Back in the day, we virtually never ate dinner out (or lunch or breakfast, for that matter). I cooked virtually every night.

But, back in the day, we lived on the Atlantic coast of Florida (just south of the Space Center) and there were virtually no restaurants on which to fritter away the weekly food budget even if we wanted to. Unless you count a Maryland Fried Chicken carry-out, and a Lum's (specializing in hot dogs) as restaurants.

Back in the day, I had a $25-a-week food budget, and that included toothpaste and hair spray. But, then again, back in the day, I clipped coupons and cut up my own chickens. Mainly because boneless chicken pieces weren't available, and it was quite a bit cheaper to buy whole bone-in chickens than to buy cut-up (but still bone-in) chickens.

"Clip coupons and cut up your own chickens" became something of a slogan I used (and am using again these days) on my own progeny when they complain about high food prices. Same as telling them I "walked for five miles to school through the rain and sleet and snow." Which, by the way, I did. But it was really only about two miles.

I don't cut up my own chickens these days, but then again, there are only two of us left at home, and I've earned the right to buy boneless chicken breasts.

I still do cook in most nights, though. Which is the basis for a whole lot of savings and not only because I do the cooking instead of paying other people to do it. I also wait tables at home, thus saving tip money. And load the dishwasher.

Another savings I get from cooking at home -- and cooking most of the food from scratch instead of using mixes -- is the health savings that can be derived from eschewing the cooking methods that are intrinsic in restaurants, particularly of the fast-food variety.

And, of course, there's the gas. And the time waiting in line. And the aggravation of listening to other people's screaming kids.

At a long-ago exercise class, on hands and knees doing side lifts to trim the thighs, our instructor shouted over our moans, "You grew it, you lift it!"

The same theory applies to your family's terrible eating habits. You're the one who allowed it to happen. You're the one who has to re-create those bottomless, fat-consuming pits you call your children.

So pay attention. Bottom line is you've got to start planning meals ahead. And shopping for the ingredients. And cooking them.

Shopping

It's a pain in the butt. But if you want to take control of your family's budget and dietary life, you're going to have to do it.

1) Try to shop only once a week. Check for the specials in the circulars and ads that are delivered to your door. Shop when you're not hungry. Make a list and stick to it, only one or two impulse purchases allowed. Try to go to only one store, or two (your regular supermarket and a membership club) and alternate between them.

2) Buy a variety of fresh and frozen vegetables and/or fruits. Use the fresh veggies first, then the frozen later in the week. Do use coupons. After all, supermarket prices are designed to factor in the cents off from those coupons, so even if you don't use coupons, you're paying for those who do. But, only clip coupons for items you actually use. If you want to try a new type of breakfast cereal, say, wait until you're out of the old cereal before you stock up on something else.

3) Avoid mixes. Take rice pilaf, for example. Make your own. Lightly sauté some of that broccoli slaw you bought or some of the leftover vegetables you cooked the other night, then add rice (double up on it). Pour in the appropriate amount of water, and a few herbs (thyme, for instance) and you've got a yummy side dish whose ingredients list doesn't run a couple of inches down the side of the package.

4) Stay out of the snack-food aisles. Failing that, cut down on the amount and type of snack foods you do buy. Peanut butter and crackers or cheese and crackers and a piece of fruit make fine snacks. You can slice the cheese. And they can spread the peanut butter themselves. Believe me, if that's all that's available, that's what they'll snack on.

Low-fat microwave popcorn is also a great snack. It's filling and helps satisfy the "chew" craving. If you're around when they get home from school, consider making popcorn from scratch. Now there's a novel idea.

A bowl of cereal with skim milk and sliced bananas or fresh berries makes just as good a snack as it does a breakfast.

5) Stay out of the soda pop aisle. Fruit juices and skim milk are much better for them. Generally cheaper. Water's good, too. No need to buy it bottled, except for road trips if you feel you must. Buy a water-filtering pitcher.

6) Choose store-bought cookies wisely, with an eye toward calories and fat. Again, if certain relatively healthy sweets are all that are available, that's what they'll eat. Frozen fruit pops are good snacks for a warm afternoon. Consider making them yourself. Ice cream treats should only be for dessert and only if they've finished their dinner.

Cooking

1) Plan to cook three meals a week.

2) Plan to cook those three meals with an eye toward leftovers. Yes, leftovers.

3) Plan to reheat and serve the leftovers for two more meals a week. That's five dinners.

4) Plan to combine any leftover leftovers with the third meal's leftovers into what will become known as your "World Famous Garbage Smorgasbord."

Set the table. On the counter near the microwave, set out the dollop of this and the bowl full of that and let everyone fix a plate, which you will then micro-heat individually. If need be, toss a salad and slice some whole-grain bread to help balance the meal. That's six dinners.

7) On the seventh night, you can rest. Or make a weekend-style breakfast for dinner (waffles, pancakes, bacon and eggs.) Or call out for pizza. Or take 'em out to someplace that serves decent food that's easy on the fat, but also relatively easy on the budget.

8) Breakfast should be eaten at home. Hot or cold cereal and some whole-grain toast should do the trick. Keep things interesting with a variety of berries and fresh fruits. Vary the juices, too.

If they "don't have time," put some peanut butter and crackers (or whatever) in with their take-along lunches.

You're only going to let them buy a school lunch once a week, aren't you? Of course, you are. Now you're really saving on money and on fat calories.

I guarantee you, they'll survive. I had a friend in junior high school, then senior high school, who brought a tuna fish sandwich (on white bread) every single day. She was bright and beautiful and quite content.

Team work

When it comes to your family food budget, time definitely is money. If you want/need to save money, you're going to have to put in a few more hours a week than you did when you were eating out all the time.

It's a worthwhile investment, however. And I guarantee you that if you're the least bit organized you can get a balanced, relatively healthy, mostly-from-scratch dinner on the table in an hour or less, including setting the table and fixing the entire meal, with planovers.

This is all about control. And it's time for you to take it back. Your job is not to be an eating buddy for your kids. Your job is to get them raised in as healthy a manner as possible, in order for them to acquire their own (paying) job and get the heck out of the house -- for good -- so you can enjoy your empty nest!

And speaking of saving money, among the reasons so many families hit the fast-food joints every night is because the kids (and their parents) are drowning in so many, ofttimes expensive, after-school activities they hardly have any time to spend at home being a family.

Ask yourself if your kids absolutely must have more than a couple of outside activities a week. Would, perhaps, one sport and one arty thing do the job? Can't the little dears spend time at home -- away from the TV and the computer -- doing homework or reading at the kitchen table, visiting with you (or each other) while you cook or even teach them to cook?

A point to ponder, perhaps.

And no, they're not going to like these changes, which, arguably, will qualify as more of a routine than the haphazard life you're now leading. But if you make them gradually, they'll probably respond to your "team spirit" pep talks.

But remember, a team is not a democracy. And impress on them that you are the owner, manager and coach!

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