Looking to save some money, and still enjoy great tasting food?
Here are some great tips that will satiate your every desire. Discover some easy ways that you can eat cheaply and still enjoy great tasting food, by following a few simple steps. There is always that day of the month, or month of the year, where there is not such a big budget to go around, it happens to everyone. It is always best to get organized to ensure that mealtime is as enjoyable as possible. Ensure that the budget is allocated ahead of time, to maximize spending. Let’s dive into the options.
Make ahead – Prep Meals
Pick a day and set that day aside to do meal preparation. Sunday is normally best; however, this does not fit in with everyone’s schedules, so pick a day that suits. Plan it out by starting with a shopping list. Stick to the list to ensure spending is on track. Buy the weekly groceries in one go and rest assured everything is organized for the week ahead.
Meal prep is possibly not the most exciting topic, however, this is one of the best ways to eat well on a budget. Avoiding the hunger pangs that make us run to the shop and grab a bag of chips. This way you know exactly how much money that has been spent on food. Everything is prepared in advance, giving peace of mind that the rest of the money available can be allocated to other aspects of life. There are some great online resources that provide lists of foods that are ideal for meal prepping.
Take up home cooking
When money is tight, it is a great idea to cook at home. Instead of spending the huge amounts that restaurants charge for meals. Something as easy as a curry can be extremely expensive, when bought at a restaurant. Taking up home cooking has many benefits. When cooking at home we get time to spend with the family, know what is in the food we are eating and also save a whole load of money! There are some really great recipe websites out there that provide cheap and easy recipes, from Pocket Change Gourmet Recipes to Paleo Recipes, depending on individual tastes.
Eat leftovers for lunch
A great money saving tip is to use your leftovers for lunch the following day. When preparing a chicken salad tonight, keep some aside for lunch tomorrow, to save both time and money. This goes for any meal that is made in the evening. Set some tubs aside to save anything that is surplus to requirements.
Ditch “the usual”
It is easy to get stuck in our ways and buy the same food over and over, by habit. For example, going to the coffee house and placing an order for “the usual” can be very addicting (and expensive). It is a good idea to step out of the comfort zone, ditch the normal, and decide to get our stuff in order. It is surprising how much freedom is created by sticking to our meal prep plan.