1. Eat All Your Food.  Americans throw out 25% of their food, according to the EPA.  Try to buy less, plan your meals each week, eat the fresh stuff first, and eat those leftovers for lunch.
2. Make A Plan.  And stick to it!  Be realistic about how often you are cooking and if you will have leftovers for lunch.  Keep your pantry well-stocked so that you aren’t tempted to run out to the store when you’re not sure what’s for dinner.  If you just need milk, try one a local drive-through so that you aren’t tempted get more items than you really need.
3. Eat Before You Shop.  All those foods are way more tempting when you shop hungry, so fill up first and stick to your list!
4. Eat in Season.  Don’t buy watermelon in the winter, it’ll cost a fortune.  Plan your menus around what’s in season to save a bundle and enjoy fresher produce, as well.
5. Eat Local.  Shop around at farmer’s markets for great summertime deals.  Last week at Tuscora’s Farmer’s Market, I got a pound of green beans for $1 and a box of cherry tomatoes for $1.
6. Don’t Always Use Coupons.  Only use a coupon if it’s on your list, otherwise you’re likely to buy something you don’t really need just because you have a coupon for it.  Coupon clipping can be time consuming, and is often for prepackaged, prepared foods that are overpriced to begin with, so use coupons judiciously.
7. Try Meatless Monday.  Eating vegetarian once or twice a week (or more!) will save lots of money.  Check out www.allrecipe.com’s meatless collection.
8. Shop Around.  Amazon.com and Alice.com can offer some great deals with free shipping.  We especially like Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program, which offers 15% off the total.  Sam’s Club can be a great deal for toilet paper and dry goods; watch the produce, it will often spoil before you can eat it all.  Aldi’s has fresh and cheap produce.
9. Cook From Scratch and in Double Batches.  It takes a little time to cook from scratch, but if you make double batches (one to serve and one to freeze), you’ll end up saving time in the long run.  Plus, it’s time well spent: your dinners will be delicious, you can cook with your kids, and eat healthier together. And on those nights things get busy? There’s no need for take-out when you have a meal ready to defrost and serve.
10. Don’t Take Your Kids.  Kids will beg for extra foods and things you don’t really need. My kids will actually put things in my cart and unload them on the belt, so I don’t even realize I bought it until I get home.  Try going when your spouse is home, or set hard rules about not buying extras. Or you can give your child a small list of 5-6 items to hunt for in the store, so they can shop for things you actually need.

How do you save money at the grocery store? Share your tips and advice!