In This Issue
List Your Weekly Meals
Make a Grocery List
Save More at the Store
GotHealth Tip of the Month
Quick Links
What's Cooking? USDA
Mixing Bowl
ChooseMyPlate.gov
ICMS Website
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MARCH 2015
Is your wallet feeling lucky?
The luck o' the Irish is beginning to be contagious with Saint Patrick's Day coming up! This month, let's talk about
green: we'll give you a few ideas on how to eat more of those healthy green veggies (while keeping more "green" in
your wallet at the same time!)
Create a Grocery "Game Plan"
List Your Weekly Meals:
Before making a grocery list, write down meals you want to make this week.
Buying for the week means you'll make fewer shopping trips and buy only the
items you need. Here are some basic tips for creating your menu and grocery
list:
1. Look in your freezer, cabinets, and refrigerator. Make a note of what you
currently have on hand. You can save money by using these items in the
upcoming week's meals.
2. Use a worksheet, such as the Create a Grocery Game Plan Worksheet to plan your meals and figure out what items
you need to buy.
3. Create a list of recipes to try. Find new ideas for healthy and low cost meals based on what you have on hand,
foods your family enjoys, and foods that are good buys. Search recipes by ingredient using What's Cooking? USDA
Mixing Bowl - an interactive tool to help with healthy meal planning, cooking, and grocery shopping. Be sure to
include some family favorites along with the new recipes.
4. Think about your schedule. Choose meals you can prepare easily on your busiest days. Save recipes that take
longer for days off.
For menu and recipe ideas, take a look at these resources:
Build a Healthy Meal - 10 Tips
Daily Food Plans and Worksheets
Sample Menus and Recipes
Sample Menus for a 2000 Calorie Food Pattern
Sources: USDA, http://www.choosemyplate.gov
Make a Grocery List:
Stay organized with a grocery list to avoid buying items you don't really need.
Grocery list basics:

Use your list of weekly meals to create a list of foods and beverages you will need to buy. Don't forget to
include foods like fruits, vegetables, and milk that might not be part of a recipe but are basics for healthy
eating.


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You can write your list on scratch paper, enter it into a computer, or a free mobile app.
Keep an ongoing grocery list in your kitchen, computer or a mobile app and add items as you run out.
Try organizing your list to make shopping quick and easy. For a free template, try the Create a Grocery
Game Plan: Grocery List.
Sources: USDA, www.choosemyplate.gov/budget
Save More at the Store:
The smartest shoppers know that saving money is more than luck.
When shopping for groceries, it's about having a game plan and
making smart decisions about what to put in your cart.
Stretch your dollar with these helpful tips:
1. Eat before you shop. Grocery shopping hungry can lead to impulse
buying and unhealthy food choices.
2. Read the sales flyer. Sales flyers are usually released mid-week and
can be found at the store's entrance, in the newspaper, or on their
website.
3. Use coupons - but only for items that you know you'll use. If you don't need an item right away, save the coupon
and see if it goes on sale. For more on couponing, check out Save More at the Grocery Store.
4. Look up and down for savings. Stores often stock the priciest items at eye level. You can save big by looking at the
upper and lower shelves too.
5. Check for store brands. Most stores offer their own brand of products that often cost less than name brands.
6. Grab from the back. Stores typically stock shelves from back to front, placing the newest items behind the older
ones. Reach in the back for the freshest items especially in the produce, dairy, and meat aisles.
7. Ask for a rain check. If a sales item has run out, ask the store for a rain check. This allows you to pay the sale price
after the item is restocked.
8. Join your store's loyalty program. Most stores offer a free loyalty program. Get special offers and discounts that
non-members do not.
Check out these other helpful resources for more information:
USDA's Nutrition Assistance Programs: Eat Right When Money's Tight
Eating on a Budget - The 3 P's
Eating Better on a Budget - 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series
Saving Money with Coupons
Sources: USDA, www.choosemyplate.gov/budget