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Trip To The Grocery Store In Rural America

With 97% of America covered in rural land, there are plenty of remote locations for you to call home.

60 million Americans currently live in rural areas, according to the U.S Census.

Yet, there’s just one grocery store in most rural parts of the country, meaning many are having to spend out on gas just to get their hands on fresh food.

There are, however, alternative ways to get hold of food, but how else can you protect your finances in order to eat well?

Grow Your Own

Fresh fruit and veg is a staple part of everyone’s diet, so rather than relying on the one grocery store in your area to have in what you need, grow it yourself.

Growing crops when you have plenty of land is easy to do and you’ll require very few tools to get started.

Typically, the average household spends $270 a year on fresh fruit and $236 annually on fresh veg, according to Value Penguin.

But when you’re regularly heading into your closest town or city to get food, the gas you use and the wear and tear on your vehicle will increase this cost even further.

Therefore, save yourself a small fortune by growing your own organic produce.

Stock Up

Statistical reports that the average American consumer makes 1.5 trips to the grocery store each week.

However, each time you head to the store you’re spending more cash than you mean to, either on buying goods you didn’t go for or on travel.

Instead, when you hit the grocery store do one large shop which will last you at least a week, although, it’s more cost effective to aim for two or three.

Stock up on goods which can be frozen such as bread, milk, and meat and stash them in your freezer at home.

You’ll likely need to invest in a large chest freezer so be prepared for the financial outlay, but rest assured that the long-term savings you’ll be making will outweigh this one off cost.

 Don’t Throw It

Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic and the NRDC states that 40% of the country’s food is thrown away, costing the nation $165 billion every year.

Therefore, if you find you’re growing more fresh produce than you and your family can manage to eat, find alternative methods to avoid contributing to America’s food waste.

Consider gifting or selling your leftovers to other families in your neighborhood or blanch and freeze uneaten produce.

Tomatoes, onions, corn and spinach are just some of the food items you can freeze and if stored properly they can be frozen for as long as 12 months.

Living rurally does limit your grocery options.

However, there’s no need to waste cash by heading to the store several times a week.

Instead, be financially smart by growing your own fruit and veg and by stocking up for several weeks and freezing as much as possible.

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