Food and groceries are one of the largest monthly bills for American families. But luckily, with a little foresight and attention to detail, it’s also one of the easiest ways to trim some extra dollars off your budget. Here are five sure-fire ways to save on food and still keep your family well fed.
* Just Freeze It! Buy staples such as ground beef, chicken breast or cheese in bulk and freeze what you can’t use immediately. This will allow you to take advantage of a price break on family-sized portions.
* Make More. When cooking stews, soups or casseroles, make more than your family will eat in one sitting. Store the remainder away for another meal or to send to work or school as brownbag lunches.
* Plan Ahead. Groceries get expensive when you run to the store everyday to buy what you need for that evening. Instead, plan out the meals for the week and do all your shopping at once. While your grocery bill may be higher up front, you’ll avoid running to the store for last minute ’crisis cooking’ items, which really add up.
* Look Up, Down and All Around. At the grocery store, its no coincidence that the foods with the highest markups are located on the shelves at around chest level. Look higher up, down below or on end-caps to find generic brands or better deals.
* Shop Fresh. Local farmers markets can offer much fresher produce and canned goods than the grocery store and usually at much lower prices, since you’re not paying for shipping, advertising and retail costs.
