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Getting More for Your Money

With careful meal planning, smart shopping, and a few tweaks in storage and preparation techniques, you can make the most out of your family’s budget by always including fruits and vegetables in your meals. They’re an excellent value for the money! Check out these tips and get the most for your money from fruits and veggies.
Meal Planning To Fit Your Budget
Preparing meals and eating at home saves money and gives you the opportunity to enjoy meals with your family. But if you’re busy, how do you do this? Plan ahead! By planning ahead, you’ll save time and be less likely to resort to take-out food that costs more.

Start with this …

Make a list, and stick to it to avoid spending money on unnecessary items.

Include frozen, canned and dried forms of fruits and vegetables on your list. They are all nutritious and handy for quick-fix meals.

Make sure you have staples that you use on a regular basis on hand. See the Well-Stocked Pantry for suggestions.

Then try this …

Plan for fruits or vegetables to be the center of the plate … and then add protein and grains. Some vegetable-grain combinations don’t require additional protein but when you do add meat or cheese, think of it as flavoring.

Plan meals around fruits and vegetables that go a long way. Plan to include fruits and vegetables you can grab as quick snacks or turn into soups and casseroles that you can eat a couple of times during the week.

See Our 30 Ways in 30 Days Menu A Day: $10 or Less Feeds 4!


Shopping For Fruits & Vegetables & Sticking To Your Budget

Buy in season. Although most fresh fruits and vegetables are available year-round, some are less expensive when they are in season. Also keep in mind that all forms of fruits and vegetables are nutritious, so canned and frozen forms are OK too!

Buy more. When there are specials on fruits and vegetables, buy extra. They can be frozen, or you can prepare a dish to be frozen for a busy night’s dinner. But don’t buy it if you won’t use it or you’ll just be tossing the money in the garbage.

Don’t shop when you’re hungry. You may be tempted to buy things that are not on your list. An impulse purchase of a bag of cookies … on sale … can cost you $2.50 or more.

Comparison shop. The larger size is not always the best price.

Limit or avoid expensive snack foods, desserts and soft drinks that provide little or no nutrition value for your money.

Storing Your Fruits and Vegetables So They Don’t Go to Waste
Spoiled foods cost you money and deprive you of nutrients. Our Fruit & Vegetable Nutrition Database has storage tips for each fruit and vegetable.
Preparing Fruits & Vegetables: Adding Variety While Saving Money

Prepare more so you have leftovers. Use them for lunch, or create a new dish.

Replace half the meat. Substituting half the meat in a recipe with beans and/or vegetables will reduce fat and increase fiber, as well as save you money.

Forget the takeout food. If you’re short on time to make dinner try one of our quick-meal ideas. Keep canned and frozen fruits and vegetables on hand for a quick-fix meal.

Use fruits and vegetables as snacks. It’s easy to have fruits and vegetables available as ‘grab and go’ snacks or check our recipes for some great dessert ideas.

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