| 1. |
Plan your meals. Look for ways to put
leftovers to good use either for a second dinner or for lunch instead of
eating out.
|
| 2. |
Check sales and store specials to see which of these foods you can use in your
meal plan. Even if something is sale priced, it may not save you money if it
isn’t eaten.
|
| 3. |
Clip coupons only for foods and products you would otherwise use, and when
prices on a comparable brand are not cheaper.
|
| 4. |
Check your refrigerator, freezer and pantry for food you already have on hand
that needs to be used. Plan to use soon-to-expire foods in your meals right
away. Throwing away spoiled food is literally throwing away money.
|
| 5. |
Make a shopping list based on your meal plan so you have the ingredients you
will need to make the foods you plan to fix. Set up your list to follow the
grocery store layout to speed up shopping.
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| 6. |
Plan to shop no more than one time per week, less often if possible. Even if you
just need one item, each time you step in the grocery store, you will likely buy
more.
|
| 7 |
If you have more than one grocery store from which to choose, track store
specials to determine which store consistently has better prices on the foods
you usually buy and shop there most of the time.
|
| 8 |
Shop alone and when you are not hungry. It will be much easier to stick to your
list and control spending.
|
| 9 |
Take advantage of sales to stock up on nonperishable items you use often.
|
| 10 |
Compare brands by checking the cost per serving. Shelf labels usually provide
this information for packaged foods. Store brands often are very acceptable in
quality and price when compared to national brands.
|
| 11 |
Check sell by dates and buy the freshest foods available.
|
| 12 |
Spend most of your time shopping the outside aisles of the store where the fresh
produce, meats and dairy products are usually located. These foods tend to be
higher in nutritional value and lower in cost per serving.
|
| 13 |
Foods high in fat, sugar and salt like cookies, doughnuts, chips and soft drinks
contribute very few if any nutrients. Fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads and
crackers and milk are highly nutritious and health promoting. Invest your food
dollars in good nutrition. Recent price comparisons show that good nutrition
actually costs less per serving than low-nutrient alternatives.
|
| 14 |
Buy fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in season. They cost less and
taste better.
|
| 15 |
Consider carefully before buying pre-bagged salads. They are usually more
expensive than plain salad greens and spoil more quickly.
|
| 16 |
Canned fruits and vegetables are economical choices, and a good nutritional
value. Frozen ones can be too, especially when sale priced. Sauces and
flavorings add to the price and are high in fat and sodium, making the plain
ones a better value.
|
| 17 |
Meat in larger packages is often priced less than small amounts. Divide into
smaller amounts and freeze in meal-sized packages.
|
| 18 |
Meat is often the most expensive item in a meal. Remember that we only need two
3-4-ounce servings per day for good health. Serve larger amounts of high fiber
vegetables and whole grains to satisfy appetites for less money. Hearty soups,
stews and casseroles help stretch smaller meat servings.
|
| 19 |
Dried beans and peas are a great source of protein, fiber, and other important
nutrients. Use them in place of, or as a way to stretch meat.
|
| 20 |
Poultry is often less expensive than pork, beef, veal and lamb especially if you
are willing to pull the skin off or cut it up yourself. Save bones and skin in
the freezer
until you have enough to cook with a little onion, carrot and celery to make
delicious broth. |
