Prepared by: Sissy Osteen (Resource Management Specialist), and Debra Garrard-Foster, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078-6122, (405) 744-6282

Lesson presented: July, 2013

Time needed to teach lesson: 30 minutes to 1 hour

Introduction

Everyday is a good day to focus on maximizing the family's food shoppingdollars. This process begins and ends at home. Planning before you walkout the door can help with the expense, but can also help you make choicesthat are nutritious and help take advantage of foods that are availableduring different seasons. This lesson will highlight planning and shoppingstrategies as well as provide food storage guidelines. The lesson is set up as follows:

  • Ice breaker activity to start the meeting
  • Information on costs of food and waste
  • Tips for meal planning
  • Tips for smart shopping
  • Information for proper storage, cooking, and homegrown items
  • Resources for more information

Group leaders can cover all issues or just focus on certain issues given time constraints and the wishes of the group.

Ice breaker

Have members break into small groups of 3-4 and briefly discuss their best strategy for saving money while grocery shopping. As a group decide on the best tip and report it back to the whole group.

Slides

  1. Consumers waste food. Since waste is a product of consumer behavior, it can be addressed through changes in behavior. Each person wastes about 273 pounds of food each year at a total cost of $165.6 billion. That amounts to $390 per person. Additionally, households purchase $936 worth of food that they do not eat each year. Countries with adequate food supplies and households waste more food that others. What do we waste? Meat, poultry, and fish account for 41% of wasted food, with vegetables and fruit accounting for 17% and dairy 14%.
  1. There are strategies that will help avoid food waste and pass along the resulting savings to the family household budget. This lesson will discuss meal planning, shopping, improving storage, planting and growing your own vegetables, and meal preparation techniques that help in managing the food budget.
  1. Discuss the meal planning tips included on this slide. Supply newspapers with the weekly specials. Discuss how planning meals in conjunction with the weekly special insert can save money. Even though meal may be planned ahead, store specials can lead to substitution of meals to save money. It is important to make a grocery list, not only to have the ingredients you need, but also to control any other spending while in the store. Going into the store with a plan in hand will help you avoid impulse purchases, which add substantially to the cost of shopping. For people who use coupons for items that they purchase, it is a good idea to organize them at the time the list is being made so they can be attached. Also check the availability of staple items that are used frequently for meal preparation, if they are not noted on a list as they run out.
  1. Discuss developing a weekly and monthly menu plan using the meal planner.
  1. Discuss the strategies for shopping. Buying foods in season ensures better freshness and usually lower prices. Larger packages bought while on sale can be extended for future use, if stored correctly. Shopping while hungry can be distracting and lead to unplanned purchases. Other tips for shopping smart include making fewer trips. One extra unplanned trip can increase the weekly food expenses by 10%. Shopping alone can help by avoiding in-store requests that are a part of shopping with children and even those adult “children”. Once in the store, be sure to comparison shop between different brands and sizes. In general the more simple the form of the food item, the less expensive. The more prepared the food is, the higher the cost. Consumers pay for the convenience of having someone else do the meal preparation.
  1. The type of store determines the amount you pay.
  1. Some things to know about food storage.
  1. Continued - “Use by” dates are voluntary guidelines printed on packaged products that serve as a recommendation of how long the product will maintain its flavor. Since it is not required, and the store does not have to remove the item from the shelf past this date. It is important for consumers to check these dates.
  1. Planting your own. Vegetables can be grown in available space in the yard. Some vegetables can be grown in containers when no yard space is available.
  1. Cooking smart ideas include those that utilize previously prepared foods and avoid the waste involved in throwing away “leftovers”, substitute less costly foods for other ingredients, use items that are readily available for quick-fix meals, and using fruits and vegetables for grab and go snacks.
  1. Share resources for more information
  1. Allow time for questions and comments

Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments Cooperating. The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer.