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Show T SSL by EILEEN COALE Cut Familys Food Co$t$ Pat and Theresa Doolan of Riva, Md., could spend a sizable chunk of their income feeding their five children three of them teenagers. If the DooLins were a typical American family, their monthly food costs would be more than $ 1 ,034, with almost 40 percent of that figure applying to food eaten away from home, says a U.S. Department of Labor survey. But Theresa Doolan is a frugal shopper. She spends about half that $570 a month to feed ha family of seven. And her methods aren't at all radical. I have food in my house, she says. A pantry is a plus in trimming food costs, she says, because it cuts down on eating out and trips to the grocery store. Fewa tnps to the store mean fewer impulse buys. Limit supermarket visits to one a week. To begin stocking your pantry and freezer, record your typical menus and break down the ingredients into a perpetual shopping list. Then wait for items to go on sale and stock up on them as your budget allows. Wait to buy grocery items until they hit their lowest sale price. Keep track of sale prices by regularly looking through store sale flyers and recording the prices. After a couple of months, youll easily be able to spot the targa sale price. Plan ahead, because you'll occasionally be too rushed or too tired to cook. Dxible or triple recipes and freeze the dishes. ingredients or meal components and freeze them. By taking a few extra minutes in the kitchen, you can save hours later. You'll save money, too, by staying home for dinner. The Doolans, for instance, rarely eat out, spending only about $30 of their monthly food budget on food prepared away from home. Headier Woodfin of Arnold, Md., buys meat at targa sale prices, cooks it ahead of time, and freezes it in meal-siz- e portions. She finds it helps her to resist the urge to splurge on expensive carryout food. well-stock- te C 200 (1 box) 56.95 C 400 2 boxes) $7 94 150 (t bo) S7 95 300 (2 boxes) 2ND BOX IS ONLY 99! rrwrff'YiTnn r e (1 (2 Iht u im hr To ORMI By Mai. (Nhm fria Tte MMhf: btMkf Martin) check nW . MM dwck mi deposk d. fra. ncmM M form 1 drpmtt 0p fna the tmm acconnt martin) any nr (4, pU) ArtJitk Checks, P O. Box 1000 jw'w.rdfrn Artistic Checks beta Mabefvafe, AS 7210J1000 0102247421 far .Bees. SefaMaetpaM. ., at (fY yrt. -- J ' ?M a ax VO Rhone Bar MnM pnea PT- A,wr FTSheeti Ck(d Fnd far Mly 11 40 parts. hiumn .I., Mss w jt-- r tv, i'jmrmccir.ots.cr:.! cm ck you can cmi m w BoMti 7 s t; Bb m ,. rfWY W OfaUME & MM Ml PngmSMi lWiaMm4aIJrdV sr , C i; .fa ?Kdi la tcu w dmdb fr Gd 4 LM4M.hr ON 3-- 2 7. 1 farm. la rrj 'ffj 'jf Kt box) 521 95 boxes) 539 95 SB 94 I love nbs, but tliey take forever a good 45 to 60 minutes on the grill. I can pull it out of the freezer in the morning, and in the amount of time it takes me to reheat it at dinner time, I can add a salad or vegetable." Tlie extra time spent in the kitchen is worth it, Woodfin says. With a minimal amount of preparation, you can have restaurant quality food diat doesn't cost a lot of money." i mu m.m Eileen Coale. a freelance feeds her family of six tenter in Annapolis. Md, on $ 400 a month. |