Normally on Mondays I like to share what meals we ate the prior week and what purchases we made at the grocery store. Instead I’m going to share 5 ways to save money on groceries in 2023.
Since last week was that long, slow, awkward week between Christmas and New Year’s when we mostly grazed on leftovers and didn’t venture out much, let alone make a trip to the grocery store for anything, this week I’ve decided to talk about 5 very important ways we can all save on groceries in 2023.
Let’s be honest, realistically grocery prices aren’t going to go down anytime soon.
Sure, maybe we’ll see some deals here and there, but if your grocery budget was already tight… I suspect it’ll only get tighter here in the coming year as we see the continued ripple effects of higher gas prices, fertilizer and increased wage costs.
Over the years I’ve found that the easiest solution to pretty much any problem is usually the most basic one.
And that is… keep things simple. Don’t overthink it. Don’t make excuses, identify the problem and go at it.
But most of all, KEEP IT SIMPLE.
I’m sure you’ve heard all these money saving tips before, but here they are again in case you need a reminder.
5 Ways To Save Money On Groceries in 2023
Set a budget and stick to it. First things first, budgets are essential for saving. Period.
You need to evaluate what you typically spend and come up with a reasonable amount for your family. If you’ve never made a budget, take the average of what you’ve spent at the grocery store over the last 6 months and then set your budget under that.
The goal is to save after all, right? Start by knocking $50 or $100 off each month and then work to increase that number by implementing all of the tips below.
When you don’t put self-imposed restrictions on your monthly food expenses, you’ll find that you’re more willing to throw more unnecessary “luxury” items into the cart. I’m not saying that you ALWAYS restrict yourself from your favorite pint of ice cream or your favorite tray of fresh berries, but if the cost doesn’t work within your budget, you’ll have to skip it and plan accordingly next month.
By creating a workable budget, you are essentially planning to save!
Plan a menu.
This one’s HUGE! Planning helps you avoid unnecessary impulse buying, much like a monthly food budget.
It also helps you incorporate leftovers and sale items, and, when done in advance, can allow you to look for sale items for future menu meals.
Menu planning is also a great way to use pantry items you already have on hand and even increases the likelihood you’ll eat healthier and avoid that “what’s for dinner” mad rush for takeout while trying to coordinate evening activities.
For EXTREME savings, create a standard rotating menu that you don’t deviate from. This can be 3, 5, 10 meals–whatever works for you. Shop for those ingredients and nothing else. You may want to change up the plan seasonally to accommodate the produce savings.
Shop sales.
Seems pretty simple, right? It is. Take a look at your local grocery store’s weekly ad and plan your menu around the sale items. If whole chickens are on sale, a roasted chicken dinner ends up on your menu.
If hamburger meat is on sale, a meatloaf dinner or BBQ it is! Simply planning around the cheapest ingredients for the week can save you big money. We do this all the time, and it has reaped huge savings over the years.
Shop markdowns.
If you know how to time it right, you can hit the stores when they mark down meat and/or veggies. If you are good at planning on the fly, you can build your meal plan around the flash sales.
I’m not talking weekly circular savings; I’m talking the clearance meat markdowns that happen weekly at most grocery stores to make room for the new meat shipments.
If you pop into your local grocer a few times a week, you can normally see a pattern, as those markdowns typically happen on the same day and often at the same time.
Sometimes it’s even a nightly occurrence. Learn the clearance routines and then show up at the right time to stock up.
Eat budget-friendly foods.
If you’re trying to save money on food, you probably aren’t serving up lobster and filet mignon.
But boxed mac and cheese isn’t a great option either. There are some foods that are healthy AND really great for tight budgets.
Here’s a quick list: rice, beans and lentils, chicken thighs or bone-in chicken, frozen veggies {often cheaper than fresh!}, seasonal produce, canned tuna, bananas, oats, potatoes, canned tomato sauce and jarred salsa.
So those are my top 5 tips to help you save with your food spending this year.
I would LOVE to hear your top 5 {or even just one!} of the ways YOU plan to save with your grocery purchases this year.
Keep calm and save on,
~ Mavis
For more ways to save, check out my money saving tips section HERE.
Anna Himes says
We are meal planning and shopping the pantry and freezer first.
