10 Life-Changing Grocery Hacks Every Mom Should Know

Save yourself some serious money by learning what each herb needs and keeping them in water and outside of the fridge. For example, buy a basil plant instead of buying it packaged, put it in water, and place a plastic bag over it. It'll create the perfect environment for it to thrive and ensure you have one less thing on your grocery list!

Look for coupons! It may seem like a tedious task, but while you're listening to your favorite podcast or sipping coffee in the morning, clip those coupons or download an app that will keep you in the know on what deals are happening at your regular grocery stores. No shame in saving wherever you can! Little things add up.

Take those frozen pastas, pizzas, or casseroles and spruce them up with your own grilled produce. Not only is it easy, but it also saves time and money when you use those frozen bases. For example, if you have a frozen cheese pizza, add broccolini, chicken sausage, tofu, tomatoes, olives, or anything else your heart desires to the mix! A frozen gnocchi dish? Spruce it up with arugula, zucchini, grilled chicken, and onions. Bet that frozen aisle has a ton of new potential now, doesn't it?

We've all been there — you bought everything you needed for a delicious salad, then a practice, carpool, or game got in the way, and by the time you get around to making it, everything has gone bad. What a waste! When you want to get those greens but feel like your schedule is keeping you from them, buy frozen vegetables to ensure that you always have them on hand for a quick heat up. This will save you money and time. Also, invest in romaine lettuce for those salads since it lasts longer.

Same goes with meat. If you keep some ground beef in the freezer, just thaw it, and bam — taco night! Have everything for that Crock-Pot dish except the chicken? Not if you bought some frozen.

Make a list and come up with recipes you can prepare for the family for the week ahead. Putting everything you need on paper will prevent you from overspending, and it will also help you get everything you need (nothing is worse than realizing the moment you get home that you forgot something). Make the very most of the meals you put together, spreading them out across all days and limiting the waste. Cue operation #nobiteleftbehind.

Let's face it — as moms, sometimes you just need something quick and easy that will guarantee little smiles. In these cases, don't stray away from the canned goods. Lentils or hearty, low-sodium soups are a great investment, and the organic mac and cheese options are easy lifesavers (toss in a little boiled sweet potato too for some extra nutrition).

But you don't have to spend a fortune. You can put beans over pasta, and that's a whole meal right there that can come from a box and a can. This aisle is your insurance aisle, so plan ahead and use it well.

Sales are great, but the whole "buy one, get one half off" bit only makes sense if it's a product you can guarantee is going to be eaten. Don't fall into the trap, because odds are, both packages won't get eaten before the expiration date. So unless it's a staple already in your home, don't buy something based off that sale or "deal" alone. Cereals are known to get shoppers for this!

If candy and high-fructose, sugary desserts or salty chips seem to be a family favorite and you want to change that, just don't buy them. This is one hack that is easy to solve. Find a healthier substitute, and train the family to get used to loving that instead. Let those unhealthy treats be just that — for another kid's birthday party, during a movie night, or at a play date. Not purchasing them gives you the power and, let's face it, keeps the grocery bill down, too.

We all want to provide the best, safest, and most nutritious foods for our family, and organic is a great option to help eliminate pesticides and other chemicals and hormones that are added to our food. However, there are certain foods that are not necessary to buy organic, like bananas, onions, avocados, pineapples, mangos, sweet peas, grapefruit, asparagus, and kiwi. All these fruits and veggies are either protected by a thick skin you don't eat, or do not have much exposure to pesticide residue given how they're grown. So, save some money on these and just give them a good wash. For other foods like any dairy products, meats, berries, or produce with skins that you ingest, it's wise to buy organic. This is the best rule of thumb to invest where it's necessary and save when you can.

The best way to have a better time grocery shopping is to instill in your kids a passion and interest in wellness and healthy eating. Giving your kids a voice in their meal planning (while of course regulating how healthy their ideas are) will also help kick-start great habits in the future for them. Bring them to the store, and make it feel like an art project, because after all, cooking is pretty creative!