Food costs are going up fast.  Some foods, such as rice, are already being rationed at Sam's and Costco. What's worse, there is no relief in sight as the prices for your favorite foods are  rising at an inflated rate of 4.5% per year.

That means your eggs have already gone up 30 % in the last year, and your milk, cheese, flour, bananas and even peanut butter will be  more expensive to buy.  All that comes on top of rising gas prices, which are predicted to double in the next four years.

In spite of all that bad news, can you still be in control of how far your  food dollars stretch?

Here are 21 simple ways you can start saving money today.

1. Learn the secret food codes

Bread companies have their own codes for when bread is baked and delivered.  Each company is different, but the general code is alphabetical.  Monday-blue, Tuesday- green, Thursday- red, Friday-white, Saturday- yellow. Learn the codes, and look toward  the back of the shelf to find the freshest loaves.

2. Do most of your cooking ahead of time

This saves time as well because you are more organized.  Freeze the food and bring it out for individual meals as your family needs them.  You  can also give them  more variety and choices. If someone would rather have spaghetti instead of  a casserole, for example, they can warm up an individual serving.   Invest in a deep freeze and freezer aids which will more than pay for themselves over time.

3. Get out of the grocery store as quickly as possible

Buy only what you need and leave.  The longer you stay, the more you will buy and the store knows that.  That's why your store's layout may not always make sense to you.  They want you to wander around and yield to temptation to buy more than you need.  Always ask yourself if you really need that gallon of "Death by Chocolate" ice cream just because it's on sale.  Those extra impulse dollars can add up fast.

4. Never shop when you're hungry

Always eat first before you go to the store.  The hungrier you are the more you will spend, and your spending will get out of control.

5. Always check label dates

You may be surprised at how much difference in food freshness you will find on one shelf.  For example, prepared salad fixings can vary by several days.  Again, look toward the bottom of the shelf.  That's where they will put the latest deliveries. Get in the habit of rummaging through. You'll be richly rewarded for the effort.

6. Go for bulk

Join a warehouse club like Sam's Club(Walmart) or Costco.  If you don't want to pay for a membership by yourself, go in with a friend and shop together. 

Buy the stable items only such as canned vegetables, coffee, rice, spaghetti sauce, mayonnaise.  These will be  the items you use most often and they are the foundation of your pantry.  Stay away from the bakery and free food sample give-aways, although some people have been known to eat  lunch going from counter to counter.

7. Do most of your shopping in one trip

A Sam's or Costco is perfect for a full morning of shopping.  Get it all done at once.  This helps you stick to your inventory and budget because it eliminates unnecessary trips to the grocery store.  Tuesday's are the absolute best day for shopping if you want to avoid crowds and get individual attention from the sales staff.  (I know this for a fact because I grew up in retail.)  The one trip shopping days will also help you save on gas, and you can even fill up your tank at Sam's.

8. Don't buy individually packaged foods

Don't guy grated cheese, or individually packaged cheese slices.  These cost more.  Grate your own cheese and stay away from the cute convenient packaging, especially for snack foods that appeal to children. Also avoid vending machines at work.  If you want a soft drink, take your own.  You can also buy those in bulk at a warehouse store.

9. Don't buy as many snacks

Fix your own, because this is where food companies really come in for the kill.  Many of today's snacks are full of salt, sugar, and high fat.  They are bad for you anyway, but cutting down on them may help you cut down on your medical bills later.  Substitute muffins, fruits, and homemade cookies instead if you have to have snacks.

10.Eat less meat

Needless to say, meat can be very expensive, especially if you buy meat with big bones.  Stick to the lean meats  and watch for  the sales. Also you can save by buying frozen chicken in bulk.

Dried beans or legumes can be substituted for meat and  you can fix tasty recipes using them that your family will love. 

11. Learn when your grocery store brings out the best specials

Every store is different, but they all have the same problem of how to sell day old bakery items and bread.  Also, ask for ripened produce that will be cheaper.  Make friends of the staff and learn when they first mark everything down and get to the head of the line.

12. Grocery shop online

Study your gorcery list and buy only what you need from an online store.  Even with delivery, you can save because you will be sticking to your plan without actually visiting the store.  That will cut down on the tempatations to over spend and blow your budget.   

13. Limit food waste

There are certain foods your family doesn't need to eat up before you can serve them properly at meals.  Do your children really need to cook a pound of hamburger just for snack tacos at 3 o'clock in the afternoon?  Be strict on this and encourage them to eat less expensive snacks.

14. Drink  more water

Instead of expensive soft drinks, milk, or sugary fruit drinks, serve water during the meals.  Add lemon for taste. If your children think that is too bland, do as we do  here in the South and make iced tea.  You can buy tea bags in bulk and save a lot of money. Never order soft drinks or even iced tea in a restaurant.  Always ask for water because restaurants charge a lot for these drinks.

15. Cut down on convenience foods

Chili and baked beans are two examples of dishes you can fix yourself without paying a company to provide them for you in a can.  With just a little effort you can probably come up with some delicious recipes on your own that are much better than theirs. Food companies spend a lot of money advertising foods such as macaroni and cheese that you can fix yourself.  They are banking on the fact that you just won't.

16. Creatively recycle your left-overs

Sometimes your left-over dishes can become the most popular with a little magic.  We make a stew out of left over roast beef and  vegetables  where we add  simmered tomatoes and macaroni for bulk and taste.  It is a major hit for us.  You can come up with a lot of very delectable recipes on your own, or watch cooking shows to get more ideas.

17. Don't eat out as often

With children and elderly parents, it is  a major  temptation to get take-out. Of course restaurants like Applebee's make it  drop- dead convenient with their special take-out parking spaces where you don't even have to get out of your car.   Keep these occasions rare, and cut back on this expensive food crutch.

18. Grow your own produce

It's amazing what you can do with a small space. Growing your own garden can quickly become a family project that everyone can do together.  Besides the fact that gardening is an excellent form of exercise, you really can save a lot by growing your vegetables yourself in your own backyard.  Start with tomatoes and see how much money you can save  on that one item.  Just add water and sunshine.

19. Buy generic brands

We have found that in most instances, Kroger's brands are just as good as the more expensive well known advertised brands.  You can save big by buying the in store brands  where you shop because they are  not as widely advertised.  This is an area where you can close up a huge  leak in your budget.

20. Buy meat and venison in bulk

When hunting season starts, find a hunter who   may be willing to share in the expense of preparing  and packaging his meat  with you if that is legal in your area.   Deer meat is very good and some people feed their families exclusively on it without ever buying other kinds of meat in stores.

21. Feed your dog table scraps

When I was growing up our dogs ate what we ate.  In fact, they liked table scraps better than regular dog food, which was puzzling.  Of course you don't want to give your dog chicken bones or other  harmful foods, but there are many foods you can feed them and supplement with dried dog food.  That will cut down a lot on expensive canned foods that advertisers try to tell you  your dog will like better.

Even if food inflation seems out of control  there are many ways you can still stop up huge holes in your budget, eat well, and keep more of your hard-earned money.

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Tags: Money, food inflation, high food prices, how to control food budget

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