Spend/Thrift stories are part of an occasional series offering everyday ways to cope with the nation's economic slowdown.

When finances get tight, luxuries are the easiest and most obvious things to cut.

Not always so obvious is how to cut spending on the essentials, such as food. But with the price of what we eat predicted to soar at near historic levels this year, it's well worth looking for ways to cut spending.

This year, the overall cost of food is expected to rise between 3 and 4 percent, which is on top of a 4 percent hike last year, the highest jump since 1990, according to federal data. Average years see increases of just 2-1/2 percent.

This year's increase could translate into hundreds of dollars for many families. The typical family of four spends more than $8,500 a year on food, according to 2006 data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Sharp increases in fuel and commodity prices take most of the blame, says Ephraim Leibtag, an economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And some products are being hit harder than others.

Cereals and baked goods prices, for example, are expected to rise by as much as 6 percent, while fats and oils could go up by 6-1/2 percent. The latter is due in part to high soy prices, Leibtag says.

But there are many things a family can do to cut food costs that involve more planning than sacrifice.

"The first one is start paying attention to what you throw away," says Beverly Mills, one of the authors of the cookbook, "Cheap. Fast. Good!" "The most expensive food you buy is the food you don't eat."

One good trick for cutting down waste is to pay attention to portion sizes. Mills says she saves food by noticing how much her family eats, then preparing only that much.

Forcing yourself to use what you have is another good approach. Many people don't realize how much food is sitting in their pantries and cupboards. Forcing yourself to use those items before buying more can save plenty, Mills says.

And don't be afraid to ask for help. The nation's cooperative extension services are staffed by experts eager to help families make food affordable. The following frugal food tips were collected from various extension services.

BEFORE YOU SHOP

* Create a budget by tracking your food expenses (everything, including your morning coffee at the gas station) for a week. It's much easier to save money once you know where it goes.

* Use your budget to find spending areas that could be painlessly cut. Coffee on the road, for example.

A dollar a day doesn't seem like much, but it can add up to hundreds of dollars a year. A better value would be investing in a travel mug and bringing your coffee from home.

* Set firm weekly spending limits. Be sure to include some discretionary spending. Special events such as birthdays might ju.jpgy splurging now and again. But otherwise, avoid deviating from your plan.

* Do regular pantry and refrigerator inventories. Knowing what you have prevents you from needlessly buying extra.

* Make a weekly meal plan. Managing your money and making dinner each night get easier when you plan.

* Scan grocery ads for bargains, then use them to plan your meals for the week. If chicken breasts are on sale, work chicken into the meal plan several times that week.

* Make a shopping list, and organize it by department (produce together, meats together, etc.). This not only saves time, it also reduces aimless wandering through the store, which increases the chances of making impulse buys.

* Search out bakery thrift stores. Many stock more than baked goods, such as dairy and canned products.

AT THE STORE

* Whenever possible, shop alone. Children often pressure parents to buy costly extras.

* Don't shop hungry; everything will look better, and you'll be inclined to buy more.

* Stick to your list, but also be flexible. If you had planned to buy ground turkey but see a great deal on chicken breasts, modify your plans.

* Shop by unit price (the section of the shelf price tag that lists cost per ounce or pound). This allows you to compare prices across brands and package sizes.

* Store brands are often -- but not always -- a bargain. Many retailers now offer upscale store brands that don't always offer savings. But most still offer budget varieties that offer good value and quality.

* Be selective when you buy convenience foods. Don't pay a premium for foods easily prepared at home, such as diced onions. But few people will cook dried beans, so canned are a worthwhile (and still inexpensive) convenience.

* Whole chickens often are a better bargain than pieces; buy whole, then roast it for one meal and use the leftovers for sandwiches, soup and casseroles later in the week.

* Snack and junk foods have a lousy nutrition-to-cost ratio. Set a strict budget for spending on these items.

* Try to shop just once a week. You save gas, time and any impulse buys are limited to just once a week.

