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• by Darcy Logan

• If you are trying to save money due to the global economic crisis or due to your own personal financial crunch, then you will want to find ways to save money on food. While it might seem difficult at first, most of these methods will make you healthier physically as well as financially.

• One of the best ways to save money is to cook the food yourself rather than rely on prepared foods or eating out.Kitchen Parade: How to Save Money on Groceries - Part One When you buy pre-cooked foods, much of the cost goes towards the packaging and not the ingredients.Kitchen Parade: How to Save Money on Groceries - Part Three Here are some ways that cooking can save you money:

1. Plan your meals a week in advance so you don't waste food and use up what you already have in your freezer or pantry.Kiplinger.com: Save Money on Food (February 21, 2008) The Huffington Post: Heather Cabot: 4 Ways To Save Money On Food
2. Avoid frozen and semi-prepared food that can cost almost twice as much as its unprepared alternatives.Kitchen Parade: How to Save Money on Groceries - Part Three
3. If cooking an entire meal seems overwhelming, only cook part of the meal yourself. You'll still be saving money.Kitchen Parade: How to Save Money on Groceries - Part Two
4. Prepare food in bulk and freeze it into family-sized portions.WebMD: 10 Ways to Save Money on Food Shopping, p. 4
5. Cooking can also make dating cheaper by saving you a fortune on expensive restaurants.Kiplinger.com: Save Money on Food (February 21, 2008)

• • Check out Mahalo's Food How Tos for great instructions on how to cook everything from how to make cinnamon toast to how to cook lobster.

• YouTube Video: How To Feed Your Family Healthy Meals on a Tight Budget (Time: 2:41)

• Saving money on food is not just about cutting grocery costs. About half of all money spent on food by Americans is spent on eating out, snacks and beverages.The Huffington Post: Heather Cabot: 4 Ways To Save Money On Food Cutting your food costs does not mean you need to eliminate eating out. Instead, you need to change when, where and how often you eat out.

1. If you reduce the number of times you eat out from three times a week to only once a week, you could save about $160 a month (estimating each meal costs about $20).Kiplinger.com: Save Money on Food (February 21, 2008)
2. Eating at less expensive restaurants can also save you money. Check out a restaurant guide or tour book for some budget-friendly alternatives.Kiplinger.com: Save Money on Food (February 21, 2008)
3. Instead of eating out at dinner, eat out at lunch when the prices of meals are cheaper.Kiplinger.com: Save Money on Food (February 21, 2008)
4. Eliminate the appetizers and side dishes when you do eat out.WESH Orlando: How to Save Money on Food Delivery
5. Coupons are not just for groceries anymore. The Internet is a great source for coupons.Kiplinger.com: Save Money on Food (February 21, 2008) Major chains often offer discount coupons on their websites.WESH Orlando: How to Save Money on Food Delivery You should also check out the following sites for deals:
   • Restaurant.com: Homepage
   • RetailMeNot: Food coupon codes
   • Wow Coupons: Homepage
   • About.com: Special Offers and Free Printable Coupons for Restaurants Nationwide
6. Making your own lunch is a great way to save money because it is about two-thirds cheaper than eating out.BCS Aliance: Ways to Save Money on Monthly Food Bill It also helps you use up leftovers and ensures that you are eating healthy.WebMD: 10 Ways to Save Money on Food Shopping, p. 2 This can reduce your daily costs by $4, which saves you $80 a month.Kiplinger.com: Save Money on Food (February 21, 2008)
7. Bring your own snacks and drinks to work and avoid expensive vending machines.BCS Aliance: Ways to Save Money on Monthly Food Bill
8. If you are purchasing your coffee at a coffee shop or convience store, it could be costing you. A $4 cup of coffee every workday equals about $120 a month or $1,400 a year.Kiplinger.com: Save Money on Food (February 21, 2008) Invest in a high-quality expresso machine or coffee maker instead.

• • Check out Mahalo's how to make good coffee, how to make espresso, how to make a Frappuccino and how to make iced coffee for more information.

