At the Store
Beforehand, make sure you have a shopping list and a full stomach. Lack of planning and hunger can lead to impulse buying that will cost you extra money and calories.

Avoid convenience food items. There are exceptions, but convenience foods are usually more expensive and also less nutritious.

Store brands can often be substituted for costlier name-brand items. Try making the switch; you can always return to the name brand next time if you're not happy.

Don't fall prey to gimmicky diet foods. You don't need to buy overpriced specialty items to lose weight.

Coupon savings might look small at the checkout counter on a weekly basis, but over the course of a year, they can add up. Use coupons based on the meals you plan to prepare for the week. You won't be spending your money wisely if you buy a food that's on sale, but you don't know exactly what you're going to do with it. Use coupons only for items you'd buy anyway.

Use chicken, turkey and fish. They're less expensive and a healthy change from beef. Also, canned tuna, peanut butter, eggs, egg whites and beans are cheap, protein-rich staples.

Whole grain breads and cereals offer the most nutrition for your money. Sugar-coated cereals and those with fancy flavors and shapes usually cost more than their nutrient-rich counterparts.

Buy milk in half-gallon containers. They're cheaper than pints or quarts, as long as you drink it before it goes bad.

Yogurt is a great, nutritious snack, but you can skip the costly eight-ounce containers unless they're on sale, and grab the less expensive quart containers.

Buy cheese by the block, and do your own slicing, grating and chopping.

Produce
We've all complained at one time or another about the high cost of fruits and vegetables, but if you break it down based on cost per nutrients, fruits and vegetables are among the best bargains around. The following suggestions will help you pack your diet with fruits and vegetables without going over budget.

Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season. Just because almost all fruits and vegetables are available year-round doesn't mean you need to buy them. In-season produce will be the least expensive. Buying produce according to the seasons will also give you a good variety in your diet throughout the year.

Buy frozen or canned when fresh is too pricey. Most fruits and vegetables are nutritious whether fresh, frozen or canned. When buying canned, check the label for vegetables with no added salt and fruits packed in their own juices. Compare prices for your best buys.

Don't pay extra for pre-washed, chopped salad mixes, or vegetables sticks. Buy heads of lettuce, bunches of broccoli and bags of carrots; then wash, clean and slice the vegetables all at once. Store them in plastic containers or bags in the refrigerator so you can grab them when you need them.

Shop at farmers' markets or, if you're really ambitious, try growing some of your own vegetables. Many vegetables can be grown successfully in pots.

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables before they spoil. The greatest cost comes from throwing food away.

In the Kitchen Learn to cook. You won't have to pay restaurants or convenience food companies to cook for you. And the best part is, you control the ingredients.

The cheapest main dish for breakfast is hot cereal. Plain, old-fashioned oatmeal (not the instant single-serving kind) is cheapest. To jazz it up, you can peel and chop an apple and microwave for a minute while the oatmeal is cooking. Add milk, cinnamon and a touch of sugar.

Beans are a great source of high-fiber, low-fat protein. Always keep some cans in the cupboard, so on hectic nights you can throw together a healthy meal in minutes. Black beans, corn, salsa, a little cheese and tortillas are the only ingredients you need for tasty vegetarian quesadillas. Beans are also a great addition to pasta dishes. Try cannellini beans, spinach and stewed tomatoes over pasta. If you buy beans in the bag and cook them yourself, they're even cheaper than the canned variety.

Don't pay for things you can do yourself. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are typically much more expensive than whole chicken breasts on the bone. If you need chicken for stir-fry, don't pay extra for chicken tenderloins. Slice your own out of chicken breasts.

Learn a lesson from the many ethnic cuisines that use meat in garnish amounts and heap on the grains and vegetables. Many of the most common ethnic foods are inexpensive to make but contain the most vital nutrients. For instance, Mexican food often is a combination of beans, tortillas and vegetables. Italian food uses pasta, tomato sauce and cheese. Asian food can be rice, vegetables and small amounts of meat.

Bring your lunch to work or school. You can make a great sandwich for the cost of a burger and fries. If you have a microwave available, consider bringing leftovers. Make a little extra dinner and put it away before you start eating to make sure you'll have nutritious leftovers come next day's lunch.

Fill your pantry or refrigerator with foods that allow you to make dinner in 20 minutes or less, to avoid the fast-food temptation on busy nights.

Make your own desserts. Homemade puddings with skim milk are much cheaper than the ready-to-serve variety. Angel food cake topped with fruit is another low-fat sweet treat.

Eliminate expensive junk food snacks. Gradually switch to more healthy, filling and inexpensive foods, such as homemade muffins, apples and carrot sticks, air-popped popcorn or whole grain breads.

Resist rewarding or comforting yourself with food. In addition to being unhealthy, this is a drain on the food budget.

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