feeding your family without starving your...

Feeding Your Family

Without

Starving Your Wallet

Contents

Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Target Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Advance Preparations for Agents/Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Advance Preparations for Audiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Background Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Lesson Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12Lesson Handouts

Are You a Shopper or a Spender? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Food Budget Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Easy Steps to Help Stretch Your Food Dollars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Save Food Dollars with Smart Shopping Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Optional Activities and Handouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-19Participant Evaluation Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Prepared by Jenna D. Anding, Associate Department Head, Program Leader, Associate Professor andExtension Nutrition Specialist, Texas Cooperative Extension, Nutrition and Food Science Department,Extension Nutrition Section, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. January, 2000, Revised July2005. Appreciation is expressed to Nancy L. Granovsky, M.S., CFP, Professor and Extension Family Economics Specialist,Beverly Greenhill, CEA-FCS and Marilyn Sebesta, CEA-FCS for their review of this manuscript.

Educational programs of the Texas Cooperative Extension are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion,age or national origin.

The Texas A&M University System, U. S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Feeding Your Family Without Starving Your Wallet

Purpose(s)

1. To provide practical information about ways to reduce food costs when grocery shopping.2. To motivate audiences to adopt cost-cutting practices to reduce food costs.

Objectives: At the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1. Identify at least 2 factors that influence the amount of money or other resources a consumer hasavailable to purchase food.

2. Identify at least 3 factors that influence the types of food purchased by consumers.3. Compare the terms “shopper” and “spender” as they relate to buying food.4. Identify at least 3 shopping skills to help consumers stretch their food dollars.

Target Audiences

1. Consumers interested in reducing food costs2. Limited-resource individuals and families3. High-school/middle school students, 4-H and ENP youth

Advance Preparation for Agents/Leaders

Review this packet, carefully focusing your attention on the objectives, the background information, theleader presentation guide, and the key points that are identified throughout the lesson. If you are a leaderand have any questions or concerns about the subject matter content, ask your county agent.

Optional activities are included at the end of this packet for agents or leaders who wish to expand thelesson. These activities can also be used after the lesson has been taught as a way to reinforce some ofthe key behaviors that can help consumers save money.

Along with any optional activities that you select, you will need to make copies of the following handouts:P Are You a Shopper or a Spender? (page 13) P Save Food Dollars with Smart Shopping Skills (page 16)P Food Budget Worksheet (page 14) P Participant Evaluation Form (page 20)P Easy Steps to Stretch Your Food Dollars (page 15) P Spotting Best Buys with Unit Pricing (TCE Publication E-15)

Advance Preparation for AudiencesThis lesson will have the greatest impact if participants are given at least one week to estimate the amountof money or food stamps spent on food before participating in this lesson. This can be done by savinggrocery receipts, receipts from eating out, and by keeping a record of the amount of money spent atvending machines. The amount of money spent does not have to be exact – just a good estimate!

Background Information

A. Food Costs and Consumer Expenditures on Food

Americans spent approximately $3,200 per person per year on food consumed at home in 2003. Of thatamount, approximately 47% ($1,531) was spent on food eaten away from home.

On average, American households spend about 11% of their income on food. Households that live in poverty,however, may spend as much as 19% of their available income on food. Household size, composition of thehousehold (married with children or married with no children), and geographic location are just a few of thefactors that determine the amount of money spent on food.

B. Shopping Habits Among Limited Resource Individuals

A USDA study found that limited income consumers are equipped with money-saving shopping skills. Usingfocus groups, food stamp recipients reported that they:

P Use a list to shop for food P Compare food costs using grocery store advertisementsP Shop alone to avoid distractionsP Shop at several stores to obtain the best prices on selected itemsP Use coupons, and buy store and generic brands P Buy items in large quantities (when the price is good and storage is not a problem)

However, some consumers practiced shopping behaviors that can lead to higher food costs:

P Not planning meals P Shopping more than once a weekP Using large amounts of convenience foods

The monthly allotment of food stamps has been criticized as being inadequate to meet the food needs offamilies. If this is the case, and if food stamp resources are not used in the most economic mannerpossible, food insecurity might become a problem.

