Best ways to be frugal on food and to not go rushing to the store and buying food that you do not need. You most likely have something that you can use at home instead. NO NEED to run to the store cause you have to macaroni for your soup. Why not just use spaghetti or another form of noodles that your most likely already have.
We don’t use all the food that we have in our pantry, we always run to the store right away. If you can’t have something you wanted, because you don’t have it. Why not look for something different to eat, that you do have.
You could start meal planning with the food that you do have. Find a base for your recipe first. Like you have chicken breast at home in your freezer. So you will make meals around that for your dinner for the next few days. You just need another 2 items to go with it. Like potatoes, salad, rice, even a cold bean salad. And then you add a vegetable or even a fruit. Just to complete the meal.
Sandwich and salad for dinner
We have a day where we just have a sandwich and salad for dinner. Why, because:
- Uses less hydro, cause you don’t turn the stove on
- No one feels like cooking today
- Fewer dishes for you to wash also.
- One of the best ways to be frugal on food, no going to the store
I also make for dinner is a simple Chicken Ceasar Salad. Uses up my lettuce and my carrots, and I also already have chicken breast. If I was to have chicken breast the night before, I would have just cooked an extra one or two, for my salad the next day. Making my dinner even easier to make the next day.
You can always buy store brands if you do need something from the store because you don’t have it at home. I ran out of breakfast cereal, so now my kids and I are eating hot cereal because that is what I have at home. I ran out of bacon for breakfast, so now I am using lunch meat instead. And I switch it up and have toast with that instead of rice.
You can make your bakery goods too, instead of buying them from the store. Make your own bread, muffins, buns, even biscuits.
Instead of always buying ice cream, have jello. Or even have fresh fruit, it’s better for you anyway. I have homemade canned fruit I made last summer. So I have that for my dessert. I make brownies or a cake, for my kids since they like sweet things. Or I even make some cookies for them.
If we’re short on bread I make bannock (fry bread) for them. I have to make lots, as it doesn’t last long in my house. It is taken as soon as it comes out of the frying pan. Or I may even make some bread first thing in the morning. For both of these we can easily use the homemade jam I made. I love apricot jam. I used to make peach jam and cherry jam. That is if I have access to these fruits.
The Best ways to be frugal on food
Some good ideas you can do:
- Plant a Garden for some fresh veggies
- try to use what you have in home (not run to the store)
- Stretch your meat dinner to be 3 or more different meal days
- Have a meatless dinner day
I plant a garden for most of my veggies. This is hard to do now, as we have so many deer in our yard every summer. They eat the tomatoes, and squash and peas, and if they don’t eat it they step on them. My garden was for tomatoes mostly, and now it is cucumbers.
Now because of the deer, I have gotten a fence around my garden area now. So my garden now will be safe from the deer getting it all.
So I know I save on buying cukes from the store.
For fruit I have my own raspberry bushes also, and strawberries. But again the deer eat these sometimes too, which is annoying too.
More Ways to be Frugal
- You can also preserve your veggies, by canning them. Or even dehydrate them if you own a dehydrator. I usually can my tomatoes and pickle my cucumbers. Freeze my raspberries/strawberries to save for smoothies. When I do can, I buy all my canning veggies from a local farm. Which works for me and is cheaper than growing them.
- Another way to save is to use cash for your purchases, so as not to use a debit card. Cause maybe your bank has fees for each time you use your bank card. And you also know exactly how much money you are spending. We always run to the store right away , now you will stop and think before you do. No more chip runs to the store. (Used to spend $15-$40 each time) One of the Best ways to be frugal on food is to not run to the store for snacks. Eat popcorn that you can easily microwave at home or pop your own on the stove.
- To make your own food instead of buying ready-made food. Kinds of food that you stick in the microwave. Unhealthy food anyway, most of them are. No frozen pizzas or pizza pockets or even burritos. Better to just have a sandwich with lunchmeat and tomato and lettuce, cheaper too. Another one of the Best ways to be frugal on food since we always run to the store right away.
So it comes down to you, how far are you willing to go to save money on groceries. Are you willing to quit buying fast quick-frozen food to reheat and eat? Not rush to the store, when you run out of something. Instead, look for an item that you can use instead.
Have one night a week of meatless dinner, or even 2 nights a week. We just had cooked hashbrowns and a can of pork and beans for our dinner. I do stretch it with a side of rice and a veggie. Every one loves hashbrowns and beans. Other night I just had a peanut butter and jam for my dinner, others had a grilled cheese. Add some soup, we like Mushroom soup here. You can even add some crackers to your soup too, if you like.
You also need to stick with your grocery list when you go to the store. Don’t be tempted with the sales items or the items you see when walking into the store. That is impulse buying, and your bank account doesn’t need that unnecessary item.
Do not go shopping just before dinner, or when you are hungry. That is when you will most likely buy something you do not need. Mainly because you are hungry at the moment.
