Over the past few months I’ve been compiling a list of principles to shop and cook by. I have identified 6 practices that have really helped me take a big “byte” out of my monthly food budget. With a little planning, a little effort and a little compromise you can save a lot of money.
BUDGET BYTING PRINCIPLES
1: PLAN YOUR MEALS
Take the time, once a week, to think about what you want to eat for the next 5-7 days. Decide on a few recipes then make your grocery list. Look in your refrigerator, freezer and cabinets to see what “left over” ingredients you have on hand that need to be used up (if you’re throwing away food, you’re throwing away money). Make a mental (or physical) list of these items, hit the internet and search for recipes that use those ingredients. I also plan my meals around items that I find on sale for really good prices. I usually thumb through the weekly sale fliers (or check them out online) looking for really good deals. Planning ahead will keep you from wandering aimlessly through the store picking up umpteen snack items because you don’t have one real meal idea.
2: USE INGREDIENTS WISELY
One of the reasons that I started Budget Bytes is because I don’t believe that you have to just eat ramen, rice and beans to eat on a budget. I love food and I don’t think that some things are off limit just because they are expensive. Often times, if you have an expensive ingredient you can pair it up with something inexpensive (like rice, pasta or other grains) to bring the cost per serving back down. Also, expensive ingredients are often the most potent so you can use them sparingly and still get a great flavor (think sun dried tomatoes, pesto, walnuts). So, choose your recipes based on the ratio of expensive ingredients verses inexpensive ingredients and use potent/expensive ingredients sparingly.
3: PORTION CONTROL
Portion control will help you slim down your waistline and bulk up your wallet. We’ve gotten used to gigantic sized portions in our country and it’s time to start reining them back in. When you eat more food than you need, you are quite literally spending money that you don’t need to spend. When you dish out a meal, try giving yourself less than you normally would and see how satisfied you are when you have finished. If you are still hungry you can always go back for more but this way you won’t be feel obligated to finish what is on your plate if it is more than what satisfies you. When I make a meal, I try to portion out the entire recipe into smaller containers as soon as it is finished cooking. If I put it all into one big container, every time I go for some I have the possibility of over serving myself. Sounds OCD but it also makes my meals “grab-and-go” which is quite convenient.
4: DON’T BE AFRAID OF LEFTOVERS
After working in the food service industry for a few years, it has come to my attention that many people these days are afraid of food if it was not prepared that day or even a couple of hours prior. What those same people don’t realize is that when they go to a restaurant (almost every restaurant), the food that is served to them was not prepared from scratch that moment. It is more convenient and cost effective for restaurants (and us at home) to make large batches and use them over a period of a few days. If stored properly, cooked food is quite safe and delicious for several days in the refrigerator and a few months in the freezer. For specifics, visit Foodsafety.gov. Sure, sometimes there will be textural changes (fried foods may become soft, for example) but many times the flavor of food gets better after a day or two! The time in the refrigerator allows ingredients to marinate and flavors to marry. In my recipes I try to address issues related to storing leftovers to keep the best flavor and texture.
5: THE FREEZER IS YOUR FRIEND
Take full advantage of your freezer, it will save you money! Last week while grocery shopping, I came across an enormous pork tenderloin on sale for only $4.99 (regularly $8.99). You BET I bought that thing even though it wasn’t on my menu. I knew that it would freeze well and I could simply thaw it out and use it for my entree another week. Also, since I cook primarily for myself, I often freeze extra portions of meals. If I can’t scale down a recipe to a size that I can consume within 5 days or so, I’ll just freeze the rest. It’s wonderful to have frozen meals just waiting for you when you are too tired, too busy or too sick to cook (or if you’re out of money and there is still a whole week till pay day! ha!). For more information on how to effectively freeze different food items, visit The National Center for Home Food Preservation and be sure to click on General Information for food that doesn’t freeze well and other basics.
