Five Ways to Save

…Don't let your Food Dollars go to Waste
By Stephanie Nelson, CouponMom.com

According to USDA studies, 10% to 40% of a family’s grocery spending is wasted. Avoid throwing your money down the drain by working to reduce waste to zero. Plan your shopping lists carefully and stick to your list.

1. Serve reasonable portions to children. Serving small portions to young children is often the best way for them to learn to eat only until satisfied, instead of overeating. Start kids off with less and encourage them to ask for more if they're still hungry.

2. Serve leftovers one night a week-It's a free night off in the kitchen and also a free meal!

3. Designate one refrigerator shelf with clear containers of leftovers.

4. Eat last night’s dinner for lunch. If you regularly brown bag your lunch, you probably get tired of sandwiches. Why not bring your leftovers from dinner for lunch? Watch your coworkers drool as they eat their bologna sandwiches.

5. Think creatively when reusing leftovers, and create menu plans with leftovers and perishables in mind. Leftover veggies become a healthy salad. Leftover chicken or beef has a second life in soup. Make sure you plan to eat your perishable foods before they go bad, don't let them go to waste!

Stephanie Nelson is the Coupon Mom. With more than 6 million members, Coupon Mom gives members access to thousands of printable coupons for groceries, restaurants and more. As the nation’s top expert in couponing across the country, Stephanie has been on every major national television talk show and taught millions how to save money for the past 11 years. She has been called ‘”the rock star of the recession” by the Washington Post and her book, The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half, is a New York Times best seller.