Regardless of how much we spend on groceries, every one of us wants plenty of bite for our buck. The following hints will help you stretch the food that you have between shopping trips, and help you keep to your desired grocery budget.
Use Fillers- Rice, pasta, potatoes and legumes are an excellent way to make a 4 person recipe feed 6 or 8. I add brown rice to stews and Sloppy Joes, Spanish rice to tacos and fajitas, white rice to stir-frys and I serve pilaf with almost everything else. Add pasta to soups, casseroles and vegetables. Substitute beans or lentils for half the meat in a recipe, or serve over potatoes. These can be a healthy addition to any meal and definitely help meats go further.
Prepare in Bulk- Making more than one meals worth of food at a time is a great way to save both time and money. If you have the ingredients on hand, make as much as you are able. On nights when I am feeling exhausted, having something already prepared in the fridge or freezer prevents many a take-out meal.
I make double (or triple) batches of spaghetti sauce, Sloppy Joes, soups, stews and casseroles.
Make Your Own- Many of us buy convenience foods for the simple fact that they are, well, convenient. But most processed foods are much more expensive than whole foods and usually full of unhealthy additives and preservatives. Almost anything that is pre-packaged can be made from scratch for far less money.
Side dishes such as Velveeta Shells & Cheese, Rice-A-Roni, Lipton Side Dishes are easy to duplicate and use basic pantry staples.
Homemade snacks like trail mix, pizza bagels, popsicles, and Chex mix can be just as convenient and much less expensive than their pre-packaged counterparts.
Instead of buying pre-made breakfast mixtures such as pancake mix, biscuit mix, oatmeal packs and granola, take the time to mix up a large batch of the dry ingredients. Keep the mixes in a storage container labeled with directions for mixing. You can make twice as much for the same price as a purchased mix.
Stocks, sauces and dips are also easy to make at home.
Reduce Waste-Even the best of us waste some amount of food each week. Spend a week observing where every single piece of food ends up. If you can reduce your waste by even half, there is that much less money thrown away.
Don't toss old bananas and bread ends. Freeze them for later use. Use bananas for banana bread, smoothies or baby food. Use bread ends for homemade croutons or stuffing.
Freeze properly! If you do not take the time to wrap your food well before freezing, you will end up with freezer-burnt meat, overdried bread and tasteless vegetables. Wrap individual or family sized portions in wax paper and then place in freezer bags. Regular storage bags will not offer the same protection as those designed for the freezer.
Use leftovers promptly. Serve leftovers for lunch the next day. Take them to work for a cheap and healthy alternative to fast-food. Chances are, if the leftovers are not eaten within the first two days, they will be wasted.
Compost your waste vegetable parts and feed your waste meat parts to a family pet (less pet food to buy, right?).
Do you have additional ways that you stretch your grocery budget? Let's continue the conversation at Blissfully Domestic Living .
Next week: Stretching your household budget.
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I love this! Can you post recipes for recreating the noodle and rice packets as well as making bisquick at home?
great ideas!
Great points, especialy about food waste. I never thought of looking at what I throw away…and the freezing food correctly. I'm pretty savvy in the kitchen but you taught me two new things today!
Another helpful site/post is http://current.pic.tv/2008/10/06/simple-ways-to-eat-for-less/. The article on eating healthy for cheap. With all of this finaical drama Americans (me included) are trying to cut costs realistically. its great that so many have plenty of realistic ideas!
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