Key Point 1: A shopper is a wiseconsumer who knows exactly what he orshe wants to buy. A spender buys onimpulse. Impulse buying may causeconsumers to spend more money thanoriginally planned. Transparency 1

Lesson Guide

I. Ice Breaker Activity to Start the Lesson

Say Do

Step 1.Ask participants to think about the amount ofmoney that they spend on food each week bylooking at their saved grocery receipts. Ifparticipants did not save receipts or keep trackof vending machine purchases, ask them toroughly estimate weekly food expenses.

Pass out Are you a Shopper or a Spender? survey

Step 2.Pass out the “Are you a Shopper or a Spender?”survey. Give participants 5 minutes to completethe survey.

Reminder: It is possible that some membersof your audience will have difficulty reading. Because we want all members to participateand learn from the opening activity, you maywant to make the statement “In case you leftyour glasses at home or have problems withyour hands that make writing difficult, we willbe happy to help you fill out your survey.”

Step 3.Ask participants “how many people are“shoppers?” “spenders?” “shoppers and spenders?” Step 4.Ask participants to look at their grocery receipts and/or think about the types of the foods theyhave bought the past week. (groceries, eating out,and vending machines). Ask the followingquestion: “How many of those purchases would youconsider ‘impulse buys?’” Impulse buys arepurchases made without giving much thought as tohow the food will be used in menu/snack planning. Impulse buys usually increase food costs. Todaywe are going to explore some ways to save moneywhen shopping for food.

Key Point 2: The amount of moneyavailable to purchase food depends onseveral factors.

II. Lesson

Say Do

Did you know that the average family spends morethan $2,000 per person each year on foods eatenin the home? Some families will spend more orless than this amount, depending on the amount ofmoney they have available, as well as the factorsthat influence the types of foods purchased. Theamounts of money families have available for fooddepends on a number of factors:

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Income: The amount of money a person or familymakes will influence the amount of money that isspent on food.

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Non-food expenses: This includes rent, utilities,and transportation.

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Ability to produce and preserve food:

Participation in food assistance programs: Thisincludes WIC, the Food Stamp and the SchoolBreakfast/Lunch programs.

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The amount of money that consumers spend onfood also depends on a number of factors.

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Being a “spender” instead of a “shopper”: “spenders” often make impulse buys that increaseyour food costs

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Need for convenience: Some convenience foods save time, but consumers pay for it at the cashregister. Is it costing you more money to save alittle time? Is the time you save really worth theadded expense to your food costs?

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Food prices in the community: Food prices differ Transparency 3

Say Do

Key Point 3: Many factors influence theamount of money spent on food as well as thetypes of food purchased.

among stores in your community.

Income: Again, the more money you have, themore money you will typically spend at the store.

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The challenge is to balance both sets of factorsso families can get the most out of their fooddollars. This requires some smart shopping skillsalong with meal planning.

Know your food budget: As consumers we needto go to the store knowing how much of our moneyor food stamps we can use.

Plan your meals and snacks, and use a list toshop: When you know what you will be serving forthe next week (or month), you will be less likely togive in to impulse buys.

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Comparison shop: Be willing to consider otherstores and food brands to help you get the mostfor your food dollars. Watch grocery store ads inthe newspaper.

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Watch for hidden cues to buy unneeded items. Sometimes grocery stores market their productsto get consumers to buy more. We will identifysome of these later.

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Get in and out of the store in a reasonableamount of time: The longer a person stays in thestore, the more likely he/she will be tempted byimpulse buys (which increases the grocery bill).

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Store food properly to avoid spoilage: When wethrow out spoiled food, we are throwing awaymoney.

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Avoid food waste. Transparency 4

Say Do

Getting the most out of our food dollars beginswith a food budget. One way to determine yourfood budget is to make a list of all of yourmonthly expenses. Try to set aside some moneyfor savings and unexpected emergencies ifpossible. Money that is left over can be used forfood.

Hand out Budget Sheet for participants to takehome and use to help determine their foodbudgets.

