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Pay less for your food and eat well Resources to help you achieve your savings goals are bottom of page.
Plan your meals Look over grocery store sales flyers before you go to the store, and plan your meals around what is on sale. Most stores now have their flyers posted online. Plan meals a week ahead, or at least a few days. The more trips you make to the store, the more money you will end up spending, as you always pick up a few extra items while you are there.		Use coupons Only use coupons for items you need. Buying an item just because you have a coupon is only spending extra money. Use coupons for items that are on sale to get extra savings. There are a zillion web sites that can help you find and organize coupons.
Eat before you go grocery shopping It takes a tremendous amount of willpower to walk through aisles full of your favorite foods while you are hungry!		Buy the store brand It's a dirty secret, but many store brands are made side by side with name brands and just have a different label slapped on them.If there is no difference in quality, why not pay less? Check unit pricing to see if the store brand is less expensive
Buy things when they are on sale Once again, look over the store flyers before you go to the store. Buy what is on sale, if you can use it. Certain items tend to run sales regularly, and you will get into a cycle where you are always buying the item at a reduced price. If you have a coupon for a sales item you have hit the jackpot. Sometimes you can get things for free by combining a sale with a coupon.		Check unit prices The unit price is the price per quart, gallon, inch, pound, or whatever the unit in which the item is sold. It is usually listed on the price tag next to the item price. Since products are sold in all different sizes of containers, this is an easy way to see which is your best buy. For example you will find rice selling for anywhere from $.50 per pound to over $6.00 per pound depending on brand, variety and size. Larger sizes are usually less per unit, but not always! Check the unit price.
Do more home cooking Processed foods are almost always more expensive. You are basically paying someone else to prepare the foods for you. Processed foods are higher in sodium and fat, and have many of the essential nutrients processed out. It is healthier to prepare the foods yourself. Eat out less. Even a gourmet meal of fish or an expensive steak is a fraction of the cost if you buy it and prepare it at home. Plan easy meals for week nights and have the ingredients available, so that eating out becomes less of a temptation. Ordering pizza is cheaper than eating in a restaurant, but it's even cheaper to make your own. Even if you buy frozen pizza dough and canned pizza sauce, it will be cheaper than having it delivered. When you have a bunch of free time, make several meals such as soups or casseroles and freeze them for quick suppers on days when you know you will be busy.		Use cheaper sources of protein Red meat cuts and fresh fish are the most expensive protein sources. Get to know prices per pound in your area, especially for beef. When meat is on sale, stock up on five or more pounds and put it in your freezer. Use meats such as ground beef which can be stretched in a casserole or mixed with rice or pasta. Look for cheaper types of frozen fish such as pollock or tilapia. Canned tuna fish is a very economical source of protein. You can stock up when it's on sale and keep it in your cupboard for a long time. Dried beans are a good source of protein and very inexpensive. Canned beans are precooked and very convenient for soups and casseroles. Peanut butter is a great protein food, and a peanut butter sandwich requires virtually no planning and preparation. Eggs are a perfect protein. They are getting more expensive, but even at $1.89 per dozen they are a very cheap protein. Buy several dozen when they are on sale, as they will keep for several weeks in your refrigerator. Soy products such as tofu and tempeh are high quality proteins which are much less expensive than meat, and use a lot less resources to produce. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese are good sources of protein.
Leave the kids at home while you shop Foods that appeal to kids, such as sugary cereals and candy, are stocked on the lower shelves. A resourceful youngster can easily throw a box of cereal in the cart while your head is turned. Even if they don't sneak foods into your cart, you will be worn down as they ask persistantly for their favorite foods. You deserve a break from the kids anyway. Find someone else to watch them and enjoy your time at the grocery store.		Shop local, especially for fruits and veggies. With the high fuel prices right now, it costs more to transport food, and this is one reason prices are on the rise. It's a good time to support your local farmers. Locally grown food is fresher and therefore more nutritious. Do something nice for the environment. Locally grown foods cause less environmental damage since they aren't shipped long distances.
