Stuck for ideas? Meat can be replaced with fake meat soya products, beans, lentils, and so on. Protein, despite what most people think, is not a problem. There are even vegan bodybuilders, so no excuses there.

I was poor growing up; grew up on a farm, and learned how to eat the right foods, but had no money for the ‘fun foods’ aka ‘junk foods’. Learning how to can and freeze produce was part of the family tradition; this has helped me enormously over my 67 years.

Because I learned to think ‘fresh’, I don’t look for precooked; premade foods, and don’t like eating out much because I learned to be a good cook and prefer eating at home.

If people didn’t tend to sometimes use food to ‘celebrate’ with, they’d save on the cost of the food as well as the calories.

I’ve weighed the same since I was 16, so 51 years of doing the same thing has saved me money and kept me healthy.

When I had all my children at home, we had two refrigerators and one huge freezer plus two stoves. One stove was in the basement where I did all my canning (cooler during those summer months).

I had a bound journal that I kept; I drew the layout of the refrigerators; freezer, and where the canned goods were stored. I think because my first working job was as inventory control supervisor, I learned the techniques of keeping easy and efficient records.

In any case, using a desk calendar to plan an entire month’s worth of meals is my first order of business even now it’s just me and my husband. When the store flyers come out, sometimes an item gets changed it there’s a significant sale, but I always keep the basics on the calendar so it requires little change.

I have my grocery list on my computer; I update it – have it laid out in columns so I can print an 8-1/2 (x) 11 sheet; trim it into 4 sheets, and that’s my monthly list.

I leave about 10 lines at the bottom for ‘other things’ that are needed, but pretty much staying ‘fixed’ on menus that are nourishing; foods that can be made from a main meal into a soup or stew (left-overs) is another money-saving method I use.

I use Sam’s Club for bulk items that store long-term. I shop 3 or 4 stores based on specials, and all of the stores are within 10 miles of each other, so I lay out the trip so I don’t waste gas.

My grocery list is made out in the order of the store lay-out; saves time and I don’t forget things or have to re-trace my steps.

We’ve pretty much cut cheese and tuna out of our diet because of the high cost versus ‘yield’. We now use cottage cheese (which I make), and if we want tuna I buy it fresh – cook it; eat some as the main meal, and then chunk the remainder – season it and use it for sandwiches.

One can can meat easily; if you don’t have freezer space, try canning it and using it for soups and stews as well as sandwiches.

The grocery store may not advertise them, but those “dollars per ounce” are right there on the price label. Ignore the total price, ignore whatever they’re doing to the portion size, just focus on getting the most product for your dollar!

And I second the suggestion of changing your eating habits. For the price of a couple fast food meals or greasy boxed something-or-other, you could buy enough frozen broccoli and dry lentils to eat for a week.

I’m not saying everyone can do it, but I think with a little effort – most of us can.

I think I saw that one time in a consumer science journal.

Meanwhile, I guess we’re stuck making lists.

Great set of tips!

And they are 7 oz instead of 8.