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Bulk, bulk, bulk. Buy beans and rice in bulk, not in packages, and tell them to keep them in well-sealed containers. We always have several kinds of beans and varieties of rice on hand--they can be combined in endless ways.
If they really want to eat on a budget, cut out the meat. Meat is expensive. Cutting meat consumption to 1-2 major meals a week can seriously cut expenses.
Learning to cook: I've already seen mentions of Alton Brown and Mark Bittman--both great recommendations. I'd also throw in Mark Bittman's cookbooks (How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian), as they are great references. He also has one on cooking basics that would be ideal for a beginning cook.
Oh, and despite what Americans might think, for two people shopping more frequently (not big stock-up trips) is a better idea. Less food waste=money saved. The only things that they should consider stocking up on are pantry staples that don't spoil within a year and canned goods (canned tomatoes are a must). Everything else they should buy as they need. And yes, before shopping, they should make a list of everything the meals they wish to make will require. Also, frozen vegetables are a good moneysaver--they are frozen at the peak of freshness and so they are just as good as fresh, especially when fresh is not available. If you are conscientious, it is possible to find frozen food purveyors who buy and package their frozen goods right in your backyard (we buy from a farmer's co-op called Norpac).
We spend less on better food than most people we know because 1) I love grocery shopping and don't mind taking the time to figure out who has the best price for what (this you should not do all the time, it is a waste of gas, but it is good to be aware of what competitors have on offer, ads work best), 2) I have perfected the art of grocery shopping (shop the edges, only dip into the middle for canned goods/pasta/spices/baking stuff, avoid the endcaps), and 3) I know how to cook from scratch, which is a huge money-saver, albeit not necessarily a time saver.
I think that's about it for now, but I LOVE food, love cooking, and love grocery shopping, so I am sure I will be back!
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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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