Buy foods in season This goes along with buying locally grown foods. Things will be more abundant and less expensive when they are in season. Buy enough seasonal produce to freeze or can some for later in the year, when it isn't available locally. If you live in the United States, find out what is in season in your area at Sustainable Table.		Buy less junk food Junk food, empty calories, the stuff that you know you shouldn't eat because all it adds to your diet is extra fat and sugar. Do your family and your budget a favor, and become a junk-free home. Don't forget to include sodas, koolaid, and fruit punches in the junk food category. We are all better off drinking water. Kids should have milk with their meals.
Plant a vegetable garden This one takes a bit more time and planning. Set aside a piece of your yard, or if you don't have any space join a community garden. If you aren't used to gardening start out small. Plant some herbs and a couple tomato plants. You will find that having your own supply of tomatoes is so nice it will inspire you to grow more things next year. Be sure to pick plants that will grow in your climate. Can or freeze the extra produce to get you through the winter. If your garden takes off, you can help your neighbors lower their food bills also. Set up a stand at the farmers market and make a bit of extra money for yourself. Learn about community gardens and search for one near you at Communitygarden.org.		Drink water from the tap. A person who gets all of their recommended water intake (6-8 cups) from bottled water will spend between $400 and $1600 per year. You can get the same amount of water piped in from your city water supply for less than a dollar a year. According to Beverage Digest, American consumers spent $16.8 billion on bottled water in 2007. In the US, bottled water is regulated by the FDA, the same agency that regulates city water supplies. They use the same standards for most minerals, so your tap water is generally just as safe as bottled. Drinking from the tap is better for the planet. You don't require any packaging to get a drink from your tap. Installing a filter on your tap to remove minerals is still much cheaper than buying bottled water.
Pack lunches for your family You can pack a lunch for less than half the cost of a cheap restaurant or deli meal. Your bagged lunch will be much more nutritious than restaurant food. If you live in the United States your child can usually get a school lunch for about the same or less than the cost of packing a lunch. However the lunch you pack will probably be more nutritious. This depends on your school district and what type of foods they serve.		Don't buy preportioned foods. Food packaged in individual portions is much, much more expensive per unit than regular sized containers. You are paying for the extra packaging and the convenience of having someone measure it out for you. Instead of paying extra for instant oatmeal packets, just buy a container of quick oats. Add your own cinnamon or nuts. Quick oats only take a few minutes to cook. Cookies, potato chips and other snacks, peanut butter, puddings, cottage cheese, juice boxes, cheese and crackers, soups and pasta dishes are some more examples of overpriced individually portioned foods.
Make a salad from scratch Bags of precut salad ingredients are much more expensive than simply buying a head of lettuce and some other vegetables and cutting them up yourself. Fresh veggies that have been processed and handled are more likely to be contaminated with food poisoning. The salad bar at the grocery store is also an expensive salad, and has been processed an extra time by the store employees.		Become vegetarian Meat is the most expensive protein. If you don't want to give it up completely, try serving meatless meals several times a week. Vegetarian diets are lower in fat and cholesterol. You will increase your fiber intake and get more of the vitamins and phytochemicals that come in vegetables, grains and legumes. Vegetarian meals are good for the planet. It costs less energy and resources to produce grains and vegetables for food than to raise animals and slaughter them for food.
Serve leftovers If you save a little bit of leftovers from each of your meals during the week, you can have a leftover buffet extravaganza on the weekend! Many foods are even better the second time around, when the flavours have had time to blend. Make a little extra, or if you have teenage boys put some aside before the meal, to make sure you have leftovers. Even if you only have a small amount of meat or veggies, don't throw them out. You can probably throw them in a salad, or combine them with another recipe for an added dimension of flavour.		Resources Couponmom.com Sustainable Table celebrates the sustainable food movement, educates consumers on food-related issues and works to build community through food. Find recipes for leftovers at Teriskitchen.com. How to plant a garden Learn about community gardens and search for one in your area at Communitygarden.org. If you live in Australia, try Community Gardening in South Australia The Vegetarian Resource Group Calculate the calories and nutrients in thousands of lunch combinations with the Pack-a-Lunch Nutrition Calculator Back to the top.