* Compare prices between stores. There can be substantial differences.

* Day-old bread can be a real bargain. Use it in French toast, bread pudding, tomato and bread soup and many salads.

* Don't rush. Give yourself time to look for bargains. And don't go at peak hours, such as during the evening commute and on weekend afternoons, when stores are most crowded.

* When selecting meat, select cuts that are trimmed of most fat and bone. Meat is sold by weight, which means you're paying for fat and bone that you won't eat.

* Compare prices of different forms of the same item, such as fresh juice and concentrate or fresh and frozen produce.

* Scan the shelves carefully when hunting for deals. The costliest items tend to be placed at eye level.

* Bring a calculator to help figure out the cost per serving.

DURING AND AFTER YOU COOK

* Use "stretch foods" -- healthy ingredients that add bulk and flavor to your meals, while stretching out the costlier ingredients. Beans, pasta and brown rice are excellent for this.

* Cook extra servings that can be packed up as lunches for later in the week.

* Ditch the frozen french fries. Potatoes (sweet or white) are inexpensive and make great "oven" fries when thinly sliced, tossed with oil and roasted.

* To make up for buying fewer convenience foods, pick one night a week to chop onions, grate cheese and clean the vegetables for the rest of the week's meals.

* Periodically check the refrigerator for items nearing expiration. Work those foods into the next day's meals.

* Wrap leftovers in single-serve portions. This makes it easier to pack them for lunch.

* If you use prepared foods for breakfast, switch to making them from scratch, but do the bulk of the work ahead. For example, mix up batches of dry and wet ingredients for pancakes, which are easily combined and cooked the next day.

Butternut squash and black beans are filling, healthy and inexpensive. They also are delicious. To add more punch to this recipe, stir in a bit of jarred salsa at the same time as the beans.

Made as directed, this recipe costs just $3.09 per recipe, or 52 cents per serving, according to the federal Food Stamp Nutrition Connection.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH BLACK BEANS

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: Six

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 small onion, diced

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup water

Two 16-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion, squash and garlic powder. Saute for five minutes, or until the onion becomes tender.

Add the vinegar and water, then cover and cook 10 minutes. Check the squash; if it is not tender when pierced with a fork, continue cooking, adding water if necessary.

When the squash is tender, stir in the beans and oregano, then cook until heated through.

(Recipe adapted from the Recipe Finder site of the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection)

This comforting, affordable dish is easy to enhance with vegetables. Stir in frozen peas, shredded carrots and a diced onion at the same time as the chicken.

Made as directed, this recipe costs just $1.35 per recipe, or 67 cents per serving, according to the federal Food Stamp Nutrition Connection.

EASY CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: Two

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons water

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup cooked chicken, diced

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash freshly ground black pepper

For the dumplings:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup milk

In a medium skillet, whisk together the water and flour until smooth. Slowly stir in the broth, then heat over medium, stirring constantly until thickened. Add the chicken, salt and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to low.

Meanwhile, make the dumplings. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir in the milk until the mixture forms a thick batter.

Drop the batter on top of the chicken a tablespoon at a time. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked, about five to seven minutes.

(Recipe adapted from the Recipe Finder site of the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection)

Federal Web site offers budget recipes

Epicurious.com this is not. But if you want to save a few bucks on food, check the federal government's recipe offerings.

Run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Recipe Finder site of the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection is intended for food stamp and other nutrition educators. But you don't need to be on assistance to appreciate these healthy recipes.

The site offers hundreds of recipes that can be sorted according to cuisine, equipment, speed and healthy eating themes, such as eating more whole grains or cutting saturated fat.

But perhaps the snazziest feature is the ability to search recipes by cost, either per serving or per recipe.

For example, the site offers 116 recipes that cost less than 25 cents per serving, including Italian bean croquettes, melon salsa and a pineapple zucchini cake. The recipes are easy to follow and have complete nutrition data.

On the Net: Recipe Finder: http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/

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