I’m a 12-Year Grocery Store Veteran: 9 Ways It Changed the Way I Shop

Ever wondered how grocery store employees shop for themselves? After earning a degree in nutrition, I worked at a food co-op for four years. After that, I served as a team leader at Whole Foods for more than eight years.

Though I pivoted careers nearly a decade ago, the tips I picked up during that time still help me save time and money.

Grocery prices remain a source of frustration for many shoppers in the U.S. But a few simple strategies can help stretch your budget and make trips to the store more efficient.

Use these tips to shop like a grocery store insider.

Sale Tags Tell You How Much Time You Have

Many stores’ sale tags have fine print that tells you when the deal ends.

Checking this info for items you use regularly is a smart way to maximize your grocery budget without taking up unnecessary pantry space or buying so much it spoils before you use it.

End Caps and Pallet Drops Often Offer Deep Savings

When we built end caps or did pallet drops (big displays in the middle of wide aisles), we typically offered the product at a healthy discount to justify bringing in so much of it.

Some displays were geared more toward an upcoming season or holiday, so don’t assume that every large display equals a great deal.

Newest Product Is Usually at the Back

Grocery stores stock shelves using FIFO — first in, first out — which means the freshest product should be at the back. Reaching past the front row for highly perishable items can buy you several extra days of shelf life.

Many Stores Offer Case Discounts

We go through a lot of pinto beans in our house, so I buy them by the case, which often earns me a discount.

To get the deal yourself, you’ll first want to verify that your store offers the option (some only do dedicated case-lot sales once or twice a year), then ask an employee to get you a sealed case from inventory (taking loose cans off the shelf doesn’t count).

Unit Pricing Reveals the Better Deal

Individually packed snacks and single rolls of paper towels can be convenient, but the per-unit price (e.g., cents per ounce) also tends to be higher.

What you may not realize is that most retailers print that breakdown right on the shelf tag, meaning there’s no need to open your calculator to see whether sizing up is worth it.

Store-Brand Products Are a Smart Substitute

One of the first things I learned working in grocery is that many private-label products use the same major manufacturers as their name-brand counterparts — but sell them for considerably less. By shopping the store’s version of your favorite items, you stand to save significantly without sacrificing quality.

Loyalty Apps House Digital Coupons and Extra Ways to Save

Most grocery store loyalty apps are designed to highlight the best deals in one place. Along with digital coupons, you might find personalized deals based on past purchases or bonus savings for spending a certain dollar amount.

If you shop at the same store regularly, you can save a lot without adding much extra effort.

Making Your Shopping List in Logical Order Saves Time

After touring dozens of stores during my time in leadership, it became clear that most grocery stores follow a similar layout: produce and the meat counter first, nonperishables next, and dairy and frozen last.

Knowing this, I take a couple of extra minutes to make my shopping list in that order so I don’t waste time circling back for things I’ve already passed.

Shopping Multiple Stores Gives You the Best of Both Worlds

Working in both a small co-op and a large natural foods chain gave me a firsthand look at how differently everyone prices their products.

When I can, I go to big-box stores or buying clubs for widely available items at lower prices and to smaller markets for perishables and specialty items, where the selection tends to be better.

Michelle Larson is a writer, editor and grocery shopping aficionado living in Loveland, Colorado.