Lisa M says
Great ideas!
Cutting grocery spending here with 3 goals:
1) replacing bottled drinks with homebrewed iced tea and ….?
2) eat less meat: 2 meatless days a week, buy large cuts (ham/roast/birds) and freeze extras in small quantities to give “meat” flavor later but not be the main item
3) “random” fridays- eat whatever you can find in the fridge or pantry, not a ‘planned meal’
Thats our list, echoing your advice to eat what we have rather than run to the store so often. And stretching the high cost foods into multiple meals!
Cheers to saving! ‘Boring’ staple food = money for other things!
Jennifer says
Since it’s just dh and me, we realize that meals can be simpler or barely a meal at all. If we had a big lunch, a sandwich may be all we need. There have been nights where a few spoonfuls of peanut butter was enough. Also, when I make a big meal, we will just eat it until it’s gone – usually 2 or 3 days. I find that if I freeze it, we forget about it.
I cut my spice usage back to what I could find in the $1 bin at WM. Spices are incredibly expensive and few of my meals call for more than salt, pepper and garlic salt/powder. My cinnamon is 4 years old,but still works!
Tracy says
I have been mindlessly packing my freezers full, and now it is time to use up what is in there. So, shopping the pantry and freezers and much less at the grocery store.
Jennifer says
We make a lot of breakfast foods from scratch. It feels like half the grocery store is devoted to pre-made breakfast stuff and it is pricey. I also try to keep a couple emergency type meals on hand. Something fast, tasty and filling. This prevents a lot of eating out. Some of this is convenience foods but it is cheaper than eating out. Sometimes it is from scratch meals that are quick and easy (pancakes)
Maureen says
Jennifer, I’ve recently retired and we’ve talked about these type of emergency quick meals. Can you share some of your go-to’s? Thanks, Maureen
Jennifer says
Frozen pizza is the obvious one. But not very enticing.
I get flavored chicken patties from the farmer’s market in the summer. 10 minutes to thaw on the counter and they cook in about 10-15 minutes. I try to keep homemade biscuits in the freezer. Pair those 2 things with veggies and you have a meal.
You can get individually wrapped chicken sausages – this way if there are just 1 or 2 of us here I am not opening a whole pack. I try to keep frozen sweet potato fries on hand as a quick side. Normally I use fresh and dice myself, but a frozen bag is sometimes needed.
Pancakes or french toast is very fast for me to whip up and everyone loves breakfast for dinner.
Quesadillas are fast and use up whatever cheese and veggie scraps are on hand.
Jennifer S. says
Our emergency quick meals are pre-cooked and frozen pinto beans, pre-cooked and frozen rice, frozen taco meat, and the terriaki chicken from Trader Joes. Just did this one last night! We always have frozen green beans, so I just chopped up an onion (you could even skip the onion!), did a quick saute, throw in some frozen beans and let them cook through. Then warm the chicken (it’s precooked) and then dump it all together and add the sauce packet. We almost always have rice in the freezer, so a quick warm up of the rice and we have a yummy meal. The beans, rice, and taco meat can be quickly defrosted to make tacos, taco bowls, taco salad, etc. Hope this helps! And congrats on your retirement!
J in OH-IO says
Maureen,
Some of my quick go to meals are: angel hair pasta with two cans of diced tomatoes, can of sliced mushrooms (drained), olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, and sprinkle Parmesan cheese.
Another quick one for me is Aldi Naan – I keep some frozen in the freezer to pull out put on parchment on a cookie sheet and add whatever toppings you like- we use a 6 oz can of tomato paste mixed with 1 can of water, basil, oregano, and spread over the Naan top with a 12.5 oz can of drained chicken breast shredded, mozzerella cheese and bake 10 min at 350 degrees. (Save the chicken broth off the can of chicken in a baggie to add to another meal.)
I also like to make bbq chicken tostadas – place corn tortillas on parchment on cookie sheet, 12.5 oz can of chicken breast (*see reference above about saving the liquid) add sweet baby rays bbq sauce stir the chicken in the can until it is all coated – spread out on tortillas add shredded colby jack, or pepper jack, or cheddar cheese on top and cook 5-8 min until heated and cheese is melted. Serve with brown rice if you have time to make some quick.
