Stretching Your Family Food Dollar
There are many ways to save money on the foods that you eat. The three main steps are plan before you shop, find the best price, and prepare meals that stretch your food dollars. Here are a few tips to help you save money:
- Plan, plan, plan! Before you leave for the grocery store, plan your meals. Check to see what foods you already have at home and make a list for what you need to buy.
- Compare and contrast: At the grocery store, find the "Unit Price" on the shelf directly below the product. Use it to compare different brands and different sizes of the same brand to determine which is the better buy.
- Love leftovers by using them in new ways. For example, try leftover chicken in a stir-fry or over a garden salad, or to make chicken chili. Remember, throwing away food is throwing away your money! Plan to use leftovers within 3 to 4 days or freeze for longer storage.
Tips for Saving Money on Food
These short lessons from The Dish offer tips to help you to plan meals, save money, and shop and eat healthier. Here are just a few of the lessons:
- The Allure of Convenient Food - Are you buying these 12 "convenient" items at the store? If so, you might be wasting money.
- This Grocery Shopping Hack Saves You Money Every Time - This grocery shopping trick saves you money. Every. Time.
- Don't Throw Away Your Food or Your Dollars - You waste money every time you throw away food. Follow these tips to save money.
Low-Cost Cooking
Ideas and tips for creating low-cost, healthy meals for you and your family:
Using Food Resources
Need help finding food to feed your family or assistance using your SNAP- EBT benefits? Here are some resources :
Here are a few additional resources that you might find helpful:
- Double-Up Food Bucks from Nebraska Extension
- Spend Smart. Eat Smart. app from Iowa State Extension
- Grocery Store Calculator from Iowa State Extension
- 5 Day Meal Planner from Iowa State Extension
Source:
- Healthy Eating on a Budget, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Grocery Shopping, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Tips for Every Aisle, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)