Keeping household spending in check and sticking to a budget is a top priority in our home. At the same time, we love good food and want to enjoy our lives, so we’ve worked out ways to save money and still get to enjoy delicious meals. It has taken me years to work out a system that works for us, and I hope that some of these tips and tricks that I’ve learned can help you and your family as well.
Are you aware that weekly food costs are the most controllable part of your household budget? Electricity, cable, internet, fuel costs, etc. are all costs that we really can’t control. Since we all need to eat, food costs are a necessary expense. However, I have found that if you take the time to carefully plan your meals, you can actually see positive results in your bank account.
Avoid unnecessary trips to the store
When you follow a meal plan buy only the items on your list, you can avoid over spending by not stopping by the store every day. I can’t tell you how many time I have stopped by the store just to pick up one or two things, but end up spending over $50 worth of impulse buys and junk food. That’s such a waste of money, and it’s got to stop if you want to be in control of your spending.
Cut out the guesswork
If you’ve ever been stressed out by trying to figure out what to make for dinner, you know how easy it is to get overwhelmed and end up just ordering takeout. Again, that’s just a waste of your money, and it’s not as healthy or satisfying as a home cooked meal. I’m not saying to never order takeout or have a restaurant meal, but I try to make that more the exception than the rule. A meal plan cuts out so much of the guesswork of wondering what’s for dinner. There really is a comfort in having the weekly menu posted, and having one less thing to worry about.
Seven tips for easy meal planning on a budget
- Plan meals with ingredients that you can use in other meals. This is such a great way to maximize your food budget. For example, you make a big pot of chili for supper Sunday night, the leftovers can be turned in to topping for chili dogs later in the week. Then, say Monday night you plan for a crock pot pulled pork sandwiches, several nights later you can use the leftovers for stuffing in your loaded baked potatoes . Leftover rice from chicken a la king can later be turned into veggie fried rice. There really are a lot of possibilities to stretch your food budget by turning one meal into two.
- Plan for meals that will provide a lunch. I almost always have leftovers, and food waste is cut down tremendously by boxing up whatever is left and re-heating it for lunch the next day. Even if there are only 3-4 boiled potatoes left and some salad leftover, I’m going to box it up and have it as sides for my lunch the next day. Remember, the most expensive ingredients are the ones that go wasted or thrown away.
- Before you make your shopping list/meal plan, take a few minutes to take inventory of what you have on hand. This will go a long way in helping to stop unnecessary stops to the store, and help give you ideas for meals. For example, you might have several types of pasta, and some canned tomatoes. You can add ground beef or chicken and cheese to your list and make a delicious pasta bake. Build your meals around whatever you already have in stock.
- Make as many meals from scratch as you can. Don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience of heat and go meals, and I do use them. But, eating this way is far more costly than making them own your own. I really don’t want to knock convenience food like frozen pizza, pre-made waffles and pancakes, because I use them, so this tip is only for when you feel that you have the extra time to make these items from scratch. Homemade pizzas and pancakes do taste so much better, and when you buy the ingredients, you can end up using them for multiple other meals.
- Plan by category. A good weekly meal plan has a variety of different types of meals so you don’t get bored with eating the same things from week to week. When I plan my weekly meal plan, I think in terms of categories, like Italian, Tex-Mex, Asian inspired, traditional meat and potatoes, soup, fish, vegetarian, etc. I have saved favorite recipes in each of these categories, so I’ll usually choose one of those. Think about Taco Tuesdays, there are so many varieties you can choose from. Think beyond just traditional ground beef, and try mixing it up by trying fish tacos, chicken, or halloumi.
- For those who shop in person instead of online, make your shopping list with the layout of the store in mind. I usually shop in person, and I know my store fairly well. The layout of my store is divided into 5 main sections, Produce, Dairy, Meat, Frozen, and Main/Dry goods. I make my list with the store layout in mind so that I can get in and out as quickly as possible.
- Plan for snacks! So many times, I have decided to make a run to the store after dinner just to go get snacks. Those impulse runs to the store are so dangerous to your budget and your diet. Quick and easy snacks that I like to keep on hand are: apples, cheese and crackers, hummus, nuts, chocolate, and peanut butter.
Good meal planning does take a little bit of extra time, but it is time well spent. Having the stress of trying to come up with a a meal quickly can lead to unhealthy choices and costly. I hope that these tips are helpful, and can help make your meal planning easier.