Shelia Lewis: Smith County Extension

In today's economic climate, many American families are trying to reduce their household spending, and one strategy is to reduce food costs.

On average, Americans spend about 13 percent of their disposable income on food. According to data from the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, food costs rose 4.8 percent last year. In fact, recent data show that the cost to feed a family of four (a couple ages 19-50 with two children between the ages of 6 and 11 years) at home on a moderate cost food plan has increased 3 percent between January and June of this year. Higher food prices coupled with the high price of gas, means that families need strategies to get more bang for their food buck.

To help your family economize, use these tips:

Know your food budget. Take a look at your family budget and decide how much you can spend on food. From this amount, determine your weekly food allowance and stick to it!

Next, look at store ads to identify items your family likes to eat that are on sale. Can you substitute something on your list for a food item that is on sale? Which types of fresh produce are in season and on sale? Often, these may be cheaper than canned or frozen versions of the food. If you see a bulk item that your family eats is on sale, stock up and repackage the food into smaller quantities at home. Stock up on shelf stable bulk items if you have space to store them and will eat them before they spoil. Also consider looking at unit prices of foods which can often be found on the shelf tag. Larger sized packaged items may be cheaper and smaller packages of food.

Consider trying store brands of foods which may be of the same quality as other name brand products. Also, look up and down on store shelves. The most expensive items are usually at eye level. Less expensive products may be at a higher or lower level on the shelf. If possible, try to avoid convenience foods which may be more expensive than preparing the item from scratch. For example, it might be better to plan for leftovers than to purchase a frozen TV dinner for your lunch meals.

To make your trip to the store as efficient as possible, also consider organizing your grocery list by section of the store. Only visit those aisles which have a food you need to purchase. When you check out, be sure to watch for errors in pricing. Make sure sale items ring up correctly and that any coupons you have are applied to the purchase.

These tips will help you reduce your food costs, stay within your food budget, and get more bang for your food dollar!

Programs of Texas AgriLife Extension serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Shelia Lewis is a Smith County Extension agent in family and consumer sciences. She can be reached at sk-lewis@tamu.edu. This column on family and consumer education news appears in the Thursday Community section of the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

Shelia Lewis
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