Have you been to the grocery lately? Prices have gone up and up…what can you do about it? How can you feed your busy family well and stick to a realistic budget? 

Here are a few tips:

• Watch what you are throwing away. If you are throwing the same things away over and over stop buying it. Also, do not throw things away according to the date stamped on the container. Food manufacturers put those dates on there to indicate when foods are “best”. Use your judgement of course, but as long as the food does not show signs of spoilage it is safe.
• Plan around sale items and what you have on hand—shopping in your pantry helps you throw less away and saves money at the store.
• Do not fall into the myth of “fresh is best”. Unless the produce is in season and local, frozen or canned is the better, more nutritious choice.
• Have you heard people say? “I can’t afford to eat healthy”. Have you compared convenience, snack foods to whole foods? Chips are more than 3 times the price of potatoes!
• Time is money! Convenience comes at a cost.
  • Cereal is three times the price of oatmeal (old fashioned)
  • “Baby” carrots are twice as expensive as whole carrots
  • “Instant” noodle/rice packets are 4 times the price of plain
  • Microwave popcorn is 4 times the price of popcorn made on top of the stove
• Dairy can be expensive—keep it below 41° and it will last several days beyond the best buy date
• Use half the meat and/or cheese in a recipe (use the more strongly flavored cheese and no one will know)
• Go meatless one day per week---eggs and beans are super cheap and super nutritious! Have breakfast for supper!