Develop a food budget and comparison-shopping strategies for healthy eating.

Development should include

• listing and determining the factors that influence the amount of money a family spends for food
• compiling a list of strategies for reducing food expenses
• identifying criteria used to establish a food budget
• developing a cost analysis for a menu plan that includes eating in and eating out.

Strategies for comparison shopping should include

• listing criteria used for food selection (e.g., quality, use of the product, cost and unit price, nutritional value, skill and time needed to prepare, time needed to prepare, ecological considerations, and storage)
• comparing places to buy food, including farmers’ markets, grocery stores, discount food suppliers, catalogs, and on the Internet
• comparing brands of food products
• comparing cost of convenience foods to cost of similar foods prepared at home.

Process/Skill Questions: 

Thinking

• Why should one be aware of a family’s food budget?
• What are the consequences of exceeding a food budget?
• Why is it possible to eat nutritiously with inexpensive foods?

Communication

• What communication skills are involved in making a budget for food purchases?
• What standards should be set for shopping on a limited budget?
• What are the effects of advertising and grocery store layout and displays on food purchasing decisions?

Leadership

• How can effective money-saving strategies be determined?
• What happens when families must choose between shopping for food and another essential item, such as medicine or rent?
• How can comparison-shopping techniques benefit the consumer when shopping for food?

Management

• Why can it be difficult to stay within a budget when buying food?
• What management strategies can be used to avoid impulse purchases at the grocery store?
• What management skills help apply criteria to different types of food products?