• Sometimes saving money is not about what you buy but where you buy it. While most of us buy our food at grocery stores, we can be neglecting other sources that might offer better deals such as warehouse clubs, superstores and surplus stores.
  1. Discount grocers, like Aldi and Save-A-Lot, might have less selection but they also offer more savings.SmartMoney.com: 8 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill, p.2
  2. Amazon.com can be a great source for bulk quantities if you make use of its free shipping policy.SmartMoney.com: 8 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill, p.2

• Here are some of the best locations to find the biggest deals:
  • Milk: Drugstores and pharmacies or warehouse clubs like Costco Wholesale, BJ's Wholesale Club and Sam's Club.SmartMoney.com: 8 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill, p.2 SmartMoney.com: The Best and Worst Warehouse Club Deals
  • Snacks and cereals: Superstores like Target, Wal-Mart and Kmart.SmartMoney.com: 8 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill, p.2
  • Pantry staples: Warehouse clubs.SmartMoney.com: 8 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill, p. 2
  • Dry goods: Surplus stores like Amelias, SharpShopper and Grocery Outlet.SmartMoney.com: 8 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill, p.2
  • Bread: Day old bakeries.About.com: Frugal Tips - Saving Money on Food
  • Alcohol: Warehouse clubs.SmartMoney.com: The Best and Worst Warehouse Club Deals
  • Meat: Warehouse clubs.SmartMoney.com: The Best and Worst Warehouse Club Deals
  • Eggs: Warehouse clubs.SmartMoney.com: The Best and Worst Warehouse Club Deals

• Buying items in bulk or mass quantities is a great way to save money. It allows you to make the best use of sales.WebMD: 10 Ways to Save Money on Food Shopping, p. 4 Purchase containers that make food easy to store in your freezer and pantry.Kitchen Parade: How to Save Money on Groceries - Part Three

• However, make sure you only buy what you can use. Allowing it to go to waste won't save you in the long run. For best results, keep a list of what you have. You should also remember to label and date all the containers.The Huffington Post: Heather Cabot: 4 Ways To Save Money On Food Here is a basic guide on how long food can be stored:

1. Canned food: Two years from the date it was processed.Mealtime.org: FAQ's - How Long Does Canned Food Remain Edible and Retain Its Nutritional Content After It Is Purchased?
2. Frozen fruits and vegetables: Eight months to one year.National Center for Home Food Preservation: How Do I? Freeze
3. Frozen poultry: Six to nine months.National Center for Home Food Preservation: How Do I? Freeze
4. Frozen fish: Three to six months.National Center for Home Food Preservation: How Do I? Freeze
5. Ground meat: Three to four months.National Center for Home Food Preservation: How Do I? Freeze
6. Cured or processed meat: One to two months.National Center for Home Food Preservation: How Do I? Freeze
7. Other Foods: Depends on what it is and how it is stored. Check out the following sites for detailed information:
   • National Center for Home Food Preservation: Approximate Storage Times: Cupboard | Approximate Storage Times: Refrigerator/Freezer | Storing Vegetables at Home | Safe Home Food Storage
   • Timestrip Online: Food Shelf Life
   • Recipetips.com: Food Storage and Shelf Life
   • Whats Cooking America: Food Storage Chart - Shelf Life of Food

• • For more information, check out Mahalo's how to stockpile food.

• Mahalo is an excellent resource of information on how to save money on food. Besides this page, you should check out the some of these resources.

1. Learn how to get free food on how to be a freegan.
2. Cut costs at the grocery store on how to save money on groceries.
3. Buying local foods means you don't have to pay the added cost of shipping it.WebMD: 10 Ways to Save Money on Food Shopping, p.2 Learn how on how to eat local foods and how to shop locally.
4. Growing your own food can also help you save money.Kitchen Parade: How to Save Money on Groceries - Part One Check out Mahalo's pages on how to start a vegetable garden, how to grow brussel sprouts, how to grow carrots, how to grow garlic, how to grow ginger, how to plant green beans, how to grow herbs, how to grow potatoes, how to grow pumpkins and how to grow tomatoes.

• Saving money on food doesn't have to cut all the taste out of your eating experience. Instead, it is about making good choices and buying things at the right time. Once you get the hang of it, you will find yourself healthier and financially secure.