| Food is one of the most flexible expenses that | | | | especially with some wheat flour added, is very |
| we have, and almost everyone can do something | | | | filling and good for you and only takes a couple of |
| to lower their food costs. | | | | minutes to make. Open a can of vegetable soup, |
| Here are some tips: | | | | or make your own, and you have a wholesome |
| - Build up a repertoire of dishes without meat and | | | | meal. |
| serve them a couple times a week. Meat is | | | | - Get in the habit of baking a few potatoes when |
| expensive, and isn't necessary every day. A | | | | you have the oven on. Put them in the |
| couple of my favorite meatless dinners are | | | | refrigerator and then you can grate them for |
| vegetable omelets and bean tostadas. I love to | | | | quick and easy hash brown potatoes another day. |
| take a corn tortilla, fry it, add refried beans, and | | | | This goes well with an omelet dinner meal as well |
| then lettuce, cheese, green onions, and tomatoes. | | | | as breakfast. |
| It's easy and inexpensive. | | | | - Use prepackaged foods for convenience, and |
| - Stock up on basics when they are on sale. A | | | | supplement them for nutrition, flavor, and variety. |
| well stocked pantry saves money, especially | | | | Slice meats into macaroni and cheese, turn top |
| when all the items have been purchased on sale. | | | | ramen into stir fry, add ham to au gratin potato |
| - Know when an item is on sale by keeping a | | | | mixes. This is obviously more expensive than |
| record of normal selling prices. Most people call this | | | | cooking from scratch, but much better than fast |
| a price book. Take it to the store with you. | | | | food if you are having a busy day. |
| - Besides keeping your price book, have a | | | | - If you use a lot of a product, buy it in the |
| computer generated page for items you need | | | | largest, most economical size possible, and then |
| that can be printed and kept handy to check | | | | separate and store. For instance, we buy very |
| needed items before you go to the store. Make | | | | large blocks of cheese at Costco, cut them up, |
| shopping a breeze by putting the categories in the | | | | and then freeze them. This means we only have |
| order you find them in the store you shop in | | | | to buy cheese a few times each year. |
| most often. | | | | - Bake and freeze. If you are making cookies, |
| - Stick to your list, but leave a little wiggle room in | | | | make a large amount and freeze them. If you |
| your food budget to stock your pantry with sale | | | | don't have time to bake all the batter, just freeze |
| items. | | | | it. It's easy to take the cookie batter out later, |
| - If you have several stores in your area, and | | | | thaw it, and then slice and bake. |
| you don't have a favorite, shop at the store | | | | - Always closely inspect your food to make sure |
| running the best sales ad in the paper. | | | | it isn't damaged. I don't like dented cans, but |
| - Remember that you can use a manufacturer's | | | | unless they are bulging, they are usually safe. |
| coupon together with a store coupon for extra | | | | Check fruit for bruises. It won't keep fresh as |
| savings. | | | | long. Buy your vegetables with deep, rich color. |
| - Think about approaching food purchasing in a | | | | Check potatoes for sprouts. Make sure your |
| more business like manner. Set of goal for price | | | | bread and pastry doesn't have mold. Check the |
| reduction when buying food. For instance, you | | | | expiration dates and buy the freshest dairy |
| may decide that you will try to achieve a 20 | | | | products. |
| percent savings on your food purchases. | | | | - Use your leftovers. Plan meals around them. We |
| Let's say cake mixes normally sell for $1.00 in | | | | make Sunday dinner for our children and their |
| your area. When they go on sale for.80 cents, | | | | wives, and always plan on eating the leftovers for |
| you stock up. Or, if you have a coupon that | | | | a day or two. |
| brings the price down to .80 cents, you buy. | | | | - Think about buying a freezer. We wouldn't think |
| - Always compare the price-per-ounce or other | | | | of buying meat anywhere but Costco. It is much |
| unit prices on shelf labels. | | | | cheaper there, and the quality is so much better |
| - Shop twice a month, or biweekly. | | | | than anywhere else in this area. We wouldn't have |
| - Follow the basics of shopping alone, not shopping | | | | room to store it without the freezer. |
| when you are tired, depressed, stressed or | | | | - Don't buy non- food items at the grocery store. |
| hungry, and buying store brands when they are | | | | - Don't spend any more time in the store than |
| of good quality. | | | | necessary. Get in, make your purchases, and get |
| - Buy a bread machine. They are very | | | | out. |
| inexpensive now. It will more than pay for itself | | | | - Watch that cash register when checking out. |
| with all the soup and homemade dinners you | | | | You won't remember all the prices, but keep a |
| make. Most people just don't have the time to | | | | special eye on sales items. |
| make bread from scratch. Homemade bread, | | | | |