Note to Agents and Leaders:

For more information on family budgets, referparticipants to the publication “Your FamilySpending Plan”, which is available on the FCSwebsite:http://fcs.tamu.edu/money/your_money/money_pdfs/family_spending_plan.pdf

After you determine your food budget, it is timeto plan your meals and snacks. Planning meals andsnacks can help reduce impulse buys when youshop. Use the Food Guide to help plan meals andsnacks for you and your family.

Transparency 5: Food Guide Pyramid

Once your menus are planned, it is time to makethe shopping list. If you don’t have a list, you mayspend more money than you have in your foodbudget and you may forget to buy the items thatyou really need. Having (and following) a list also helps reduce impulse buys. Here is an easy way toprepare your list:

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Step 1: Look at your planned meals and snacks. What foods do you need to prepare them?

Step 2: What food items have you run out of? The best way to keep track of these items is bykeeping a short list. A notepad attached to therefrigerator with a magnet works great. Whenyou run out of an item, write it down on the shortlist. Then, when you make your shopping list, besure to add those “short” items.

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Say Do

Key Point 4: A complete shopping list canhelp consumers purchase the food itemsneeded in a short amount of time. Ashopping list can also reduce the numberof trips a consumer makes to thegrocery store.

Key Point 6: Store brands are usuallyless expensive and often taste just asgood as national brands.

Key Point 5: Use unit pricing to find themost economical food buys.

Step 3: Try to arrange the shopping list so youcan find the foods in the store quickly. Forexample, if you go to the bakery first, then beginyour list with the needed items from this section.

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Step 4: Will you be using coupons to buy some ofthe food items listed? If so, place a % by thatitem so you won’t forget to use the coupon.

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After your list is complete, it’s time to goshopping. Make sure that you take your list andyour coupons with you. Try to shop during timesthat the grocery store is not crowded so you canget in and out of the store quickly. Don’t go if youare tired or hungry. For some people, shoppingalone (i.e. without the spouse or kids) is helpfulbecause it lets them focus on making wise foodpurchases.

When you are at the store, stick to your list asmuch as possible. Use coupons and unit pricing toget the best buys.

When shopping, check out store brands of yourfavorite foods. They usually cost less than thenational brands.

Watch the convenience foods. Some conveniencefoods are economical. Others may save time butcost more.

Transparencies 7-9. Cost comparisons ofconvenience foods with foods cooked from“scratch” and conventional foods.

Say Do

Key Point 7: Not all convenience foodsare economical buys. The time savedmay not be worth the cost.

Key Point 8: Watch out for grocerygimmicks that can increase your foodcosts.

Also, when you are at the store, be aware ofgrocery gimmicks that can increase your foodcosts:

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High-cost items are placed at an adult’s eyelevel: You have to look either at the top or at thebottom of the shelves for less-expensive items.

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Front of the store has flower bouquets,magazines, candy and baked goods: The longeryou have to stay in line, the more likely you are tobuy something.

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Seasonal items displayed in the store early:Examples are Halloween candy in September andValentine’s Day candy offered in January.

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Offering free samples of food: May lead toimpulse buys (especially if you are hungry ortired).

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In-store bakery with fresh-baked bread: Many consumers can’t resist the temptation offresh-baked bread.

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Endcaps: Endcaps are stacks or displays of itemsfound at the end of aisles. They give the ideathat the item is on sale when it really is not.

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Loss-leaders: Loss leaders are products that arepriced very low to get customers to come into thestore. Once in the store, consumers may buymore than that just the low-priced item.

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Say Do

A grocery store is not the only place to findgreat food buys. Why not try:

T Thrift StoresT Home GardeningT Farmer’s MarketsT Wholesale Clubs

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Thrift stores. Bread or bakery products nearingthe “sell-by date” can be bought for a fraction ofthe cost at thrift stores. Just compare theseprices. Most of these items can be frozen forlater use.

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Home Gardening. What a great way to getnutritious foods and exercise while saving money.

Note to Agents and Leaders: Here is anexcellent opportunity to advertise any upcominggardening programs!

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Farmer’s Markets. Cut out the middle man bybuying direct from the grower. Shopping atfarmer’s markets is a great way to support thelocal economy and get the freshest fruits andvegetables of the season.

