How many of you had ‘Saving more money’ as a resolution? I’ll admit I didn’t, but it's not too late to get down to business! There are other ways of saving money besides sticking it in our underwear drawer or under the mattress, or even directly into the bank. One of the most flexible areas to save is - food! Anyone that has shopped for groceries the past few months has probably noticed that the register total is higher. I hate to repeat bad news- but it's going to get worse. All signs point to higher prices on corn based products, sugar, wheat, milk, and meats. So what can we do now, knowing that time is running out for us to really rethink our food purchases? What is an obvious way to save on food?
Eat at home!
Here are some ideas to get you started!
• Cook from scratch - It’s a lot cheaper to store basic ingredients than to keep prepacked, processed foods on the shelf. Boxes of mac and cheese? Rice-a-Roni? Or, please say you don't...Hamburger Helper? Ok- a few won't hurt, remember though, these seem cheap when you’re buying them, but in the long run, taste- wise, nutrition-wise, and penny-wise, they aren’t that great of a value.
• Stock your pantry - Make sure your pantry includes the ingredients you need to make quick, simple meals or baked treats- you’ll be less tempted to run out for fast food or go shopping for something chocolately and gooey! Keep an assortment of foods, but always keep the basics you will turn to often. Decide what you use regularly, what you seem to run out of fastest, and make a list of what you already have. Then make your pantry shopping list accordingly. A good rule of thumb is to always have another of whatever you have open. Strive to have at least a three day supply of food for each family member, and maybe one extra! Here are a few websites with more information and checklists on stocking your pantry: myrecipes list, mealtime.org list, and an informative article at the Organized Home.
• Do I really need this? - Many people like to cook and eat gourmet, but that isn’t always cheap. Try to figure out ways to be creative and ‘gourmet’ with the staples you have in your pantry and some seasonings. You may decide to keep a few non-typical staples that you use less frequently; in my pantry I found pomegranate vinegar, capers, and Thai fish sauce! Don’t give up trying new foods altogether, there are always store specials and coupons, but it’s a good time to get over being a food "snob".Plan meals – This is huge! Besides allowing you to buy foods when they are on sale or in season, it also lets you make the most of left-overs and saves time and money.
• Plan your shopping – Yes, it’s true- never shop on an em
pty stomach! Also, shop on the outside edges of the market- that’s usually where the fresh items are and you avoid the prepackaged stuff. And most important- make and use a shopping list; try this Ultimate Grocery List - and stick to it!
We can't control the prices of food in the stores, but we can
control how much we need of it and how best to use it.
Take charge of your kitchen - and save money!
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