Smarter Shopping with Phil Lempert

With back to school season just around the corner, families are beginning to stock up on quick and convenient meals to make school lunches and weeknight dinners a breeze. But grocery shopping does not have to cause extra stress - follow these few simple suggestions to make trips to the store easy for your entire family. 1. Get your kids involved in the grocery shopping process - for example, put them in charge of the coupons. Give them your shopping list at home and have them go through newspapers and magazines to find relevant coupons. Reward them for doing the job by giving them a percentage of what they save as their allowance. This is a fantastic way to teach your kids responsibility and great shopping habits at an early age. 2. Plan your shopping trips ahead of time by creating an easy re-usable shopping list. Categorize your family's go-to products by the aisles in your grocery store. You can keep a new copy of the list on your refrigerator every week - then family members can check off items that you need to pick up on your next trip to the store. For more great tips to make your back to school grocery shopping stress-free, check out the video below or visit the H-E-B and ConAgra's Meal Maker Challenge.

With back-to-school season approaching for many households, planning quick and easy meals for lunch and dinner is top of mind for many parents. Nutrition and convenience are typically two important factors in planning meals, but here are a few tips that not only save time and money, but are also nutritious alternatives to pack in your child's lunch. Read labels carefully when selecting products that you know your kids enjoy. Everyone loves a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but did you know brands like Peter Pan peanut butter are free of high fructose corn syrup? Save time by making sure sandwiches and other lunch options are already washed, cut and ready to eat. Parents can also try planning meals around their supermarket's weekly circular ad. Planning meals at the beginning of the week based on coupons and then shopping with a list eliminates the chances of buying unnecessary items and is a sure way to save money. Parents are also encouraged to make their kids part of the process. Have trouble getting kids to eat fruits and veggies? Put your kids in charge of selecting produce for the week. Each week they can talk to the produce manager and bring home a new fruit or vegetable (the average supermarket now stocks more than 400), help prepare them (depending on their age) and tell the rest of the family all about their 'new' discovery. For more quick, inexpensive and nutritious tips and to see how some other parents are meal planning during the busy back-to-school season, check out H-E-B and ConAgra's Meal Maker Challenge.

It's back to school season and Phil is here with some quick and easy shopping tips to help you save both time and money - brought to you by HEB and ConAgra's Mealmaker Challenge.

Watch Phil for tips like - planning ahead, making a shopping list, looking for sales and coupons ahead of time, creating a re-useable shopping list and more!