I've done WW before and had a lot of success but I stopped and the pounds came back from just eating junk.

I'm restarting (I have all the stuff for when they started the flex points...I don't plan on joining WW any time soon) and I'm going grocery shopping soon. Anyone have advice on how to keep it cheap? I'm trying to spend the same amount on groceries that I normally would. Any advice on snacks or MUST haves. I'm trying to keep it interesting as I talked DH into doing it and I have a 3 yo.

Just any advice, brands you prefer, etc anything...is greatly appreciated

Well, I always clip coupons from the Sunday paper and keep them stashed in my purse so I won't forget them. These days, everything comes in reduced or no fat varieties so just get what you usually get, just reduced or no fat. My shopping list is very simple, I usually just get fruit, wheat bread, sandwich fixings, granola, cereal, fat free milk, some Lean Gourmets, and Gatorade. But it's just for me and I have to get things that don't really need to be in the fridge cause I live with my mama and family and they eat everything! LOL But I know you have a family and therefore have a way longer list then me. Also I shop mostly at Walmart or any place that i have a savings card at like Food World. Must haves for me is fruit and wheat bread. I LOVE green or gala apples! Lean Gourmets are really good, they're like the cheap version of Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones, and they cost $1.06 at Walmart (well they do at the Walmart here in Alabama). They even have the pts value on the box! For something sweet, I like hot chocolate, the kind you can make with water, cause they are only one pt and they usually satisfy my sweet tooth. Fruit works for that too, it's true, I didn't believe it at first either. Your son is 3 and it's great that you have him eating healthy so early. Fat free milk tastes the same in cereal and surprisingly, most cereals are very low pts. You don't have to stick with Cheerios all the time. And most kids love apples and oranges. The problems usually come when you try to feed them vegetables! LOL But you probably know that all ready. Powerade is great for kids too IMO. Better than most of those 'fruit' juices out there. But I'm gonna stop rambling now. Hope I didn't confuse you!

I think fitting our new plan into our family can be a challenge. Mostly I eat what they eat, but in smaller portions and beef up the meal with veggies. When planning meals I try to do fruit with breakfast, a fruit and veggie for lunch and a fruit and two veggies for dinner (I don't always get there, but I try). I made the whole family switch to wheat bread, a good grainy one that is only 1 point per slice and whoel wheat pasta. My kids now think white bread is weird b/c they don't really remember eating it. I stock up on bread when it's on a good sale and freeze it. When I do buy canned fruits I buy them in natural juices instead of syrup which lowers the points.

I also buy frozen meals when they are on sale, you can get Michealina Lean gourmet on sale here every couple of months for 10 for $10, they usually run around $1.15 or so otherwise. To add some volume to them I add fresh baby spinach when I cook them , or zero points veggies.

I shop the sales alot and BJ's whoelsale club, I try to get to Aldi when I can. I have lowered the points of many of my family favorites like meat loaf, and chicken and rice. I also keep track of how many points are in these recipes so I know how much is in a portion, I also jot down how much a serving is I even go as far as weighing or measuring the entire batch so I can determine how much a serving is.

I still eat pizza on Fridays. I just order mine with mushrooms and it's about 5 points a slice, skip the pop and only eat two slices instead of 3 or 4. When my family is eating a high points meal that I don't feel is worth my points I just slap some chicken breast on the george forman. I buy the frozen chicken breasts at BJ's, but those can be high in sodiumm Ithin. They work for me so I go with it. They are $9 for a 4-5 pound bag, individually frozen so I can take out just enough for me.

As for snacks I buy WW yogurt, 100 calorie packs and kudos (some are only 2 points a bar...much better tasting and way cheaper than the ones sold at meetings), and microwave popcorn, it's like 2 points a bag for the 94% FF. I do try to keep baby carrots and cucumbers on hand for snacking, something my kids LOVE with light ranch dressing. I do buy apples and oranges by the bag as well as grapes and bananas. I try to have fruit for a morning snack for the kids (I have two plus I babysit two). We also enjoy laughing cow Babybel cheese rounds for snacking (1 point per peice).