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Wholesale Clubs. Consumers can find good buyson some items at wholesale clubs, but there aresome disadvantages:

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(1) Many items have to be bought in bulk and maygo to waste if not eaten.

(2) Some wholesale clubs have a carnival-typeatmosphere. This may encourage consumers tobuy stuff they don't really need.

(3) Not all items are bargain prices.

Say Do

Key Point 9: Tossing out spoiled food islike throwing away money. Use safe foodstorage practices to ensure the qualityand safety of your food.

Key Point 10: Approximately 47% of ourtotal food expenditures is spent eatingout. Eating out less often can improveyour budget and your health.

(4) The storage of bulk items may be a problem.

After your food has been purchased, the nextstep is to get it home and stored in a safe mannerto avoid spoilage and foodborne illness. This isespecially true for perishable items like meat,milk, eggs, frozen and refrigerated items, andfresh fruits and vegetables. If food spoilsbefore it can be eaten, then it must be tossed nomatter how much you had to pay for it.

Reducing the amount of food waste is another wayto save food dollars. Americans throw awayalmost ¼ of all edible food. Throwing away ediblefood is really like throwing away money. Here aresome ways to reduce the amount of food (andmoney) waste:

1. When planning meals, think about your family’sschedule.

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2. Think of left-overs as planned-overs for thenext day’s meals.

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3. Prepare smaller portions and freeze left-oversas TV dinners for when you need quick meals.

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Finally, there is one more way that consumers canlower their food costs. Eat out less. Did you knowthat Americans spend about $1500 per personeating out?

Foods eaten away from the home tend to behigher in fat, calories, cholesterol and sodium andlower in fiber, calcium, and iron. So what are youREALLY getting when you eat out? Think aboutwhat you could do with the money that you savefrom not eating out or from eating out less.

To summarize what we have learned todaystretching and saving your food dollars involves anumber of important steps. Transparency 23

Say Do

Pass out handouts:1.Easy Steps to Help Stretch Your FoodDollars2.Save Food Dollars With Smart ShoppingSkills.

I want to leave you with one final thought. Buyingfood is an investment in nutrition. You want thatinvestment to “pay off” because good nutritionmeans better health for you and your family. When you spend money on food, there is lessmoney available for other expenses. Therefore,you want to make your food choices with cost andnutrition in mind. To do this requires thatconsumers become shoppers instead of_______________!

(Let the audience finish the sentence with theword “spenders”)

Pass out Participant Evaluation Form (Tell UsWhat You Think!)

Are You a Shopper or a Spender?A shopper is a wise consumer who knows exactly what he or she wants to buy. A spender buys onimpulse. Which one are you? To find out, first ask yourself how often you do each of theactivities listed below.

Always Sometimes Never

1. I plan my meals before I go to the store. 3 2 1

2. I check my cupboards or pantry before I shop. 3 2 1

3. I make a list of what I need before I go to the store. 3 2 1

4. I use the unit prices on the store shelves to compare costs. 3 2 1

5. I read nutrition labels. 3 2 1

6. I eat before I shop for food. 3 2 1

7. I shop about once a week. 3 2 1

8. I use weekly food ads to plan what I will buy. 3 2 1

9. I use coupons only for foods I would buy anyway. 3 2 1

10. I stock up on high-priced items when they are on sale. 3 2 1

11. I compare per-serving prices. 3 2 1

12. I plan meals using fruits and vegetables in season. 3 2 1

13. I compare name brands to store brands. 3 2 1

14. I serve high-priced meat sparingly and in small portions. 3 2 1

15.I use low-cost meat alternatives (such as beans) 3 2 1

16. I buy convenience foods only when I need them. 3 2 1

Now add up the numbers to get your shopping score. If your score is:35 points or more: You are a shopper who is getting the most for your food $$$. Great job!20 to 34 points: You are almost a shopper, but you may be able to save more money.Less than 19 points: You are a spender, but doing some of the activities above can turn you into a shopper.

Educational programs of the Texas Cooperative Extension are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origin.

Food Budget Worksheet

Income: Paycheck (“take home pay”)Other income (child support, home-based business, etc.)

