As grocery prices remain high into the beginning of 2026, University of Tennessee Extension experts suggest several ways shoppers can stretch their dollars while filling their carts, combining information about healthy meal planning and food safety with ways to make a grocery list, use coupons, check unit prices and avoid uneconomical marketing tactics.

Their series of publications, called Aisle by Aisle, focuses on saving money at the grocery store; see the links to articles at the end.

“Budgeting is an important way to save money when you shop for groceries. Grocery prices are going up, which means your budget can change each month,” said Kristin Riggsbee, assistant professor and nutrition and food safety specialist. “In the long run, grocery shopping and cooking meals at home is less expensive than eating in restaurants or convenience stores, and cooking at home is much healthier.”

The publications’ authors include Riggsbee; Ann Berry, professor and consumer economics specialist; Christopher Sneed, associate professor and consumer economics specialist; and Kristen Johnson, associate professor and nutrition specialist.

Here are some tips for saving money before, during, and after shopping:

Plan Your Meals and Make a Shopping List Plan your meals for each week. Check your refrigerator, pantry, and freezer to see what foods you have at home. Look for foods that need to be used before they spoil. Check for coupons, sales, and specials at your local grocery stores. Include foods that are on sale in your meal plan. For example, if zucchini is on sale at your local store, consider adding it as a side dish or part of a mixed dish.

Save Money While Shopping Larger packages are not always the best deal, and you can determine what size is cheaper by looking at the price per unit. A unit could be a serving size, an ounce, a gram, a pound, a gallon, a quart, a pint, a cup, etc., or each item itself. The unit price is usually on the same label as the item’s price on the grocery store shelf.

Keep in mind that sometimes items on sale or with a coupon are not the best deal in the store. Store brands or generic brands might be cheaper than the item on sale. To save money effectively with coupons, consider which items you buy often and how long you can keep them at home before they spoil.

For more information about savings and food planning, refer to these Aisle by Aisle UT Extension publications:

Follow KnoxTNToday on Facebook and Instagram. Get all KnoxTNToday articles in one place with our Free Newsletter.