With food prices continually rising, many families are trying to figure out how to stretch their monthly grocery budget. High food costs doesn't mean that you have to live on a diet of packaged noodles and boxed macaroni and cheese. It is possible to feed your family a nutritious, balanced diet without having to spend a lot more on food. Use the following tips to get as much as possible out of your grocery budget:

Shop at Bread Outlets

Bread outlets are shops where bread suppliers like Klosterman Baking Company sell their products at substantially discounted prices. The products at a bread outlet may have slightly shorter sell by dates than the bread and baked goods sold in a traditional grocery store, but you don't have to worry about it being stale or moldy. The things sold in a bread outlet store are usually overstock items, seasonal products, or product lines that are about to be discontinued. When you shop at a bread outlet store you can get more than just a loaf of bread—most retailers also sell items such as rolls, buns, bagels, crackers, English muffins, and tortillas. Taking the time to visit a bread outlet store can result in a basket full of bread and baked goods for a mere fraction of the price of buying them at a grocery store. Don't forget, bread and baked goods typically freeze very well.

Stock Up When There is a Good Meat Sale

Most weeks grocery stores typically have several items that are highly discounted; these are called loss leaders, and are designed to get customers into the store. Many stores usually have at least one meat loss leader, such as a highly discounted price on chicken breasts or ground beef. When there is a good meat sale, it is in your best interest to purchase as much as you can afford and store it in the freezer. This will allow you to incorporate meat into your meal plan without ever having to pay full price. Another good idea is to look for marked down meat; grocery stores often slash the price of meat when it is a few days before its sell by date, which can equal huge savings for you.

Visit a Farmers Market for Produce

Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a balanced diet, but high prices at the grocery store can prevent a family from being able to purchase enough each week. An easy solution is to find a local farmers market in your area to shop at. In many cases, produce at a farmers market is less expensive because the items being sold are local and in season.