How to Get Cheap Groceries in Louisville, KY

In today's bad economy, families in Louisville, Kentucky have a number of choices when it comes to buying cheap groceries. If you want to go beyond extreme couponing, check out other ways to save hundreds or thousands of dollars on groceries. You do not have to be at the mercy of the big box grocery store.

In this lens, I will let you know my secrets for buying cheap groceries. I have started you off with some wonderful choices that can save you thousands of dollars.

As I learn of more I will add them here.

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A Tip From the Pros

I was in the bread store today and I mentioned that I figured out that in seven years I have saved over $2,000 by shopping there. The elderly lady behind me said that she buys it and has to put it in the freezer because she and her husband cannot eat it fast enough.

The woman at the checkout then shared a tip from the bread store pros about freezing bread. To have fresher tasting bread after freezing:

Step 1: Freeze the bread the same way it sits on the store shelf, with the flat part down and the rounded top up.

Step 2: To thaw, place a tea towel on the counter, then turn the frozen loaf in its bag upside down on the tea towel. As the bread thaws, the moisture will return to top of the bread, the texture will be improved and the bread will not taste dried out.

I have not tried it, but she swears it works!

Update: I tried this and it does work! I now thaw all my bread upside down.

Shopping at a bread outlet store can save more money for your family. For the past seven years I have bought nearly all of my bread and bread products from various bread outlets. I usually shop at the Earthgrains Baking Company bread store in Buechel. The Sara Lee bread my daughter likes is over $2.00 a loaf at Kroger, but I can usually get it at the bread store for 65 cents or two loaves for a dollar. Sometimes she eats two loaves of this bread a week, so that savings adds up to about $150.00 per year. Over the past seven years, I have saved around $1,000 just on this bread! Wow!

I also buy bagels there for $1.29 for a 6-pack. These cost around $3.00 at Kroger, so if I buy two packages a week I am also saving around $150.00 per year, and another thousand dollars over the past seven years. Saving relatively small amounts every week really adds up!

This does not take into account the other items I have purchased there including pasta, jam, crackers, chips, cookies and sandwich buns. After holidays they often have surplus cans of pumpkins, stuffing or other holiday ingredients for around 50 cents each. These ingredients can be used in various ways and are great ways to feed a family for less money.

Check out the bread outlets in Louisville. There are quite a few. Here are the ones I know about.

EAST

SOUTHEAST

Earthgrains Baking Company

4119 Bardstown Road

491-7499

Dolly Madison & Sap's

7515 Preston Highway

969-6293

SOUTH

Butternut Bread Thrift Store/Depot

6702 Southside Drive

366-4978

Earthgrains Baking Company

1811 Taylor Avenue

238-5800

SOUTHWEST

Butternut Bread Thrift Store/Depot

6600 Terry Road

935-7980

Dolly Madison & Sap's

2525 Dixie Highway

778-7838

WEST/CENTRAL

Earthgrains Baking Company

1465 South 7th Street

637-8213

Butternut Bread Thrift Store/Depot

231 North 17th Street

583-4413

New Roots is a nonprofit organization started by a mom who was concerned about how to get fresh. locally grown produce into the urban food deserts in Louisville, Kentucky. The program is called Fresh Stop and it operates in several locations throughout the city.

A couple of weeks before the Fresh Stop delivery, New Roots will take orders from people who want to buy a share. The cost is on a sliding scale based on income, and it ranges from $12 to $25 per share. On the specified day, you go to the Fresh Stop location and pick up a big box filled with fresh-from-the-farm produce.

You do not have any control over what comes in the box. Everyone gets the same thing. But, it is all fresh, locally-grown and varies depending upon what is in season.

From their facebook profile: In the second week of June 2011, the Shawnee Neighborhood Fresh Stop pooled their resources to purchase 47 shares of produce. They are investing over $700 in Kentucky farms this week and in the health and wellness of our neighbors. In this week's share: Courtney Farms (Shelby County): Peas, Onions, Head Lettuce, Beets, Radishes, Turnip Greens. Rob Adelberg (Oldham County): Peas, mix lettuce, garlic. Dohn and Dohn Farms (PRP): Collard and Kale Greens. Stanley Bros Regional Produce: Yams, Honeydew, Oranges. Rob Adelberg will have spinach, turnips, mustard and radishes to sell on the side.

That is a lot of fruits and vegetables for the price!

These books can help you buy cheap groceries, not just in Louisville, but anywhere!

What is your tip for buying cheap groceries in Louisville or anywhere? How do you save money on food?