Produce

• For the best prices, stick with items that are in season (during the fall, skip the fresh strawberries and head for the apples).
  
• Check the scales to find the largest package — not all the 5-lb. bags of potatoes or apples are actually the same weight.
  
• Bruised or old fruits are great for baking. Purchase discounted brown bananas, then peel and freeze in zip-top bags for banana bread.

Cereal

• Buying in bulk isn’t always the best choice — stores know that shoppers will choose the family-size box of cereal over the small one, and sometimes they make the bigger package actually more expensive
  per ounce. Compare the per-unit prices to be sure.
  
• For the best deal, go with bagged cereal or store brands.
  
• Look for buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) sales on cereal. They usually change each week, so keep your eyes peeled for your kids’ favorite brands.

Snacks

• Steer clear of prepackaged snack-size bags of chips and crackers unless they’re on sale. Buy a larger package and divide into zip-top bags yourself.
  
• Look high and low on the shelves for the best deals. The more expensive snacks are strategically placed at eye level or slightly lower to attract kids’ attention.

Frozen Foods

• Look for sales — particularly during March, which is frozen-food month.
  
• Don’t pay more for frozen vegetables with cheese. Buy the plain veggies and add your own cheese at home.
  
• When fruits or veggies are in season, buy them fresh and freeze them yourself. This time of year, broccoli, artichokes and squash are likely to be cheaper fresh than frozen.
  
• Watch for BOGO sales on ice cream. Also, keep in mind that ice cream often goes on sale at the end of winter to clear the shelves for summer items,
  so that’s a good time to stock
  your freezer.

Meat & Fish

• Compare meats carefully. A boneless cut might be slightly more expensive per pound, but it’s usually a better buy than a cheaper cut of meat with a large portion of fat and bone.
  
• Don’t bother with premade patties. Instead, buy ground meat in bulk and make your own.
  
• Talk to your butcher! If a whole pork loin is on sale, ask the butcher to cut it into chops for you. Or pick up a cooked, ready-to-eat half ham from the meat cooler, and ask the butcher to slice it thinly for sandwiches.

Bread

• Look for deals on day-old bread, and freeze it as soon as you get home.
  
• Instead of forking over the extra dough for brand-name hot- dog or hamburger buns (which are usually all the same), get the generic stuff.

Baby Foods

• The best way to avoid spending close to a dollar on a tiny jar of puréed carrots is to make your own. But if that sounds too time-consuming, seek out coupons directly from the manufacturers by calling their toll-free numbers or visiting their Web sites (Gerber, Beech-Nut and Earth’s Best all have downloadable coupons, mail-in rebates or coupon clubs on their sites).
  
• If you’re purchasing formula, the powder mixes offer more bang for your buck than premade ones.

Household Items

• For products like toilet paper and aluminum foil, the cheaper generic brand may not offer the best quality. Instead, wait for a national brand to go on sale and stock up. (Combine the sale with a coupon, if you can.)
  
• You might want to make a detour: Warehouse clubs, drug­stores and dollar stores are great places to buy paper products on the cheap.

Beverages

• Compare bottled juices with frozen mixes — the frozen concentrates are often a better deal.
  
• Choose 2-liter containers over smaller cans and bottles.

Pasta

• Stock up on whatever brand is on sale. Compare with generic and store brands, too.
  
• If you have the storage space, it might be worth a trip to a ware­house club to purchase inexpensive pasta in bulk.

Deli & Bakery

• Beware — this section is very tempting! Stay away from prepared items like fresh-baked muffins and deli pasta salad. You
• Ask for your deli meats and cheeses to be sliced very thinly — you will probably use less per sandwich.

Canned Goods & Sauces

• Buy the store brand if there is one. But before you buy in bulk, purchase a single jar to make sure your family actually likes the brand.
  
• Do not purchase dented cans — you risk wasting money on spoiled food.

Dairy

• Check gas-station convenience stores for reasonably priced milk. Drugstores are worth a try, too.
  
• Use evaporated milk or reconstituted powdered milk for baking, and save the more expensive fresh milk for drinking and cereal.
  
• Presliced, shredded or individually wrapped cheeses are often pricier than bulk cheese. (They also may not be pure cheese — check the label.)

Did You Know?

A recent study shows that cherry-picking — visiting more than one store in a grocery trip to buy sale items — saves shoppers an average of $15.76 each time! Scan a variety of store fliers for loss leaders (products that are drastically reduced to entice new shoppers) and go after only these items.

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Our experts

Deborah Taylor-Hough,
author of Frugal Living for Dummies

Michelle Jones,
editor of GrocerySavingTips.com

Faye Prosser,
author of The Smart Spending Guide