(CNN) - Bridget Mac Pherson and her husband have five kids.
Buying food for all their different tastes can really add up. so she met up with her friend, Registered Dietitian Ann Dunaway Teh for some tips on stretching the family's food dollars.
First stop: fresh fruits and vegetables.
According to Teh, "The
key is to buy them when they are in their peak of season. That way, they're less expensive. Also, buying fruits and vegetables in their
whole form and then you take them home and prepare them is less
expensive than buying the ones that are already pre-cut or pre-washed."
Next, it's meat and poultry.
"One
way to save is to buy a whole chicken rather than the parts," said Teh. "Go ahead
and cook it up. You can use it in various meals throughout the week and
then you can save the bones to make your own chicken stock."
For meat, Teh suggested adding dried beans to a recipe. She said it helps stretch your meat across more meals.
One last stop: frozen blueberries.
"That's a
great choice. They're very versatile; you can do so much with them. You
can just take out what you need and put them back in the freezer later
so there's no waste.
Teh said one of the best ways to save money is to plan your meals - make a grocery list and stick to it.
