? Buy whole chickens if they?re a better bargain than pieces. You can roast the chicken for one meal and use the leftovers for sandwiches, soups and casseroles later in the week.

? Set a strict budget for spending on snack and junk foods, which have a lousy nutrition-to-cost ratio.

? Try to shop just once a week. You?ll save gas and time and limit impulse buys to once a week.

? Compare prices between stores. Differences can be substantial.

? Don?t rush. Give yourself time to look for bargains, and avoid shopping at peak hours when stores are most crowded.

? Scan the shelves carefully when hunting for deals. The costliest items tend to be placed at eye level.

? Take a calculator to help figure the cost per serving.

1. BEFORE YOU SHOP

? Make a weekly meal plan. Managing your money and making dinner each night gets easier with planning.

? Scan grocery ads for bargains, then use them to plan your meals for the week. If chicken breasts are on sale, work chicken into the meal plan several times that week.

? Make a shopping list and organize it by department (grouping produce, meats and so on). Such organization not only saves time but also reduces aimless wandering through the store, which increases the chances of making impulse buys.

? Search out bakery thrift stores. Many stock more than baked goods, such as dairy and canned products.

2. AT THE STORE

? Shop alone whenever possible. Children often pressure parents to buy costly extras.

? Don?t shop hungry; everything will look better, and you?ll be inclined to buy more.

? Stick to your list, but also be flexible. If you had planned to buy ground turkey but see a great deal on chicken breasts, modify the plan.

? Shop by unit price (the section of the shelf price tag that lists cost per ounce or pound), so you can compare prices across brands and package sizes.

? Consider store brands, which are often ? but not always ? a bargain. Most retailers offer high-quality budget varieties at a good value.

? Be selective when you buy convenience foods. Don?t pay a premium for foods easily prepared at home, such as diced onions. But few people will cook dried beans, so canned are a worthwhile (and still inexpensive) convenience.

3. DURING AND AFTER COOKING

? Use "stretch foods" ? healthful ingredients such as beans, pasta and rice that add bulk and flavor to meals but also stretch out the costlier ingredients.

? Cook extra servings that can be packed in lunches later in the week.

? Ditch the frozen french fries. Potatoes (sweet or white) are inexpensive and make great "oven" fries when thinly sliced, tossed with oil and roasted.

? To make up for buying fewer convenience foods, pick one night a week to chop onions, grate cheese and clean the vegetables for the rest of the week?s meals.

? Periodically check the refrigerator for items nearing expiration. Work those foods into the next day?s meals.

? Wrap leftovers in single-serve portions, which are easy to pack for lunch.