Buying fruits and veggies in season is a sure way to save money. When can you save money by buying prepacked products? When the contents consist of more than four or five ingredients.

• Remember that some generic food brands taste as good as name brands. Store brand cheeses are quite good and less expensive than brands. Store brand frozen foods are generally as good as the brands. Take advange of the lower cost.
  
  
• Buy fresh fruits and vegetables is season. Don't settle for inferior products, then throw them away because they have no taste, in essence you will be throwing money in the garbage. If you can't find good tomatoes for your salad. Make a green salad with canned whole (chilled) tomatoes on the side. Just slice and serve.
  
  
• When buying frozen vegetables and fruits for future use, decide whether it is best to buy in small or large sizes. A large size may cost less but there is no savings if you defrost the whole bag just to make two servings, you should not re-freeze remaining vegetables.
  
  
• Never buy prepared Jello, puddings or custards, these desserts cost pennies to make.
  
  
• If you do a lot of baking use powered milk. Use You can't taste the difference in baked goods and powered milk has a long shelf life.
  

IDEAS: Buy low-fat sweets. Vanilla wafers, yogurt, fig newtons and angel food cake. Fruits always make a good dessert. Try Fruit Kabobs For Kids

I find it easier and less expensive to buy packaged salad greens for lunch. I buy baby spinach and a salad blend with sugar snap peas, carrots and radishes. It would be much more expensive I went out to buy a salad and more to buy the ingredients to make my own. Buying ready-made is a good and healthy alternative. Add a small (2.8 oz) can of tuna and you can't ask for a better meal. Just keep a jar of salad dressing in the office fridge or bring your own in a small jar.

See Grocery Shopping on a Tight Budget in related Links.