Here’s my forth installment of Grocery Shopping 101. If you missed my previous posts, here they are:
- Grocery Shopping 101: Before You Leave the House
- Grocery Shopping 101: At the Grocery Store (Part 1)
- Grocery Shopping 101: At the Grocery Store (Part 2)
So, I am devoting an entire post to unit price because I think it is the most important shopping tip/trick/tool that I use at the grocery store.
A long time ago, my mom taught me how to maximize our purchasing power at the grocery store by looking at the unit price of items. I couldn’t have been more than 10-years-old, but I quickly learned that the unit price was the best way to determine the true value of what we were buying.
What is the Unit Price?
The unit price is listed on the shelf sticker next to the price of the product. It tells you what an item’s cost per pound, gallon, ounce, etc. In the photo below, the unit price is listed in orange on the left side of the label. In this case, it’s how much you pay per gallon of olive oil. The cost per gallon is $50.67, but you’re only buying 16.9 ounces of olive oil, so you pay $6.69.
This same idea holds true for pretty much all grocery store items: the lower the unit price, the better deal you are getting. So, just because a box or bag is bigger, doesn’t mean that you are getting a better deal. Comparing the unit price of similar products will insure that you get the best deal possible without having to do any math.
Take, for example, Filippo Berio Olive Oil:
Check out how the retail price and unit price changes as the size of the olive oil container increases.
At $31.04 per gallon, you’re getting the best bang for your buck. You’re buying much more olive oil (101.4 ounces), but as long as you know you’ll use it and it won’t go to waste, you’re getting a deal.
As you can see, the cost (and size) of the product increases, but the unit price decreases. Especially for products like olive oil that you know you will use, buying a product with a lower unit price, even though you are paying more upfront, will save you money in the long run.
Bottom line: Look for the lowest cost per unit to get the best deal.
Trading Up Downtown Giveaway
Thanks to everyone who entered the soymilk giveaway last week. I loved reading everyone’s recent trade ups at the grocery store! 
Here’s your winner: 105
105. Amanda (Coupon Clipping Nutritionist)
Instead of ground beef burgers, I bought 3 kinds of veggie burgers!
Congrats, Amanda! Please email me at thaupert@nuval.com with your full name and mailing address to claim your prize!
Developed by an independent panel of nutrition and medical experts, the 
My mom taught me this, too! Unfortunately, where I live, the store doesn’t provide a unit price next to the regular price; we have to calculate it for ourselves. It’s a pain, but definitely it’s worth it for the deal!
Unit price is such a great trick to know! I’m amazed that so many friends don’t look at it but it’s a great way to save money overall.
I totally learned this one from you Tina, I think you have mentioned it before. I find it most helpful when I’m buying nuts. I use walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc. in baking and in my oats. I grab them in the baking aisle and there are so many different brands and size bags, unit price helps so much!
I learned this trick as a little girl from my mom too! I taught my husband about it grocery shopping so now he checks it when he does the shopping.
We pay attention to unit price as well. I need to be careful because on some items we really don’t want to have too much of it in the house. In those cases I would rather pay a little more per unit than going overboard when the items beckon me.
NEVER knew this! Thank you Tina!
My mom taught me this, too. It’s a very valuable tool! The one thing I wanted to mention, which someone else has already addressed, is that sometimes you don’t need the volume that is cheapest, or sometimes your monthly budget is more important than getting a little more product for your buck. So occasionally I’ll buy an item that is more expensive per unit but less expensive overall accepting the per unit price sacrifice in exchange for meeting my budget and/or wasting less product (i.e., heavy cream I only need for one or two recipes).
I love this tip and I use it all the time when shopping. It really helps especially when you are trying to pick between a few good brands. I have to be careful sometimes about not to buy a big quantity of something just because it has a low unit price. There are only 2 of us at my house! Definitely works out good on non perishables like olive oil though
I always look at the unit pricing! I’ve gotten really into even comparing the unit pricing with coupons added in. I usually shop at Costco and get a great price regularly, but with a coupon it’s amazing!
My bf taught me this after living (and shopping) together. Can’t believe I never knew it. REALLY good to know for paper products (paper towels, etc.) because you know you’ll use it all.
[...] call for diced tomatoes, so instead of buying two cans, I saved money by buying a larger can. The unit price was much less for the 28-ounce can than the 15-ounce [...]
Thank you for helping us to save money when we shop!! We are learning about rates, ratios, and proportions in our wonderful school in Greenville, SC. We appreciate you having this information for us to use as a comparison learning experience at Legacy Charter School.
[...] unit prices on potatoes and trash bags were just too good to pass up, so I stocked up. I know we’ll [...]
Thanks a lot for the excellent information.
I thank you humbly for shriang your wisdom JJWY
[...] the Unit Price – I learned this tip from Tina’s Grocery Shopping 101 and it changed the way I shop! When you are in a supermarket choosing between different brands of [...]