Plan for Food Spending

The Key To a Healthy, Low-Cost Diet

Planning ahead is the key to eating well when money is tight.

Prepare a shopping list.

You will save money and time.

How to Prepare a Shopping List

Determine food spending plan (how many dollars you can afford to spend on food)

Determine storage space

Check foods on hand

Plan weekly menu

Check newspapers for specials

Decide how much of each food to purchase

Unit Pricing

Packaged food usually has a unit price label on the grocery shelf.

This label tells you the price per unit of the food (ounce, quart, pound, cup, etc.)

Determine price per serving.(for foods that don’t have unit pricing)

Meat Unit Servings

Boneless meat 1 pound 4

Meat with some

bone & fat 1 pound 3

Meat with lots of

bone & fat 1 pound 1 or 2

Don’t waste food money.

Buy only what you can use and store before food spoils.

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Divide larger quantities into smaller packages and freeze.

5 Pounds of Ground Beef

Use

*one pound to make 4 hamburgers

*two pounds to make meatloaf and have leftovers

*1/2 pound for spaghetti sauce or chili

*1/2 pound for tacos or topping for stuffed baked potatoes

*one pound in a casserole

10 Pounds of Potatoes

*baked potatoes

*mashed potatoes

*potato cakes

*potato salad

*potato soup

*in a casserole

*other ways

Store food properly as soon as you get home from the grocery.

Use leftovers carefully

“Sell-By” and “Use-By”

“Sell-by” date is the last date the product can be sold

Product should be used within a couple of days of this date

“Use-by” date is the date by which the product should be used for best quality

Ways to Stretch Your Food Dollar

Add potatoes, rice or pasta to main dishes

Ways to Stretch Your Food Dollar

Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season

Ways to Stretch Your Food Dollar

Fix meals at home

Grow a garden

Shop for lower-cost foods

Questions

Reference: United States Department of Agriculture 2010 Dietary Guidelines,

www.ChooseMyPlate.gov, September, 2012

Graphics: Microsoft Word, United States Department of Agriculture

Jackie Walters, MBA, RD, LDExtension Specialist for Nutrition Education Programs

November 2012

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