I recommend making a list of family favorites and calculating the points per serving. Then you know where you stand and how you can tweak it. Then scan the ads, coupons, and create a list and stick to it. I perfer frozen veggies b/c fresh ones in PA in the winter are so expensive and if you don't use them right away they go bad, where as frozen lasts a while. I do buy regular american cheese as well as my 2% slices which takes me forever to use.

I hope this helps a bit, I can't wait to hear how other's get thier families eating with them

It's just my H and me, and he's vegetarian and all in favor of healthy eating, so he's easy. I buy generic brown rice, bags of frozen veggies -- whatever's on sale -- tofu is cheap protein, and my H is happy with plain whole-grain cereal, so store brand bran flakes etc. makes him happy. My splurges are dark chocolate -- I buy Dove or Hershey's miniatures -- and I do drink dry red wine, although I buy Chianti by the jug, which is lots cheaper than more expensive types in smaller bottles. A caveat about "wheat" bread -- make sure it says "whole wheat" or "whole grain" on the ingredients list. White flour is still "wheat" flour; it comes from wheat, but is highly refined to take all the good stuff out. The key is the word "whole." The breadmakers will try to fool you by coloring the white bread tan with molasses and such; you have to be a careful consumer to get the most for your money.

Hi there!

Well, we live in Alaska, so getting fresh fruits and vegetables this time of year is expensive because it all has to be shipped up. One thing I 've been doing since I started WW is getting whatever fruit is on special and then at night after dinner, I put together a bowl of fruit (1pt per piece), and then top it with 1/2 cup Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla Yogurt (1pt) and sprinkle with cinnamon. Yummy, plus a good way to get in your milk and fruit.

Instead of buying 100 calorie packs or other individually separated snacks, buy a box of teddy grahams or Triscuit/Wheat Thins and separate them yourself.

You can buy a whole box of Teddy Grahams for the same amount of the 100 cal packs, and you get 7-8 servings instead of 6 and you get more pieces to bite (24 Teddy Grahams in a serving!)...and kids love them!

I don't buy prepackaged anything, except low sugar cereal for the kids. I like to cook and bake and can fix meals much cheaper than buying stuff someone else has prepared with too much salt.

We have tofu 2-3 times per week, because it is so much cheaper than meat. I buy whole chickens on sale, roast them for dinner one night, take all the meat off the bones to use for sandwiches, boil the bones for soup stock. Two chickens can last the 4 of us for 3 meals. One roast chicken dinner, one with the meat chopped up for chicken tacos or something, and the third day chicken soup. When they are on sale you can get 2 chickens for under $7.

When we lived by the ocean, my parents had us gather up dinner at least 2 or 3 nights a week. (I think that sending us down to get clams or out into the water in wetsuits with spears was just a ploy to keep us from watching cartoons after school, but it sure was fun.) Now that I live inland I still try to go fishing quite a bit to stock up the freezer with trout. Texas has some great bass fishing. If you have a big freezer a good option is to buy a 1/2 beef/pig/sheep from a small farm. The cost per lb is much cheaper than at the store, and if you like meat, it is a great option for feeding a family on a budget.

This might sound silly but I try to compare the ads for the 3 main stores here. The ads come in the paper once a week so I either get them there or I look at the stores' website for the weekly specials. OR sometimes I'll stop and get them each on my way home (rarely). Each of the stores here has a matching program where they'll match another's ad so I don't have to actually shop at different stores just get their ads. I plan alot of my meals based on what's on sale.

I found Thomas Multigrain Light English Muffins are a must. One point for the whole muffiin. I have them for breakfest with an egg and light mayo for 4 points. I also make a sandwich with them or a pizza muffin.

I also stock up on Jello brand Chocolate Fudge fat free/sugar free pudding. Mix with fat free milk. One cup is 2 pts and 1 milk.

Hi Ames! I love grocery shopping! I know some people hate it.

I buy canned beans, any kind you like. Depending on the type you get, most are about 4 pts for the whole can (around 15 oz), throw some chopped veggies in there and some chicken or ground turkey and you got great stews.

Sugar free jello mixes, definitely cheaper than the already made cups. Same goes for sugar free/fat free pudding mixes. They are great to have around.

Dry cereals are great snacks, pick the one you like the most.

Veggies for snacks, cucumbers, baby carrots, celery. Those are usually cheap and yummy.

Frozen veggies are great too. And usually very affordable!

Good luck!