When you plan your menu you should plan healthy meals. Use Myplate.gov to help guide you. We suggest filling 1/2 your plate with fruits and vegetables and the other half with grain and protein. By using a less expensive protein like dry beans you can really reduce the cost of your budget. Read this post on stretching your budget with dried beans. Also, considering purchasing your meat on manager’s special.
Every day departments mark down items that are nearing expiration. You can often find great markdowns on meat, dairy and produce, bread and bakery/deli. At most stores you can use a coupon with a Manager’s Special often time making the item free or near free. We also love when a manager’s special matches with a rebate. Our tip is to shop early to get the best deal on manager’s specials. You can often ask your butcher what time he makes his manager’s special reductions. Check out this post: Stockpiling 101 – FoodSaver and Stockpiling for tips on how to extend the life of your Manager’s Specials.
You should add dairy sparingly to your meals. Dairy should be consumed in small quantities and can often be high in fat and cholesterol. It is good to consume in moderation and should be be a focal point of your meal. For example if you are drinking milk at dinner that is enough dairy.
Read more Freezer Cooking posts in this series.
As stay-at-home moms for eight years, Melissa and Shelley know what it takes to live a savvy lifestyle within a budget. Their passion for helping people has expanded their reach from Stockpiling Moms.com to also including speaking engagements, book authors (Savvy Saving Couponing Secrets from the Stockpiling Moms) and conference co-hosts. Melissa and Shelley are best friends who met through 
