Save Money on Groceries

Plan Your Meals Before You Go to the Store

This is an important step that can make a big difference. The better you plan, the more likely you are to make better food choices. If your cupboards and refrigerator are stocked with foods you can easily grab for snacks or meals, you are less likely to spend money dining out.

Make a list. Write down the foods you eat on a regular basis or the foods your family gobbles up in one night. If there is a recipe you plan to try this week, get the ingredients ahead of time so you are prepared and not distracted by running back and forth to the store.

Stock up. When you spot a sale or coupon for those items, buy as many as you can without going overboard. If the item can be frozen or has a longer shelf life, having extra on hand could save you another trip.

Shop sales. This might not work for everyone, so this could be one of those experiments. Instead of making a shopping list before you go to store, shop the sales and then plan your meals after you have purchased your discounted groceries. This could work well with whole foods like produce and lean meats, which can be mixed in all types of healthful recipes.

Make these meals in 30 minutes or less.