Total available income

Expenses: Rent/MortgageUtilities (electricity, gas, water)Telephone - basicTelephone - long distanceCar paymentGas & upkeep for the carCar insuranceSavingsClothingOther ________________Other ________________Other ________________Other ________________

Don’t forget prescription medications, day care, pet expenses, house repairs,taxes, vehicle registrations, and the IRS! They may only come once a month oronce a year, but they can put a strain on the budget if they are not planned for.

Total expenses

Total income- Total expenses

Money available for food+ Food Stamp benefits (if available)

Total amount of money available for food

Educational programs of the Texas Cooperative Extension are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origin.

Start here…

* look at the food you have on hand * check your short list * check your budget

Then check out…* grocery store ads * coupons

Plan….

* meals & snacks * use the Food Guide * use store specials & coupons

Write Down…

* shopping list * mark items for which you have coupons * organize your list the way you shop at the store

Get ready to shop…

* take list & coupons * don’t shop if hungry, tired, or rushed * if possible, shop alone and when the store is not crowded

At the Store….

When you get home…

* store food properly to avoid spoilage and waste

Easy Steps to Help Stretch Your Food Dollars

* stick to the list * use unit pricing to spot bargains * buy store brands * buy produce in season * think twice about convenience foods * avoid buying unwanted items

Save Food Dollars With Smart Shopping Skills

It seems that everybody is trying to save money by reducing their food costs. Being a thrifty shoppertakes some skill, but there are ways that consumers can lower their food costs.

1. Keep a “short list” - a list of items thatyou need to buy (a notepad attached tothe refrigerator with a magnet worksgreat). When you run out of something,write it down as soon as possible. Theshort list lets you know which foods youneed to buy and helps to cut down onmultiple visits to the store.

2. Study the store’s sale advertisements. Be careful of loss-leaders. A loss-leaderis a product advertised by a store for avery low price. Consumers will often goto that store to get that low-priced item,but end up buying other items that theymay not have planned to buy.

3. Look at the foods you already have onhand. Use these foods, along with storespecials, to plan your meals and snacks. Foods in your pantry, refrigerator, orfreezer represent valuable food dollars. If the food spoils or goes uneaten, thenthat money is wasted.

4. After you plan your meals and snacks,make a shopping list. Be sure to includethe items you listed on your short list.

5. Check your coupons to see if any can beused with the items that you have onyour shopping list.

6. Make a list of non-food items (soap,

laundry, personal care items). Can youbuy these from a discount store? Do youhave coupons for any of these items?

7. When shopping, consider store brandsover national brands to save money. Evenwith coupons, some store brands may becheaper. Use unit pricing to help spotthe most economical buys.

8. Think twice about convenience foods. Pancake and cake mixes, along withcanned soups, fruits, and vegetables, canhelp you save time and money. Otherfoods like frozen dinners and coatingmixes for meat and poultry may not saveyou enough time to justify the cost.

9. Check out bakery thrift stores for greatbuys on bread. Save money on fruits andvegetables by shopping at farmersmarkets.

10. If possible, shop alone, when you are nothungry, and when store is not crowded. This helps you to get in and out of thestore in the shortest amount of times. The more time a consumer stays in thestore, the more money he/she spends.

11. Store food properly to maintain qualityand to avoid spoilage.

Optional Activity 1 – Which is Which?

Objective: To introduce consumers to store brands of selected foods.

Materials required:Cups, plates, forks, and napkinsGlasses of water for audience members to drink between tastingsNational and store brands of selected food items. Here are some possible choices:

Breakfast cereals (will be tasted without milk)Canned vegetables or fruits (use fruits if they will be served at room temperature)Frozen juice concentrate (will need to be mixed with water before tasting)Sandwich bread (both brands should be either all white or all wheat)

Directions:Step 1. On a separate piece of paper, calculate the cost of each food item per serving. Look

on the back of the food label to determine the number of servings in the package. Then divide the number of servings into the cost of the food item. Keep this on aseparate piece of paper away from audience members.

Step 2. Have the foods already portioned and packages placed out of sight so participantswill not be able to tell which is the national brand and which is the store brand. Labelone brand A and the other brand B. Keep track as to which ones are national brandsand which ones are store brands.

