We all know how expensive food is these days so we all know how important planning your meals can be to help you save money and have less food waste. So here are a few tips to get you started. Also, I do help people in this category and I also help people with nutrition ideas, exercise ideas and plans. So if anyone needs help or just want to send me an e-mail to bounce off ideas or to have me point you in the right direction, I can do that too.
So some helpful tips for meal planning on a budget would be;
Make a menu. I talked about this in a previous post so I won’t go into a lot of detail but you have to decide what you are going to have a make a list then order the stuff online and go pick it up curbside at the store.
Try to plan your meals around foods that are on sale. I know if you are trying to eat healthy this is sometimes very hard to do. The unhealthy items are generally the ones that are on sale. The grocery stores make the most amount of money on the junk food and processed food items.
I usually plan at least one meatless meal a week. I will put some meatless recipes on here soon so you can have some good healthy options.
Check your pantry, refrigerator and freezer. See which ingredients you already have and what healthy recipes you can make with what you have on hand. If you have to buy something healthy to go with it, do it.
Use grains more often. Grains such as rice, pasta, and quinoa are inexpensive and can be used in many different recipes.
Try to avoid recipes that need a special ingredient. Leave the ingredient out or try to add a substitute that you already have or a healthier option. It’s fun to experiment with cooking and you may be surprised by the healthier choices you make.
Use seasonal recipe ingredients. Generally, vegetables and fruit are cheaper when they’re in season.
Plan on leftovers and think about how you can use leftovers for the next meal or snack. For example, if you’re cooking chicken with rice and vegetables then you can make chicken sandwiches. Use the bones to make a soup and then the leftover vegetables and rice.
Don’t let a big bunch of vegetables like carrots or celery go to waste. Try to use it all up by making extra. While grocery shopping, if ground beef is on sale, make two batches of lasagna and freeze one. Or chili, hamburgers, etc.
Hopefully this helps, I will try to post some awesome recipes for the budget and that taste good. Eating on a budget does not have to be unhealthy. There are many ways you can eat healthy and stay within your budget.
Thanks for reading and as always, stay happy and healthy,
Darren
Harmony Shift 