Frugal Grocery Shopping

Plan Ahead

The easiest way to reduce your grocery bill is to simply reserve an hour or two each week for meal planning. Take a look at your pantry to determine what items you already have and pick up copies of local grocery store ads to see what items will be on sale. Create a meal plan and shopping list using this information; try doing an ingredient search at All Recipes if you're having trouble coming up with ideas.

Create a Price Book

If you're like most people, it's difficult to remember exactly how much you normally pay for a loaf of bread, a carton of eggs, or a gallon of milk. This is why a price book is a great resource for frugal grocery shopping. By recording the prices you pay in a typical month, you'll be able to determine if a sale or coupon is truly a bargain.

Use Coupons

Coupons can be a wonderful tool for frugal grocery shopping. Start with the inserts in your Sunday newspaper, then check out the following sites for free printable grocery coupons:

• SmartSource
• Coupons.com
• Coupons Inc.

As you're looking for coupons for your next shopping trip, remember that you're only saving money if you're buying items that your family will actually eat. Don't fall into the trap of buying unnecessary items just because the price is right.

Check Out Store Brands

If you're not already buying store brand groceries, now is the time to start. Store brands are available for many staples, such as flour, sugar, milk, pasta, and canned vegetables. In most cases, your family won't even notice a difference when you start buying these items. Store brand snack foods, soft drinks, and breakfast cereals are often an acquired taste, but you may want to try these products as well.

Buy in Bulk

If you know what items your family uses on a regular basis, consider buying in bulk when you can find a coupon or sale that will give you the best possible price. Storing products such as extra breakfast cereal or peanut butter is a simple way for even the busiest family to save money. If you don't have enough extra room in your kitchen to store bulk purchases, consider designating an unused closet in another room for these items.

Cut Meat Consumption

While some protein is necessary for a healthy diet, the average American eats much more meat than what is truly necessary. If you're not willing to adopt a completely vegetarian lifestyle, consider having one or two meatless meals per week. A grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup, cheese enchiladas, stir fry, or broccoli and cheese frittatas make excellent dinner choices for busy families. Incorporate more beans into main meals as well for a healthy and inexpensive protein alternative.

Another easy way to save money by reducing your family's meat consumption is to simply use less meat in your casseroles and skillet dishes. For example, most of the time you won't even notice if you use ¾ pound meat in a casserole that normally calls for one pound. If you're worried about not having enough food to go around, try replacing the missing meat with extra vegetables.

Make the Most of Leftovers

People who are committed to frugal living know that it's never a good idea to waste food. When you're cooking, you have a few options:

• Alter the proportions in the recipe so there is no leftover food.
• Take the leftover food to work with you for lunch the following day.
• Freeze leftover food for use at a later date.
• Repurpose leftovers by turning them into a new meal, such as making roast chicken one night and spring chicken stew the next.

More Frugal Grocery Shopping Tips

For additional information about creative ways to reduce your grocery bill, LoveToKnow Save recommends the following helpful resources:

• Grocery Shopping: The Coupon Mom Interview
• Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half
• Shave $150 a Week off Your Grocery Bill
• 8 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill