Jacob, one of the Old Testament Bible characters, lived through seven years of famine in Egypt. When he was old he wrote, “God…fed me all my life long...” (Genesis 48:15) Today, in the current economic crunch, we can trust Him to feed us, too.

However, He does expect us to use judgment and restraint in not only the foods we choose, but in how and where we purchase them. The following guide will help you eat well without needing to own the grocery store!

Never go to the grocery store hungry. The mouth-watering majority of us cannot properly pray, “Lord, lead me not into temptation” when we walk into the grocery store hungry.
Shop only once a week. Your favorite grocery store is not laid out haphazardly. From the number of aisles, to the location of the bakery, produce, and dairy areas–all are designed to tempt you. Expose yourself as few times as possible, just once a week or even once every two weeks if you can manage it.
Use a shopping list, and stick to it. Planning your meals ahead of time and making a careful list will help you go through the supermarket without being seduced into buying food you don’t really need.
Shop alone. If you take somebody with you (especially the kids) it will cost you more. (Even having your spouse tag along will inflate your food bill!).
Avoid junk food and go easy on the convenience items. The more food is processed, the more its costs, and the less nutritional value it has. (Potatoes may seem expensive at at $.50 per pound, but potato chips cost more than $3.00 per pound.) The best bargains, economically and nutritionally, are found in the whole food areas of the grocery store: fruits, nuts, grains and vegetables.
Don’t eat too much. If you do, you’ll store the extra calories as fat and then be tempted to spend needless outlays on dismal diet plans and funny formulas in an attempt to slim down. It’s most economical to eat only enough to maintain your healthy weight.

“Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness (Psalm 37:3).