Pay less for your food and eat well

Resources to help you achieve your savings goals are bottom of page.

Plan your meals

Look over grocery store sales flyers before you go to the store, and plan your meals around what is on sale. Most stores now have their flyers posted online.
Plan meals a week ahead, or at least a few days. The more trips you make to the store, the more money you will end up spending, as you always pick up a few extra items while you are there.

Use coupons

Only use coupons for items you need. Buying an item just because you have a coupon is only spending extra money.
Use coupons for items that are on sale to get extra savings.
There are a zillion web sites that can help you find and organize coupons.

Eat before you go grocery shopping

It takes a tremendous amount of willpower to walk through aisles full of your favorite foods while you are hungry!

Buy the store brand

It's a dirty secret, but many store brands are made side by side with name brands and just have a different label slapped on them.If there is no difference in quality, why not pay less?
Check unit pricing to see if the store brand is less expensive

Buy things when they are on sale

Once again, look over the store flyers before you go to the store. Buy what is on sale, if you can use it.
Certain items tend to run sales regularly, and you will get into a cycle where you are always buying the item at a reduced price.
If you have a coupon for a sales item you have hit the jackpot. Sometimes you can get things for free by combining a sale with a coupon.

Check unit prices

The unit price is the price per quart, gallon, inch, pound, or whatever the unit in which the item is sold. It is usually listed on the price tag next to the item price.
Since products are sold in all different sizes of containers, this is an easy way to see which is your best buy. For example you will find rice selling for anywhere from $.50 per pound to over $6.00 per pound depending on brand, variety and size.
Larger sizes are usually less per unit, but not always! Check the unit price.

Do more home cooking

Processed foods are almost always more expensive. You are basically paying someone else to prepare the foods for you.
Processed foods are higher in sodium and fat, and have many of the essential nutrients processed out. It is healthier to prepare the foods yourself.
Eat out less. Even a gourmet meal of fish or an expensive steak is a fraction of the cost if you buy it and prepare it at home.
Plan easy meals for week nights and have the ingredients available, so that eating out becomes less of a temptation.
Ordering pizza is cheaper than eating in a restaurant, but it's even cheaper to make your own. Even if you buy frozen pizza dough and canned pizza sauce, it will be cheaper than having it delivered.
When you have a bunch of free time, make several meals such as soups or casseroles and freeze them for quick suppers on days when you know you will be busy.

Use cheaper sources of protein

Red meat cuts and fresh fish are the most expensive protein sources. Get to know prices per pound in your area, especially for beef. When meat is on sale, stock up on five or more pounds and put it in your freezer.
Use meats such as ground beef which can be stretched in a casserole or mixed with rice or pasta.
Look for cheaper types of frozen fish such as pollock or tilapia. Canned tuna fish is a very economical source of protein. You can stock up when it's on sale and keep it in your cupboard for a long time.
Dried beans are a good source of protein and very inexpensive. Canned beans are precooked and very convenient for soups and casseroles.
Peanut butter is a great protein food, and a peanut butter sandwich requires virtually no planning and preparation.
Eggs are a perfect protein. They are getting more expensive, but even at $1.89 per dozen they are a very cheap protein. Buy several dozen when they are on sale, as they will keep for several weeks in your refrigerator.
Soy products such as tofu and tempeh are high quality proteins which are much less expensive than meat, and use a lot less resources to produce.
Dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese are good sources of protein.

Leave the kids at home while you shop

Foods that appeal to kids, such as sugary cereals and candy, are stocked on the lower shelves. A resourceful youngster can easily throw a box of cereal in the cart while your head is turned.
Even if they don't sneak foods into your cart, you will be worn down as they ask persistantly for their favorite foods.
You deserve a break from the kids anyway. Find someone else to watch them and enjoy your time at the grocery store.

Shop local, especially for fruits and veggies.

With the high fuel prices right now, it costs more to transport food, and this is one reason prices are on the rise. It's a good time to support your local farmers.
Locally grown food is fresher and therefore more nutritious.
Do something nice for the environment. Locally grown foods cause less environmental damage since they aren't shipped long distances.

Buy foods in season

This goes along with buying locally grown foods. Things will be more abundant and less expensive when they are in season.
Buy enough seasonal produce to freeze or can some for later in the year, when it isn't available locally.
If you live in the United States, find out what is in season in your area at Sustainable Table.

