Buy fresh produce when its in seasonits less expensive and tastes better that way. Also look at frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. They often cost less than fresh and may be more nutritious.

Compare unit prices, most often found on a small tag on the shelf under the item. Compare the cost of different-sized containers and different brands.

Read food labels. Consult the % Daily Value to find out if a serving of food is high (20 percent or more) or low (5 percent or less) in a nutrient. Choose foods with lower percentages of saturated fat and sodium.

Choose whole grains. They keep you full longer. Look for the word whole (such as whole wheat or whole grain flour) in the first ingredient. Other common whole grains include brown rice and oatmeal.

This advice and the Its Dinnertime survey come from the experts at Share Our Strengths Cooking Matters, sponsored by the ConAgra Foods Foundation and Walmart. Cooking Matters is part of the No Kid Hungry campaign, a national movement to end child hunger in America by connecting kids with healthy food every day. Learn more at www.CookingMatters.org.

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)