Step 3. Let audience members taste the store and national brands of the food items one at atime. If you are going to use breakfast cereals, bread, and frozen juice then let theaudience members taste both the store and national brand of each type of foodbefore moving on to the next food. Have audience members complete the survey onthe following page while they are tasting the foods.

Step 4. After all members have had the opportunity to taste the food, give some time formembers to talk about what they tasted and which foods they liked and why.

Step 5. For each food, announce which one was the national brand and which one was thestore brand. Then announce the cost of each food item per serving.

Which is Which?

Directions: Rate how well you liked the taste of each food item by placing a / under one ofthe following:

( This is good. I would buy this product. This is “okay”. I might buy this product.

; I would not buy this product.

After you have tasted the food, try to guess whether the food is a store brand or a nationalbrand. When everyone is finished, we will tell you the brands of food that you ate as well astheir cost per serving.

How Well Did It Taste? Is this a National or Store Brand?

( ; Store NationalFood Item #1

A ___ ____ ____ ____ ____Comments:

B ____ ____ ____ ____ ____Comments:

( ;Food Item #2

A ____ ____ ____ ____ ____Comments:

B ____ ____ ____ ____ ____Comments:

Optional Activity 2 – Shopper Sleuths

Objective: To acquire hands-on experience with unit pricing in comparing foodcosts.Materials required:1 grocery store Copies of Spotting Best Buys With Unit Pricing (Extension publication E-15)

Directions:Step 1: Obtain permission from the store manager to do this activity! You

may even get the manager to let you do some taste testing of store-brand products.

Step 2: Prepare for the activity by identifying the unit pricing labels onspecific food items. Determine in advance which ones you will beshowing to the audience members.

At the same time, take note of the grocery gimmicks that you see inthe store (see lesson for examples).

Step 3: Show your audience food items with the unit pricing labels, and havethem compare foods to determine which food items are economicalbuys. You can use the Extension publication E-15 Spotting Best BuysWith Unit Pricing with this activity.

Then, have audience members browse through the store and identifygrocery gimmicks that might encourage ordinary consumers to buymore than they really need.

Step 4: Thank the manager (verbally and in writing) after the activity iscomplete.

How did we do today?


Texas Cooperative Extension is committed to providing consumers useful and high qualitylearning opportunities. Please take a few moments to tell us how well we did today. Yoursuggestions will help us serve you better.

Today I learned new ways to save money when shopping for food.

YES SOMEWHAT NO (Please circle one)

The information I learned today will be easy to use.


I will use at least one of the shopping skills learned today to help cut my food costs.


Which shopping skill(s) will you like ly use to help cut your food costs?________________________________________________________________________________________

I would like to learn more about lowering my food costs while feeding my family nutritiousmeals.


Other than money, what factor(s) decide how much money you can spend for food?_______________________________________________________________________________

Please write any comments or suggestions you may have._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for taking the time to answer this survey.

References

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Medical Association. 1998; 279:1211-1214. 10. Klein BW. Could There Be Hunger In America? Nutrition Insights, September 1998. 11. Lutz SM, Smallwood DM, Blaylock JR. Limited Financial Resources 12. Constrain Food Choices. Food Review, 1995; 18(1):13-17.13. Smallwood DM, Blaylock JR, Lutz 14. S, Blisard N. Americans Spending a Smaller Share of Income on Food. Food Review, 1995; 18(2):

16-1915. Kendall A, Kennedy E. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Domestic food and nutrition

security. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 1998; 98:337-342. 16. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 1996; 10:1019-1024. 17. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 1997; 97(10 Suppl 2): S120-122.18. Pediatrics. 1998 101:E3.19. Coblentz B. Reduced Food Waste Starts in the Home. Mississippi State University, Office of

Agricultural Communications, October 13, 1997. http://ext.msstate.edu/ppe/news/news/fcenews/971013mm.htm. Accessed September 15, 1999.