6: SHOP WISELY
We all have different reasons for shopping where we do (supporting local business, a preference for natural or organic items, location/convenience etc.) but be aware of your options. Check for local or seasonal produce markets and ethnic groceries. Produce markets are almost always less expensive than produce in grocery stores and often times the quality will be much better. Ethnic grocers usually have great prices for ingredients that are not common and offer a wider selection (you might get inspired!). As you become more budget conscious and start to cook more, you’ll begin to make a mental price list of your most commonly purchased items. Soon you’ll be able to spot inflated prices immediately and you’ll know which store offers the best prices for different items. I don’t visit 4 or 5 stores every week but as I’m planning my menu I will plan which store to shop at based on where I can get my most expensive ingredients at the best price. Usually, I go to one grocery store to buy my canned, frozen or otherwise packaged foods and the produce market for fresh produce.
If you have any other tips or practices that have helped you cut your food budget, please share them! A million minds are better than one!
I know of a quick way to make eggs in the microwave.
Look it up on YouTube.
Marty
I am a food lover and enjoy reading, cooking, and enjoying all kinds of food. I found your website interesting.
On the topic of portion control, do you have any recipes for people who are trying to GAIN weight? I am an underweight person who constantly eats/snacks throughout the day (which is probably what’s keeping my metabolism so high), so it feels impossible to gain weight!
I don’t have anything specific for that, unfortunately, but you could always just try to increase portions and calorie-dense ingredients like avocado, nuts, etc.
It’s a myth that constantly eating keeps your metabolism high or starving yourself lowers it (unless you are already extremely underweight). It’s calories in, calories out.
Your foods look marvelous, can’t wait till payday so I can start my budget shopping…
Looking forward to getting some great ideas for my cooking times. Thanks.
Just found this site and I LOVE IT love recipes thanks for sharing
We work with a holistic healer due to my husband having a serious illness. Organic is expensive. I belong to a CSA to get vegetables less expensive and order online for non perishable ingredients when they have extra 20% off I stock up.
Although our dietary needs mean adapting most recipes, I am very glad I found your website, meal planning is hard for me.
We sprout and/or soak all the grains we eat in an acidic medium, which can take days. We stopped using microwaves making planning more important.
I finally cook and freeze grains ahead, keep stock frozen in ice cube size,and try to order enough seasoning and other things needed to make meals, but I still go blank when I come home from CSA and try to turn ingredients into actual meals.
I even tried a paid meal planning service but it only allowed me to input what we don’t eat.
You allow ingredients that I actually have to be put in to find meals, even if I have to adapt,easier when basic idea is there.
Thank you so much, I try extremely hard to make sure that we eat well, my husband has a rare brain cancer and mainstream has no options, food for us is life,
He’s been stable two years, I pray he will stsy that way, thank you for making it easier to come up with meals when I go blank.
I searched the web forever before accidentally finding your site, thank you and God Bless
You are awesome! I recently got back to student mode after working for a while and now i’m back to crunching numbers. I don’t have the luxury of elaborate cooking times but I still want to have healthy food! I stumbled across your site accidentally( and thankfully ) and now this is my favourite goto one. Thanks and keep up the good work!!
I just found this blog by clicking on a recipe for pumpkin cornbread that a friend posted on Facebook. I am so happy to find your simple, inexpensive, well explained recipes! I have been married for 46 years, raised three children and have seven grandchildren and a great grandchild, but I am famous for my terrible cooking skills. My children tell people that they thought the smoke alarm was the dinner bell. I always mess up, even when trying to follow a recipe. The reason? Because almost every recipe I find expects the cook to instinctively understand things, like “2 cups of flour”. My brain says, “What kind of flour?” Or it says, “Cube and boil potatoes until tender.” My brain says, “How big should the cubes be? How long does it take for the potatoes to get tender? Oh dear, was I supposed to peel them?” Or my favorite, “Season to taste.” Oh, no, no. no.. The pumpkin cornbread recipe has instructions even a 10 year old who has never tried to cook can follow, so I believe that I can, too! Thank you so much! I have already signed up for the emails. So excited to get started feeding my husband something new and yummy!
