The food staples you should buy when they go on sale

SALT LAKE CITY — Grocery prices keep going up, so today, we’re sharing the food items you should buy when they go on sale.

The New York Times has done the homework for us.

Here’s the list of staples their food critics say you should stock up on when you see them for a lower price:

Cheese, butter and milk

You can freeze cheese and butter and use later. You’ll see sales for butter around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Consider ditching dairy milk if you rarely use it. There are alternative milks that are typically cheaper, like oat milk.

Eggs

Yes, they listed eggs. If you do happen to spot a good price, grab a few cartons. They last three to five weeks in the fridge. You can freeze beaten eggs in ice cube trays, then pop the cubes into a Ziploc bag to thaw and use for scrambled eggs.

Ground meat

Ground meat is another good buy when it’s on sale. If you buy it in bulk, even better.

That works for Alli Powell, also known on Instagram as The Grocery Getting Girl. She shares her savvy budget tips with her 15,000 followers.

“I found the deal at Costco after shopping around at many places, and just started freezing it into one or one-and-a-half pound increments in a Ziploc bag, label it, throw it in the freezer,” Powell said. “When you’re ready to go, pull it out, defrost it that morning.”

Rotisserie Chicken

Powell also recommends rotisserie chicken. She said the ready-cooked entrée is a no-brainer; they’re convenient and relatively healthy.

“Rotisserie chickens are not that cheap at my local store. They’re $8.99, but you get three pounds of chicken — and that’s with the bones and everything — so you shred it down and it’s about 2.25 to 2.5 pounds.”

Some grocery stores have a little section of discounted meat, or they’ll mix it in with the regular lot.

You may have to search for it, but Powell said it’s worth it.

“I bought two pounds of short ribs yesterday for $8.50, marked down from $16.”

There’s a common theme here — to get the lower price, you’ll have to give up convenience. And check out a couple different stores to see which one has the better sale.

It’s a good idea to grab store ads ahead of time and map out your strategy.