Cooler and fridge space on trips.

When you are traveling, pack a small cooler to travel with you. Place in it some fresh fruits and vegetables, deli cheeses, meats, and beverages or bottles of filtered water. By keeping these fresh foods available while driving, you can keep yourself safe and focused by not being hungry. You can also avoid fast food black holes that are bound to suck you in otherwise. By making sure your accommodations have at least ice if not a small fridge, you can place your food in overnight to keep it better longer. Be cautious of what to include considering the temperature of your cooler may not be food safe for some foods after a long drive.

Split an entree with your child when eating out.

If your kid doesn't eat all of the meal you buy for them why get it? Order something they'll eat in a bigger variety and YOU eat most of it. We divvy out together and everyone is happy. And all of the food gets eaten for less $$$.

Package your own individual sized snacks and foods.

Package your own individual sized snacks and foods. If your kids eat Goldfish Crackers, don't feel compelled to buy them five small size bags each week. Buy the cheaper large box and use baggies or washable plastic containers to divide them up into even more appropriate servings. By making the conscious decision to make your own portions, you can choose what an appropriate portion size is for every part of your meal.

Use product websites.

Liking a Facebook page for a product or business could get you insider coupons and specials. Going to websites could get you access to coupons, specials, samples, recipes, and all sorts of extras that everyone else is missing. Some people suggest finding a "contact me" resource and sending an email asking for coupons or sending a nice letter that might be rewarded with coupons without your specific request.

Sign up for samples!

Someone can use them even if you can't. Every sample signup you see could help your budget out. The thing I have seen the most is baby formula. If you do sign up for those, they pay shipping to send you free products. If this is not a product you use, you can give it to a friend, a shelter, or a food bank. Something for nothing! Go to the websites for some of your favorite products and see if they are sending samples of anything out. Be willing to give it a try.

Challenge yourself by learning new dishes, even some from your favorite restaurant.

Cooking can be really fun! Search for some of your favorite dishes and see if you can find copycat recipes. I own a set of books by Todd Wilbur called Top Secret Restaurant Recipes. It is really fun not only to cook for my family but to be duplicating a family favorite from a specific recipe. Whether it's a flop or fantastic, it's a really exciting adventure. This can also be a really fun date or party idea.

Tax deductions.

Do some research and see if  your family might qualify for taking a tax deduction for additional food costs for medical necessities. http://itchylittleworld.com/2013/03/19/tax-deductions-for-food-allergies/

Get a bread machine.

 Companies charge an arm and a leg for prepared gluten-free breads. By purchasing your ingredients in large packages, you can make allergy-free breads from scratch for a fraction of the price. This savings will quickly can pay for the bread machine making you much more successful in making your bread.

Cook from scratch.

By cooking from scratch using self made recipes or those found online, you can use simpler ingredients that cost less by being certain that your foundation is clear of allergies.

Ask your local store.

Many companies will carry in their main inventory allergy-free products that you can special order. These may not be on the shelves but they may still be available. Some stores will allow you to shop through their book to find out what is in there; others will ask you to bring in product ID numbers for them to check.

Get familiar with specialized websites.

This website caters to allergy free brand coupons: http://www.commonkindness.com/printable-grocery-coupons. It gives you access to these special coupons but it may also give your brain access to the names of brands that might suit your family.

Shop online for ingredients and variety.

Online can give you access to essentials and treats that otherwise might be completely out of reach. The prices and sizes available are also hard to beat. Consider http://www.vitacost.com/ for allergy-free products.

Keep a substantial snack in your car and desk.

Keep a substantial snack in your car and desk. Ever have a ten-minute errand take two hours? You end up super hungry and don't want to get fast food, but at this point you're starving! Plan ahead with a packable snack each day. Even better, plan ahead with long lasting snacks that you can pack once a week and not have to think about again. Even storing a gallon jug of water in your car can save an unnecessary purchase, be cautious of the material from which the jug is made for possible health reasons, though. A "just in case" bag of almonds or a protein bar could be all it takes for that had-to-work-late evening at work when you are hurry home to eat a late meal with your spouse or roommate. Make it an absolute priority to have something you can eat so you have no excuses to cheat on your budget (or your diet).

