Grocery shopping can get quite expensive- especially when it seems that your kids are inhaling everything in the kitchen! Here are some money saving tips for you and your family to stretch your food dollar without having to sacrifice taste or nutrition.

1. Plan Ahead of Time
Planning out a week’s worth of meals in advance helps to take the guesswork out of mealtime and ensure you only buy the ingredients you need. Make sure to check what foods you need to store in your fridge and cupboards.

2. Keep an Eye out for Impulse Buying
Always bring a shopping list with you when going to the grocery store because you’ll be less likely to impulse buy when armed with a list. Also, eat before heading to the store. You’re less likely to over-shop when your stomach isn’t growling.

3. Keep an Eye out for Sales
Dedicate a couple of minutes flipping through grocery store flyers. Only buy items that you really need. Stock up on non-perishables like cereal, whole wheat pasta, pasta sauce, canned beans and canned fish when they are on sale. You can also buy bread on sale and freeze it for up to one month.

4. Shop the Periphery
Concentrate your shopping in the periphery of the grocery store – this is where you’ll find all the healthy essentials like meat, fresh produce, dairy and bread. The more superfluous products are found in the centre aisles.

5. Buy in Bulk
Many dry goods, such as oats, nuts, pasta, dried fruit, spices, flour, sugar and cereals are less expensive when bought in bulk. Buying Club Pack meats like ground beef and salmon provide great value and ensure you always have a supply of high quality protein. You can also freeze individual servings in re-sealable freezer bags.

6. Store your Groceries Properly to Avoid Waste
Store meats, fish and dairy products at the back of your fridge where it’s coldest. Wrap foods well and keep your fridge at 4° Celsius or colder to reduce spoilage. Keep meats on the bottom shelf so they don’t drip on other foods. Store eggs in their original carton in the body of the fridge (not on the door). Throwing out food is like throwing away money.

7. Check your Bill
It’s a good idea to watch each item as it’s scanned through to ensure you’re charged the correct price.