A lot of us are feeling the squeeze right now, and that might well persist far into the future. If you are on a budget, and you’re already skimping and saving, you might balk at the idea that you could possibly cut back any more. Nonetheless, there are plenty of steps that most of us can take to lessen the amount we spend on our food, especially if you are happy to change your cooking methods a little. Here are some budget-friendly ways to spend less on the meals you prepare at home.
Use Every Part Of Every Ingredient
If you need to save money, then reducing waste is a vital part of that process. So many of us waste so much food every day, and this happens usually without you even being aware of it. The main way this happens is by not using all of the ingredients. How many times have you chopped the head off a carrot and thrown it straight into the compost? This might seem harmless, but there is nutrition there that you could have used, and that will mean you buy less food in the future. So make sure you use every part you are safely able to use instead.
Reduce Your Oil Usage
Some ingredients are just especially expensive, and oil is a perfect example of something that costs a lot but which you are able to use a lot less off, just by changing a few things about how you cook. If you currently tend to fry everything in oil, consider dry-frying your veg from time to time. You might be surprised at how little a difference it really makes. Likewise, you can even create some homemade air fryer sweet potato fries that are amazing and delicious, and which won’t use oil like a deep fryer. That’s going to save you heaps.
Serve Up Smaller Portions
You don’t need to starve yourself just to save money, but most of us eat portions which are too large anyway, so there is something to be said for just reducing how much you are putting on the plate. Serving up smaller portions will help with your health anyway, and it will certainly mean that you are spending less on your food each day. Just try it and see whether you might have been eating too much before. Most people find that they can easily get by on less food.
Plan Every Meal
We all know that it’s a good idea to plan your meals. But how many of us actually sit down and plan every single meal? This is really the best way to save money, however, and it’s something that you should be careful not to overlook. If you can plan out your meals more effectively, you are going to find that you buy fewer ingredients and you waste less food, because you have thought about it beforehand. It’s simple, but it’s effective, and you’ll save money each and every week this way.
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