How To Save On Food without having to give up your outings or deny your kids anything? Now, that’s a question every other human inhabitant of this planet asks himself at least once in life. Groceries certainly eat a very big chunk of everyone’s monthly earnings and, in order to finally be able to put some money aside each month, we all must learn how to save on food. It’s not too hard, and it doesn’t mean you have to give up everything tasty and switch to eating rocks and rodents so don’t be afraid to read and use these 7 tips on how to save on food:
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1. Produce Your Own Food
I’ve noticed that people who have the opportunity of producing their own stuff (or have family that lives in a village or on a ranch) rarely have to worry about how to save on food. That’s because they don’t have to spend money on fruits, veggies, eggs or meat which are some of the things other folks really spend a lot of money on. You don’t have to have a huge garden to produce food for your family…in fact… you don’t even have to have a garden! My grandma used to grow veggies, herbs and lemons on her balcony and, I’m positively sure there are all sorts of new apartment –friendly fruit and vegetable breeds available nowadays as well.
2. Don’t Waste Good Food
If you aren’t ready to give up your occasional treats such as dinning out or ordering in, at least make sure you’ll get the most of it by saving and using leftovers. Food you couldn’t eat for lunch could make a nice dinner, hassle-free breakfast or a quick lunch the next day. One of the best ways to make sure the food you’ve paid for is not wasted is to always keep your fridge organized! Food that must be used in the next couple of days shouldn’t be sitting somewhere in the back where you won’t find it until it’s time for the next spring cleaning, fruits and veggies shouldn’t forgotten be in the bottom drawer either and the same goes for opened cans and dairy products.
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3. Cook Whenever You Can
Home cooked meals are waaay healthier than any processed dishes plus, they cost a whole lot less which means that putting a little effort into cooking for your family could save you a lot of cash. If you don’t have time to cook every day, use your weekends to prepare dishes that can be frozen or kept in the fridge. My mom often does this with soups, sauces or stews and she swears that cooking in bulk saves her both time and money.
4. Buy Meat in Bulk
Still wondering how to save on food? Or meat, in particular? Yup, we’re definitely on the same page- meat is expensive so you’ll have to react fast and buy in bulk in order to save. Buying a huge piece of meat that’s going to last you a couple of months may seriously drain your budget for the month, but as soon as you chop it into steaks, group the steaks into family lunch-sized portions and do your math, you’ll actually see that each potion costs a lot less that it would have if you bought it every day/week or when needed. Big pieces of meat are not only cheaper but better too because you can always use everything you’ve bought. Some parts will make great steaks, others can be used in stews and leftovers can be used for soups or sauces.
5. Use Coupons and Shop Sales
Coupons could help you stock up on non-perishable goods and weekend sales/special discounts are definitely a good time to buy meat and frozen veggies in bulk. Collect sales leaflets and supermarket catalogs, cut out coupons and consult those while putting together your shopping list. Having a clear picture of what you need, knowing exactly where to get it, how much it costs and how much you’ll save it one of the best tips on how to save on food and, if you ask around, you’ll find out that this is something many people have been practicing for quite some time.
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6. Don’t Buy Stuff Just Because They’re on Sale
Sales are amazing! So amazing that we often exit the shop with a truckload of stuff we don’t really need. Why? We’ll the answer is simple – the sale was too good to miss! In order to shop smart, avoid getting down with the sale fever and save you must have a shopping list and you must stick to it!
7. Cut down on Sweets and Snacks
Teach your children and your hubby (especially him) that sweets and snacks aren’t food but something people eat once in a while, after the meal and in small quantities. And I underline “small quantities” because that’s one of the things my mom never had the heart to tell my bro and dad. The end result is pretty confusing– my mom is constantly wondering how to save on food and my dad is constantly buying sweets! Sounds familiar? Well, it’s time to start making cuts! Make a sweet (or give them store bought ones) on Saturdays or Sundays and let your family members know that’s it for the week! They’ll protest at first but learn to ration them soon.
Now you know how to save on food! Hurray! But, since I’m sure that, when it comes to saving money, some of you are already pros, I will have to ask you to reveal some of your money-saving strategies as well! Any cool tips on how to save on food you feel like sharing today?
