Signup to receive email updates
Recent Posts
Categories
Blog Archives
- February 2019 (3)
- January 2019 (4)
- December 2018 (4)
- November 2018 (4)
- October 2018 (3)
- September 2018 (4)
- August 2018 (5)
- July 2018 (4)
- June 2018 (2)
- May 2018 (3)
- April 2018 (4)
- March 2018 (5)
- February 2018 (4)
- January 2018 (3)
- December 2017 (4)
- November 2017 (3)
- October 2017 (3)
- September 2017 (4)
- August 2017 (5)
- July 2017 (4)
- June 2017 (4)
- May 2017 (4)
- April 2017 (4)
- March 2017 (5)
- February 2017 (4)
- January 2017 (4)
- December 2016 (2)
- November 2016 (5)
- October 2016 (3)
- September 2016 (2)
- August 2016 (1)
- July 2016 (4)
- June 2016 (4)
- May 2016 (5)
- April 2016 (3)
- March 2016 (4)
- February 2016 (4)
- January 2016 (5)
- December 2015 (4)
- November 2015 (2)
- October 2015 (5)
- September 2015 (4)
- August 2015 (4)
- July 2015 (5)
- June 2015 (4)
- May 2015 (5)
- April 2015 (4)
- March 2015 (3)
- February 2015 (4)
- January 2015 (5)
- December 2014 (4)
- November 2014 (4)
- October 2014 (4)
- September 2014 (4)
- August 2014 (4)
- July 2014 (3)
- June 2014 (4)
- May 2014 (2)
- April 2014 (4)
- February 2014 (2)
- January 2014 (4)
- December 2013 (2)
- November 2013 (2)
- October 2013 (2)
- September 2013 (3)
- August 2013 (2)
- July 2013 (2)
- June 2013 (2)
- May 2013 (3)
- April 2013 (2)
- March 2013 (3)
- February 2013 (4)
- January 2013 (2)
- December 2012 (4)
- November 2012 (1)
- October 2012 (5)
- September 2012 (2)
- August 2012 (3)
- July 2012 (4)
- June 2012 (4)
- May 2012 (4)
- April 2012 (4)
- March 2012 (4)
- February 2012 (4)
- January 2012 (3)
- December 2011 (4)
- November 2011 (4)
- October 2011 (3)
- September 2011 (5)
- August 2011 (3)
320 Total Posts
follow our RSS feed

Friday, May 3, 2013
Stretching Your Food Dollars
I recently went to the grocery store and steered the cart down my favorite aisle, the cereal aisle, only to find that my favorite cereal was now a whole dollar more than it previously had been. That's a huge price increase and a big blow to my pocket book when considering that my husband and I buy about 4 boxes of cereal each week! I can only expect that this is due to last year's drought. After doing some research, I've found that there is good news and bad news when it comes to food prices this year. The good news: USDA says food prices are expected to be lower than what they forecasted earlier. The bad news: USDA still forecasts a price increase: 2.5 to 3.5 percent, especially for most animal-based food products due to the higher cost of feed.
This means that knowing how to stretch the food dollar is imperative. The first step has been talked about in this blog many times:
· Plan for meals and snacks! Planning meals ahead of time can save trips to the grocery store, limit impulse purchases, reduce anxiety over what to cook for dinner, and allow for healthier meals.
· Check to see what you already have on hand. Is there something that needs to be eaten up before it goes bad? Wasted food means wasted money!
· Look at grocery store ads for sales, and check to see if there are any coupons. Grocery store ads can be a means for spurring ideas. Many times they will group together ingredients on sale that will make a meal. For instance, spaghetti noodles, spaghetti sauce and ground beef may all be marked down. In-store or online coupons can save you money.
· But don't spend money just because you have a coupon! Ask yourself: Is it something you would normally buy? Is it a healthy item? Are there other brands that actually cost less, even with the coupon? Coupons could make you spend more if you aren't careful!
· Compare unit prices. What is a unit price? It's the package price divided by the number of ounces or pounds. The unit price is usually smaller and next to the package price. See the picture above. Which cream of mushroom soup would be the best buy? (Answer below).
· Only buy in bulk when you have enough storage space and plenty of time before the item deteriorates. Stock up on non-food items like paper products, cleaning supplies and bathroom necessities at discount stores where they are often much cheaper.
· Choose food with less packaging. Convenience means costly. Whole carrots may be less expensive than shredded carrots, and a whole chicken may be cheaper than buying its "parts" separately. You may need to plan for a bit more time preparing meals, but it could save you money!
For money savvy programs and financial tips, from college saving to retirement planning, contact Pam Atkinson, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Economics at pratkins@illinois.edu. Check out the Plan Well, Retire Well blog that Pam contributes to.
Unit Price Answer: Since the unit price is the same, you are not saving any money by buying the larger size. Unless you need the larger size, the best buy is the 16 oz. Cream of Mushroom soup for $1.39.
1 can (7 oz.) low-sodium whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup fat-free refried beans
16 (8-inch) whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup reduced-fat cheese, shredded
½ cup nonfat sour cream, optional
½ cup salsa, optional
In a medium bowl, combine corn, tomatoes, and cilantro. Mix well. Spread 2 Tablespoons refried beans in 8 tortillas. Top with 2 Tablespoons cheese and 2 Tablespoons corn mixture. Cover each with 1 of the 8 remaining tortillas. In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat each quesadilla for 5 to 10 minutes on each side until cheese is melted and tortillas are toasted. Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa if desired.
Yield: 16 servings, ½ quesadilla each
Nutritional analysis per serving (without sour cream and salsa): 160 Calories, 4 grams fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 510 milligrams sodium, 26 grams total carbohydrate, 4 grams dietary fiber, 7 grams protein