Rising prices of all commodities are affecting families around the world. Food budgets are being strained to the limit and because of this, people are seeing more of a need to figure out ways to save money and still give their families the nutrition they need.

Clip all the coupons that pertain to your eating habits and use whatever you can when you go shopping. Remember that coupons for items you do not usually buy are not “money-savers”, but rather an excuse to spend more money!

Buy meat on sale at bulk prices and freeze it. Make sure you have plenty of plastic storage bags and mark them with the date you purchased them.

Buy up canned and frozen vegetables when there are sales at stores. Do not “save” more money by choosing one package and paying more for the same vegetable later when you can buy two or more packages for future use.

When your family eats slightly more than half of what you have laid out for them, take the leftover food and come up with an original idea for using it in a meal for another day. A “Mexican” pie can be made from leftover chili, for example. Just put the chili in a baking pan, toss some shredded cheese over it, cover and save for the next day. When you are ready to cook up another dinner, mix up some cornbread and pour it over the chili and cheese mixture. Serve salsa and/or sour cream on the side.

Stretch your food by adding fillers of your own. Did you know that you can make a great “Sloppy Joe” by using your own blend of honey barbecue sauce with a little brown sugar, some herbs, a can of tomato sauce and burger? When you have cooked your burger, pour in the sauce and other ingredients and then add a half-cup or so of oatmeal flakes. When you let it simmer this way, you will find that the oatmeal blends well with the recipe and increases the size by at least two more servings. This is great for those who are looking to cut down on their consumption of meat.

Throw a large roast with the fixings in your crock pot and serve only half of it at dinnertime. Another meal can be made from the rest, by shredding the beef or pork and adding it to buttered noodles.

With a crock pot, you can be sure your food won’t go to waste because you will be able to combine fresh vegetables and different kinds of meat inside. A handful of carrots that might have ended up in the garbage disposal, half of an onion, three potatoes and a some sausage can make a great meal for a family of four. Food that isn’t eaten may be saved for later and added to a casserole.

With some innovation and frugal buying, you can feed your family and keep them full without spending so much on groceries!