Frugal shopping

Monday: Baked penne and roasted vegetables

Reflections from the Backcounter

Reading the news is rarely an uplifting endeavor. Today I am struck by the concerns for the economy and the rising food prices. Clearly, the cost of groceries is on the rise. I am most acutely aware of the cost of milk as we go through so much of it during an average week. I usually choose where I will shop based on the milk cost that week as prices can vary by as much as a dollar a gallon. I carefully watch what I spend on food because the grocery bill is a modifiable variable in my budget over which I actually have a modicum of control. Let's face it, the mortgage, insurance, and gasoline costs are not that easily modified.

A few suggestions from our family budget

Always shop the grocery ads and stock up on items that are normally consumed in your household if the price is at a bargain. This requires familiarity with prices. I have read where some moms actually keep price books on frequently purchase items. Honestly, I do not have time or the inclincation to take it this far. I generally know what I should be paying for the most frequently purchased items and gauge my decision based on what is best priced in the grocery ads.

We always try to have a pasta dish or a meatless meal at least once a week and I do not buy a lot of processed foods for snacks. This is also a great way to keep trans fat out of the kids diets. More on that later.

I always buy my meat on sale and save it in the freezer for later.

Planning is very helpful to me as it keeps me from running to the store and impulse buying to put together a fast dinner. Thus the genesis of my blog.

Good luck shopping and let me know if you have better ideas
Peace,
Julia