"Every time I go to the store,

my grocery bill goes up."

People throughout the coun-

try are saying this almost

daily, and more than likely

you ve said it,too. It s little

wonder you feel this way.

Food costs do keep rising.

SOmetimes, increases reflect

the cost of seasonal foods, but

the overall rise indicates a

new, higher level of prices.

To complicate matters, large

food markets offer more than /

10,000 items that may tempt

you to forget costs and to in-

dulge in in,pulse buying.

The challenge is to keep

spending within your specific

budget without lowering the

quality of food you buy. And

that s what Low-Cost Cooking is

all about. If "low-cost" con-

Jures up thoughts of penny-

pinching and dull routine, re-

vise your thinking! "Low.

cost" means staying within

your budget, planning how

you spend your money. You

may ask "How do I plan?"

Simple. Start with a realistic

budget, then plan your menus

and shopping around that