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Joanne Heim

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Editor and publisher of The Dollar Stretcher Newsletter

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Q&A

If you have questions about this change, you're in the right place. Our editors, experts, and community of change optimists have answers!

bstarr

Question:How can I cut down on food expenses?

Asked by bstarr on 7/3/08 7 Answers»
mhcapple

Answer:

I'm a big fan of Angelfood Ministries angelfoodministries.com Check the site to see if there's a place near you! It's a lot cheaper than supermarkets and such because they buy items in bulk. If you have a specific diet this may not be right for you, but give it a try.

Answered by: mhcapple on 8/11/08
VictoriaB

Answer:

I just saw a good tip and it was about gardening. If you like to garden and have a place (even potted container plants), you can easily grow some things that you can eat. The tip was for growing zucchini. I know personally how one plant can yield a ton of squash and it's actually pretty versatile. I've made zucchini in a number of ways:
with pasta and grated cheese
with other veggies, like carrots in a pasta primavera dish
sliced and sauteed with mint (it's a good complement)
scooped out and baked with bread crumbs and cheese
even raw ...

You'd be surprised what you can grow in containers. I have neighbors growing tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, basil, parsley and string beans ... all in large plastic containers.

Answered by: VictoriaB on 8/7/08
melsrest

Answer:

I noticed I had a cupboard full of food that wasn't being used but yet I kept buying more and more. Check to see what you may have in the fridge, freezer and cupboards and build from there as to what you may already have on hand and ONLY purchase what you need to complete meals

Answered by: melsrest on 7/30/08
chasb926

Answer:

When you go t the grocery store buy the family pack, its usually 20-70 cents less a pound for the same quality. Bring it home put the smaller portions in frezzer bags that you want for each meal and you will save quite a bit on your meat bill.

Answered by: chasb926 on 7/26/08
jasmine_perfume

Answer:

Good ways to cut down on food expenses are: 1. Buy on sale. 2. Don't buy prepared foods, making things yourself usually tastes better anyway. 3. To cut your meat bill, make foods where the meat is cut into small pieces instead of a large piece for each person. ie: beef tips in gravy instead of steak. You'll use much less.

Answered by: jasmine_perfume on 7/25/08
VictoriaB

Answer:

I read somewhere that most brands in supermarkets go on sale every 12 weeks (or some kind of cycle). The advice was to stock up on the sale items (buying only things you would be buying anyway ... just buying more of them when they are on sale).

So, tuna fish, for instance, or laundry detergent, or canned beans, or pasta ... if it's something you use, then buy more when it's on sale and store it.

Answered by: VictoriaB on 7/7/08
kristen

Answer:

Here is a great post from The Simple Dollar on making the most of your meal for less!
Link

Answered by: kristen on 7/7/08
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