We know that the phrase "meal planning" sounds overwhelming to some. So to keep it simple, your job for the month of January, is to just record 10 meals that you cooked at home. This is the start of your meal planning. If you cook more than 10 meals at home, great! Keep track of those too.

Now that you have at least 10 meals. Make a calendar with those meals in phone or print one off. Plan your grocery shopping around these meals. Buy extra of the shelf stable ingredients and start to build your food storage with food you actually eat.

When you go to the grocery store this month, only go with a list. If there happens to be a case lot sale all the better. Stock up on whatever is on your list. Your food storage/shopping list will look unique to your own family. Another helpful hint is to go when you're not hungry and if you can leave your kids home, do!

Store what you eat and eat what you store. The days of buying #10 cans of "staples" is behind us. Like we mentioned last month, stock up at case lot sales whenever possible for the staples your family actually eats. Be mindful of your storage space, but planning your meals so you know what you eat should make stocking up easy.

The prophet said to plant a garden. This is a great way to cut the costs of your grocery bill, give your family fresh food for the season, and you don't have to plant everything, just what your family likes. Find a corner of your yard that gets good sunlight and go pick some veggies to plant. Start here if you've never planted anything before, or ask a neighbor who is knowledgeable.

Every time you set foot in a grocery store, you will spend money on something you didn't need to buy. If you can decrease the number of times/month you go to the grocery store you will save money. When you shop without a list, and go down aisles unnecessarily, you will purchase 17% more in impulse buys. And remember, the priciest items are at eye level so look around.

Did you know that you can keep most canned goods up to 5 years? Low-acid canned goods including vegetables, meat, and fish—will last for up to 5 years. Canned foods are sterile, so they won't host bacteria, but eventually the taste and texture of the items inside will deteriorate. Write the month and year you buy your cans on the top in sharpie, so you know when to throw them out.

Costco and Sam's Club aren't always the best deal when it comes to buying in bulk. Often, you can get better deals at case lot sales that happen at different times of the year. Buy seasonally, like condiments are always on sale around Memorial and Labor Day. Also, check out your weekly circular for deals at different stores. Here's a list of when veggies are in season and therefore, cheaper.

Hey, those mason jars are cute for decorating, but did you know they have a more functional purpose? You've planted your garden and now you have a more veggies than you can eat. Try putting them up. Here is a link to show you canning 101.

It really helps to store all this food you've been stocking up on in an orderly fashion. Organize your cans with a natural rotation with something like these. Store your bulk goods in 4-5 gallon buckets with gamma lids. Price it out on your own, but they're worth it. Last in your pantry if you don't have a way to store those bulk goods on a slightly more manageable scale. These are awesome, local, and fit nicely in most pantries.

This takes some planning but it can be crazy economical. For example, if you can find 10 slow cooker recipes that your family likes. You buy enough ingredients to make double of each. Then spend some time up front preparing those meals in ziplock bags to put in the freezer. Just pull one out in the morning and have dinner that night. Easy peasy. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Have a very merry, prepared Christmas. Think about maybe a wish list for some of the things we have discussed this year. Maybe a crock-pot, or some seeds for next year's garden, or some mason jars for canning.