Crispy Granola Bars (or not so crispy - you choose)

This recipe makes 32 servings, whatever that really means! Bag them up in Ziplocs and keep them handy. If you bake BIG you can freeze some of them and save time, too. I have even heard of people carrying granola bars to hand to homeless people asking for money/food!

2/3 c vegetable oil

1 1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c honey (or corn syrup)

2 t vanilla

4 eggs

2 c wheat flour

2 t cinnamon

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

9 cups “stuff”: I use about 3 cups oatmeal, 3 cups Rice Krispies, 2 cups Cheerios, 1 cup chopped nuts; I've also made a dumpfest by using all the end bags of cereal that were accumulating. Flax seed, raisins - you name it!

Combine oil, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, and eggs.

Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

Mix well.

Add 9 cups of “stuff” and mix well.

Spray your baking dishes and press into pans. For crispy bars I press half into a large jelly roll very firmly. I actually spray the bottom of a glass 9 X 13 and use that to press it down. For our softer bars I use a glass 9 X 13, don't press so firmly and it is thicker since it's a smaller pan.

Bake at 300 for 40-50 minutes. For our softer bars I take them out near 40; for hubby's crispy bars 50 is about right.

Cut these into your desired size when they first come out of the oven, they will divide much better this way. Travel bars are easy to package and save in a Ziploc. We keep our bars in a sealed storage box.

If you MUST have something, buy it intelligently.

If you MUST have something, buy it intelligently. Must have a daily candy bar? Buy a bulk pack rather than individuals at the vending machine. You know your temptations. If you buy something every day at work because you have to have it (or want it), buy it somewhere other than a vending machine or a gas station where the prices are lethal. You will also be able to think through other options consciously like bags of snack-size packs and healthier choices.

Mock Lunchables

Keep a Ziploc bag with sliced cheese and pepperoni in the corner of your fridge door and Ritz cracker half packs ready to grab and run. This mini meal could really help you make it through a busy morning and save stress, time, and money along the way. You could also add various preferred items and needs to make it an even more appropriate grab on the go with a few baby carrots, almonds, or celery and a bottle of water already chilled and set to go. You could even stow a piece of dark chocolate for that got-to-have-one moment.

Take your lunch.

Whether you are going on a play date with kids or to work or the zoo, consider taking your lunch. Lunch out is almost guaranteed to be more expensive than taking your own lunch. If you plan your dinners well enough to always feed double, everyone in your house could have a lunch prepared for them in a snap. Spaghetti, tacos, fajitas, burritos, lasagna, burgers - just make a bigger meal once and you've done 95% of the work!

Avoid fast food breakfast by preparing breakfast at home

Buying Jimmy Dean sandwiches for the mornings will help you avoid McDonald's while you’re scrambling to work. They are a fraction of the cost, mighty tasty and don't take the extra time of the drive through. Say no to fast food. Whether you are making bulk batches of freezer breakfasts or cooking a scrambled egg each day, make the commitment to your future not to overpay for breakfast.

Learn to make a few of your favorite restaurant's dishes to avoid splurging.

 There are plenty of copycat websites out there that can walk you through almost every chain brand restaurant dish. When you go into a favorite restaurant, you likely already know what you want. If it's on the more expensive side of their offerings, learn how to make that dish at home so you can relax and know you had that dish for 1/4 of the price and now you can pay less for something else. Make this a treat to research and find a favorite dish. You could spoil your spouse, treat yourself, or host a restaurant style dinner party. There are so many options, you just have to be willing to try.

Order off the dollar menu at fast food restaurants.

So you walk into McDonald's with $15, what can you order? Anything! Walk into McDonald's with $2, what can you order? You might be surprised. Order water when you eat out. No matter where you go, pretend in your mind you are worse off than you are and look for ways to spend less. 

Go out to lunch instead of supper.

Supper is generally a busier production. Lunch menus are often a more reasonable size, an easier atmosphere, and a better price. If you really want to go out as a special event, make it a lunch celebration.