Have you ever thought about how you grocery shop? Are you a weekly shopper or do you make several trips during the week to several different stores?

Saving money at the grocery store not only helps keep your monthly spending down, but it also has an impact on our environment by controlling the amount of food you throw away. Let’s look at some ways we can change our behaviors to reduce our food bill while reducing the environmental impact at the same time.

In an earlier blog, I mentioned that saving money at the store actually starts at home. Creating at least a five-day meal plan helps you create a shopping list with food items you need. Take a look inside your refrigerator to see if anything needs to be eaten soon, before it expires. Are there foods that have expired or have rotted in their packaging? This is food waste that has just impacted your budget.

Consuming foods before they get old or have expired is important to saving money (and staying healthy). Create menus that will use the foods you purchase on a weekly basis. Take a look inside your pantry and see if any food items are about to expire and what you have on hand. Use these foods in next week’s meal plan.

Know what you have in your pantry, and remember the first-in, first-out (FIFO) approach. Keep an eye on those expiration dates, and rotate your canned foods.

For more good tips on how to save on your grocery bill and help the environment, join me for a free, 30-minute lunch-and-learn webinar titled “Sustainable Food and You.” Please register in advance, to save your seat and be notified if there are any changes necessitated (we are in storm season, after all… and we also can help you with some timeless tips about getting ready for hurricane season.)