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By Dee Furlough, Tyrrell Extension

Summer break is winding down and school will be here soon! It’s time to get back to the regular scheduled weekday routines. While there’s still some time, let’s discuss some tips for weekday meal planning.

Make a budget and stick to it!

It’s easy to overspend on groceries. Look for sales in your local grocery store and plan your menu based on weekly specials. Each grocery store may run their sales beginning on different days so be sure to keep up. Joining store programs such as Food Lion’s MVP may allow for additional savings.

Highlight in season fruits and vegetables.

Check out the North Carolina in-season agriculture chart. When fruits and vegetables are in season, prices tend to be lower due to abundance. Take advantage of lower prices and potentially fresher produce. Don’t forget to visit your county’s farmers’ market or farm stands to support local farmers.

Freeze your leftovers.

Once your grocery list is written, meal prepared and served, freeze your leftovers! Freezing leftovers not only ensures your family doesn’t tire out of the same meal, but also gives you great options. Leftovers can serve as an after-school snack, a quick meal following after-school sports, and are a great alternative to eating away from home when you don’t feel like cooking

Grab and go snacks.

Maybe you’re not a morning person, or preparing breakfast every day for your family isn’t ideal. Keeping grab and go snacks on hand may be the solution. Fruits such as apples, oranges and bananas are easy to rinse and peel if necessary. Round out your breakfast by pairing fruit with yogurt, cereal, nuts, toast/bagels or muffins.

Don’t forget to use any supplemental benefits such as SNAP, WIC or any additional vouchers to purchase eligible food items. For questions about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or to receive SNAP Application Assistance contact the More In My Basket staff: Visit: morefood.org; English Toll Free: 1-855-240-1451; Spanish Toll Free: 1-888-382-7105.

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