SALT LAKE CITY — Grocery shopping is a huge financial burden on the average family. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends more than $4,000 per year on food for the home. Here are some ways to save some money on your grocery shopping trips:

Keep out of the inner aisles

Grocery stores are strategically oriented so that essentials are on the very opposite ends of the store. This means you have to pass most of the aisles to get to them. During this time, a lot of nonessential items will be picked up in impulse buys.

Shop on a full stomach

Studies have shown that grocery shoppers are willing to spend more money and buy more food when they shop on an empty stomach. Eating before going to the grocery store will help you keep to your list, avoid impulse buys, and (generally) buy healthier food.

Utilize coupons

Though this suggestion is not a new one, the advent of digital coupons has made discount shopping easier than ever. Some simple ways to maximize value from coupons are:

• Request coupons from manufacturers: If you tend to buy from a lot of the same manufacturers, requesting coupons from them via email once per month may cut down on cost a lot. Many people are able to get coupons for almost everything they buy.
• Look for digital coupons on your grocery store’s website: Smith's, for example, does daily and weekly deals which it posts on its website. It also offers digital coupons to help cut down on prices as well.
• Utilize Coupons.com, a great resource for digital discounts.

Don’t buy bottled water

Buying bottled water, in addition to having environmental impacts, can become a money pit. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2013, the average cost per gallon for bottled water was $1.21, while the cost for 1,000 gallons of tap water was only $2. If tap water is just not your cup of tea, get a filtered water pitcher to further clean it and improve the taste. Keep the pitcher in the refrigerator to keep the water cool and fresh.

Plan your meals for the week and buy ingredients specifically for those meals

Planning meals in advance will not only help make sure your diet is balanced and healthy, but it will also cut down on food costs. Buy only the amount of groceries you need to cook your planned meals, with a bit extra for leftovers if you need a snack. If a week in advance feels overwhelming, try planning meals three days in advance instead. Read more about meal prep here.

Shop with cash rather than credit or debit cards

Studies have shown that people who use cash to buy groceries make better decisions about food than those who use cards. Cash forces a limit on what you can buy, and people tend to spend a lot more per transaction on cards. Shopping with $50 in your pocket will limit what you can spend a lot more effectively than a card with a $10,000 limit in your pocket.

Only shop once or twice per week

Daily shopping trips can increase spending by a lot, as people tend to buy more fresh products and waste more food. Limit yourself to shopping once or twice per week at the most, and you’ll save a lot of money by maximizing your purchases.

Organize your food cupboards

Take time before each trip to the grocery store to organize your food cupboards and take stock of how much of each item you have. You might find food you’ve forgotten about, which will help prevent buying duplicates of items you already have. Be sure to get full use out of all your items before purchasing new ones.

Prepare fruits and vegetables in advance

If you have extra time during the week, take some time to prepare fruits and vegetables in advance for use throughout the week when you get busier. Wash them, cut up vegetables, and even prepare salads or yogurt fruit cups for consumption over the next couple of days. Getting the inconvenient part of eating the food out of the way will encourage eating the produce before it goes bad.

6 stores in Utah that will deliver groceries to your door

Walmart recently announced that the company is expanding its delivery service to the Salt Lake City and Provo areas. Here are five other grocery stores that will deliver to your door as well.

Download money-saving apps

These eight grocery apps will help you save time and money on your shopping trips by prioritizing and organizing grocery lists and providing virtual coupons.

Buy generic brands instead of name brands

Buying generic brands rather than name brand foods will likely save you quite a bit of money. Financial adviser Dave Ramsey analyzed price differences for different recipes in which name brand vs generic foods was compared in the overall cost for the meal. His results showed that generic brands were significantly cheaper, overall.

Ramsey also pointed out that generic isn’t always cheaper. If you’re into couponing, discounts generally apply to name brand products.

Try growing fruits and vegetables in your garden

If you have a garden or a place to put potted plants, try growing your own fruits and vegetables. You can have fresh produce and spend a lot less money. Learn more about growing your own produce here.

Shop online and pick the groceries up at the store

Walmart, Smith's, Whole Foods, and many other stores offer an option for online shopping. You can order your food and pick it up at the door at the grocery store. Some will even deliver the food to your house. This method helps you keep to a strict list, doesn’t allow for impulse buys and is quick and convenient.

Have meatless meals twice per week

Mayo Clinic recommends having budget-friendly meatless meals twice per week. Not only will they have a positive impact on health, but they will help save money as meat is oftentimes the most expensive part of the meal. Further, eating less meat has been shown to have a positive effect on the environment.

Look up and look down

Grocery stores place the costliest items at eye level and the cheaper items up high or down low on shelves. Some companies are willing to pay top dollar to have their more expensive items put in the locations where they’ll be the first thing shoppers see. Take a moment to look around for discount items in less obvious places.

Shop at Costco

Costco, though it has a membership fee, offers plenty of great discounts. Here some unbeatable cheap deals you won’t find elsewhere. They also have cheaper gas, so you can save a few cents per gallon each time you fill up the tank.

Buy toiletries at pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens.

Most people buy toiletries at the grocery store out of convenience, but swinging by a Walgreens or CVS for these items will save you money. Grocery stores almost always charge more for toiletries, shampoo and conditioner, and makeup products.

How do you save money on your grocery shopping trips? Comment additional suggestions below.

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