Food & Frugality

My nutrition teacher asked us to write 2 ways that we currently save money on food. Okay, okay... so I came up with more than 2.  = )

I thought I'd share these ideas with all of our readers.

The following list contains things that I currently do to save on food money, but without sacrificing nutrition.

o  Shop at Sams:  We get their boneless, skinless chicken breast in bulk for 1.97/lb from the refrigerated section.  I cook it and/or freeze it. We occasionally purchase their salmon, beef, cheese, and fruits/veggies (especially celery). We also buy our ketchup and peanut butter in bulk there because you get much more for the same amount of money as the little containers at the local grocery store. They also have great prices on frozen fruit, frozen veggies, milk, eggs, bread, and tortillas. 

v   Shop at Aldi:  Cheap (off-brand) cereal, pancake/waffle mix, crackers, canned veggies, canned fruit, butter, milk, eggs, bread, pickles, olives, salad dressing, tortilla chips (99cents), fresh fruit and veggies. Just remember to take your own shopping bags and a quarter for a cart. 

v   Farmers Market:  We love fresh produce!  I pay close attention to the prices and know what’s a good deal. Waiting for sales helps us eat a nice variety too. We enjoy asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, oranges, plums, peaches, pears, apples, etc.  I do not buy overpriced produce!  I make do with what’s on sale.

v   Dry beans:  They are even cheaper than canned beans. They just require a little planning ahead.  I keep different types of dry beans on hand at all times.  I often add them to soup instead of pasta or rice.

v   Cans, Cans, Cans:  I insist on keeping lots of canned goods around.  They’re great for soups, salsa, or throwing in with some meat in the Crockpot.  They have a very long shelf life too.

v   Skip the meat!  We transform a lot of our recipes to be vegetarian.  We love chili, but often replace the meat with lentils.  It’s tasty!

v   Leftovers?  Don’t trash- FREEZE!  It can often be difficult to cook for 2.  We tend to have a lot of leftovers.  I freeze prepared meals and it becomes an instant meal on a busy day.  It keeps us from eating out and making poor nutrition choices.  

     Brand Matters?  Not to me (generally speaking)!  I’m comfortable purchasing the cheaper brand of canned goods.  I still pay attention to the nutrition label and additives.  There are times that I’ll pay a little more to have something that doesn’t have trans fats or something that doesn’t have MSG (MSG gives me headaches).

v   Make it yourself!  Bagged Salad costs more because you’re paying for convenience.  Purchase everything yourself, then clean and cut as soon as you get home.  It’s ready the next time you open the fridge.  Also, we love hummus, but it’s so expensive when it’s premade.  It’s easy and super cheap to make at home.

v   SPLURGES!  There are some things in life that we can’t sacrifice- COFFEE.  We love Starbucks coffee beans.  This is one item we’re not willing to throw out for a more affordable version.