Want to save money on your food bill this month? Eat what's in season locally, says Lucinda Scala Quinn, host of Hallmark Channel's "Mad Hungry" and author of "Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys."
While the items will vary depending on where you live, some items that tend to be good buys this month include apples, pears, onions, hearty greens (such as kale, collards and mustard greens), squash and pumpkins, she says.
Greens can be sauteed lightly with olive oil and garlic, Quinn says, while apples, pumpkins and squash can go into soups and stews with a meat bone or can be oven roasted to create something caramelized and delicious.
When it comes to beating the high cost of food, local often means cheaper, says Quinn. "It's about travel. Everybody's suffering from gas costs and fuel charges."
Plus, "the (further) away food is from you on food chain, the less healthful it is," she says. "Really look at what's growing near you and what's coming out of the ground (now). That's where you get the bang for the buck."