A food co-op, or cooperative, is a creative way to get the most out of your grocery budget. Some people join a food co-op to save money, others join to help support local growers, and, finally, other join to improve the quality of the food they feed their families. A quick review of the basic structure of a food co-op will help you understand how one could work for you and your family.

A food co-op is comprised of a group of members who govern the co-op themselves. Each member pays a predetermined fee when they join that entitles them to the benefits of the co-op. That fee entitles each member to have an equal vote in how the co-op is run and organized.

By combining the purchasing power of the members of the co-op, the co-op is able to purchase food and products in the same manner that your local grocery store purchases things. It purchases them in bulk amounts and has them delivered to the co-op’s facility for sorting and storing.

The co-op’s ability to purchase quality food at a great price is what makes membership to a food co-op so advantageous for its members. The members can place regular orders from the co-op for their grocery items. Some co-ops only sell products to members, while others sell at a discounted price to members. In either case, the member is able to get a better product for a better price than he would be able to get trying to purchase directly from a supplier on his own.

Once the member has placed his grocery order, the co-op will pull his product from its storage facility. The co-op may have delivery services available or the member may need to make his own arrangement to pick up the order. Sometimes, the window for order pick up is rather limited, but that minor inconvenience will be forgotten as you enjoy the benefits of the co-op.

Finding a food co-op in your area is relatively easy. A quick internet search can reveal a list of co-ops that might be suitable for your use. Look over the rules of service for the co-op and you can choose one that will work for you and your family.

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There’s little doubt that you can save a lot of money on food by preparing and bringing your own lunch to work each day rather than eating out. The problem with bringing a lunch from home is often just coming up with menu ideas. No one wants to eat the same boring sandwich everyday.

Coming up with a solid list of lunch ideas is a sure-fire way to make planning your daily lunches easier. Grocery shopping will be simpler, too, if you already have an idea what you will need for lunches each week. Here are a few ideas to help you get started on your menu list:

Salad – Try to make one day each week a salad day. It’s a healthy lunch choice that is easy on the pocketbook, too. If you feel bored with the traditional green salad, you can mix it up with another type.

Soup – Soup of any type is always a great choice for a work lunch. You can make a large batch, freeze it into smaller containers, and thaw one each week for your lunches. Like the salad, you can change soup up by switching to a different kind.

A Sandwich – Ok, you don’t want to resort to making a sandwich all the time, but having one once a week is certainly palatable. Make sure to take your condiments with you so that you can add them to your sandwich at lunch time. Waiting until you’re ready to eat before you add them will help you avoid that dreaded soggy bread problem.

Pasta – Pasta is another one of those foods that you can cook in large amounts and then take a little to work with you at a time. Try cooking the pasta noodles (whatever shape you like) ahead of time and adding canned sauce to it at lunch time.

Leftovers – As you’re planning your weekly meals, plan to make too much for one of your evening meals. Then, you’ll have leftovers for your lunch. Imagine how welcome a slice of last night’s pot roast, paired with a helping of your favorite vegetables, will be in the middle of a stressful day.

Use these ideas as a jumping off point to make your own weekly lunch menu. Working some variety into your lunch routine will help to keep you from getting bored with taking your own lunch to work each day. You’ll be less tempted to give into the urge to eat lunch at a restaurant and find it easier to stick to your new meal plan.

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You’ve probably heard lots of times that eating at home is much better for you than eating out. The large portions offered at restaurants encourage you to eat too much. And the rich glazes and sauces that accompany restaurant meals add unnecessary sodium and fat to your meals. There’s no doubt that you could make better choices for yourself than the restaurant’s staff are making for you. However, did you realize that eating at home is also better for your financial health?

Preparing your own food at home is much more cost-effective than a meal at a fancy restaurant. Consider the average cost of a restaurant meal for a family of four: an appetizer ($8), two children’s entrees ($7 each), two adult’s entrees ($12), and four drinks ($2 each). Without adding a dessert or a tip, you’ve already spent $54, and that wasn’t even a fancy restaurant!

Now consider the cost of a meal at the grocery store: greens for a salad ($4), a package of chicken breasts to bake ($9), a can of mixed vegetables ($1), a few potatoes ($3 for a bag), and four drinks ($.50 each). Mixed with a few spices you already have in your pantry, these ingredients only set you back $19. You’ve probably even got some leftovers to recycle into tomorrow’s lunch.

Besides saving you over $30 for each meal, you can rest secure in the knowledge that any meal you prepare for your family has been made with their best interests in mind. If your husband needs to cut back on the sodium in his diet, you’ll be able to find other ways to season his dinner. If your child is allergic to dairy products, you’ll know to find a substitute for any dairy required by your recipe. The restaurant cook who has to prepare food for hundreds of people each day will not be able to make a special effort for your husband and child.

Overall, cooking most of your meals at home just makes good sense for families. You’ll find that your budget dollars designated for food will go much further at the grocery store than at your local restaurant. And who would pay more attention to your family’s dietary needs than you?

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