> I'm guessing your parents are still saving money overall, even accounting for the stuff thrown away. I'm the same as OP, for the most part my parents would b

> I'm guessing your parents are still saving money overall, even accounting for the stuff thrown away. I'm the same as OP, for the most part my parents would be buying the same stuff at the same store. They'll also be buying at the price on their weekly shopping day and if that's on a weekend when a lot of people shop then stores aren't discounting, whereas I can take advantage of daily specials or late night discounts. > Two, the "keeping fridge stocked" model affords going to a cheaper store less frequently, and buy in bulk, saving considerable amount of money on a monthly basis. You can do both, most thrown away food is of the more perishable varieties, so you can buy that on an as needed basis and buy stuff like tinned food in bulk.