For “budget” grocery shoppers, it may or may not be common knowledge that in order to spend less on food or groceries, always by at least the majority of your groceries on sale, at a cheaper store and also shop towards the bottom of the shelves.
Also, you need to pick a number of how much to realistically spend on this category and stick to it. You need to determine a budget. I have a hard time figuring out what a realistic figure is though…
I tried to budget but just couldn’t get the hang of it. Realizing that I actually don’t know how to budget has really been disheartening. I would just try to spend as little as a could. But seriously, what’s the meaning of just spending less without having something to measure up against?
Less is less because there’s a set point that shows you’ve gone below something, right?. Well, even though my finances seemed like a mess, I surprising did get lucky.
With the astronomical rise in grocery costs, I managed to pick a number that works well. So, it is possible to figure out what a realistic spending category looks like. There is hope for the rest of us who are struggling with a budget!
In my attempt to spend less, I saw a pattern emerge in a matter of months! These steps really did help me not just spend less, but also feel like my quality of life was not completely depleted! It helped me to pick a workable budget. You, however, don’t have to wait for luck to strike. Here are the 5 things I did to spend less on food every time!
1. Cook from scratch, but not entirely
You can do so much with flour… and it’s so easy to put together simple, but delicious food like chicken and dumplings or my personal go to scones. You can eat a greater variety of more spend-y foods cheaply if you take a little more time to make it from scratch.
Every part of the meal must not be made from scratch to spend less money on food. Getting things like pie crusts and pizza dough that already made can help you make a nice “homemade” pizza or quiche that comes together quickly for a fraction of the take out price.
2. use a variety of spices
We all know the spice section of the grocery store that so wonderfully co-ordinated with precisely stacked bottles. But with the high price tags, you may just run away and settle for bland food in the name of saving money.
Well, did you know that you can buy most of the same spices you’re looking for in the Hispanic section of the store for a fraction of the price? You even have the choice of going EVEN CHEAPER by buying spices in the sachet.
This works especially well when you need something like bay leaves for instance, where a little goes a long way. Furthermore, google your local Mexican, Indian, African or Asian stores and see if their spice selection is cheaper.
Hint – it probably is. Getting these spices cheaply will open you up to a whole new world of cooking that will delight your senses. You will spend less on food and not even miss takeout. Spice up your life!
3. Make a list of your favorite foods
Have certain basic foods that you can always get on sale or get cheaply that you can cook different variations of.
For instance, dry beans. Dry beans are cheaper than canned beans and it’s so convenient to batch cook and freeze. Especially for me, because I am able to thaw out meals I already prepared ahead of time quickly and feed a whiny and hungry toddler in minutes!
You can buy several types of beans, pinto, navy, black, lentils, kidney whatever beans you like or some you’d like to try. Then go on Pintrest and find recipes that include them. There, you will find so many delicious meals that you can use to build an exciting meal plan. Ensuring that you will spend less on food you love.
4. Make a meal plan
You need a plan for what you want to eat. Honestly, I have hated meal planning only because I tend to want something else that’s not on the plan. But, meal plans are amazing because they eliminate decision making when you have no time and you’re tired.
Meals plans make your day smoother because it makes one less thing you have to worry about. And hopefully, you can come up with a plan that you can look forward to. For instance, think about adopting categories for your meals like popular take out meals that you like.
Not only does this make an exciting variety of food Chinese, Indian etc. But, you will also be able to come up with different flavors for your same old staples. You can use a staple like spaghetti for a Lo Mien type recipe, a creamy American pasta or a simple Italian pasta recipe.
5. Shop the Deli and freezer section sales
Let the deli section of the grocery store be your friend. You may have a whole lot of meals in the freezer but sometimes you still want that more fresh, more take-out-y flavor. You get my drift?
We all just get a little bored from time to time. If I’m craving something like pizza or stromboli for instance, it’s more cost effective to get it from the grocery store. Use the opportunity to browse these items for a sale.
You may find something interesting that you could incorporate for that evening meal for example. Also, the freezer section may have a sale on a meal that you find interesting, i.e. arepas! yum! Which, on a busy day you can just pop in the oven for a no-effort alternative while you unwind.
Are there any other ways that you have introduced more flavor and variety to simple meals? Or saved money on food? Please leave a comment, I’d love to know!