For most families, the groceries are the biggest regular weekly expense after rent or mortgage repayments. Drought in Australia and the food crisis globally are both pushing up prices at the supermarket and greengrocer.

There are lots of simple things you can do to trim your weekly food bill - you just have to get organised and shop smart. My wife Libby runs our household budget and expertly stretches every dollar. Her resourcefulness and planning have got us through a lot of tight times. She helped me put these tips together so you can save in the kitchen.

1. Sit down on Sunday and plan the week's meals to make every ingredient count. That way you'll only buy exactly what you need and will have everything you require for dinners in the house - so there's no excuse for pricey home delivery. 

2. Check your pantry and fridge before you go shopping and work out what you have to buy. Make a shopping list of all the food you need and stick to it. A list will also reduce your chances of forgetting something and having to make an expensive stop at a convenience store later in the week.

3. Keep a stocked pantry. Buy up when you spot a special on long-lasting items, such as canned goods, cereals and condiments. Buy staples like pasta and rice in bulk and store in containers.

4. Go shopping without the kids. Hit the supermarket when they’re at school or you can leave them at home with your partner. So much food is packaged and marketed to attract children, you don’t want to be conned into buying extras like chocolate bars and chips or expensive muesli bars and cereals.

5. Join friends and buy food together, like in a co-op. You’ll get the best prices and have bargaining power. Buy meat in bulk and find a grocer who discounts large orders.

6. Buy fresh fruit and vegies in season to get the lowest prices. Avocados and mangoes cost an arm and a leg in winter. Work out what’s in season and buy accordingly. And you can really save if you buy reduced price or on-sale frozen vegies – they’re just as good for you as fresh ones.

7. Instead of buying pre-cut meat and chicken, buy cheaper untrimmed cuts and do the dirty work yourself. If you buy meat in bulk, cut it up into meal sizes before you freeze it. It’s much more convenient this way and means there’s no waste.

8. Make unused ingredients count. If you open a can of tomato paste or legumes and don’t use it all, or cook up too much mince, don’t push them to the back of the fridge and forget them until the next clean-out. Freeze unused ingredients and use them next time.

9. Grow your own, with a herb garden or vegie patch. At the supermarket it’s a few dollars for a bit of mint, but often you only need a few leaves and the rest goes off. When Libby needs a bit of parsley or basil, she just pops out the back door!

10. Cook extra chicken and meat at dinnertime and use the leftovers for the kids’ sandwiches and your lunch the next day. And stock up on cheap canned ingredients, like tuna, instead of packs of ham or salami.