Food inflation is a reality. You can hate it but can't ignore it. Food is the necessity of life. You'll have to buy and consume food to survive in this world. So, you'll have to deal with this nasty culprit no matter how much you hate it. You simply can't avoid it. Have a look at the article to know about the 6 tips to deal with the food inflation.

Tips to deal with the food inflation

Here are the 6 tips which you can use to deal with the food inflation with competence:

1. Purchase substitute products: Americans love to eat beef. They want it in their sandwiches, soups, pizzas, etc. However, the price of this much wanted food item has increased by around 8% in the year 2011. The price of beef has already increased by about 11% in the last year. So, this means that the overall price has increased by about 19% in the last 2 years.

If you love meat but don't want to pay extra for it, then you can go for the substitute food items such as chicken and turkey. These meats are much cheaper than beef. You can cook various items of chicken and turkey till the price of beef comes down.

2. Purchase seasonal products: Seasonal food items come cheaper. The price of the seasonal fruits and vegetables will always be cheap as they are easily available. In the summer season, the price of the mangoes is very less. This is simply because the market is flooded with mangoes during this time. However, if you go to the market for purchasing mangoes in the winter season, then you'll have to pay double or triple price. Purchase the foods that grow in the local area or are abundant in your locality. You will get these items at a moderate price. Avoid purchasing the items that are shipped to your state. You'll have to pay extra bucks for the shipping costs.

You can get your favorite food from the farthest corner of the earth. Modern technology and communication has made this possible now. However, you'll have to pay a heavy price for it.

3. Check the product package: Retailers and grocery store owners are very smart people. They don't give you the complete information of the products. Some of the companies manufacturing food based products have not increased the price of the items. The grocery store owners encourage you to buy these items. However, they don't tell you that the manufacturer has decreased the quantity. So, now you are purchasing 6 ounce yoghurt cups at the previous price. Earlier, you used to get 8 cups at the same price.

4. Create your own garden: One of the effective ways to deal with the rising food prices is to create your own garden. If you have a lawn in front of your house, then you can utilize it to create your own garden. Grow different types of vegetables in your garden. This way you can get fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year without going to the market.

5. Refill your pantry with sale items: Becoming a smart shopper is a good way to combat with the food inflation. Grab the special deals offered by the departmental stores every week. Go for the generic products instead of the branded ones as they come cheap. Buy the sale items and stock them up in your pantry.

6. Restrict your shopping impulses: When you go to a departmental store and see fresh food items displayed in various racks, you feel like buying them all. If not all, you tend to buy as much food items as you can without giving any thought to your wallet. Human beings are like that. They can't resist themselves when fresh food items are displayed before them.

You'll have to go to the store for buying the groceries. You can't avoid it. However, what you can do is, limit your shopping visits. When you go to a departmental store, try to purchase food items in bulk. This way you won't need to go to the departmental every day. The less you go to the store, the better for your financial health. When you see your packed pantry, you won't have the temptation to visit stores and buy foods.

Finally, instead of dumping leftovers into the dustbin, you should use them on the next day. Keep your leftover foods in the freezer. You can reheat the foods and eat them when you are too tired to cook meals. Besides, some foods really taste better when they are consumed later. For example, soups, meat and spaghetti.