Dining out often at restaurants, preparing too much and wasting leftovers are just some of our flaws when it comes to feeding our families. But thanks to CookingLight, I’ve discovered five great ways to stretch your family’s food budget!

Check out the tips below:

1. Eat more meatless meals – Meat is the most expensive item you’ll buy at the grocery store, so try making one or two vegetarian meals a week, or just use less meat in meals. And according to health experts, eating more plant-based foods can lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer (you’ll also save on your term life insurance coverage the healthier you are.)
2. Make a meal plan – Before you go to the grocery store, map out your daily meals for that week. Then only buy those items you need. By doing this, you’ll avoid buying items you don’t need and you’ll probably waste less.
3. Do it yourself – Avoid buying prepared items like frozen pizza crust, and make things from scratch.
4. Learn to stretch meat, poultry and fish – Rather than making protein the center of the plate, use it sparingly for flavor and texture.
5. Eat in season – Out of season produce is costly, and it usually doesn’t taste as good as fruits and vegetables that are in season. Try eating in season produce, when it can usually be found for a great bargain.

If you like our money saving tips, keep checking AccuQuote’s blog, become a fan of AccuQuote.com on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter for more valuable ways to make the most of your money. And be sure to shop online to get free term life insurance quotes. You may be able to save up to 70% on your term life insurance cost!