appalso has a shopping list function 😉
Plan bulk purchases
This point is actually relatively easy to implement for singles too, because bulk shopping doesn't mean that you have to buy 5 shopping carts full or more, as you often see in documentaries. You should take advantage of offers, even if you are single. Dry foods such as rice, pasta and oatmeal feel like they will keep forever. However, keep the size of your storage facility in mind. After all, it's no use if you suddenly have 20 packs of pasta from the special offer at home but no way to store them. Make sure you use older supplies first to avoid waste from expired food. In the Smantry.app, you can enter the best-before date of the products and assign a storage location.
Private label instead of branded product
Another tip for saving money are the supermarkets' and discounters' own brands, which are often cheaper than branded products and still have good quality. Incidentally, many of these own brands are backed by well-known manufacturers. Private labels are therefore not of inferior quality, as many brand fetishists argue. If you don't necessarily want to process your fruit and vegetables fresh, then the frozen variety can be the solution, at least in some cases. Frozen food is often cheaper and, above all, has a longer shelf life.
Grow your own
Of course, not all of us have a garden and/or a huge terrace or balcony. But even in a few pots on the windowsill, you can grow herbs, for example. The classic home-grown crop is probably tomatoes. If your thumbs aren't quite as green (like mine), you can buy pre-grown young plants. A south-facing balcony would be ideal, as tomato plants are very sensitive to the cold, which is why they should only be put outside in May after the Ice Saints. You can grow almost all tomato plants in containers, but you should make sure there is enough space between the individual plants.
Buy local and seasonal
This tip is “old but gold” and actually quite logical. Food that has to travel long distances before it ends up on our plates is generally more expensive than food that has been produced locally. One of the reasons for this is the shorter transportation routes. This not only reduces direct logistics costs, but also indirect costs such as packaging, storage and handling. Conversely, shorter transportation routes also mean lower CO₂ emissions. So if you buy locally, you are also doing something for the climate. In addition, locally produced food often produces less packaging waste. Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to shop locally at a weekly market or the farm store around the corner. Organic markets usually also offer regionally produced food where possible. You can now even find regional products in many discount stores and supermarkets. There are now also many vending machines offering regional products.
Bonus tip: Don't feel guilty
Organic products are of course still more expensive than products from industrial production, whether they are regional or have a better carbon footprint. Not everyone can afford to buy only organic products. So don't feel guilty if you don't just buy food from the farm around the corner. Personally, I firmly believe that it's the mix that makes the difference. Maybe you can swap a conventionally produced product for an organic product every now and then.
The best kitchen tools to turn leftovers into delicious dishes 🍲✨
Hand on heart: Each of us has them – those little leftovers in the fridge or pantry that somehow never get properly planned for. But it's exactly these remnants that can often be turned into the most creative and delicious dishes! All you need are a few clever kitchen tools that make the work easier and get the best out of your ingredients.
Here are our favorites:
🥣 1. The powerful blender
Smoothies, soups, dips – a good blender transforms leftover vegetables, fruit, or even bread into a new dish in seconds. Perfect when bananas are a bit brown or the vegetables no longer look crisp.
🔪 2. A sharp chef's knife
Sounds simple, but a really good knife is worth its weight in gold. It allows you to cut vegetable and meat scraps precisely and quickly. Moreover, cooking is just more fun when you have the right tools.
🍳 3. A cast iron skillet
The all-rounder in the kitchen: fried potatoes made from leftover boiled potatoes, frittatas with yesterday's vegetables, or crispy bread cubes from stale bread – everything tastes twice as good in a cast-iron skillet.
🥕 4. Vegetable Peeler & Grater
A modest tool with a big impact: grate carrot leftovers, turn zucchini into noodles, or finely shred cheese remnants. With a peeler and grater, you bring variety to your leftover cooking.
🥡 5. Storage Containers & Screw-top Jars
Without proper storage, nothing works. You can keep leftovers fresh, transport them, or even prepare them for the next meal prepping. Tip: Jars are also great for serving small amounts in style.
🌱 6. Kitchen Scale
It's practical to know exactly how much is left over, especially with leftovers. This way, you can adjust recipes and avoid waste.
🥄 7. Personal Blender
The little brother of the blender – perfect for soups or sauces right in the pot. When only a small amount needs to be processed, it's super convenient.
