We all hoped the recession would be over by now. But, it’s not. While more people are cooking at home now, they can do a few things to save even more money.

Really read the grocery store flyers every week and then plan your weekly menus. Sit with a pad of paper and a cookbook and as you find good deals on certain food items, plan what you can make from them. Do the entire week’s menu.

Don’t be afraid to stock up on the really great deals, as long as it is something that will freeze or has a long shelf life. Then remember you have it. When you are having company or need to take something to a party, plan around the items you’ve stocked up on.

Eat less meat. If you’ve been reading this blog you’ll have seen that sentence many times. Almost every health menu says it! Moneywise it makes sense to cut down too. Meat takes the biggest chunk of most people’s grocery dollars. You don’t need much! And there are wonderful vegetarian meals that you can make a few times a week.

Substitute ingredients. Don’t be a slave to recipes. Play around. If you don’t have an item, think about whether you need to make a special trip to the store or not. Many times leaving it out will create a new “favorite” recipe for you.

Plan for leftovers. And then use them! At least once a week you should be able to make a meal of leftovers. Or send them in for lunches.

Prepare things yourself. You don’t have to buy baby carrots, which are more expensive then the ones that need to be peeled. You can tear up lettuce yourself instead of buying a bag of shredded. Little bits add up fast.

Saving money in the grocery store isn’t hard. It just takes a little planning and a little time.