saving money on food

Stocking up! I love those two English words. They have become my grocery chant as I lug full bags in the door. A few years ago, I stumbled across this idea of saving money on groceries by keeping a grocery price book and then stocking up on well-priced items.

So I created a spread sheet and sat down with my then recent grocery receipts and started entering products, size and price. Within a few short weeks, I had a good understanding of what I was paying for each item as well as discerning a great sale price from a lame one. I also learned industry terms like loss leader which describes the ultra sales prices usually advertised on the front page of the store flyers. I have trained myself to look at the grocery store aisles and shelves through the eyes of the grocery company and not buy the way I was being encouraged to.
I also try very hard to buy more of the single-ingredient items(fresh fruit and veggies, milk, eggs, rice, flour, butter,etc.) instead of the heavier processed items. I can't make everything homemade, so I try to pick those that are easy and convenient for me which so far is bread, muffins, cookies, pancakes, waffles or similar type foods. I haven't got into a regular routine with the homemade yogurt or baked beans but I have done both previously and aim to do it again. Having a small freezer chest has helped me stock up on items that would otherwise spoil before I could use them. I also buy mainly items with the most nutrition and reduced sugar levels, like whole wheat flour(although it is still not as nutritious as grinding my own), cane sugar instead of white sugar(I use it in place of sugar everywhere and less of it), whole wheat pasta, and plain yogurt with full fat that I flavor at home for the girls. I have some more work to do in this area but I need to be mindful of my family's tastebuds and ease them into the changes gradually. When I mentioned making homemade ketchup, my husband's expression immediately told me how gradual. :)

When I open my pantry, I can see how much raw material I have to work with but often the ambition levels just aren't there. Saving grocery money is not my sole ambition in life, but paying attention and planning ahead have helped me do better at using our money more wisely.
This is another article which helped me in this area.
How to Save Money on Groceries

Any ideas or suggestions on this topic are always welcome as usual.