Groceries, food expenses, and dining out are usually part of the monthly budget. You cannot save money on food just by cutting down on it abruptly. One way or the other, you need to spend money on food, but some smart choices can help you save. Combine apps, coupons, and sales to get the best offers and deals to save money on food smartly. Here are the top 10 ways to slash your grocery budget significantly:

1. Shop smartly
Differentiate a good deal from a deal that looks or seems like a good one. Simply being on sale or getting a coupon for something you buy may not necessarily imply that it is a good deal. Go for a generic brand instead of a brand name with the same quality but a significant difference in price.

2. Meal planning
Planning your meals for the entire week can make cooking convenient and will also ensure that the ingredients purchased are used in that week. This can save money on food, along with preventing wastage.

3. Shop with a fixed list
Based on your meal plans, prepare a list of groceries and stick to it when at the store to avoid impulse buying.

4. Basic staples ought to be stocked up
Beans, whole grains, rice, pasta, and eggs are cheap and healthy food staples that are the main ingredients of several recipes. Keep them stocked up to cut down on grocery bills and save money on food that you may end up spending on unhealthy snacks to munch on otherwise.

5. Cook a lot
Healthy and cheap recipes are available online that not only ensure that you eat a healthy meal but also take as little as 10-15 minutes to prepare. Make a big lot in a slow cooker to serve for the rest of the week to ensure that you pay less for convenience foods.

6. Do not waste
Food wastage is a huge money loss. Instead, you can use up meat and veggie leftovers in stir-fries, omelets, salads, and casseroles.

7. Go vegetarian often
Meatless meals a couple of days a week will not only help you to stay healthy but also save money on food. Try legumes and beans as protein alternatives while following a vegetarian meal plan. These are rich in fiber and low in fat content, and they ensure that you feel full.

8. Shopping at ethnic markets
When shopping in world cuisine dedicated stores, you may get amazing prices on some international dishes and some regular staples as well. They also have fish and meat departments that offer good savings, so take advantage of these.

9. Restaurant stores supply and Dollar stores
Here, you can obtain warehouse store amounts without any yearly fee for membership, and you save money on food. Though Dollar stores are not the best stores for boxed or canned foods, items like tea bags, drink mixes, Nesquik® powder, cereals, hot sauces, and some other food items can be bought here at low prices.

10. Close-dated dairy and day-old bakery items
Diary close to the end date is cheaper, and you can opt for these if you plan to consume them on the same day or the next day.