# I never realized this before

Published: 2016-04-04T17:09:39.216242-04:00
Canonical URL: https://www.getmealplans.com/blog/2016/04/04/food-waste-overspending-groceries-savings/

Has this ever happened to you?

You go to the grocery store…

**BEST intentions…** Ready to finally get your act together...

Fill your shopping cart with TONS of healthy ingredients…

Cry a little when the bill is $200 dollars...

Get home and have **NOTHING?**

No idea what you flippin’ bought???

AND!!!

Anything you want to make...

You still don’t have all the ingredients for?

**This happened to me ALL. THE. TIME.**

OR I would buy way too much and it would go bad.

I had SO MUCH waste because of good intentions but lack of a good plan.

**I CRINGE thinking how much money I lost!!!**

Food waste is an expense you never realize you have

Until you STOP HAVING IT.

**The average family spends $2225 a year on wasted food.**

And Making a “quick trip” to the store??

You’ll typically purchase **54% MORE** than you planned.

Even if you only make two extra trips to the grocery store each week, you’ll still spend an extra (unplanned) $157.50 a month!

(But at only $10-$20 a pop, you don’t feel that total weight to realize it.)

The only way to avoid this waste is to have a PLAN.

You can’t go to the store without a shopping list. CAN’T!!

A list is how you AVOID impulse purchases or overbuying.

And you can’t make a list without planning your meals.

![https://dmi4pvc5gbhhd.cloudfront.net/2016/03/receipt-savings.jpg](https://dmi4pvc5gbhhd.cloudfront.net/2016/03/receipt-savings.jpg)

We even take it one step further at Meal Mentor…

**NO INGREDIENT WASTE!**

Our menus use up EVERYTHING you buy.

Absolutely no unused foods or oddball leftovers

Because half a bell pepper or can of tomato paste has a cost.

So the question now is:

**Are you ready to SAVE SAVE SAVE?**

STOP the food waste, overbuying, and spoils?

If so, join 5,447 other savvy shoppers!

[Get your zero-waste food plan and shopping list now.](https://www.getmealplans.com/#buy)

**P.S.** Post your massive savings on Instagram or the forums this week for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Amazon. Because it PAYS to save ;)