What about breakfast
Even just having cereal one morning a week, instead of a full breakfast.Or even not buying your daily coffee from Tim Horton’s, make your own coffee. Or skipping that danish or muffin from there each morning. Have toast from home instead. You can have your quick cheap breakfast made at home if you’re really looking into saving money. This saves more money than you could use for your groceries. When you are looking at the best ways to be frugal on food
Or even if you go to a place each day to get your smoothie for your morning, if that’s your coffee of the morning. Then learn how to make your own at home. Instead of driving to go get a smoothie, you save right there, in just staying home and making your own.
If you follow some of these best ways to save money on groceries, I am sure you will save some money,if you learn a new way to look at what you do spend.
I know I don’t have much time in the morning. So I don’t make my usual bacon and eggs and toast. Now I will just have a bagel or even just a granola bar.
Working From Home
I am busy working on my home business. Which keeps me pretty busy, sometimes I don’t have time to eat. So I have some trail mix or granola bars on my desk. I have a fridge there for my drinks.
But of course, I have my coffeemaker in the kitchen. Cause I do need to get up and stretch at times. So this way I get up and clear my head, and refocus my eyes. Because I work daily on my computer, which we all know we should take breaks every once in a while during the day.
Your eyes will thank you later for the much-needed break. And your legs will too, cause you can’t stay seated all day. So always make sure that you take a break every so often.
Working from home does have its benefits. You are home for your kids when needed. You can take off without having to answer to anyone why you are leaving. No boss to answer too, just yourself.
You know if you put your work down, you can just pick up where you left off. Since I work from home, I don’t need to drive to work or rush to get coffee or grab breakfast before work. A big win for me on my Best ways to save money on groceries, is being able to work from home. I make my own breakfast and lunch and dinner. Oh and I am not too tired to make dinner either, no take out here.
Saving On Lunch For Work
No need to make a lunch or buy it. Because I save with being home, I can just make myself something at home. Need a drink, I most likely already have tea or juice at home. I am blessed to be working from home. But I still need to make lunch, sometimes it is a simple sandwich or soup.
But if you do have to leave for work each day, or every other day. You need to have lunch, so you can easily make your own lunch. Don’t go to a fast food place and buy one. Just think about what you like and would eat. Because remember you are looking for the best ways for frugality on groceries. Making your own lunch is saving you money for your groceries, and using food you have at home. A win win both ways.
Things to make for Lunch for work
- A Sandwich- with whatever you would like. Use a cheese bun or bread.
- Cheese and Crackers or slice meat
- Leftover dinner depending on how its kept at work
- A green salad and meat or cheese to add later. Dressing on the side.
- Soup and some crackers or buns.
- chili and a bun- if you have a microwave at work.
Side Ideas for your Snack
- fruit-grapes, banana, apple.
- Yogurt and slice fruit
- fruit salad
- fruit cups
- pudding cups
- granola bars
- cheese and crackers
- slice of banana bread
- piece of pie or turnover
- crossiant
- cheese bun
Since I work from home, I always look for best ways for frugality on groceries. I am able to cook my own lunch since I am home. But I always need something simple too, that does not take long. I used to reach for the fast microwave foods I can have for lunch. But they cost money, so I started to look at things I have in my pantry already.
Work From Home Ideas for Breakfast
- Crackers and Hummis and a side of fruit- side ideas too
- toast and fried eggs
- oatmeal and toast
- Cream of Wheat and toast
- bowl of cereal
- crossiant and cheese
- yogurt and toast
Ideas for my Lunch
- Lentil soup or bean soup for lunch.
- Grilled cheese sandwich or ham and cheese sandwich.
- Mushroom soup and crackers
- spaghetti and cheese (cooked spaghetti and cheese slices)
- Crackers and hummus, side of meat slices and peanut butter
- fruit and yogurt and nuts on the side ( when I am too busy to make lunch- good side ideas)
- Leftovers from last night’s dinner
- egg salad or tuna fish salad sandwich
- Perogies and sour cream
When your looking for the Best ways for frugality on groceries. First, look at all you have in your pantry and fridge. What you can make use of right now. Even things that need to be eaten right away, have those first. Always use and cook with what you already bought. No need to go and buy new items, cause that is spending money when your trying to save your money. Think the only issue will be more ideas for lunch. You may need to ask others for ideas for breakfast too.
I love the idea of baking bread at home, but of course that takes time too. But does taste so good, and the smell in your house is amazing. So there is that benefit, and if your like me and have all the ingredients already. You are good to go and just need to get baking. Love homemade bread, I found it only takes me about half hour sometimes less to mix it all up. Why was I not doing this more, I thought it took forever, no I was thinking of the rising time it took forever. Mixing it did not, and it is so simple.
So when your looking for the best ways to be frugal on food. Always shop in your own house and cook with all you have. Cause remember you already spent that money, now just utilize all you have. Since I work from home, I am baking more and freezing things too. Less cook time for me and saves me later.
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