Also make quesadillas often on Sunday evenings- flour tortillas with a drained can of cooked spinach, chicken (12.5 oz can drained), pepper jack cheese or cheddar, and taco seasoning. Serve with salsa and sour cream.
I try to have made ahead in the freezer meatballs, mini meatloaves, deli meat, and pre-cooked ground turkey, pre-cooked chicken tenders, or pre-cooked Italian sausage that I can microwave to make a meal quick if I have more time. I also have started microwaving potatoes or sweet potatoes in covered casserole dishes with a bit of water for about 8-10 min to have them ready for a quick side meal, too.
For example, add 1/2# precooked turkey meat to a can of corn (with juice), black beans (drained), pinto beans (drained), a spoonful of taco seasoning and heat on stove to add filling to tacos or burrito bowls with brown rice and it makes plenty to have for two meals.
Another example, is just defrosting pre-cooked meatballs or pre-cooked Italian sausage to add to spaghetti or penne- a quick meal just need to boil pasta, heat up sauce, add pre-cooked meat.
Hope these ideas help!
Emily says
I love making soups, stews, chili, and curries in large batches and freezing in single meal portions (2 servings for us). I will also cook large batches of rice and freeze in meal sized portions. I like to pick recipes that incorporate a protein and a vegetable into the main dish so if it’s a busy day and all I serve is that main dish it still covers our needs. We just moved into a new house and these freezer meals have been a lifesaver while the kitchen is still in transition mode.
Bonnie Schmidt says
Buy meat in large pieces. Buy the largest chicken for roasting. After the first meal, I use it in a casserole or soup and might even whip up some chicken salad for lunches. When the kids were home, I always roasted two chickens on a weekend and we were set for many meals. Also, the same for a Boston butt pork roast. So many possibilities.
Diana says
I shopped for celery and carrots the other day and was floored at how much they’ve gone up in the last year (I don’t buy it frequently). I bought what I needed, then bought a few packets of seeds and have started plants in the house.
Find a room with good sunlight, add a few grow lights and you can grow greens, etc. during the winter. I currently have dwarf tomato plants (seeds found on Etsy) that are ripening cherry tomatoes!
For the grow lights, I use light bulbs I get from Amazon (1600 lumens, 6500 Kelvin) that are cheap (~$20 for 4) and a couple of reflector lamps from big box stores (~$10/ea).
I currently have spinach, kale, lettuce, swiss chard, carrots and tomatoes growing and have sown some celery. And since I love homemade pickles so much, I’m thinking of trying a cucumber and dill plant.
The investment in the grow lights pays off quickly with the produce savings.
Peg says
I try my best, but my husband will not eat leftovers. He came from a big family-11 kids-so leftovers weren’t anything he ever encountered growing up. This isn’t a new problem-we’ve been together 44 years-and it’s frustrating. So I’ve taken the opposite approach and now only cook enough for one meal.
Cindi says
My tips would be:
1. Shop sales and stock up when things are a good price.
2. Shop your freezer and pantry first when meal-planning and try to use up what you already have. Clean out the refrigerator and use leftovers and anything in danger of going bad. (wasting food is throwing away money.)
3. Set a menu to make meal-planning easier. We have vegetarian once a week, soup once a week, pizza on Friday and sandwiches (sloppy jo’s, grilled ham and cheese, po-boys, fish sandwiches, etc.) once a week.
Mel says
One thing that has helped us save money is ordering groceries online for pickup. Being able to curate our list over several days and watch the total keeps things on track. It is not perfect because what is in stock online is not always in stock in store, so we sometimes end up without items we needed, but it’s better than I expected. Human error is also sometimes an issue. They were “out” of buttermilk 4 weeks in a row until I realized their employees just didn’t know where it was in the dairy case.
Lynn Y says
I’ve switched to powdered buttermilk and only make what I need. It is a tad pricey, but I found I may be actually saving in the long run as I usually don’t use up the entire container of buttermilk from the store. I’ve found that I absolutely love this solution to just needing buttermilk every now and then for a recipe, and only a little bit at that time.
Karen W says
I have been shopping sales and vacuum sealing in portion sizes.
Time to use what is in freezer but also buy when a good buy comes up.
