Money Saving Ideas to Slash Your Food and Grocery Budget

I've found a wonderful way to cut costs when it comes to groceries. I made a list of 31 dinners. From that list I made a master grocery list. Of course I added other items to the list that we need monthly. Now I don't have to figure out what to make for dinner or what we have to make a dinner. It saves time and money. Since you have a master list you can scan all the sales adds pretty quickly. With this method I usually only have to do one major overhaul at the grocery store per month. When I first made the list it took about two hours but now I don't have to make a list again. Hope this helps some families- the initial time investment is worth it! -- Amanda from FL

If you find ground beef on sale, buy in bulk. Go ahead and brown a couple pounds and store in the freezer -- a HUGE time saver for casseroles, spaghetti and other recipes.

Go through your pantry and fridge and make a menu based on the goods that have been stored the longest, check expiration dates and label them with masking tape and big numbers on the lids, move cans and packages about to expire to the front of the shelves where you'll see them. When buying in bulk (meat, chicken, etc.) divide in portions for each meal and put them in zip lock bags before freezing.

Look at the reduced or out of date produce at the grocery store. Some stores have this on a separate rack. When my daughter was a baby I regularly purchased fruits such as pears and apples like this. I cooked them and ran them through a food processor for baby food. They were perfectly ripe, juicy and sweet at this point. Buy the reduced mushrooms and make spaghetti sauce or stroganoff. I also find those baby carrots my kids like so much marked way down for quick sale. Eat right away or dice, cook and freeze for a quick veggie for dinner or soups. -- Thanks to the reader who sent this idea!

If your grocery store prints coupons on the back of receipts or with receipts they can usually be combined with manufacturers coupons the next time you shop. And it doesn't matter if the manufacturers coupon says it can't be combined. -- Elizabeth

Find out which restaurants in your area offer free meals for kids:
http://www.kidseatfree.com/ -- Laurie in MN

A group of us started a meal exchange almost six weeks ago. How it works is we each have a day that we cook a meal for the other families. In our group there are four of us total. On Monday one person prepares a meal including side dishes and delivers them around meal time. Tuesday another person does the same thing. We do it Monday-Thursday and then are left on our own until the following Monday. Most of us have enough leftovers to make it through most of the weekend. It's amazing the money savings we've found because of buying in bulk. I think it has worked for us because our families are all the same size and we have about a total of five miles to drive round trip to get to each other's houses. All of us feel more competent about our cooking skills and get to try new things daily. -- Heather from OR

Do not forget to check your local superstores for food items that are on your grocery list. I find that things such as snacks, chips, and even cold cereal are much cheaper at my local Wal-Mart store then they are at the grocery store. Add that to your basic list of needs, and try to hit the store only once a month. This will also cut down on adding those last minute "do not really need" to your cart. -- Carol from CA

Keep water and snacks (like nuts) in the car so you don't pull into a restaurant when hungry.

I buy ground Beef in the value packs (6-8#). Then when I get home I brown all but a couple pounds and freeze it in one pound packs. These are great for quick meals and it doesn't take a lot of time and saves money! (and freezer space) -- Christy

At the end of every month I sit down on the computer and make out my monthly menu for the following month. Dinner is always the hard meal, so that's the menu I plan. We always have breakfast and lunch stuff on hand. I decide with the family what meals they want this month and make a calendar. After the calendar is finished, I make my grocery list for the items I will need to make each meal. That way I have everything on hand to make the meals. No extra running to the store... everything is on hand. Posting the calendar on the refrigerator makes is so easy to pick the meals. -- Tina, TX

Find a local "bargain bin" or "grocery outlet". The single cans of formula that you need to add water to, range from $2.50 to $3.50. I buy them, usually not dented and not out of expiration date, for .50 cents a can. I buy $20.00 of prosobee which is around $100.00 give or take in a grocery store. That is a savings of $80.00 or 80%. In addition to formula I get pampers and Huggies jumbo packs for $8-$10 a pack which is a saving of $8-$10 (50%) you get the idea. other misc. I get Cheap: Tide, cascade, Ziplock freezer and storage bags, deodorant, shampoo and soap. Oh and another huge mommy item is children's Tylenol and other medicines. Usually around $5.00 at a store, I buy them @ $1.50 to $2.00, all not yet expired. You can find these in your local phone book, under names like "bargain mart" and "bargain bin". -- Jennifer

Don't throw out the syrup from canned fruits - freeze it in ice cube trays. Then, when you are making smoothies, just throw the cubes in the blender instead of using regular ice! -- Annette

I have a 2 year old and an 8 month old. I do not buy expensive baby foods at the market. On the advise of a nutritionist, I started to throw in the blender whatever veggie we were having for dinner. As a quick and easy prepare ahead method, I simply cook up fresh veggies or fruit, puree them in a blender then fill ice cube trays. Wrap the trays tightly in cellophane and freeze. You then eject the food cubes into freezer bags. Whenever you need a quick meal for your little one, just pop a cube in the microwave or warm up in a pan. My toddler loves the fruit cubes partially thawed. Instant fruit slushie! -- Sandy