Money Saving Mom recently posted on the new P&G eSaver coupons you can load onto your Kroger store loyalty cards (as well as the cards of Kroger-owned stores, including Dillons, King Soopers and Ralphs), and now Shortcuts.com, which also lets you load coupons onto your store card, has introduced a new “Meal Deals” feature.

Basically a “Meal Deal” is a bundle of coupons to get savings on every part of a meal. So, for example, there’s a Pasta Night Meal Deal, and with one click coupons for a Macaroni Grill dinner kit, Kroger frozen chicken, Pillsbury crescent rolls and Green Giant frozen vegetables are added to your Kroger card.

As a matter of full disclosure, I work for Shortcuts.com, but I think the concept of finding ways for shoppers to save on an entire meal is an interesting one. I was looking through the grocery ads this morning and two of my four grocery stores are doing the same.

Safeway is running a promotion this week where if you buy two jars of Classico pasta sauce (which are on sale 2 for $4) you get two boxes of Barilla pasta for free. Voila. A complete pasta meal!

Giant Food is also running a deal this week where if you buy two California Pizza Kitchen Pizzas for $6.49 each you get a free 2-liter soda and a free box of Giant brand fruity pops. Voila. A complete pizza night meal!

I know that when I shop for groceries I hunt for as many coupons as possible to get my total bill as low as possible. So it makes sense to me to create a bundle of coupons for a complete meal. It also keeps shoppers in the store, picking up more groceries, and spending more money on other items.

What do you think about these complete meal-oriented consumer savings strategies? Are any of the grocery stores in your area doing anything similar? I’m so curious if this is a nationwide trend!

Money Saving Mom recently posted on the new P&G eSaver coupons you can load onto your Kroger store loyalty cards (as well as the cards of Kroger-owned stores, including Dillons, King Soopers and Ralphs), and now Shortcuts.com, which also lets you load coupons onto your store card, has introduced a new “Meal Deals” feature.

Basically a “Meal Deal” is a bundle of coupons to get savings on every part of a meal. So, for example, there’s a Pasta Night Meal Deal, and with one click coupons for a Macaroni Grill dinner kit, Kroger frozen chicken, Pillsbury crescent rolls and Green Giant frozen vegetables are added to your Kroger card.

As a matter of full disclosure, I work for Shortcuts.com, but I think the concept of finding ways for shoppers to save on an entire meal is an interesting one. I was looking through the grocery ads this morning and two of my four grocery stores are doing the same.

Safeway is running a promotion this week where if you buy two jars of Classico pasta sauce (which are on sale 2 for $4) you get two boxes of Barilla pasta for free. Voila. A complete pasta meal!

Giant Food is also running a deal this week where if you buy two California Pizza Kitchen Pizzas for $6.49 each you get a free 2-liter soda and a free box of Giant brand fruity pops. Voila. A complete pizza night meal!

I know that when I shop for groceries I hunt for as many coupons as possible to get my total bill as low as possible. So it makes sense to me to create a bundle of coupons for a complete meal. It also keeps shoppers in the store, picking up more groceries, and spending more money on other items.

What do you think about these complete meal-oriented consumer savings strategies? Are any of the grocery stores in your area doing anything similar? I’m so curious if this is a nationwide trend!