Watch portion sizes
Pack away / freeze in portion sizes so just pull out each night
What I won’t do is sacrifice a healthy diet due to costs….need fresh fruits and vegetables to keep interest ( I have lost around 240 pounds over last 4 years…no surgery, just will power) so need to maintain how I look at food and what I enjoy eating
Avoid any processed/ boxed foods
Cook from scratch
Share with others when I have an abundance so nothing goes to waste.
I have set a challenge for myself for saving totally this year….my word is SIMPLE…..
Good luck to us all…….might have a few years of a rough ride!!!
Jill says
Congratulations on your awesome weight loss journey! That’s fantastic!!
Karen W says
Thank you….retired…..had both knees replaced….finally could walk and got my life back! Wonderful time last 3 years…no looking back!
Nancy D says
Way to go Karen! Congrats on the weight loss and thanks for the great meal ideas!
Bec says
We’re really focusing on making things from scratch instead of a box. When our favorite cornbread mix went from $1.99 or so on sale to $4.99, I decided to make my own. It tastes better and I can halve it easily if need be. Homemade granola, waffle and pancake batter, and pizza dough have been staples. I’ve also made homemade yogurt since the greek yogurt that I like is now $6.99(!!!) a tub!
We also rearranged our kitchen to make it easier for my husband to pack his lunches from our dinner leftovers. It used to be a battle to get our tupperware out and find a lid. Now it’s in an easy cabinet closest to the table.
Carol k says
Bec I think you have hit on a very significant solution to saving leftovers. Make sure your containers are handy and easy to use.
Elaine says
Grow a garden. Raise my own chickens for eggs (&meat when they stop laying). Meal plan around the contents of my freezer, pantry, and the sales papers. Do not buy ready-made meals- make your own freezer meals for those days that you are in a rush or you don’t feel like cooking. And here is the hardest for me personally… Lay off the soda.
Samantha says
We will be shopping from our pantry and freezers. I did a small stock up just before the first of the year with the intention of filling in a few holes from items we frequently use and happened to be on sale. I will not need to visit the grocery store except for a short list of fresh veges once a week until the spring when our garden will start to produce early vegetables again. We doubled the size of our garden with the hope growing a years worth of veges for canning and seed saving. We are cutting down to two meals a day and tremendously limiting eating out. When we do shop beyond fresh veges it will be to pick up only sale items, otherwise we set money aside and will do a twice a year stock up. I shop in bulk for pantry staples through Azure Standard and am looking into purchasing a pig and half a cow through local growers. In the past I have been a big purchase Costco shopper due to the ease of one stop shopping and now will be limiting that bad habit to very specific items that I cannot get cheaper anywhere else( I will need to put my blinders on!). We will finally start raising our own chickens this year!!
Cindy Brick says
Hey, Mavis — Happy New Year.
Our freezer and pantry are pretty full right now, so I’m not cutting back too much — except for milk and eggs.
Eggs: If you’re used to cooking three, use two. (Add veggies or even a handful of breadcrumbs to make up the difference.
If you use one egg, an eggshell’s worth of water can make up the second egg. (But you need the first one.)
Don’t use eggs at all. Buy a pancake mix that doesn’t require them. (I prefer Krusteaz to every other brand — and I’ve tried a lot of them.)
Milk: Buy whole milk and water it down — 1/3 – 1/2 makes a ‘2%’ that tastes far better than what’s on the shelf at the grocery store.
One final clearance area, other than what you can find at the grocery store:
Amazon Warehouse.
You should always compare their prices to the Walmart and SamsClub websites, though. Sometimes the prices are good — sometimes they’re not.
https://www.amazon.com/s?i=grocery&bbn=10158976011&dc&fst=as%3Aoff&qid=1603855796&ref=lp_10158976011_nr_i_22
I also will use the ‘handful’ principle. If I’m making a hamburger casserole, for example, with mushrooms and burger, I’ll grab a handful of each…and add a little extra potato, instead. The extra comes in handy for soup, a topping for pizza, or mixing with scrambled eggs for breakfast the next morning. It also tops a baked potato nicely. Free meal!