20. Economic Research Service. Food, CPI, Prices, and expenditures: Per Capita food expenditures. Accessed 7/23/2005 athttp://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/CPIFoodAndExpenditures/Data/table15.htm

21. Economic Research Service. Food, CPI, prices, and expenditures. Food Service as a share of FoodExpenditures. Accessed 7/23/2005 athttp://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/CPIFoodAndExpenditures/Data/table12.htm

Shopper: a wise consumer who knows exactly what he/she wants to buy

Spender: a consumer who buys on impulse

Transparency 1: Feeding Your Family Without Starving Your Wallet

Money Available to Buy Food

Income

Non-food expenses

Ability to produce/preserve

Participation in food assistance programs


Factors That Determine How Much Money Consumers Spend for Food

• Being a “spender” instead of a “shopper”• Need for convenience• Food prices in the community• Income


Shopping Smart• Know your food budget• Plan your meals & snacks; use a list • Comparison shop• Watch for hidden cues to buy unneeded

items• Get in and out of the store quickly• Store food properly• Avoid food waste


Creating A Shopping ListStep 1: Look at your planned meals and snacks. What do you need to prepare them?

Step 2: What items have you run out of (hint: check your “short” list)?

Step 3: Arrange your list

Step 4: Place a √ by the items for whichyou have coupons


Which is the Better Buy?


Macaroni & Cheese“from a box”

Macaroni & Cheese“homemade”

Total cost = $1.09 Price per serving = $0.28

Add2 tbsp margarine1/4 cup milk

Ingredients1 cup elbow macaroni6 oz cheddar cheese2 tablespoons margarine 1/4 cup milk

Total cost = $1.63 Price per serving = 0.41



Instant Rice Long GrainWhite Rice

$1.99 for 30 servings$0.06 per serving




Instant Oatmeal

3-MinuteOatmeal



Avoid Unnecessary Purchases(Gimmicks that Increase Your Food Costs)

Higher cost items are usually placed at your eye level



Front of the store has flower bouquets, magazines, candy and baked goods. – The longer you have to stay in line, the

more likely you are to purchase something



Seasonal items displayed early.



Offering free samples of food.



In-store bakery with fresh-baked bread.



Endcaps - stacks or displays of items found at the ends of the aisles.– Give the impression that the item is on sale



• Loss leaders: products that are priced very low in an effort to get customers to come into their store– product is often sold at a loss, but it

gets people inside the store


Alternate Food Sources

• Thrift Stores

• Home Gardening

• Farmer’s Markets

• Wholesale clubsTransparency 17: Feeding Your Family Without Starving Your Wallet

Food Item Thrift

Store Grocery Store #1

Grocery Store #2

Grocery Store #3

Grocery Store #4

Grocery Store #5

Bread $0.59 $1.09 $1.34 $1.19 $1.19 $0.50

Rolls 0.85 1.59 N/A 1.59 1.59 1.48

Corn tortillas 0.55 1.79 N/A N/A 1.49 1.36

Hamburger buns

0.75 1.69 1.56 1.69 1.69 1.56

Hot dog buns 0.75 N/A 1.34 1.39 1.39 1.34

National Brands at Thrifty Prices


Home Gardening

• saves money• increases fruit &

vegetable intake• provides exercise

& stress release


Farmer’s Markets

• Save $$ - cut out the middleman!

• fresh produce of the season


Wholesale Clubs

• Advantage – you can save money on selected items

• Disadvantages– bulk items may go to waste if not eaten – may buy items you don’t really need– not all items are bargain prices– storage of bulk items may be problem


Meal Planning = Less Food Waste

• Think about your family’s schedule

• Left-overs = planned-overs for the next day

• Make your own T.V. dinners with left-overs


Start here…

* look at the food you have on hand * check your short list * check your budget

Then check out…* grocery store ads * coupons

Plan….

* meals & snacks * use the Food Guide * use store specials & coupons

Write Down…

* shopping list * mark items for which you have coupons * organize your list the way you shop at the store

Get ready to shop…

* take list & coupons * don’t shop if hungry, tired, or rushed * if possible, shop alone and when the store is not crowded

At the Store….

When you get home…

* store food properly to avoid spoilage and waste

Easy Steps to Help Stretch Your Food Dollars

* stick to the list * use unit pricing to spot bargains * buy store brands * buy produce in season * think twice about convenience foods * avoid buying unwanted items


feeding your family without starving your...

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