Brandi RhoadesCutting the Food Budget
October 2nd 2008 15:00
Aside from set expenses, groceries typically take the most from a family’s budget. While I’ve never – even in my poorest moments – advocated eating just anything, I do believe it’s possible to cut back on groceries in most families. These ideas are healthier alternatives than the typical “budget eating” ideas, and they’re pretty simple, too.
1. Shop locally. That can mean going to the local farmers’ market or checking out u-pick farms in the area. Anytime you’re cutting the retailer out of the equation, you’re paying less, and the farmer’s making more. You’re probably getting healthier food with fewer preservatives to boot.
2. Buy in bulk. While you may not get a deal on everything, items such as toilet paper that usually are included in the family’s grocery budget, are cheaper when you buy in bulk. You can buy items in large quantities in your regular grocery store or buy them at a large warehouse store.
3. Use a pasta or rice base. Both pasta and rice are excellent sources of nutrition when used in moderation. They’re also cheap. You can get a pound of rice for around $1, and that will feed a family of four at 2-3 meals.
4. Go meatless one night per week. Yeah, your family may complain at first, but they’ll learn to like it. Spinach lasagna is a good alternative to meat-based lasagna. Try making a marinara sauce from scratch and putting in chickpeas instead of meat. Your family will be so focused on the delicious flavor, they’ll forget there’s no meat.
5. Cook from scratch. It seems like a pain. Few people know how to cook from scratch anymore, but doing so can save your family a lot of money. You’ll pay $2 or more for a package of cookies at the grocery store, but you can make cookies for about a quarter of the price. A lot of these foods don’t take long to prepare, and making them yourself means you’ll cut out “boredom” eating since you won’t put in the effort if you’re really not hungry.
1. Shop locally. That can mean going to the local farmers’ market or checking out u-pick farms in the area. Anytime you’re cutting the retailer out of the equation, you’re paying less, and the farmer’s making more. You’re probably getting healthier food with fewer preservatives to boot.
2. Buy in bulk. While you may not get a deal on everything, items such as toilet paper that usually are included in the family’s grocery budget, are cheaper when you buy in bulk. You can buy items in large quantities in your regular grocery store or buy them at a large warehouse store.
3. Use a pasta or rice base. Both pasta and rice are excellent sources of nutrition when used in moderation. They’re also cheap. You can get a pound of rice for around $1, and that will feed a family of four at 2-3 meals.
4. Go meatless one night per week. Yeah, your family may complain at first, but they’ll learn to like it. Spinach lasagna is a good alternative to meat-based lasagna. Try making a marinara sauce from scratch and putting in chickpeas instead of meat. Your family will be so focused on the delicious flavor, they’ll forget there’s no meat.
5. Cook from scratch. It seems like a pain. Few people know how to cook from scratch anymore, but doing so can save your family a lot of money. You’ll pay $2 or more for a package of cookies at the grocery store, but you can make cookies for about a quarter of the price. A lot of these foods don’t take long to prepare, and making them yourself means you’ll cut out “boredom” eating since you won’t put in the effort if you’re really not hungry.
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