Buying groceries on a budget doesn't have to mean giving up nutrition, but it can often mean giving up convenience. Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping on a tight budget:

When shopping on a limited budget it may be better to aim for a little of everything for everyone, rather than large amounts of one thing or another (which can use up a large portion of your budget and leave you still in need of any number of other items). This does conflict with the commonly given advice to buy in bulk. Buying in bulk does make sense for people on a budget, but it doesn't always work for those on a very tight budget. The shopper who has only $20 to buy a few groceries cannot spend $10 of that on a case-worth of one item.

Eliminating most frozen meals is one way to cut grocery expenses down. Frozen meals that offer more than one meal or that feed more than one person tend to be expensive. The less expensive, "Budget Gourmet", type entrees only offer one meal for one person. An exception to the "cut-out-frozen-items" rule includes "gifts that keep on giving" foods, such as packages of soy sausage, soy bacon, waffles, microwave pancakes, chicken patties, etc.

Canned fruits and vegetables are among the most affordable grocery items. If salt is a concern canned vegetables can be purchased in the low-salt/no-salt-added versions.

Fresh vegetables from the Produce Department can be purchased on an as-needed basis and aren't really very expense. Always buy one head of lettuce (darker leaf lettuce is has more nutrition; iceberg has little).

Fresh fruits can be purchased in small amounts. A small bunch of grapes, a few apples, a few pears, etc. are inexpensive; and when bought in variety but small amounts can offer "a little of this/a little of that" to anyone in the family looking for a snack. You can always go back to the store and buy a few more apples or oranges in a few days.

The Dairy Department offers protein and/or calcium and/or Vitamin D in a number of forms. Milk isn't just for drinking. It can be incorporated into meals. Unappealing as it may be, a package of individually wrapped American cheese slices comes in handy and keeps for a long time. If you live alone or just don't use too many eggs, a half-dozen eggs can be purchased inexpensively. A dozen doesn't cost all that much, though, and eggs can be used in a number of ways. As with fresh fruit, buying a few small yogurts can provide a snack for a few people over a few days. The least expensive block of cheddar cheese can be used in a number of ways, as well as eaten as a snack.

Canned tuna in water is a source of protein that is inexpensive.

It may be wisest to choose "store-brand" cereal because brand-name cereal is expensive. Buying brand-name cereal on sale is another option.

Fruit juices sold as "store-brand" are usually good enough. (There's only so much anyone can to do to grape juice.) Orange juice can be expensive, but it can be purchased either in small amounts, on sale, or in frozen cans.

Buying "store-brand" coffee or tea, or buying these items on sale, keeps the cost down.

Meats: I, personally, don't buy meat or poultry for my own reasons; but serving these items fewer times a week and buying small amounts or less expensive cuts can keep costs down. Small amounts of turkey, ham, or other deli products can offer variety.

Soy substitutes for meat can cost a few dollars, so keeping down the number of times these are served also cuts down cost. In a real pinch cans of chunk chicken or chunk ham can be used for salads or in pasta dishes.

When it comes to meats, poultry, and fish this may be an area where a shopper prefers not to skimp on price; so, again, cutting down on the number of times these items are served each week can make up for extra spending.

There are some basics that can be kept on hand and that offer some versatility in preparing meals made from some of the grocery items listed above. Those basics are: Salt, pepper, frozen chopped onions, frozen green peppers, frozen red peppers, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, mayonnaise, dill pickle relish, oregano, real or artificial bacon bits, a vinaigrette salad dressing, a creamy Italian dressing, small (or large if needed) cans of tomato sauce, cream of celery or broccoli soups, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and butter or margarine. These items can be used in any number of ways from making different macaroni salads to pasta Alfredo.

Instant mashed potato, egg noodles, a few different types of pasta, and basic rice can be served alone, in casseroles, as salads, or in skillet dinners. These items are very inexpensive. (A little pasta mixed with a lot of different canned vegetables and topped with cream of celery soup makes a hot meal that's easy and "home-cooked". Instant potato topped with vegetables and soy scrambles (or chicken) is another easy meal.)

A loaf of basic bread and a loaf of fancier bread (French bread, Soloio loaf, biscuits) offer variety in the form of sandwiches, toast, or meal accompaniments.

Keeping "sweeties" (pastries or cookies) down to one package a week (or less), and buying "store-brand" or on sale keeps spending on "sweeties" to a minimum while still offering the family a treat here or there.

Buying one or two six-packs of snack-sized applesauce (plain or flavored with other fruit) and/or diced pears, pineapple, or peaches will stock a fridge drawer with fruit snacks for kids (or adults).

Non-food items (paper products, soaps, cleaning products) can be bought on sale, but the best buys continue to be "store-brand" versions of these products. Substantial savings can be gained buying only store products (and since you don't eat them you can adjust to any slight inferiority some of these products may have). Stick to basic cleaning products (ammonia, bleach, one spray cleaner that can be used on glass and other surfaces, and a can of Comet cleanser will clean most things).

The above suggested items can provide a family with breakfasts of cereal, eggs, toast, or fruit; lunches of salads, tuna or egg salad sandwiches, lettuce and cheese sandwiches, deli-meat sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, yogurt and fruit; and dinners like meat (or soy), potato, vegetables and salad; casseroles, pasta or skillet dinners of egg noodles with vegetables and some type of poultry or meat. Snacks of fresh fruits, cheese, or yogurt aren't a bad choice, and the above guidelines provide for those.

The above guidelines are aimed at shopping on a very tight budget. Obviously, they can be adapted to better suit a slightly more generous budget, carb-consciousness, or other individual preferences or needs.