Ever since the 2008 recession, food prices have increased significantly. According to one research, a typical household spends 13% of their annual budget on food, and after housing and transportation, it came in third on the list of total household expenses.
On the plus side, you can still prepare many great meals even on a low budget, thanks to various money-saving strategies. Here are 9 clever ideas for ways to save money on cooking without compromising the calibre of your meals as my assistance to you:
Top 9 Ways to Save Money on Cooking Under Budget
- Start with roasted chicken
Chicken is the least-priced meat compared to other meats, and an entire roasted chicken costs only $5 at Costco, for instance. The chicken leftovers can be used to make other meals or sides, including burritos, tacos, soups, and sandwiches.
Additionally, remember that even while chicken legs are typically less expensive than chicken breasts, you should utilise them more frequently because they can add flavour to various recipes.
- Prepare less meat
Using meat in your dishes can add up costs, as I already mentioned, so try to limit meat in your diet. The wonderful thing is that your health may also benefit from this. Start by incorporating “meatless Mondays” into your weekly eating schedule. You can try a vegetarian diet to step it up a notch.
As an alternative, you can have smaller amounts of meat at meals. Because they are high-energy, protein-rich foods, beans or tofu are excellent meat alternatives. You can save some money each month just by adopting this advice.
- Use dry beans rather than canned beans
Fresh and dried beans are much more affordable than canned beans, even though they may be a little less handy. Your family will savour fresh handmade beans in addition to more money saved on beans. Additionally, you may make tacos and other meals with the leftovers for the remainder of the week.
- Grill or use a slow cooker
Other ways way to save money on cooking is to use a slow cooker. Lean meat typically costs more because most people dislike the fat and gristle that come with lesser cuts of meat. However, using a slow roaster or a gas grill for cooking your food can melt that fat off into the roast, making it much tastier and more straightforward to consume!
Usually, meat sold by the pound is more expensive than meat sold in packages. Almost any meat may be transformed into a delicate, delicious (and healthier) supper by slow cooking or grilling.
- Visit specialty shops
Speciality stores are famous for saving money on cooking. Due to their great demand, well-known retailers like Walmart and Stater Brothers will inevitably charge more for various food items. Although, local farmer’s markets are sure to offer much lower pricing. You can easily find these stores near your location or area. So, make sure to visit them and get an idea of their prices and the quality of the items. The main point is to shop at a place where few people often go. Many food items, including fruits and vegetables, can be bought in large quantities at meagre costs in markets or speciality stores.
- Go shopping late at night
By cutting their prices in the evening, most retailers try to eliminate perishable goods. After 9 o’clock, several stores, like the French Baker, offer discounts of the half. Perishable items, including bread, fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables, might see sharp price drops at night. Due to their limited shelf life, bread items are known to be drastically discounted in the evenings.
- Stay clear of fancy packaging
Glass, sturdy plastic, decorative containers, and other types of packaging are much more expensive than products that come in standard packaging.
So why spend money on the packaging if you can’t even eat it? In addition, many store brands have comparable or even superior flavours to those of the “luxury” brands. Additionally, given a much smaller package-to-food ratio, attempt to purchase goods in larger containers.
- Use homemade dressings, sauces, and other seasonings
Some foods that are simple to prepare, like salad dressings, might cost significantly more when bought from a store. You can save significant money by making your seasoning and dressing in the long term. A little bottle of salad dressing can cost more than $7, which you could have used to purchase other foods.
- Online food shopping for large quantities
This is not advised for purchasing perishable food goods. However, you may find dry or packaged items like rice and beans at a great price online, especially if you buy them in large quantities. Moreover, you can shop during sales and promotional deals from online stores such as Dinnerly discount codes and many others.
Last Words
The above are just 9 ways to save money on cooking. I’m sure there are many more tips, so keep looking for more ways to save money on food, as this list only touches the surface!
Nevertheless, implementing these ten straightforward suggestions may save hundreds of dollars a year on groceries, even more, if you feed a large family.