And I will ALWAYS take my restaurant leftovers home, no matter how small. (I’ve even — shamed face looking at the floor — taken someone else’s steak home ‘for the dog.’ Then cut the chewed part off, fed it to the dog — and used the rest for us. But hey.)
Terry M. says
I dice up a potato relatively small and add it to my taco meat and tamale casserole!
Mrs. C. says
1. Shop the markdown “old” produce that they are trying to get rid of at the market. A lot of that stuff is in great shape and being sold at rock bottom prices.
2. Fast or do intermittent fasting. It’s amazing how much weight you lose, heh, and how much longer your food lasts.
3. Search around for local farms and markets for great deals. One farm near me scored a tractor trailer full of russet potatoes, and offered it to their customers for FREE.
4. If you are in Pennsylvania or Virginia, or within driving distance, check out Sharp Shopper.
Lindsey says
I cook once and we eat it for two nights (sometimes three). Saves aggravation of figuring out what to cook, saves on cleaning up dishes and the stove, and a lot of things like soups taste better the second day. I used to make two days worth and freeze the second day, but I ended up with things getting freezer burned or just not sounding or looking appealing when thawed. It is simpler to just eat the same thing two days in a row.
Janet says
I cook for two nights, also, and sometimes things last three nights.. I call them “second nights.” Sometimes I will cook something two nights in a row and then alternate with the “second nights,” depending on my time and schedule that week. This works well for my family.
AJ in Iowa says
We do the same thing as well. Sometimes, if I have the time and am feeling adventurous, I will “repurpose” the second or third night’s meal into something slightly different – just recently some leftover roast and some veggie odds and ends that were hanging around went into making a beef pot pie.
Gina says
Hi Everyone and Happy New Year. We had just stocked up on clearance meat and some baking supplies. I will be shopping from my house first and trying to do a no spend challenge only necessities for this month and Feb. I’m needing veggies and fruits but have been doing without due to high prices. Thank y’all for the inspiration and will be reading through comments often. At the end of the week I make oven fries and use all the little Xtra leftovers for toppings. If you have ones that won’t last that long do it when you have enough, I also keep a bag in the freezer to make soup an such with a little from each meal. Good Luck and Thank You Mavis.
Marlene says
I’m also, doing a no spend January and February. My second year. Wish you well.
Linda Sand says
Tuna on a buttered baked potato (steamed in the microwave) is my favorite quick meal. Sometimes I sprinkle on onion or garlic powder. Dill weed or oregano makes it a totally different meal.
I love fresh buttered toast so that’s a cheap side dish for some meals. Garlic powder quickly turns it into garlic toast.
My MIL used to cook egg noodles, plate them, then top with crushed saltine crackers and melted butter. That was traditionally served with fried Spam and applesauce.
KC says
1. know what your default meals and your favorite meals cost, and where the biggest price components of them come from; find substitutes for those things, find sales, find cheaper default meals if necessary.
2. kill food waste; keep on top of the produce drawer, use things up, quick-pickle them, whatever, and keep on top of pantry expiration dates as well.
3. know what things cost, hit the sale rotation, and keep a good pantry if you can (Shoprite had “our” laundry detergent for 1/3 of its normal price every 6 months, so I’d just buy 6 months of detergent then and ignore it the rest of the time). Some stores don’t have that regularity; some products never go on sale; but if you have the extra hobby attention to be hovering over the grocery prices, it can *really* pay off. (but: if you can get actually-paid for those hours, you’ll likely come out ahead by working instead of getting your flour for slightly cheaper)
4. if you keep a big pantry, keep the bugs out/segregated. Ziploc freezer bags, plastic sealed containers, etc. can make it so that if bugs come home with you in one bag of beans, their damage is limited to only the things sharing a bag/container with them.
5. be aware of what your collective priorities are in terms of nutrition, time spent, food appearance, etc., and move with that even if that means you can’t be a poster child for the Lentil And Rice And Cabbage Channel. It’ll be cheaper if you can compromise and spend *slightly* more per meal on groceries rather than having a household member go rogue and get takeout on a regular basis. (which is not to say that takeout can’t be a part of the budget! But if you’re trying to reduce total costs, then sort out what the need/desire driver is for the budget-blowing expenses and see if you can address that even if it means the name-brand instead of a cheap brand, or having shelf-stable snacks around, or having a frozen pizza in-stock.)