Thank you!! I hope you find the recipes to be very useful. :)
For best deals, I use the Reebee App: best price on whatever I need in the grocery basket.
I realize this is an older blog. I came across it while I was reading Huffington Post. There is some really sound advice give here. Thank you and please continue the awesome work
This is a great site. I’ve been bargain shopping for decades, something I learned from my mother. I comparison shop at my local grocery and regularly patronize the farmer’s market for my fresh produce. It’s easy to fall into a rut though. When you have to stick to a particular budget, you tend to buy the same things over and over again. While those things work in a pinch, meals can get boring. I really like the simplicity and variety on your site. In many cases, I have most of the ingredients already. The one difference is that I’m feeding a family of 4 so my cost is a little higher than yours. Still, these look like great meals that won’t break the budget…especially when going out to eat cost so much more.
I am so glad to have found your blog! My husband’s recent career change, while wonderful for our family time, has created a budget crunch for which I was unprepared. I stumbled across your recipes on Pinterest and they have become family favorites already! Thank you so much.
Wonderful, well-researched, and thoughtful ideas. I’m elderly and on a tight budget after decades of married life when I did not learn frugal habits well. Your recipes have brightened considerably my not-very-refreshing beans and rice culinary life since I retired :) Thank you!
My main thing is that when something I know I always use is on an extreme sale (like canned tomatos for fifty cents, or canned clams for .99) I will buy like ten bucks worth. I will always use them before the stamped by date. Canned tuna too. Not food, but when my toothpaste costs a dollar I will buy 5 tubes.
One thing that has helped a lot is weekly meal planning followed by ordering our groceries through Peapod (or whatever grocery delivery service is available to you). Impulse purchases are an issue when we go to the store; running in for “just one thing” usually leads to $20-30 worth of food, often junk food or convenience foods – do that 2-3 times a week and it adds up fast.
It saves money and time. We’re a busy family with young children and two working parents and NOT having to spend an hour grocery shopping on the weekend with one or both of the kids in tow is worth the $2.95 Peapod pickup fee. Creating and placing the order takes all of 10 minutes and since we do pickup, we just pull into the designating parking space at the store and they load the groceries into our car.
The savings in grocery costs has been dramatic – between meal planning and Peapod we’ve literally cut our grocery spending in HALF.
Hey Beth! I found your blog about six months ago and adore it. It’s been a source for great food not to mention my go to date meal: chicken picatta! Thank you so much for all the work you put into it. I really appreciate it as a millenial kid.
I am so glad I accidentally stumbled upon your website the recipes look delicious and cheap I’m wonderful can’t wait to get started I’m so excited
I have copied practically all of your recipes and put them in a binder. I am making them, some I like better than others. However, most of them I make and remake. I am a senior and on a very restricted food budget. Thanks for being such a wonderful source for me.
Great post. I’m always looking for ways to save money and fill my stomach!
Just wanted to say thanks! I absolutely love your recipes and they inspire me to make my own too, or to do things differently (for example, I split my 2-day chili in 4 now and eat rice with it to bulk it up). I’m bad at following recipes but from your website so far I’ve actually made 4. Loving it!
Hi!
I found your blog on the msn lifestyle page in the “66 Tried-and-Tested Tips For a Frugal Life” article! So glad I did! Your recipes seem to be easy to follow, healthy, and economical, and I can’t wait to get started! Thanks!
Hi! I am very interested in your blog as I am definitely what you define as a beginner. Literally no experience and hardly any money so… I think I am in the right place. The problem is that I have tried to principle one over and over again and well… Here I am with nothing to show for it. Even that one thing is over my head. Are there posts on your blog you recommend reading for someone in my position? Or somewhere to start in general?
Unfortunately I don’t have any further reading in that area. All I can suggest is that you keep trying. :) It takes practice, but start small. Try planning only one recipe per week, then slowly add one more at a time until you feel comfortable. You don’t have to start out by planning an entire week at once. Baby steps are key! :)
Have you ever thought of incorporating a “low carb” section on your blog? I am certain there are recipes here, but I don’t always have time to root around.
