by Joseph Nicholson

Created on: January 09, 2009   Last Updated: December 07, 2009

Food is always a considerable piece of any person's or family's budget, so when looking for ways to save money, it's a natural place to start. With minimal time and effort, by following the seven tips below, it's possible to reduce expenditures on food by 10 percent to 50 percent.

Tip 1: Avoid dining out. The worst value in eating is the meal out. Not only is the food more expensive, even if just a snack from a convenience store, but diners must usually also pay for service and gratuities. And, because restaurant food is often sweeter or fattier than it needs to be, diners can actually improve their health by avoiding or limiting eating out.

Tip 2: Buy ingredients rather than prepared foods. The less preparation food requires, usually the less value it represents. Purchasing ingredients allows shoppers to buy in bulk, creating savings, and allows greater control over food choices, providing an opportunity to make healthier choices. Most sauces or dressings can be made more cheaply at home from simple ingredients.

Tip 3: Choose natural foods. The most nutritious foods are those that can most easily be linked to a natural source, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. And, quite often, these are the least expensive choices at the grocer. Even canned or frozen, they represent a healthier alternative to and are usually more filling than processed foods like sweet snacks, baked goods or chips.

Tip 4: Substitute vegetable proteins for meat. Beans and rice combined make the least expensive complete protein that's readily available. Meats are much more expensive and do not provide a nutritional benefit. If meats cannot be replaced entirely, substituting one or more meals with meat alternatives will lower the food budget and produce health benefits.

Tip 5: Drink more water. Juices, sodas and other beverages are an often overlooked sources of excess calories and spending. Water is a far more healthful alternative.

Tip 6: Buy generic. Name brands rarely offer significantly higher quality despite their higher price. While a diet of all organic foods is ideal, the cost of buying just a few organic items is usually not justified by any immediate health benefits. Use coupons and buy items on sale.

Tip 7: Use coupons and buy items on sale. Most products will go on sale eventually, especially at grocers with club memberships or discount cards. Buying sale items will rarely reduce healthful options, but will stretch the food dollar. "Health foods" are often highly processed and expensive. Not only are they unnecessary in a healthy diet, they often represent a poor value.

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