Maria says
Such great comments! We retired last year, moved to the country and started growing veggies, bought a big upright freezer and bought half a cow, which we split with friends. I divided the total cost by 12 and put it into my monthly budget. Which I JUST finished when this post popped up!!
While I am not down to Mavis’ $100/mo, we’re around $200/mo with the meat. I’m amazed at what some of our friends spend per month – $800!! I’ve got better things to do with an extra $600/mo. – like traveling! Happy New Year to you all.
KC says
(also, one commenter asked about really-fast cheap meals; mine tend to revolve around eggs – omelette, frittata, with what’s in the fridge – or cans of beans – either a can-of-tomato, can-of-beans, veggies and starch soup, or beans and rice, or bean burritos. The egg ones are less ludicrously cheap than they used to be, sigh, but they’re still a surprisingly cheap protein that stays good in the fridge for a surprisingly long time and goes well with nearly any leftovers and cheese)
Margie says
A lot of good ideas in the comments. A few things that help me save money include prepping “fast food.” That includes putting dry ingredients together in a jar (e.g., banana bread mix, cornbread mix), freezing dough (e.g., biscuits, pizza dough), spending an hour chopping/peeling veggies for the fridge each week, batch meals (e.g., meatballs, lasagne in a bread pan, pulled pork), and freezing individual lunches (e.g., slice of meatloaf, mash potatoes, greenbeans x4). I also can things like soups and stews or simmer sauces (e.g., shakshuka, teriyaki).
Diana says
We live in a warm climate so we grow most of our food on 1 1/2 acres. We have a 100 trees and a large garden. We eat seasonally so mostly fresh food. We don’t eat meat just wild caught fish. I do not keep track of what we spend or even how much anything costs. I am more concerned with eating healthy meals and local food as much as possible. I do cook everything from scratch and we rarely go to restaurants unless we are meeting friends, as honestly our food tastes better! We eat all our meals together at the table and at night we listen to music that matches our meal.
Angie says
I’m so sad- our main local grocery isn’t even sending fliers anymore. You have to go in and get them. They have an app but I need to see the food in paper form lol. It sounds terrible but it’s so much easier.
Gigi says
You should be able to see the flyer on their website which is closer to paper than an app. I prefer the paper one too, except we don’t get a paper anymore.
Silkifae says
We retired a year ago & my HH was recently diagnosed with moderate-stage Alzheimer’s. With that, we have sold our 2-acre property & will be moving to an independent living house in a nursing facility campus. I am switching my gardening mindset to container gardens. With my previous large gardens I froze, pressure canned & dried fruits & vegetables. I powdered a portion of the produce. Powdered vegetables make a quick soup with chicken broth. Throw in some seasonings, noodles or rice, cheese, etc. Powdered fruits are good to flavor yogurt. I had chickens until a year ago & froze eggs when they were laying heavy which I used when they weren’t laying so many. Each egg is the equivalent of 1/4 c after thawed. You can use them in any recipe using beaten eggs. I make most things from scratch. If I am making cornbread, bread, cookies, etc. I measure out a couple of extra containers of the dry ingredients which saves time when I want to make it again & all I have to do is add the wet and/or fresh ingredients.
All flavors of quesadillas – pizza, fajita, BLT, cheeseburger, taco, etc. No limit to what you can imagine. All these flavors are good on Naan bread which I cook in my air fryer. On Mondays I make one 9×13 casserole recipe & divide into two 8×8 baking dishes, baking both & freezing one. We have 3 meals from each 8×8 (but we don’t eat it 2 nights in a row so we tire of the left overs). I usually reduce the meat content of recipes by half & don’t notice a difference in the flavor. I pressure can meats & each pint jar is equivalent to one pound of meat which is fabulous to have on shelves. Left over roast beef or roast chicken I grind to make a sandwich spread that is flavored to our liking. I cook extra rice & beans & freeze in 2-cup measures. I will cook 4-5 lbs of burger & freeze in 8 oz measures which saves energy along with time when making ground beef meals. I have 2 chest freezers & I meal plan from them along with sale items at the grocery store. With my husband’s illness, he has a voracious sweet tooth & I do splurge on a sweet treat for him at the store…whatever strikes his fancy on that day.
