1. Buy big in season. When prices are lowest, buy more than you need and freeze the leftovers.
    
2. Buy store brands. Many supermarket chains have begun selling their own brands of organic meats and milk, as well as canned and frozen foods, at lower prices than national brands.
    
3. Buy locally grown food. Unlike at the grocery store, the price you pay won't include the cost of shipping, and you enjoy fresher produce.
       • Farmers' markets are a good source of fresh produce although it may
         not all be organic. Check with the grower to find out.
       • Cooperative markets charge an annual membership fee for organic foods at reduced prices.
       • Community supported agriculture (CSA) organizations sell shares in their farms. Then shareholders get weekly
         boxes of produce throughout the harvest season. To find local sources for organic produce in your area, go to
         localharvest.org and enter your ZIP code.
    
4. Grow your own. Your own garden provides maximum freshness at minimum cost. Beginning gardeners should start small. Convert a flowerbed to an edible landscape or grow vegetables in containers on the patio. Workshops and gardening information are available from most state Extension Service offices.

Next month, doctors' offices across the country will be packed with children needing back-to-school visits. Why wait? Beat the last minute rush — and have a better chance of getting a convenient appointment — by scheduling checkups and getting any needed immunizations now.

Vaccines — safe and effective lifesavers
"In the pre-vaccine era in the United States, a million people were ill and thousands died each year from diseases that are now preventable," reports Jim Nordin, MD, a HealthPartners pediatrician who also holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. Dr. Nordin chairs the Immunization Work Group at the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) as well as the HealthPartners Immunization Experts committee.

"Last year only 6,000 episodes of vaccine-preventable illnesses were reported," Dr. Nordin adds. "However, about 3 to 5 percent of parents decline to have their children immunized. Recent outbreaks of measles, primarily among unvaccinated children, prove that even this small percentage is enough to keep diseases from being completely eliminated."

For parents worried about a connection between vaccines and autism, Dr. Nordin offers reassurance. "At least 12 excellent studies have all failed to shown any link between autism and immunizations. We still don't know exactly what causes autism, but the medical evidence indicates it isn't immunizations."

Shots are not just for tots
When reviewing your child's vaccines, take a moment to check your own immunization record. According to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), many adults are not up to date. For example, only about 57 percent of adults have had a tetanus shot in the last 10 years, and only 37 percent of people who need one get an annual flu shot.

In addition, you may need the following recently developed vaccines:

• Hepatitis B: prevents liver disease caused by Hepatitis B virus.
  Who needs it? Everyone under age 39 and those age 40 or older who are at high risk (talk to your doctor if you have questions).
   
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV): protects against the major cause of cervical cancer.
  Who needs it? Women under age 26; preferably before becoming sexually active.
   
• Zoster (shingles): prevents shingles in approximately 50 percent of adults and reduces the duration of outbreaks in others.
  Who needs it? Adults over 60.

For easy record keeping of your immunizations, log on to your account at healthpartners.com and use the Immunization Tracker tools with My Health Diary. You can also check the Preventive Care Guidelines for other vaccines and services you and your family may need.