Who isn't constantly trying to find a way to save a buck...I for one always am! I found this little article in the March 2010 issue of Parenting magazine.
Eat, Plan, Save
Meal scheduling is a key to frugal food buying: You can make the most of sales, for one. To start:
Decide how often you'll shop. Weekly? Monthly? Reducing trips will help you cut back on expensive impulse buys.
Start small. If compiling a week's worth of menus sounds too daunting, aim for three or four days worth.
Count the meals. Are there some nights you be out? Have guests? Plan for these--and lunches, snacks, etc...as well.
Take inventory. Check your shelves for foods you already have (say, potatoes), then check the sales (say, roast beef). Build your menu choices from there. (Pot roast!)
Include cheap meals every week. That could be leftovers, soup and a sandwich, or even breakfast for dinner. Remember: Protein's usually the costliest part of a meal, so go vegetarian once in a while.
Be ready to substitute. If ground beef in on sale and it can be substituted for more-expensive ground Turkey, swap it in.
At least once, compute the cost of each meal. This can be a huge eye-opener. Sometimes an expensive cut of meat paired with a simple veggie costs the same (or even less!) than a casserole with many inexpensive ingredients.
Adapted from Kimberly Danger's Instant Bargains: 600+ Ways to Shrink Your Grocery Bills and Eat Well for Less ($13 Sourcebooks)
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