Buy less junk food

Junk food, empty calories, the stuff that you know you shouldn't eat because all it adds to your diet is extra fat and sugar. Do your family and your budget a favor, and become a junk-free home.
Don't forget to include sodas, koolaid, and fruit punches in the junk food category. We are all better off drinking water. Kids should have milk with their meals.

Plant a vegetable garden

This one takes a bit more time and planning. Set aside a piece of your yard, or if you don't have any space join a community garden.
If you aren't used to gardening start out small. Plant some herbs and a couple tomato plants. You will find that having your own supply of tomatoes is so nice it will inspire you to grow more things next year.
Be sure to pick plants that will grow in your climate.
Can or freeze the extra produce to get you through the winter.
If your garden takes off, you can help your neighbors lower their food bills also.
Set up a stand at the farmers market and make a bit of extra money for yourself.
Learn about community gardens and search for one near you at Communitygarden.org.

Drink water from the tap.

A person who gets all of their recommended water intake (6-8 cups) from bottled water will spend between $400 and $1600 per year. You can get the same amount of water piped in from your city water supply for less than a dollar a year.
According to Beverage Digest, American consumers spent $16.8 billion on bottled water in 2007.
In the US, bottled water is regulated by the FDA, the same agency that regulates city water supplies. They use the same standards for most minerals, so your tap water is generally just as safe as bottled.
Drinking from the tap is better for the planet. You don't require any packaging to get a drink from your tap.
Installing a filter on your tap to remove minerals is still much cheaper than buying bottled water.

Pack lunches for your family

You can pack a lunch for less than half the cost of a cheap restaurant or deli meal.
Your bagged lunch will be much more nutritious than restaurant food.
If you live in the United States your child can usually get a school lunch for about the same or less than the cost of packing a lunch. However the lunch you pack will probably be more nutritious. This depends on your school district and what type of foods they serve.

Don't buy preportioned foods.

Food packaged in individual portions is much, much more expensive per unit than regular sized containers. You are paying for the extra packaging and the convenience of having someone measure it out for you.
Instead of paying extra for instant oatmeal packets, just buy a container of quick oats. Add your own cinnamon or nuts. Quick oats only take a few minutes to cook.
Cookies, potato chips and other snacks, peanut butter, puddings, cottage cheese, juice boxes, cheese and crackers, soups and pasta dishes are some more examples of overpriced individually portioned foods.

Make a salad from scratch

Bags of precut salad ingredients are much more expensive than simply buying a head of lettuce and some other vegetables and cutting them up yourself.
Fresh veggies that have been processed and handled are more likely to be contaminated with food poisoning.
The salad bar at the grocery store is also an expensive salad, and has been processed an extra time by the store employees.

Become vegetarian

Meat is the most expensive protein. If you don't want to give it up completely, try serving meatless meals several times a week.
Vegetarian diets are lower in fat and cholesterol. You will increase your fiber intake and get more of the vitamins and phytochemicals that come in vegetables, grains and legumes.
Vegetarian meals are good for the planet. It costs less energy and resources to produce grains and vegetables for food than to raise animals and slaughter them for food.

Serve leftovers

If you save a little bit of leftovers from each of your meals during the week, you can have a leftover buffet extravaganza on the weekend!
Many foods are even better the second time around, when the flavours have had time to blend. Make a little extra, or if you have teenage boys put some aside before the meal, to make sure you have leftovers.
Even if you only have a small amount of meat or veggies, don't throw them out. You can probably throw them in a salad, or combine them with another recipe for an added dimension of flavour.

Resources

Couponmom.com
Sustainable Table celebrates the sustainable food movement, educates consumers on food-related issues and works to build community through food.
Find recipes for leftovers at Teriskitchen.com.
How to plant a garden
Learn about community gardens and search for one in your area at Communitygarden.org.
If you live in Australia, try Community Gardening in South Australia
The Vegetarian Resource Group
Calculate the calories and nutrients in thousands of lunch combinations with the Pack-a-Lunch Nutrition Calculator

Back to the top.