If your budget is feeling squeezed more than usual, try eating at home more often. Eating low-cost meals doesn’t have to mean buying cheap, unhealthy food. Beyond clipping coupons there are ways to slash your food spending and start cooking on a budget.
Plan Ahead
The worst thing you can do to your food budget is to stop planning. Last minute meals can require extra trips to the grocery store which means spending more on gas and more on food. Take my advice– set aside 30 minutes a week to plan out meals for the next seven days. You’ll feel far more organized and prepared.
Make More than you Need
By making extra food each night you’ll have leftovers for lunch the next day. This will prevent you from eating out and spending more on food than you need to.
Search for Cheap Recipes
More and more people are interested in cooking on a budget. That means that more websites are offering valuable information on this topic. Some to check out are www.cheapcooking.com, www.cooks.com, and www.miserlymoms.com
At AllRecipes.com you’ll find ten meals for under $10.
Eat Vegetarian
Meat can be the most expensive thing on your grocery list. You don’t have to become a vegetarian, but try to avoid recipes with large amounts of pricey meat. Check out these budget-friendly recipes for ground beef. Ground turkey is another affordable meat option.
Rice and Beans
When cooking on a budget, rice and beans can be your best friends. They are cheap ingredients and fairly healthy, too. They are incredibly versatile and can be used in dozens of different ways.