Thrifty Thursday: Saving Money on Food

With three constantly ravenous children, it's not like I don't spend enough on groceries already, but this weekend, I'm bringing 50 extra people to the table. We're planning a First Communion reception on Sunday, and we want to put out a nice spread...but not spend a fortune.

So I've been doing some serious food-shopping bargain hunting for the last several weeks. Some deals I've found at my local grocery store on my regular shopping trips. A whole ham on sale at Easter (sell by date in June) goes in the cart. Turkey breast for $.99 a pound can be stored frozen for a few weeks. (Sorry kids, no ice cream will fit in the freezer until after the party.)

But probably some of the best deals are found outside the grocery store: Paper products and decorations at the dollar store, huge bags of Kaiser rolls from the bread outlet for just a few dollars, the Italian groceries' $3.99 wines make good sangria and the produce wholesaler is the place to get fruit and veggies.

We may be munching on leftovers for another week, but that is just one fewer trip to the grocery store for me.

More Thrifty Thursday Tips:

• Cut the Cost of Summer Camp
• Save Money on College Text Books
• Grandparents as Child Care Providers
• 10 Ways to Cut Your Child Care Cost
• How To Find Children's Books at Bargain Prices
• Top 10 Ways to Teach Kids About Money
• Homemade Kids' Fitness Equipment
• Create a Coupon System That Works for You
• Free Pretend Play Kits