I’ve thought about it, but then I have to decide where the line is between low carb and regular carb is and that might be tricky…
Thanks for your great recipes and thoughtful blogging! Here’s one tip that is very important to me: I never heat food in plastic in the microwave. I keep a giant bowl-shaped mug in my office and transfer whatever I want to heat into that. When I pack my food into a plastic container for easy storage and transport, whether for lunch the next day or to be defrosted in a month, I try to pack it with the things in reverse order so they’re right-side up in my mug.
Just found this site today and I’m already hooked. I’m always on the lookout for a bargain, which can be difficult since I (try to) eat clean, which means organic, natural foods. Anything that helps me stretch my recipes and still keep it simple is for me! I see quite a few that can be made “clean” with small adjustments.
I’ve been using your site for about a week and I’m in love with your recipes! Thank you! I’m in the DC area, so the prices here are fairly outrageous. Just saw that you are a fellow NOLA peep. I grew up in Luling and Destrehan. Geaux Tigers (and Saints)!! Thanks for the great guidance on food shopping and flavorful food!
I second the tip that the freezer is your friend! I got into this blog when I googled “how to freeze cooked rice” & you were the top listing! I started making rice in my cooker by the 2-lb bagful & have enough stocked up for a few months. Now I buy larger packages of meats, snacks, etc & portion them out in single servings so all I have to do is pick up a few to snack on at work or whenever I go out for the day.
I’m loving your site. I’m sharing it on my pinterest and will mention it in my new blog when I do a recipe. Can’t wait to try the sweet potato salad!
tons of great recipes here. I just pinned about a dozen and bookmarked your page. we are really trying to get into more beans and lentils.
thank you for this site, I love the pics and am so excited to try out the recipes!
you should have a chickpea section. 12 cans for about 6$ at Costco, but im at a loss as to what to do with them so I haven’t ventured into buying them yet.
You could try making homemade hummus, if that’s something you enjoy. Or a chickpea salad.
I mix chickpea with lentils and onions, put them in the food processor and mince them, then add eggs, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and a little parmisan to taste. when it comes all together I divide the mixture in sort of meatballs, toss them in more bread crumbs for crispiness and fry them in a little oil. they are deliciuos and nobody can tell they are meat free.
I am really enjoying your blog! I would like to add a tip: fill your cart up with fresh produce (fruits, veggies), and shop the perimeter of your grocery store for the freshest, least processed items. Buying ingredients vs. prepared items is often more cost effective (and healthful)
I have a goal for 2014 to eat healthy on a budget of $1200. That’s about $3.29 per day. Your blog is going to help me get there! The information is excellent, I can’t wait to try the recipes, and you get an A+ in web design. I like that the features on the right sidebar have a picture. I like that the recipe comes soon in the blog rather than having to scroll through 500 pictures to find it. I also appreciate the attention to detail in listing the cost of each ingredient. I’ve read a few other blogs by people trying to live on $2 per day for 5 days, and some of the things they eat don’t seem healthy or tasty. By contrast, your items seem healthy, tasty, and economical. I hope to let you know how it goes.
You forgot, “keep it simple”, which is the main thing I like about your recipes.
I noticed you live in New Orleans (me too!)–any suggestion on best places for deals? Not to force you to buzzmarket, I usually make the rounds to most of the ones near me anyway.
There is a Rouse’s a few blocks from my house (mid-city) and so I go there almost exclusively! I stock up on a few things from the bulk bins at Whole Foods once in a while and Target has better prices on some dry goods than Rouse’s (but I don’t get over there much). Hong Kong Market on the West bank is pretty much incredible for produce, but I never get over there either. :P
Originally I found one of your recipes manually entered in an iphone food app and hunted down where it came from by Google-ing the list of ingredients. It was the pesto stuffed shells recipe. Geez, Louise. If there’s anyone I know that hasn’t heard me talk about those shells or tried them at my house I don’t know about them. I had to find the source to pin it and I’ve stuck around for years since then trying different recipes.
