Thrifty Tips:

It is essential that you keep your refrigerator cleaned out! How many times have you gone through it weeks after purchasing that interesting vegetable only to find that you completely forgot about it since it was buried in the depths of your refrigerator? Not anymore. Think of how much waste and money can be avoided if every purchase is utilized.

Tips to prevent waste and help keep food costs down:

* Clean your refrigerator weekly.

*Any items unused and you are not going to any time soon, chop up and freeze-either fruit or vegetable. Keep this in mind too if you have grown it. 

* Plan your Friday meal as clean-out-the-refrigerator-night. More on that later.

* Dont over buy. It is so easy to do. Perhaps only buy for 3 days worth of meals and snacks, you will probably find you still have enough for a fourth day.

*Meal Plan. Buy only what you need unless...

*there is a SALE. I have found it is amazing to buy tons of tomatoes, squash, bell peppers, or other produce when there is an amazing sale on them, especially right now in the late summer when harvesting is at its peak. You will find great competitive prices even if you have to travel to a few stores, it will be worth it. I promise you will love pulling out a bunch of already prepped (cleaned and cut to size) food from the freezer, throwing it together with your stir fried rice for an easy, inexpensive and healthy meal.

*Buy in Bulk. search internet prices for certain items. I hope to keep an updated guide of where to purchase specialty items for less and better quality. See my buying guide.

*Take advantage of any co-ops in your area. Even the upgraded organic basket we get is a great deal. As soon as you get it, plan out a few meals around the contents. Utilize everything. We use Bountiful Baskets and for the most part we are pleased with what we get, and they are available in many areas. 

* Grow a garden.

Do you have any good money saving ideas? We'd love to hear them.