The SCI Grocery Year
What goes on sale in May
Grilling season opens, and meat prices follow.
The last weekend in May is the first big grilling holiday of the year, and stores compete hard on it.
Meat is usually the loss leader, which makes this a genuinely good month to fill a freezer, as long as you portion it before it goes in.
Everything else for the patio starts appearing too, at full price. That part is worth waiting on.
Worth watching
If you actually use these things, May is a good time to take a look.
Ground beef, chicken and steak
Holiday promotions are often the best meat pricing of the early summer.
Condiments and sauces
Priced to go alongside the meat.
Soda and bottled drinks
Deep multi-buy promotions around the holiday.
Charcoal and foil
Better at the start of the season than the end.
Don’t get carried away
A twenty-pound value pack is only a value if it gets portioned the same day. Otherwise it is one enormous frozen brick and a difficult decision in August.
One thing to watch
Holiday meat deals usually carry a minimum spend. Add up what else has to go in the cart to unlock it before deciding it is a bargain.
May is a good month for produce too
Depending on where you live, these are often abundant and especially good this time of year.
- Strawberries
- Asparagus
- Lettuce
- Green onions
- New potatoes
- Cherries
Worth doing this month
Portion before you freeze
A big pack frozen whole is one awkward decision later. The same pack split into meal-sized bags is four easy dinners. Twenty minutes now saves the whole purchase.
Keep 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 June 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.
Next month is Dairy Month, so cheese, butter and yogurt are all worth a look.
See what is coming in June