Released on: June 11, 2008, 8:17 pm

Press Release Author: Karen Patterson

Industry: Consumer Services

Press Release Summary: Americans facing exasperating increases at the grocery store
can cut food costs with simple meal planning

Press Release Body: Westerville, Ohio, (June 2008)-Economic uncertainty has launched
Americans into a whirlwind of increasing prices, including rising food costs, which
is causing concern for families who struggle to stretch tight grocery budgets as far
as possible.

With the crack-down on spendable food dollars, Karen Patterson, meal planning
practitioner and inventor of Lily On the Fly meal planning system, suggests
returning to basic meal planning and preparation to make meals, and grocery budgets,
last longer.

Meal planning is proving beneficial as consumers look for ways to save money while
still being able to prepare healthy, satisfying meals. Patterson states consumers
should look for a meal planning system which helps prepare a weeks-worth of meals,
with a variety of recipes, and an integrated shopping list to make grocery shopping
more productive.

"Wasted food is one of the biggest expenses we face," Patterson offered. "Having a
meal plan in place can help you shop for food you will actually use, hence saving
money." She suggests several tips for more economical grocery shopping and weekly
meal planning:
* Choose a meal plan to create a full weeks-worth of meals (three meals a day) and
snacks if applicable.

* A meal planning system makes it easier to shop food sales because you can plan
your meals around foods that are on special. Adjust your plan as needed to utilize
what is on sale each week.

* Having a meal plan helps prevent buying "parts" of meals. Instead of purchasing
food without a purpose, prepare a weekly recipe plan as a guide to buying foods for
complete meals, which are less likely to be wasted.
Buying in bulk is more economical. For instance; purchasing bulk ground beef,
frying and freezing it allows for easy planning of meals utilizing the beef which is
on hand.

* Plan meals around how long ingredients will last. Be sure to use fresh
Ingredients before they spoil, or cook and freeze meals ahead of time to prevent
wasting food that may otherwise expire.

* Keep meals simple. Satisfying meals can be created with less expensive
ingredients. Substitute more expensive ingredients with less costly ones, and use a
meal planner to easily interchange recipes and ingredients.

Often needing to create quick meals for her family, Patterson created the Lily On
the Fly meal planner to include a variety of simple, hearty recipes. A 2008
iParenting Media Award winner for Best Product, Lily On the Fly combines all the
necessary tools Patterson suggests for better meal planning and economical shopping:
an integrated color-coded shopping list, full color recipe cards with picture for
each recipe, self contained folder, and ease of use. Patterson implemented a
variety of recipe card packs to compliment Lily On the Fly to offer a breadth of
choices for meal planning.

"These days, you really can't afford to go to the grocery store without a plan."
Patterson advised. Lily On the Fly, and accessory recipe card packs, can be found
at: http://www.lilyonthefly.com.

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Web Site: http://www.lilyonthefly.com

Contact Details: Karen Patterson is available for interview by contacting
info@lilyonthefly.com, or calling 888-237-5218. Lily On the Fly products can be
found at: http://www.lilyonthefly.com