With the prices increasing sky-high in the market, cutting down on your expenses wherever you can is a good idea. Statistics show that every year about 15 million tons of food gets wasted in the country. You could control food wastage by not only cooking in the required quantities but also by saving money on food shopping. Follow these tips to save money on food.

Plan ahead
Check out what food items and groceries you already have at home, so you do not end up buying the same things again. Create a shopping list based on the needs of your family and your weekly menu plan. Keep in mind that you would have leftovers, and plan ahead on how you are going to reuse those. Studies show that having light snacks before you go grocery shopping will help you stick to the list, and avoid adding junk or unnecessary items to your shopping cart.

Buy seasonal goods
Based on the season, there is various fresh produce available on the market. You can check their availability in the newspaper. Buying products during their peak season helps you save money on food. Buying fresh produces during the season costs at least five times less than in other seasons. Also, buying at local farmers’ market is a good idea to get good deals, as these do not include shipping costs.

Buy healthy food
You would be surprised to know that unhealthy food not only wreaks havoc on your health but also burns a hole in your pocket. Switching to healthy eating can help you save money on food. If reducing the amount of junk is one thing, avoiding processed foods that are expensive is another thing that can help save money. The mantra is simple – high-calorie foods equal more money and low-calorie foods equal less money.

Use frozen, canned, or dried foods
It is always a good idea to use frozen, canned, or dried variants of the actual ingredients when you are cooking. These are less expensive but have the same nutritional value. Other advantages of using these products are that you can only use the quantities necessary without having to worry about it getting spoilt, since the packaging and storing is already taken care of. Dried fruits are a good substitute for fresh fruits, and they also add great flavor to the food. Using powdered milk instead of normal milk in soups, mashed potatoes, and desserts also helps save money.

Use generic products
It is important to know that all food manufacturers follow standards to provide safe and high-quality food and beverages. Therefore, it is a good idea to buy local store brands than international brands that are expensive. Read the ingredient and nutrition label before buying any of these products to ensure that you’re consuming products that are safe and if they are worth the money. For example, if you are buying canned tomatoes, make sure the first ingredient listed is tomato and not water. Also, buying local-store brands reduces the possibility of having preservatives and food additives.