The SCI Grocery Year
What goes on sale in March
National Frozen Food Month, and stores mean it.
March is the best month of the year for the freezer, and this one is not folklore. National Frozen Food Month is a real, long-running industry promotion, and most chains run frozen deals for the whole month.
Spring cleaning supplies start moving too, and the first genuinely good spring produce begins showing up.
The catch is that a freezer sale is only a saving if the freezer has room and the food gets eaten. More on that below.
Worth watching
If you actually use these things, March is a good time to take a look.
Frozen vegetables and fruit
Often among the best pricing of the year, and they keep for months.
Frozen meals and pizza
Month-long promotions across most chains.
Ice cream
Before the summer pricing arrives.
Cleaning supplies
Spring cleaning promotions begin.
Don’t get carried away
Before you buy six pizzas because they are cheap, a gentle question: do you already have nine pizzas?
One thing to watch
Frozen promotions are often "buy five, save five" style. Work out whether you actually want five, because the per-item price without the threshold is usually ordinary.
March is a good month for produce too
Depending on where you live, these are often abundant and especially good this time of year.
- Asparagus
- Artichokes
- Green onions
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Radishes
Worth doing this month
Take inventory before you add to it
Empty the freezer, write down what is in there, and only then look at the sales. You cannot know what is worth stocking up on until you know what you already have.
Get the free Pantry and Freezer InventoryKeep your own prices
Seasonal patterns can tell you when to pay attention. But the best price for your family depends on what you buy, where you shop and what things normally cost in your area.
That is why keeping your own prices is so useful.
Start your free price bookBefore April gets here
Take five minutes on one thing
Check the pantry, the freezer or the household supplies for one thing you are running low on. That is it. You do not need to stock a bunker. Just notice what you will actually need next.
Watch for ham and egg promotions before Easter, and seasonal clearance after it. The timing changes each year, so check the date before planning around it.
See what is coming in April