Feeding Your Family for Less: How to Create Mouthwatering Meals on a Budget
Feeding our families healthy, delicious meals they’ll love while also sticking to a budget is a struggle for many, especially with the current grocery prices. However, it is possible to keep those tummies filled and your wallet happy with these tips.
Two Popular Ways To Save on Groceries
There are many ways to save money on groceries, but at the end of the day, they all boil down to two main strategies: planning your meals and shopping strategically.
You don’t need to be a financial whiz to start saving money on groceries; it’s simple, and learning to master these two money-saving hacks will help you quickly slash your grocery bill.
Becoming efficient at shopping and meal planning will not only save you a fortune but will also introduce you to a whole new world of delicious, budget-friendly meals.
Save With Meal Planning
It’s a common misperception that meal planning requires you to have a bunch of extra time or be super organized, but neither is true.
In fact, dedicating a little time each week to plan your meals is all it takes to save you a ton of money and reduce stress around mealtime.
Choose a System
Overcomplicating this step may cause you to get stuck, so keep it simple. In order to get yourself set up with a good meal-planning system, you need to make two choices:
- Decide how many days you plan to cook each week
- Decide where you’ll create your meal plans
Grab your phone, planner, or paper calendar, and look at your weekly schedule. Determine how much time you have to cook throughout the week and which days it makes sense to cook, have leftovers, or order takeout.
For example, If your child has basketball each Wednesday evening, it may make sense that you plan to eat leftovers or pick up a pizza on the way home each week instead of cooking.
Next, determine where you’ll create and manage your meal plan each week. Will you hang it on your refrigerator? Will you use an app on your phone or tablet? Or would you prefer to write it out in a notebook?
Any of the above will be sufficient, it only matters what is easiest and most convenient for you – if something is difficult and inconvenient chances are you won’t stick with it. Next, you need to find meals.
It can be very helpful to jot out a list of your family’s favorite meals so you can easily choose and add them to your meal plan. Other helpful options are searching for recipes on sites like Pinterest or using a meal-planning app like this one that stores all your favorite recipes.
Shop in Bulk
I used to shy away from buying in bulk, thinking it would lead to waste. But after discovering the wonders of vacuum sealing and proper food storage, I realized the potential savings were enormous.
Consider investing in a vacuum sealer to keep your bulk purchases fresh for longer.
Get Creative in the Kitchen
You don’t need to be a culinary genius to whip up tasty, budget-friendly meals. Just a little creativity and a willingness to try new recipes can go a long way.
Check out Eat at Home Cooks for a treasure trove of delicious and affordable recipes that your family will love and done-for-you meal plans and grocery lists to save even more time!
Strategic Food Shopping
The next important step is shopping strategically. This means having a plan for what you’ll be purchasing before you walk into the store or place your online order.
Take Inventory
Once you’ve completed your meal plan, you’ll want to take inventory of the food in your fridge, freezer, and pantry. This allows you to avoid spending money on items you already have and reduces waste.
Make Your List (and check it twice)
Saving money at the grocery store requires two things:
- Never go shopping without a list
- If an item is not on your list, don’t purchase it
Using your meal plan and inventory, write out your list including items you’ll need to complete your meal plan and any additional items that need to be replenished.
Take your list to the store – or to your computer, if shopping online – and stick to it!
Use Coupons
Couponing isn’t just for your grandma. You can save a ton of money by taking advantage of store coupons, online deals, and loyalty programs. Sign up for Fetch Rewards to get cash back on groceries and other everyday purchases. It’s like free money!
Use cash-back apps to get automatic refunds simply for shopping is like getting paid to grocery shop.
Eat for Less
Eating great-tasting food doesn’t have to mean spending hundreds of dollars every month on groceries anymore; if done right, meal prepping on a budget can be easy and fun!
You can save money while still creating delicious meals your whole family will love.
