Whoa! Ever get to the checkout counter and get a big surprise with your grocery bill? Before you start complaining about the price of food, you'd better take a second to look at the receipt. Did what you buy cost more because you bought the convenient pre-packaged or pre-cut food, such as baby carrots with its own little tub of veggie dip? Shoot, how much of your bill isn't even food at all?

On average, almost 20% of your grocery bill goes to items other than food, such as dog food, toothpaste, and magazines. Yup, the supermarket has made life more convenient for us, but it also leads to a bigger surprise at the checkout lane.