Grocery prices are high. Families are having to adjust their budgets and often their menus to accommodate rising prices. Those who rely on SNAP benefits are seeing the end of the extra payments that were added to their Bridge cards since the start of the pandemic. Everyone is having to think twice before they just fill a grocery cart with their favorite foods.

Advice like “grow your own food” isn’t all that helpful in February in Michigan, so what can families do with limited funds for expensive groceries?

1. Plan. Take a look at what is on sale at grocery stores and stock up.
2. Cook at home. Make a lot. Eat leftovers. Or, if you just aren’t a leftovers family, make only what you need so there is no waste.
3. Don’t waste money on overly packaged convenience foods. Buy in bulk and make from scratch if you can.
4. Eat at home. As much as we want to support local restaurants, eating out often can be really expensive and can sabotage the food budget.
5. If you do eat at a restaurant, stick to water for drinks. Skip the extras like appetizers and desserts. Bring the leftovers home and have them for lunch the next day.
6. Build a list of recipes that are cheap and that your family likes. Learn to stretch expensive meat with things like beans and lentils.

What are your favorite recipes for feeding a family on a budget? Please share! Leave a comment with your tips for stretching those grocery dollars.