How Smantry additionally helps you 📲
With the Smantry App you can not only keep an eye on your supplies, but soon you'll also be able to discover recipes for your leftovers. This way, you'll immediately know which tool to take out of the cupboard to save your food and create something new.
👉 Because good tools and the right app are the perfect combo to combat food waste.
New laws on food waste in Spain
Spain has recently passed a groundbreaking law to combat food waste. This law requires all actors in the food chain, from producers to retailers, to implement specific plans to prevent food loss.
Key provisions of the law:
Obligation to donate surplus food: Supermarkets with a floor space of more than 1,300 square meters are now required to form partnerships with non-profit organizations to donate surplus food that is still fit for consumption. These donations are exempt from value-added tax.
Offer of packaging for leftover food: Restaurants and bars are required to provide their guests with free, reusable or recyclable packaging so that they can take home uneaten food. The aim is to raise consumer awareness of food waste and encourage them to take leftovers with them.
Promotion of the sale of products with approaching expiration dates: Retailers should offer products that are nearing their expiration date or have aesthetic defects at reduced prices to encourage their sale and reduce waste.
Hierarchy of priorities for dealing with surplus food: The law establishes an order for handling surplus food. Priority is given to human consumption through donations. If this is not possible, the food should be used for the production of processed products. The last options include using it as animal feed or for energy generation.
Sanctions for violations:
Companies that violate the provisions of the law can expect fines ranging from 2,000 to 500,000 euros.
Critique and Outlook:
While the law is considered an important step in the fight against food waste in Europe, there is also criticism. Some voices argue that the strict framework of sanctions could disproportionately burden companies and that the law does not sufficiently address the role of consumers, who are responsible for a significant portion of food waste.
Nevertheless, the law is seen as a significant advancement in reducing food waste and promoting a more sustainable awareness in society.
Join in and reduce food waste! 🌱📲
Spain's new law demonstrates: Sustainability starts in the pantry! With the Speisekammer App you can keep track of your groceries, plan meals efficiently, and avoid unnecessary waste.
👉 Download the app now and join the movement for less waste and more conscious consumption! 💚 Try it now!
Sharing supplies together – why the Shared Economy is now moving into the kitchen
The concept of Shared Economy has long been more than a short-term trend – it's changing our everyday lives. More and more neighborhoods, shared apartments, and community projects are discovering how practical it is to organize groceries together and manage supplies transparently.
Why sharing supplies is becoming increasingly popular
- Save on costs: Bulk purchases become cheaper when more people participate.
- Save space: Not everyone needs their own package of rice or pasta.
- Better organization: Digital tools make it easy to see what is available.
- Experiencing community: Food brings people together – as does camping together.
From the flatshare to the neighborhood
Especially in shared apartments or families with multiple households it pays off to keep a communal stock of supplies. But neighborhood projects or small communities are also recognizing the added value: shopping, storing, and using together.
How Smantry helps
This is where Smantry comes into play:
- Community Feature: Supplies can be managed collectively.
- Transparency: Everyone can see which items are available.
- Efficiency: Duplicate purchases are avoided, leftovers are used up in time.
- Flexibility: Soon it will become even easier to manage entire communities (including new features such as categories or the option to completely delete communities).
👉 The shared economy doesn't stop with cars – it moves right into your kitchen. With Smantry sharing supplies becomes easier than ever.
At last, it's here: The categorization of articles 🎉
Over the past few months, we have collected numerous feedback from you – and the request for better organization of supplies was one of the most frequent wishes. Soon, it will be possible to sort your items into individual categories, so that you can keep track of everything even more quickly.
Why categories are so practical
- 🥦 More organization in your pantry: Instead of a long list, you can structure your products into categories such as "Vegetables", "Beverages", or "Household Goods".
- ⏱️ Faster Finding: No more long scrolling – jump straight to the right category.
- 👨👩👧👦 Improved collaboration: In communities or family households, everyone can immediately see where things belong.
- 🌍 Customization: You can create your own categories that suit your needs – whether for meal prep, stockpiling, or just your everyday life.
Your wish will become reality ✨
We know how important this feature is to you. That's why our development team has implemented categorization as a high priority. It will soon be available step by step in the app – fulfilling one of the biggest wishes of our community.
We are thrilled that we can make everyday life even easier for you with this. Stay tuned – as always, we will keep you updated on when the feature will be officially released.
👉 Do you already have ideas on how you want to structure your categories? Feel free to send us your suggestions or requests – your input might directly influence the ongoing development.