I haven’t been able to make a pizza to my liking so I buy several frozen ones when on sale, but I will keep trying to make my version of a perfect pizza. There are many good suggestions here.
I thank you Mavis for inspiring me to always make goals to do better.
Bonnie Jones says
Happy New Year Mavis and everyone !
I agree with you Mavis, keeping it simple makes a big difference. There are so many things that can be done with beans, rice, and keeping basic staple items on hand. Tortillas can be used for a lot of items like breakfast quesadillas. I used a can of white beans cooked them down with Taco seasoning. They made great bean burritos. Lol. Tortillas can be used to make wraps with any kind of meat and veggies. If you find any deals on eggs, like someone said, so many ways to make them. On the Kroger App, if you have their advantage card, they will add preferred buyer digital coupons on the app for you. I didn’t know that and found a coupon for $5 off if you spend $50. There also was a FREE 18 count carton of egg coupon. Normal price $6+. I grabbed that. Lol. They will see what items you buy and entice you with items you normally buy. That’s alright by me, especially if it’s free.
Linda Practical Parsimony says
First, I shop using all the ads that come to the house. I circle things and make lists. I then use the laptop for ads that don’t come here.
Second, I will cook a whole turkey breast and freeze it in three quart freezer bags to remove and use. We have a meal or sandwiches until it is gone. Two people can finish off a bag of meat in short order, well before it turns.
Third, I cook large amounts in a cooking bag. When I put meat That only takes about an hour(not the turkey breasts) in, I can put vegetables in and cook at once in the oven–carrots, potatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, onion, celery. I may not put all these in at once, but at least two. This will often last four days, so no cooking.
Fourth, when all the leftovers are gone, we discuss what is left to see if one of us knows of something we have missed. I cannot bend and search, so he does this. Often, there is a still languishing piece of meat or a bit of other vegetables. They are by no means too old to eat. Often, we can open a can of vegetables to add to bits of leftovers for one more meal before I have to cook. It also saves food from spoiling.
Sixth, I can use the freezer for anything we need to save. When I make taco soup, I usually freeze enough in a bag for two small helpings.
Fifth, Think. Why heat the oven for two sweet potatoes when cooking 6 or 8 will be more frugal, heating the house less and saving money. Last night, I baked a turkey breast in a small pan, a dozen huge meatballs in a smaller casserole, and put two sweet potatoes on a sheet of foil barely curved up on the edges–all in the same oven.
Seventh, combine meals. When I cook a meal and the leftovers from the three sides only last another two nights of meat I prepared, I will cook one more vegetable to make the meal for that night. The next night, a side from the original meal has been eaten, so I either cook another vegetable or open a can. Green beans is what I will most often add to a meal.
Eighth, substitute. I accidentally made a substitution on Sunday. I was going to make sausage balls. I usually mix things from my recliner and Tommy brings stuff to me because I cannot stand long enough to mix in the kitchen. So, I had mixed the sausage and cheese and asked him to bring me the Bisquick. I measured out a whole cut and dumped it in the bowl of cheese and sausage. I measure another half cup and toward the box. Oh NO.
I was using Hungry Jack Pancake Mix!!! I managed to get a half cup of the pancake mix from the bowl and put it into a plastic bag in the refrigerator for pancakes someday. I ended up using a cup of Bisquick and half a cup of Hungry Jack still in the bowl. While I would not wholeheartedly suggest using this, it did not hurt the baking or flavor of the sausage balls.
Ninth, eat different meals. Some days, we just eat up leftovers, both of us eating different things in order not to cook, go to store, or pick up a meal.
Tenth, add fresh salads or just the portions of a salad you have on hand. Some days, we add lettuce to our plates, he eats raw bell peppers to his platen and we both eat tomatoes. Meals don’t have to be fancy, or food critic approved, just healthy, nourishing, and palatable to the individuals.
Lindsey says
Just saw this article on Aga stoves under attack!https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2022/09/13/britons-rip-out-beloved-aga-cookers-due-to-soaring-energy-bills
Angie says
I shop based on what is on sale for the most part. There are weeks that I purchase no meat at all and then others where I stock up. We have a large pantry and chest freezer to make this easier. When we didn’t have the space to accommodate this in years past, I added in some shelving or cleaned out a coat closet and turned it into a pantry space.