My biggest cost cutter is buying in bulk and spending a few hours making freezer meals. I work them into my monthly meal plans and grab some fresh veggies or fruit to go with whatever I pull out.
Here’s my tip:
Depending on where you shop, you can get the butcher to cut that sale priced meat for you. I specifically go to Krogers when they have an exceptionally good loss leader, have the meat cut, and divide it up to freeze at home. That way the enormous pork loin turns into a reasonably sized roast and chops for the grill. I love your blog and the vegetarian recipes!
from a broke college student: THANK YOU! Finding your website was the highlight of my day today, and I’m so excited to start cooking and saving money. You’re amazing!
Couple things– #1, your blog is awesome. Just found it yesterday, and I love it!
#2, Rooster sauce (AKA hot cock sauce) holds a special place in my heart. Been eating it since I was a toddler. Glad to see you incorporate it into so many recipes.
#3, on the topic of budget buying principles: Aldi. If there is an Aldi in your area, shop there, at least for basic things. 2lb boxes of pasta are $1.29; a dozen eggs costs $1.29; a 12oz jar of marinated artichokes is $2.29; canned beans/veggies are $0.39. (I promise I don’t work there, I just shop there all the time.) They stock basic, everyday items and produce consistently, and get specialty items on a rotating basis. I once bought a 16oz bottle of balsamic vinegar for $1.99. $1.99!! Every now and then they carry goat cheese, and it’s 4oz for $1.99.
The quality is the same as, if not better than, a lot of what you’d find in other grocery stores. If you are a fan of Trader Joe’s, you should also consider yourself and Aldi fan, since Aldi is the company that spawned Trader Joe’s.
I just went shopping yesterday with three of your recipes plus one from another blog in mind. I also had to buy one or two extra things for my kids. My total was $49.49, and that it only because there were certain things that I had to stock up on that I recently ran out of like EVOO, vegetable oil, all-purpose flour, etc. What is great that It’s just me and my husband and our twin two-year-olds, so there will be plenty of leftovers for most of the meals for lunches and probable an evening meal or two at the end of the week… so basically my grocery shopping this week was under $50! I shopped at Wal-Mart because we took the kids with us and, well, taking them to multiple stores is just asking for trouble. Everything was at or below the prices you listed. I’m excited to see what my total is on weeks when I’m not having to restock on items that you only have to buy every once in a while. Oh, and I also love sriracha and already had some of that in my fridge. :) Yay!
I just purchased my first bottle of Sriracha last night! I am going to start planning my grocery store trip to cook 5 meals within the next week… you are an inspiration, your recipes look amazing, you’re hilarious and it’s very motivating!! THANK YOU!
I just happened across this via Pinterest, and I am SO happy I did. I’m about to be moving into my own place, and being that money will be a bit tight, this is perfect. Especially the tips for freezing leftovers and what not. Brilliant!
i just found your blog & i must say i’m already addicted. i’ve always wanted to really crunch the numbers of what im spending on each meal and your doing all that for us. and the food is REAL food. GOOD FOOD! thank you for taking the time to share all these wonderful, awesome & of course budget friendly meals.
Thanks for the blog, I’ve been nervous about cooking for the longest time. My mother is an amazing cook…but growing up I took it for granted. And lately I really wanted to start cutting down lunch spending and start bringing food in. The way you broke down the recipes and with the pictures and picture description it’s inspired me to start cooking (while staying on a budget) starting from today. Thanks for the inspiration (:
All of your tips are spot on to what I have learned over the years of living alone on a tight budget and with a freezer (bless my parents) to take advantage of great sales and to be able to freeze extra servings of food for another day. I never make less than four servings of anything. Two servings get eaten over the course of 2 or 3 days and the other 2 are immediately frozen away. The word ‘leftovers’ is not used in my house. Instead I have my own home made tv dinners and lunches to take to work. :)
I love your blog and love your tips! My blog is similar in that I am trying to help people eat good food for a low price, based on the sales at the local grocery store. My freezer is packed full of leftovers and meat I bought on sale. I like to freeze leftovers in lunch size portions, that way my husband never has an excuse to eat lunch out or we always have a quick and easy dinner waiting.
