My family of 4 eats at home for almost every meal - here's what our $946 monthly grocery list looks like

Steven John

The author and his family.

• Groceries are one of the largest and most consistent expenses for most families, but they're also one of the expenses where you can most easily reduce your costs.
• By paying careful attention to the foods your family regularly eats, you can determine the best places to shop and the quantities you actually need.
• Here are the groceries we frequently buy from Whole Foods, Stop & Shop, Trader Joe's, and Costco to ensure we enjoy healthy and delicious meals without spending too much cash.

My family eats at home a lot - as in almost every meal. Don't get me wrong, I love dining out, but with a preschooler and a baby, going to a restaurant can be more effort than it's worth. Also, eating out adds up fast.

We seldom order in, and for three reasons: first, I love cooking; second, by preparing our own food, we ensure it's as nutritious as possible; and third, there's that cost thing again.

Because my four-person family eats home cooked meals so often, food is one of the household's major expenses. Staying within a reasonable food budget without sacrificing food quality or diversity takes planning and consideration, but it's a manageable process if you're willing to spend mindfully for your kitchen when in the grocery store.

What's one of the best ways to save money on your family food budget? Minimize food waste. Another is to buy foods that are in season and do without those marked up through transportation costs. Buying in bulk whenever it makes sense is also wise.

But the best way I've found to save is to shop around for items at different stores. Here are the four stores we frequent near our home in Port Washington, New York, and the list of items we buy from each, for an average monthly total of around $946.