One other thing that can help is planning your weekly menu AROUND the ads rather than simply using the ads to help you make family favorites. If you have dishes that use most of the major proteins: beef, fish, cheese, etc. as their primary component, this can be done fairly easily.
For example, one of my local markets has a turkey roast on sale this week, $3.33 a pound. I can make a roasted turkey, turkey & pasta, turkey salad, pot pie, crepes, whatever I want, but the determining factor isn't what I feel like making or my family feels like eating, but what's a loss leader this week. If they don't want any part of what's on sale, I might put it in the freezer to wait until they do, but usually, I do not. We eat what's available cheaply.
I admit that I'm helped with this by the fact that i have no children at home, so I don't have to please fussy, particular eaters!
Judi
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