This is incredibly helpful!!! Thank you so much.
And your shirt in the photo is rad.
This is a fantastic website! It has been my distraction from studying for the past couple days. I love the variety of meals and the clear instructions that come with. Not to mention the thorough photos! Basically, thanks for doing what you’re doing.
Several years ago, I discovered the “Badia” brands of food, usually found in the “Latin” aisle of your grocer, and found that they sell spices that are much cheaper in price than the more expensive brands in the spice section. I also found that they sell them in small bags, 1 ounce per bag (I think?), for spices you might not use often. For instance, I made a pork bone-in shoulder roast for a pot-luck at work, and it called for three cloves. Well, I usually don’t use cloves often, so I was able to purchase a bag of BADIA cloves for around $1.00, instead of $8.00 dollars for a small jar that I will never be able to completely use! I also purchased a small container of Badia’s Saffron for $4.99 for a recipe that called for the world’s most expensive spice! Hope this helps!
Yes! I second the Badia brand suggestion. In fact, I’ve found that the “ethnic” section of my supermarket sells many products that are comparable to other aisles in the store, but for less. For example, the canned foods, dressings and olives/oils in the latin section (often Goya brand) are good and cost less than the same types of food in other parts of the store. The ethnic aisle is also great for inspiration and finding new ingredients to build on!
i am new to your site and impressed. in your stock up pantry list i see salsa and pesto. both are much loved in my house. I make my own whenever possible. my salsa is a big hit at many gatherings. here is my basic ingredient list. fresh tomatoes from our garden… of course not available now, so i sub canned tomatoes. sauted onion, garlic, a carrot shredded, 2 japaleno peppers fresh if possible. a bit of cumin, oregano and black pepper. add the tomatoes and lemon juice or lime juice. salt to taste. your portions and measurements will vary but its a good base. whirl the chunky parts in a food processor or blender and return to pot.. cook for about 15 mins on simmer.. enjoy
i’m a budgetbyte virgin… and already i’m obsessed. this is such a great blog! thank goodness for pintrest or i might never have found it. i’m printing out so many recipes and plan on heading to the store for a few ingredients tonight. i appreciate the vegetarian recipes! i have a picky 4 year old who decided on his own to stop eating meat (other than bacon) when he was 2.
Hey so funny,
that’s the first time I hear about someone that eats no meat except bacon! Just like me!! :)
I just wanted to say thanks for this website! I’m doing a 5 day spree of budgetbytes only recipes, and its going fantastic so far! I’m on day 2 and so far I’m loving everything!
Day 1 was egg drop soup and egg rolls
Day 2 naan, thai chicken pizza, and cinnamon raisin bread
I personally have never gotten into coupons because I never seem to see any for the products that I buy. But if it’s saving you money, then by all means, go after it :D
I’ve seen lots of your recipes shared on Pinterest recently – great blog, and great shopping tips here. Just curious if you use coupons or not. I have found that with some careful planning in advance with the weekly circulars, handy online couponing sites, etc. I am able to reduce my grocery expenses by half or more on a regular basis. Keep up the good work!
We are also huge fans of food and have over spent over the years, but we also like to entertain. Nevertheless, we’ve been buying sale meats (expensive items) for awhile now and it really does well, however, we have to be careful on the quality. One suggestion I have is to get to know your local butchers and produce personnel, find out when the best/quality products come in and also try to catch those during sale period as well. Additionally, you can find out when supermarkets routinely have their sales on specific items and plan your meals around this as well.
Haha! I like that you buy the pork loin since it’s on sale. That makes me feel better about the fact that I saw game hens on sale last week and bought them even though they weren’t on my list. To keep our budget under control, I try to REALLY stick to the list and stay away from the snacks/cookies aisle. Processed snacks seem to be the biggest budget killer.
