I just recently shared with you some tips for making shopping with the kiddos a bit easier, but do you have a hard time staying within your food budget when you head to the store? As I shop for my family of eight, I certainly find myself struggling to not overspend. But sticking to a budget doesn’t have to mean sacrificing wholesome, nutritious family meals.
Here are some of my tricks to staying within budget:

Plan a big shopping trip. Extra trips throughout the week sure add up, and can cause you to blow that budget, let me tell you! Instead, plan a big trip every two weeks, to purchase the items you need to complete your menu.

Buy the essentials in bulk. What do the following food items have in common – eggs, milk, bread, cheese? Around here, we go through these items very quickly! I just did some calculating and we’re up to 8 dozen eggs, 15 gallons of milk, 14 loaves of bread, and 15 pounds of cheese each month! If we purchase these items at a wholesale food outlet, we can save quite a bit of money, simply because we consume so much. It also cuts down on those quick trips to the grocery store, during the week.

Make a shopping list. Check it twice. And, don’t leave home without it! I find that when I make a list I very rarely deviate from the list and can prevent buying unneeded items. This takes some self-control and discipline but if I can do it, trust me, you can too!

Cut back on the junk food. This is tough for our fishy-lovin’ family! I have found that cutting back on the crackers and chips and giving my kiddos healthier, and more inexpensive snacks, like hard-cooked eggs, saves quite a bit each month. Eggs are a great choice when it comes to affordable and nutritious foods. At an average of $1.93 per dozen, eggs are one of the most affordable sources of high-quality protein available, and can help stretch other foods in the refrigerator or pantry, since almost anything can be used in an omelet, frittata, quiche or strata.

Use coupons and watch the sales. Clip or print those coupons and use them, whenever possible. If you shop smart, by watching sales and coupling coupons with the sale prices, you can stock up and save!

What are some of the ways you stay within budget?

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