Food
Too often people believe that when you save money on food you will have to sacrifice the taste. However there are various options saving money on food and still enjoying the taste.
You need to be organised but at the same time flexible. The basic organisation includes a meal plan and a grocery list for you to follow on a weekly basis. On the other hand you must be flexible enough to buy an ingredient you use regularly in bulk if it is on sale.
Create a menu planner and a shopping list
Planning is the key to any success! I quoted a great citation on this matter on the homepage.
To decrease your monthly grocery list, create a menu planner as well as a weekly shopping/grocery list. You know what you need and are less likely to forget things and you are more likely not to buy things you don't need.
You can create a spreadsheet with the breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks needed versus the weekdays. Fill them in accordingly and voila you have a menu planner.
Get the best Deals and Save
1. When it comes to shopping you should be always looking for the best deals. Don’t restrict yourself to one store but shop around to get the best deals. Often certain supermarkets offer their product prizes on their website so you can compare the prizes in advance to save time. Make the most of specials, discounts, coupons and deals such as “2 for 1”. However, remember to buy only those items which you are really using otherwise it is just a waste of money. Use the offers to stock up on ingredients which you are using often. To make the offers work even more for you, check the offers in advance through the newspapers or internet and plan your meals around the ingredients where you can save money.
2.Switch to brands which are not known. Often we just overpay certain ingredients just because of its famous name. The taste is not necessarily better, but often the same.
3.Buy food such as meat, vegetables and fruits in the right season. They are much cheaper then.
4. Don’t shop when you are hungry as you are likely to impulse buy and are less likely to stick to your list.
5. Substitute expensive items with less expensive ones.
6.Often supermarkets have a section filled with items with the expiry date due. You can buy those to use on the day bought or you can put it away into the freezer for another occasion.
Cook your own
Eating out puts a major strain on your food budget. You will save a great amount of money if you quit or least reduce eating outside, but instead start to cook from scratch. It will not only save you money but you will also know exactly what is going into your food.
Plan your meals
Planning your meals in advance will save you money and time. You will know exactly what you need and can reduce your shopping trips to once or twice a week. It will take some time and effort to get into the habit of planning but can save you a lot of money so it is definitely worth the effort.
Download free menu planning sheets here: First Menu planner
Here is an excellent website offering you free meal planning tools such as meal planner, creating a shopping list and much more: Click here
Don’t waste
Don’t waste food! That’s one of the fool- proved ones to save you money. When planning your weekly meals remember to include those leftover for another meal or to put it into the freezer.
Be creative when it comes to using leftover food. Leftover ham and chicken are great for sandwiches or salads, leftover rice and vegetables along with meat can be used to create a wonderful stir fry and even the carcass of a grilled chicken and its vegetables can be used for a delicious stock.
The odd looking vegetables in your fridge are perfectly fine for soups.
Fruits past its use by date are great to use in smoothies or for baking.
Check out the website Lovefoodhatewaste for more great ideas on using leftovers.
Make the most of your fridge/ freezer
Make sure to put perishable foods such as vegetables and fruits into the fridge to extent its use by date.
Having a freezer available most people just don’t do the best out of it. Did you actually know that you can freeze pretty much everything? Bread, meat, yoghurt, fruits, vegetables and even prepared meals can all be frozen. Freeze them on or before the use- by date and use within three months.
If you unlucky like me and don’t own a garden or a have enough space to grow your own herbs but love to use herbs, just chop them when buying and put the rest into the freezer to make the most of your purchase. If you mix a bit salt under the herbs, you will prevent them from sticking together.
Batch cooking- cook a lot!
No, not to throw it only away, but to freeze it for another occasion. If you can buy prepared frozen meals why can’t you make your own which will be cheaper and healthier. Batch cooking is my favourite way to cook food as I save money on ingredients I buy in bulk, I save money on the electricity and I save my precious time. There are so many great recipes which are freezer friendly so there should be something suiting your taste buds and budget.
Make the most of your ingredients
Discover the taste of lentils and vegetables. Lentils are cheap, fill you up and are full of goodness. Add them and vegetables to your meat dishes to make the meat go further. By doing this you will balance out the expensive meat with the less expensive lentils and vegetables.
Eating less meat altogether will not only save you money but you will benefit from the health factor as well. If possible (and approved by your family) you could introduce a meat free day.
Ever since I discovered the tip that a whole chicken costs almost the same as two chicken breasts I only buy a whole chicken. I cut the breast, the drumsticks and wings off to use instantly or I put them into the freezer for another occasion. The carcass I use for a delicious, home-made stock. My favourite at the moment is to use my slow cooker for this purpose.
Another delicious home-made stock can be made from the carcass of a roasted chicken and its vegetables.
Switch to less expensive meat cuts. Avoid sirloin steaks and buy instead braising steaks, shin, rump or flank. These cuts can be used for a casserole and the difference will hardly be noticed as you will cook the meat tender for many hours.
Eating out
When it comes to saving money is one of the basics includes bringing your own lunchbox and thermos cup to work or school instead of buying it out each time. A homemade sandwich, rice, pasta or potato salad or even a tasty soup transported in a thermos are great for lunch at work. Leftover rice, pasta and potatoes are fine to use for the next day salads as are your leftover ham or chicken. These are also great ingredients for your sandwiches.
Watching the penny means cutting back on fast food, dining out and prepared meals. You will benefit from the health side as well. If you do eat out as a family try to find cheaper alternatives. Instead of dining in the restaurant opt for ice cream or go to a café. You will still enjoy going out as a family but at a much lower cost.
Avoid evening menus, but go instead for lunch to a restaurant when the menus are cheaper. You can also always split a large meal with a friend.
And finally - cutting back on eating out doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy meals with your friends. Invite them to your house and cook together or let everyone prepare a dish.
You might want to check this both recipe websites out for more inspiration on what to cook Allrecipes and Bigoven
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