24 Grocery Items to Stockpile During Holiday Sales

ByMissy Rakes

Check out this list of 24 Grocery Items to Stockpile During Holiday Sales, so that you can create a game plan to make the most of your holiday grocery budget and try to beat inflation, if only for a few months.

Find out what grocery items you should be stockpiling during holiday sales on gracefullittlehoneybee.com

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Grocery Items to Stockpile During Holiday Sales

  Starting in November, grocery stores will put holiday grocery items on sale at the lowest price of the year. These are items that can be used all year and not just during the holiday season so it only makes sense to take advantage of the rock bottom prices to stock your pantry. These items normally go on sale twice per year, once in  November/December and then again in the Spring around March/April for Easter.

  This means that in order to save the most money you should be stockpiling these items during each sales cycle (if you have the space). In order to do this you will need to think ahead a little bit. Take a little time to figure out how much you need per month per item and multiply that by 6 which will equal your 6 month supply total. So if you go through one 5lb bag of flour per month, then you will need to purchase 6 bags of flour to last until the next sale in the Spring.

In order to save even more money, you may consider clipping coupons that go along with sales or taking advantage of rebate apps such as IBOTTA where you can get cash back on grocery purchases.

Below is a list of the items that you should be stocking up on. Things like butter, chocolate chips, turkey and even diced onions can be frozen and kept for months. I’m not including prices to look for because of rapid inflation, it’s just hard to keep up with the current prices. It’s a good idea to create a price book of the lowest prices that you see in your area, so you know when to stock up and make the best use of your grocery budget.

24 Grocery Items to Stockpile During Holiday Sales:

  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Baking Powder
  • Chocolate Chips
  • Evaporated Milk
  • Condensed Milk
  • Baking Mixes
  • Marshmallows
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Brown Sugar
  • Nuts
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Holiday Candy
  • Canned Vegetables
  • Condensed Soups
  • Canned Pumpkin
  • Butter
  • Ham
  • Turkey
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Baking Potatoes
  • Onions
  • Carrots
  • Stuffing Mix

Bonus Items:

  • Fresh Cranberries
  • Canned Cranberry Sauce
  • Gravy Mix

 

What would you add to this list? I’d love to know!

