One of the most powerful and underutilized budget shopping strategies is the clearance or markdown section found at almost every grocery store. Most shoppers walk right past it without a second glance. But for anyone shopping on a tight budget the clearance section can be one of the most valuable parts of the entire store. Here is everything you need to know about shopping the clearance section effectively.
What Is the Clearance Section?
The clearance or markdown section is where grocery stores place items that are being discontinued, approaching their best by date, or slightly imperfect in appearance. Items in the clearance section are perfectly safe to eat and are often discounted twenty five to fifty percent below their regular price. Meat that is close to its sell by date, produce that is slightly imperfect, bread that is a day old, and pantry items being discontinued all commonly appear in the clearance section at significant discounts.
Where to Find the Clearance Section
Most grocery stores keep their markdown meat in a designated section of the meat department — often at the end of a refrigerated case or on a separate small display. Look for yellow or orange stickers on meat packages indicating a price reduction. Produce markdowns are often found in a separate basket or bin near the regular produce section containing slightly imperfect or nearly ripe fruits and vegetables. Bakery markdowns including day old bread, muffins, and rolls are usually found at the end of the bakery section. Pantry clearance items are sometimes found on a dedicated clearance shelf or at the end of an aisle.
What to Look For and What to Avoid
The best clearance finds are meat and poultry with sell by dates of today or tomorrow — these are perfectly safe and often discounted significantly. Produce that is slightly bruised or overripe is excellent for cooking, soups, and smoothies even if it is not ideal for eating raw. Day old bread is perfect for toast, sandwiches, French toast, and bread pudding. Avoid clearance items with damaged or bulging packaging, meat that has an off color or smell, or produce that shows signs of mold.
How to Plan Meals Around Clearance Finds
The most effective clearance shoppers do not go to the store with a rigid meal plan and then look for clearance items. Instead they check the clearance section first, see what is available at a discount, and then build their meal plan around those items. This approach — which Fed and Good calls Clearance Cart Mode — allows you to take maximum advantage of whatever happens to be marked down at your store that day. If chicken thighs are marked down forty percent you build your week around chicken. If ground beef is on clearance you make pasta sauce, tacos, and stuffed peppers. Shopping the deals first and then planning is how the most experienced budget shoppers save the most money.
Store the Clearance Meat Properly
When you find marked down meat the key is using it or freezing it immediately. If the sell by date is today cook it tonight or put it directly in the freezer when you get home. Frozen properly meat stays safe and delicious for months. Building a small freezer stock of marked down meat is one of the most effective long term budget strategies available — when you find chicken thighs marked down buy several packages, freeze them, and use them throughout the month.
The Bottom Line
The clearance section at your grocery store is a genuine goldmine for budget shoppers. Check it every time you shop, be flexible about what you buy based on what is available, freeze marked down meat immediately, and plan your meals around the best deals of the week. Fed and Good’s Clearance Cart Mode lets you enter what is on sale or marked down at your store today and automatically generates a full week of meals built around those specific discounted items — making it easier than ever to shop the deals first and plan your meals second.
