Shop Primeter Of The Grocery Store

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In general, healthy eating ingredients are found around the outer edges of most grocery stores—fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain breads and dairy products. The centers of many grocery stores are filled with overpriced, processed foods that aren’t good for you. Shop the perimeter of the store for most of your groceries (fresh items), add a few things from the freezer section (frozen fruits and vegetables), and the aisles with spices, oils, and whole grains (like rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).
Cook when you can

Try to cook one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening and make extra to freeze or set aside for another night. Cooking ahead saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you have a home cooked meal waiting to be eaten.

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My book Save Your Money, Save Your Family is now available

SPENDING TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER

With the economic down turn, more and more families are feeling the pain of the economic crunch.
families are having to cope with the job loss of one or both parents. Families are having to re-evaluate everything in their every day lives:
from where they eat, how they shop for food, which grocery stores to buy grocery from, how, when, where and how much
their budgets will allow them to spend on everyday necessitates. Even family trips, vacations, eating out, movies are a luxury for many families in today's world.

I have a few suggestion on how to help you and your family cope. Just because things are hard and I know they are hard. It does not mean that you and your family should not or can not enjoy
each others company, companionship,and re-bonding.

1. Set aside a time, day or night. That is family time: for you to cook together, have something for each family member to do.
2. Have each person write down what each one would like to do on a family night. You may have each person have a family night each week.
for example. Big brother chooses to have homemade pizza and movie night on his week. And little sister chooses to have home made chicken tacos and a Mexican party on her week.
3. Also there are several board games that are very and I am going to say cheap because they are cheap, for you to purchase and play with your family.

We can get through this one day at a time. I encourage you to take a step back and appreciate what you have. The most important asset you have is each other period.

Tip #6 Cooking with the kids can be fun, exciting, and educational and builds Self Confidence.

Cooking basically is following directions. (Remember Tip # 5 is to follow directions). One of the first lessons in elementary school we are taught is to follow directions. By following directions the outcome is already proven to be successful. By following directions your children will learn how to read and comprend each step given (with your help of course) for example the recipe states to stir not mix. Following directions will teach them about math (fractions to be exact) how to convert cups, ounces, teaspoons, tablespoons. Your children will be having fun while learning, can you imagine you and your children making homemade peanut butter granola bars, you packing the granola bars in your child’s lunch, and your child’s friends and class mates will want to know where those granola bars came from and your children can say I made them myself, or they use it for show and tale. It builds self confidence, teaches them patients, and teaches them how to work together.
Self Confidence is one of the greatest gifts you as a parent can instill in your children. If they make a mess or if it does not come out perfect just remember what is important you are making memories and teaching them many lessons that will follow them for the rest of their lives.

Tip # 2: Spend Less, Get More – 5 Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store

The five ways takes you very little time and can save you hundreds of dollars on your grocery bill each year.

It’s no secret that groceries take a huge chunk out of the family budget. The more people in your house, the more you spend each week at the grocery store. Saving money on groceries is one way you can actively affect the amount of money you spend every week, month and year. The good news is that you don’t have to make huge sacrifices to find huge savings. In fact, the following five simple steps take you very little time and can save you hundreds of dollars on your grocery bill each year:

1. Take the time to look at coupons, ANY coupons: store coupons, manufacturers’ coupons, local coupons, coupons from magazines and coupons that you print off the internet. If at all possible, use them. It may not be the brand you normally buy but many off brands come from the same place as the more well known brands. Check to see what is on sale - and I mean really on sale. For instance, some grocers place some offers at “10 items for some dollar amount.” Well, you have to ask yourself: is it really a bargain? Bring a calculator and do the math; if it IS a bargain, snatch it up. If not, walk on by.
2. Stick to your lists. DO NOT BUY IF IT IS NOT ON YOUR LISTS. You took the time to prepare your menu for the week or month. (See my book Save Your Money, Save Your Family coming soon) and made a lists of food items that you need. Stick to it.
3. Eat before you go. Even if it is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a glass of milk. This will keep you from impulse buying because you are hungry.
4. Don’t buy non food items at a grocery store. Toiletries, laundry, paper products, make up even spices, bread, wine are to be purchased from a discount store, 99 cent store or day old bread store.
5. Always remember: the bigger companies that can afford to have their products at eye level pay to be there. So this convenience costs you, the consumer, more money. If you don’t believe me, try this simple experiment the next time you go shopping: look up above eye level and look down at the knee level, these companies are smaller companies but have as good as or better food products for much cheaper prices.