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55 Comments

  1. If you are a liquor person Christmas is great for getting freebies with purchases. Example : drinking glasses, smaller bottles of a different flavor, adult stocking stuffers, decor.
    Reply
  2. Your pinnable pictures are beautiful. I just grabbed name brand canned green beans, corn and chicken broth for 49 cents each. I also grabbed butter for 1.99 each. I can't beat these sales, and freeze them when I can.
    Reply
  3. Bags of fresh cranberries can be popped right in the freezer. Butternut squash can be peeled, cut in chunks and frozen. Fresh mushrooms can be frozen as well. I just clean and slice them first. All go on sale throughout the holiday time frame and it's nice to stock up!
    Reply
    2. I used to work for a grocery store. The very best time (cheapest) to buy groceries are right before holidays, especially Thanksgiving & Easter. Stock up or at least buy extras, to save for later.
      Reply
  5. Too bad we can't stock pile on Eggs! Haha! Prices have fallen so low the past month ( 38 cents a dozen ) But it is a great savings right now for all the baked goods I do for Thanksgiving and Christmas. ???
    Reply
      1. I've tried freezing eggs when my chickens were over-producing but they came out rubbery. The only way I've heard it can be done is to beat them with salt or sugar to stabilize them for freezing. Of course, you would need to label them so you know which to pull out depending on how you were going to use them! I haven't tried doing that since I didn't want to waste them again if it didn't work.
        Reply
  6. I've been stocking up on a lot of these items with the sales the past couple of weeks. I just bought butter today because it was under $2/pound!
    Reply
  7. I would add Cranberries to your list. At the Aldi's near me, I purchased 10 bags of Cranberries this week at $.79 per bag. They probably will go up some in price over the next few week but they are always less than Kroger's. They freeze well. I like to cook Cranberries in my oatmeal. I really enjoy your blog!
    Reply
  8. I stock up on extracts and holiday sprinkles. I bake a lot during the holidays and give trays to co workers and friends. After Christmas, I purchase my trays and candy containers for the following year. I save at least 75%. I love your list.
    Reply
  9. Safeway has Philly cream cheese 8oz. at buy one get TWO free through 11/22. I just got $30+ worth of brand name cream cheese for about $12 today!
    Reply
      1. Butter and cream cheese left unopened will last a long time just in the fridge and keeps its nice texture. I've had it for 6 months without harm
        Reply
  10. How do you store marshmallows? My daughter loves them, but we don't eat them or use an entire package, so we throw out a lot.
    Reply
      1. SEAL A MEAL! Get the containers and vacuum out the air! Keep out only what will be eaten in a short time- open container and take out more and reseal the rest for latter. The containers Work great for items that would 'smooch'. We are on our second Seal a meal machine and have a 3rd ready for when the 2nd dies (its the heat shrink sealing strip that usually goes on the machine and is not replaceable- this seals bags closed). If you are baking cookies (a lot) and don't want to bake all at once these containers are great for keeping fresh baked cookies fresh.
        Reply
  11. Candy canes! I like to use them for hot chocolate stirrers. I crush them for cupcake / cake topping. I also picked up some canned pie filling and just regular canned punpkin. We like pumpkin bread and we make dog treats with pumpkin and oats. Coffee holiday blends usually stay fresh stored in the freezer.
    Reply
  12. Don't forget candied fruit, if you have uses for it. Glaceed green and red cherries, for instance. And colored sugar for cookies, etc. I'd love to store chocolate chips, but they wind up being stored on my hips!
    Reply
  14. White Karo Syrup, dark syrup ( for pies & candies) Sweetened Flaked Coconut, Coconut Oil Canola. Or Vegetable oil, Cooking Pan Sprays Parchment paper, Foil, plastic Wrap, gift containerscontainers, ribbons & tags Disposal baking pans Oven mitts, pot holders , kitchen dish towels
    Reply
  15. Whole cranberries are also incredibly cheap right after Christmas. I have often paid .25 per bag (like 10 0z) you can put the whole bag in the freezer to use whenever, or use them to make canned cranberry sauce or juice and dried cranberries. Smells wonderful, and tastes even better.
    Reply
  17. Hi I usually see good prices on foil wrap, parchment, wax paper as well as disposable foil pans and plastic food storage containers. I buy extra for wrapping,storing and giving food and bake goods. Plus we all use these things throughout the year. Also canned broths and stock are usually good buys around the holidays. I keep extra on hand so in case my homemade stock supply gets low I'm not caught without any.
    Reply
    1. Yes, I love purchasing paper products/foil pans and baggies after Christmas on the clearance aisle...I don't care if my ziplocks are clear or green! Got several rolls of parchment paper and ziplocks in Christmas clearance last year and it was the same stuff on the shelves in the paper aisle for much higher cost.
      Reply
  18. Watch the clearance aisles after the holidays for even deeper discounts. I have picked up great deals on canned goods and many other items. When red and green decorating sugar and sprinkles are marked way down think about Valentines Day or St Patrick's Day!
    Reply
    1. I separated the Hershey’s kisses and used the red for Valentine’s Day; the green for St. Patrick’s Day. ?♥️
      Reply
  19. I wish these prices were in our neck of the woods. I don't understand how they can't be really, lol. Oh well, we do what we can, and this is a very nice list. Thank you
    Reply
  20. Hi great ideas,but would love to buy where you shop because I really pay more,way more than the prices you list and I take in consideration the dates
    Reply
  22. Love your thinking, in New Jersey we wait for a a special sale every year during the holidays (it's called the can-can sale) I stock up on chock full o nuts coffee $1.99 a can, Ocean Spray cranberry sauce $.99 a can, Dole pineapple slices for $.99 a can and GG niblets for $.99 a can. These few name brands which my family won't let me substitute for a store brand etc. are very pricey the rest of the year.. All have excellent shelf life and I stock up enough until next years sale. Even if the store has daily limits, I shop every day of the sale to take advantage of it. On coffee alone , I save $4 a can sometimes more during the year. It is so worth it, we use approximately 2-3 cans per week. I would put them under the bed if I had to. Luckily I have a space under the stairs for just kind of stock up. I too buy things on your list, especially if your a baker, wow the savings are huge. Thanks so much and Happy, happy holidays
    Reply
  24. Fresh apples and other fruits that will no longer be readily available. Remember, I said FRESH, not something shipped from West to East or from another country, I mean LOCAL or SEMI-local.
    Reply
  25. I picked up raw peanuts for peanut brittle 2lb bags for 50cents.,planters. Mixed nuts in the shell for $1.00 a lb. Bought 10 bags of peanuts put in zip locks took air out and froze. Thawing doesn't make themmushy.
    Reply
  28. I used to work for a grocery store. The very best time (cheapest) to buy groceries are right before holidays, especially Thanksgiving & Easter. Stock up or at least buy extras, to save for later.
    Reply
  29. I love fresh acorn squash and buy it this time of year in small batches (4 at a time). Stab with a fork and bake in the oven about 30 Min. Take out and let it cool down a bit. Cut open, spoon out seeds and toss. Scoop out squash into a mixing bowl. I add to taste a little salt, butter, brown sugar. Mix well and store servings using sandwich bags. Note date and what is inside. Freeze. If you want to save the seeds to plant in your garden cut the quash in half and scoop out the seats for planting later. Place squash up side down on a rack in a roasting pan with some water in it. Bake until done. Yum!
    Reply
  30. I have a question....in the last list of "stock up items", you have butter listed at 2.00 a lb. (or less) Where are you getting real butter for 2.00 or less? I'm not trying to be smarty pants...lol...but just wondering. In fact, most of the items on that list seem incredibly cheap, even at give away holiday sale prices...what am I missing? I love your site, lots of easy to do things to save money, without cutting flavor...most things taste better homemade anyway...and saving money...even better.
    Reply
    1. It used to be possible before inflation hit. Aldi would have it on sale for 1.99 every Christmas and Easter. Right now they have it on sale for $2.49 at my store, which is an awesome stock up price in this economy.
      Reply

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