Thank you for your blog. I am a college student (who’s at home just for this year) that is worried about what I will be eating when I’m out on my own. I’m very health concious which is easy to do with a meal plan or with parents around, but what about when I cook for myself (with time and money considered)?! Many times, I’ll just warm up a frozen dinner which is high in sodium or a bunch of fast food when I’m on my own. I don’t want to do that to my body. That food makes me bloated and my tummy hurts after just a week.
So thank you for the time and dedication that you have put into this blog. It’s my little lifesaver.
Amazon.com is awesome for most of your bulk items. Of course the generic, store brands to us always seem to taste a little better. Not sure why, but it’s true. We’ve also started buying smaller packages of things we have a difficult time making just for two people.
Just found your site and love it!I tried the Indian spiced oats was happy to find how simple it was to make. I saved your site and plan on using it a lot. Thank you.
I just started reading your blog. I love the variety, and I LOVE being able to cut the cost without cutting the creativity! Thanks!
Amazon.com. I’m not kidding! For foodstuff that isn’t perishable you can find some great deals on there, if you don’t mind buying in bulk.
I read about you in Popular Science as well! I added your site to my Favorites way back then but only started using it a few months ago. I used to add one or two of your recipes to our weekly menu but I just finished this week’s menu and every dinner is one of your meals! I couldn’t help it! Everything looked so good! As an added bonus, I can’t wait to see what our grocery bill will be. Thank you for all the work you’ve done.
My biggest money-saving technique is to lose the fear of generic, store brand items. There’s really not a difference between 99% of the name brand vs. store brand items, and I would estimate I save between $5 and $20 per trip to the grocery store by buying the store brand. ESPECIALLY on cereals, which can get really expensive if you’re buying name brand.
You have a fantastic blog. Sent it to my husband because you have great meals with easy instructions and pics to help novice cooks. I love your blog for the great ideas – make your own frozen breakfast burritos? So smart! Thanks!
I seen you in a magazine as I was in the drs office. that was over 6 months ago. I come back every week to see what I will try next.
BUDGET BYTE PRINCIPLES 1: PLAN YOUR MEALS is really important. Planning not only helps you save money but also helps in preparation time.
Thanks for sharing your tips! Hopefully the “tip bank” will continue to grow so we can all help each other out.
I was mentioned in Popular Science? I searched their site and didn’t come up with anything. Can you tell me where/when it was? Thanks!
Very neat site! I read about you in Popular Science.
A tip I have used is the smaller plate idea. We packed away our large dinner plates (they come out for company) and put a smaller portion of food on our plate. It makes it look like so much more food that way and a lot of times you don’t need seconds at all.
The other idea is when planning the weeks meals, we let the kids pick out one or two that they love. That way when we are eating tofu and potatoes and they balk at it, I can say “Well, tomorrow is your day and we are having Mac & Cheese, so eat this now”. You save money in the respect that you are throwing out a lot less food. You also save yourself some headaches!
great tips! i also cook primarily for myself and so i appreciate the storing/freezer tips especially.
Read about you in 225. Thought I would check it out. Love your recipes. Keep it up.
good tips! i agree that portion control is important, and that it doesn’t have to be part of a diet, your food goes further if you start with a small serving even if you do have seconds sometimes. also, i love leftovers like nobody’s business, so i tend to do the most time and labor intensive cooking over the weekend and enjoy what’s left as easy lunches during the week.
the one place i can offer different advice is that i don’t shop a full week ahead, at least in the winter, and sometimes multiple stops can save you money. this is because i tend to either overestimate how much produce i need and waste it, or underestimate and wind up eating too few vegetables toward the end of the week. two or three stops lets me get it just right, and fortunately i live fairly near stores. (in the summer and fall, i go to the farmer’s market once a week and actually plan my meals around what i find in season there.)
thanks for doing this! i love food blogs and my favorite thing about yours is that it doesn’t feature hard to find and expensive ingredients, so it’s unusually weeknight-cook accessible.
please: just keep doing what you are doing. not all recipes excite me, but there are enough that make me salivate to keep me coming back… thank you!