What's your favorite tip to save money on food?

My husband and I have 4 young (and very hungry!!!) boys to feed. We save A LOT of money on food simply because of the fact that I cook everyday, and mostly from scratch. All of the pre-cooked, processed foods are sooooo expensive, not to mention unhealthy. I enjoy feeding my family healthy, delicious, home-cooked meals....the fact that it is a lot cheaper then buying "convenience foods" is an added bonus!

I drink lots of coffee. If you do too (and if you're not one of those coffee fanatics that insist on a specific, exotic brand) then you might like this tip: reuse the coffee grounds. If you drink coffee daily, you can save a substantial amount without significantly affecting the taste by using the grounds twice (or more!). Just add a small amount of new coffee to the old grounds. That old stuff still has some kick in it. This works best if you also use a permanent filter (wonderful thing!) instead of paper filters. You can store the used grounds in the refrigerator until the next day.

i don't like to save money on food , we earn money for food ,shelter and clothes

You're right.. You should pack your lunch/snack. Restaurants charge you too much for something that is really cheap to cook.

buy food that's good enough to eat and cheap enough to buy.

We shop at walmart for our groceries cause it's cheaper. And when Food Lion has stuff buy one get one free we will get those things. I use coupons sometimes too.

I'd say you do pretty good. I feed a family of 4 and we pay about $300 a month on groceries. I try to use coupons whenever I can, but I can never seem to find them for the things that we really use.

A good way to save money would be to plan out your meals in advance and write down a grocery list. Also, if you have savings coupons, use them; i once got around 5$ off my groceries with coupons. Also, don't be afraid to try the store brand names; they are often cheaper, but just as good as the popular brands. If you have all the food you need for your planned meals of the week, then it reduces eating out. Don't buy extras, just because they're on sale. EAT before you go do your groceries;it may sound stupid, but it's a known fact that if people go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, they will spend more on food. And i've tried it, and it's true. A grocery for a week usually costs us around 100$ (we're only two) and once we didn't have time to eat before going grocery shopping...cost us $60 more.

i think saving on food is not a bad thing to do but why food why not some other thing because food makes you healthy and provides you with nutrition which you need for your daily work, i would preferred to save it other way, because i like foods.

Mine is to buy restaurant gift certificates and coupons on ebay, that way when you go out it doesn't cost as much.

There are ways to reduce your food bill but they are not easy. First thing is coupons. I know you have said earlier that it is hard to get coupons for raw materials but you can get it. Some grocery shops actually double or triple your coupons. Second way is to shift towards cheaper food. There are some food items cheaper than others. Try to avoid buying costlier food except when you are celebrating something. Third point is try to buy local grocery shop brand food. They are normally cheaper than brand names. That can save money on breads, eggs etc.

My tip would be to use coupons. There are plenty of web sites out there that provide you with coupons, that you can print out. If your local supermarket takes printed internet coupons, then definitely use them. On a normal shopping trip, I save anywhere between $150 and $200, with the coupons.

coupons and sales! buy enough to make huge meals, so you can freeze it and re-heat later on. buy products which aren't full of extra added stuff , like processed foods - they always cost more.

Don't keep on buying canned foods! You save money on food but what about the health effect?? I don't even consider that a good meal! save on fresh produce that are on sale but don't save by buying canned foods..

Im a bit like you = But I refuse to buy from a supermarket for a couple of reasons 1 = this is the reason for high unemployment - department stores - fast food chains - and so on ..I dont use them 2 = by buying from local butcher , fruit n veg and other local shops your helping to employ other people ,, It might be a little dearer but I can tell you its fresher [ did you know some fruit n veg is kept in storage for up to 18 months ] and try to buy free range - organic foods its better for you and you will save on medical expenses because you will be healthier ... have your own chickens grow your vegies make your own bread make your own pickles , jams , cakes , biscuits , desserts, pizzas , I look for bargians normally friday arfo or monday morn .. you can save heaps you can prepare , cook and freeze .. make time to cook - make all your own cleaning products .. theres heaps of web site out there have a look ...make you own christmas decorations make your own gifts + cards ...

My biggest thing is just never to buy pre-processed crap - it's not very good for you anyway - and stick to cooking from scratch from raw simple foods as much as possible. Generally the further the food is from the farm and the more over-packaged and pre-prepared it is, the more expensive it is. I also tend to buy food from farmer's markets whenever possible - I can often find deals there. And there are bulk stores near me where I can get big bags of things like beans, rice and spices for an excellent price.

try to reduce eating out,you can buy healthy but cheap food items.do'nt waste,some time we cook a lot and after that it spoils.

the best way i save my money on food is that i dont eat for several days,,, its really one of the best methods to do so

erm go shop at a cheap food store :P

my tip would be if you live in a house or where ever and have apiece of land i would advise that you look into planting a garden. you could in agood season get three or four harvest of the veggies you and your family enjoy all for just pennies. all it takes is alittle time and hard work and u could eliminate buying all those high priced produce in the stores. plus you could get your family involved and begin a nice family bonding experince.