Thinking and Planning A head Will Save Money on Daily Food Costs
Budget planning is most effective when economical choices become well-ingrained habits. Money-saving choices that are both easy and quick.
Budget Planning for Cooking and Eating
One doesn’t have to be an accomplished chef to learn smart strategies for meal planning and preparation. A little forethought can go a long way to make snacks and meals easier and more economical. These few suggestions go a long way to stretch the kitchen budget.
-
When hunger strikes, the easiest things to grab are generally the first to be eaten. Choosing items that are healthy, ready, or quick to prepare can also save money. Unsalted nuts, raisins, granola bars, and healthy snack mixes can all be bought in bulk and available when a snack is desired. Individual yogurt containers, bought when they are on sale, store well for several weeks and are a super choice for healthy snacking.
-
Designating a snack box in the pantry cupboard that contains products that are good for everyone in the household is a great strategy.
-
Likewise, having a fruit bowl with fresh bananas, apples, citrus, or pears – all bought at the lowest prices available – make these items easy to grab.
-
In the refrigerator, snack-sized slices of vegetables or washed fruits, such as strawberries and grapes, satisfy quick cravings as well. Setting aside a snack-to-grab area or bin in the refrigerator is another way to highlight these quick choices.
-
Thinking ahead to make planned overs for future meals is economical and maximizes the cook’s efforts. Making extra portions of meat or poultry is a simple way to strategically prepare for a second or third meal later on. Whether storing planned-overs for a short period in the refrigerator. Eventually longer one in the freezer, using this strategy is smart timewise too.
-
Extra portions of stir-fry recipes are excellent on greens as a salad, inside a whole-grain tortilla as a delicious wrap, or stuffed into a pita for a convenient lunch.
-
Planned-over sauteed or steamed vegetables can be recycled into an omelet. Also combined with vegetable juice or broth for a great soup, or tossed with pasta for a primavera blend.
-
Homemade soup, made with healthy ingredients, is an affordable and healthy contribution to the family diet. Whether used as an appetizer or the main course, hearty soups are an excellent habit to incorporate into daily menu plans. Soups store well in the refrigerator or freezer. You can easily reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. One economical strategy is to make a quantity of soup. Then serve some, and freeze some to be rotated back into the meal plan at a later date. That way the value and variety are maximized while time spent in preparation is minimized.
There are many simple ways to save on other household expenses, too. Once the good habit of thinking, planning, and buying economically is well-ingrained, new strategies for value will be easy to find. Saving money, time, and effort is as easy as this: make the choice!
| Image sources |
|---|