I plan and grow a huge garden. We eat fresh from the garden and I use succession planting to try and extend the growing season as long as I possibly can. I also freeze veggies for use throughout the year.
Whatever produce I cannot grow myself I stock up on at my local farmer’s market and freeze or can what we need for the year.
I meal plan & batch cook on a weekly basis. This week for example I roasted a family size pack of chicken breasts and used ground turkey to make a batch of egg roll in a bowl. We had roasted chicken one night but I will use that chicken in soup, salad, and a casserole this week. I find that this type of cooking is helpful for the nights/days when I am exhausted and need a quick meal. This is also helpful in avoiding takeout.
Soup is a great way to save as you can typically use cheaper cuts of meat, anything lurking in your veg drawer and stretch the meal with rice and noodles.
I tend to cook ham and turkey several times throughout the year. I find that it have many uses in soups, quiche, omelets, beans, casseroles, & homemade stock. If bought on sale during the holiday season it can be the center of some very cheap, tasty meals.
Gigi says
I make a double (or triple) recipe of pizza dough and stretch it on cookie or large pizza pans and bake until almost brown. Then I cut it into 4ths and freeze the pieces separated by waxed paper in a large Tupperware. When I want a quick meal I just take out the number of pieces I want (one for me or a more if I’m not eating alone) and top with pizza things, often using vegetables that are older but still good. I always have mozzarella and pepperoni on hand and either make a quick sauce from a can of tomato sauce, already open pasta sauce, or even older tomatoes on hand. Really delicious, cheaper and lower in calorie than take out (of course) or frozen. I stretch the crust as thin as possible to save calories and partaking it makes it nice and crispy.
Gigi says
Parbaking!
Terry M. says
I have had to change the way I cook considerably over the last year, prices have just been outrageous. My mother went to her ‘local’ grocery store today and they wanted $8 for a dozen eggs. Absolutely terrible! Here are the ways I try to cut costs.
1 – Find a “dent and bent”. I have two near me, each about a half hour away. One does well on things like flour, tea, sweeteners, cereal, and some things like Stove Top. They even carry many medications (like Loratadine for my allergies, 300 ct bottle is $2.), personal products (shampoo, conditioner, deodorant cheap) and even have a gluten free section. My other dent and bent is great for frozen meats, seafood, bacon, and pet food.
2 – Find a butcher. For 93 percent lean, I pay about $3.15 per lb of fresh ground beef. My ‘local’ grocery store considers 70/30 a sale at $3.99. Even though he is 45 minutes a way, I will make a trip once a month or every 6 weeks or so to pick up ground beef. As they have incorporated a polish deli into this butcher shop, I also get pork steaks, spare ribs, deli sliced ham and cheeses without all of the “water added” or preservatives they like to pack into our food. When I’m there, I pick up fresh beef soup bones, usually at 39 cents a pound. Pork soup bones are only 19 cents a pound! Ten pounds of each usually gets me a giant pot of bolognese and a couple pots of soup.
3 – Aldi. Need I say more?
4 – Make a 2nd dinner and freeze it. My freezer is full of meals for the days I am too tired or hurt too much to cook after working all day. If it’s a casserole or soup, I can just reheat it. Otherwise, your crockpot is your friend!
5 – Again…. Aldi. Canned veggies at 59 cents each! I’m sold! These extra veggies go into my meals to help stretch the meat and lower the carbs. Don’t be afraid to add beans, again, Aldi is the cheapest!
Danielle says
I live alone. Meal plan cooking 2 meals from scratch, that is my lunch and dinner. Cook potatoes roasted in the oven with onions and every morning cook cheesy eggs adding the pre cooked potatoes for breakfast.
Some weeks I need to make a third meal to end the week out.
I shop discount grocery stores as much as I can. Use the crock pot a lot for soups.
This week I made ramen noodle stir fry. That covers 2 lunches. Made a large salad. Dinner is rice bowls will eat the salad with dinner.
Roast the potatoes have eggs I buy from a local farmer for a lot better deal than the grocery store.
I have lost 54 lbs in the last 2 years and this keeps me in a nice routine.