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Preparing your weekly grocery list does not need to take a lot of time or be a dreaded chore. A little pre-planning and preparation will help make the weekly process efficient and pain-free.

An important and time-saving method I recommend involves sitting down and listing those meals your family enjoys and prepares often -- try to list between 15 and 20 tried-and-true recipes.

From these meals, write down the ingredients needed to prepare the meals. You can even go a step further and separate the ingredients into staple items and perishable items. Keep this list handy and refer to it when you prepare your grocery list for the week.

Using your ingredient list, refer to the Savvy Shopper Bi-Weekly Deals E-mail that I send Mondays and Wednesdays, and highlight those items that match your ingredient list -- those that will help you build up a supply of items your family uses on a regular basis to create your meals.

How do I create my weekly menu? Currently, I have most of the ingredients or staple items in my pantry that I need to create many meals for my family. What I look for each week in the ads are items to complete those meals. For instance, many of my recipes require fresh produce. I often plan my weekly menu around what produce is on sale that week. For instance, if zucchini is on sale, I would pull my recipes that use zucchini. Another example would be Doritos. If Doritos are cheap that week, I might make Taco Salad and Chili Haystacks -- recipes that call for Doritos.

My grocery list is very small each week because I have the bulk of the ingredients for these recipes in my pantry, and I am purchasing the perishables needed to complete the recipe.

Simply refer to the Savvy Shopper Bi-Weekly Deals E-mail, which details all the best deals on such things as produce, dairy items, refrigerated items and meats, and make your grocery list. First, write down any of those staple items you are working on building up and second, those perishables items needed to complete your weekly menu.

This method allows you to purchase those items that will help you create your favorite meals at great prices. In addition, you are saving time each week by having a set list of ingredients you are working from. You will find your weekly grocery list getting smaller and smaller as you work on building up a usable pantry.

I find if I have a week's worth of menus planned, we not only eat better, but we are much more relaxed during the week because we are organized and prepared.

For more information on my free program, call 344-2923 or e-mail , or write The Savvy Shopper, 1555 N. Freedom Blvd, Provo, UT 84604.

(Available at Smith's Food and Drug through Jan. 24, 2006

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, 10 for $10

Use: 40 cents off 1 coupon found in Valassis coupon insert issued 1/15

FINAL PRICE: