1) Don't buy produce pre-cut or pre-packaged. Not a new one here, I know, but how easy is it to just reach for the box of lettuce instead of the head? Yesterday, all produce was as produce-y as it gets: Carrots that had to be peeled; peppers that had to be chopped; and romaine that needed shredding. Random bonus: We did all our chopping and cutting while my daughter was taking a nap and had a lovely little chat. Much better than typing away on our computers or zoning out to the TV.

2) Rice, rice, rice. A little rice goes a long way. We bought a bag of rice last week, and we plan on having it as our "side" at least once a week until we run out. That's bang for your buck right there.

3) Use the pastas and grains and whatevers that are already in your cupboard. If you're anything like me, your cupboard is filled with half-empty boxes of pastas, rices, and weird grains that you thought you were definitely going to get into (but didn't -- womp womp). Use them. You probably have side dishes for weeks in there.

4) Breakfast for dinner. Eggs are cheap. And they come in twelves! Once a week, why not do omelets or sunny-side-ups and a side of turkey bacon?

5) Plan every meal. My husband and I always say we're going to do this, and we wind up doing it for, like, two weeks, then it's back to just randomly shopping for food items with no clear menu in mind. Yesterday, we did it. And we're hoping we'll do it again this weekend. Tonight's menu: Veggie fajitas with, you guessed it, a side of rice.