Every Thursday in 2025, I will answer questions about money and/or budgets. If you have a question, you hope I will answer in the post I will publish, please submit it here.
Today’s question comes from Lyley:
One of my struggles in money is that I like to cook and try new recipes. However, even with the meal plan, our grocery budget is still rising. How can I cook creatively without bankruptcy ingredients? -Riley
How to cook creatively in the case of bankruptcy banks
If you like to cook and try new recipes, but you find that even in the meal plan, your grocery budget is still spreading, then you are not alone! I heard a lot, and they felt that the cost of grocery stores continued to increase.
The good news is that I believe you don’t have to sacrifice creativity in the kitchen to maintain the budget. With some wise strategies, you can enjoy delicious dishes without overspending.
Here are some of my best strategies, which can help you achieve this balance:
1. Keep strategic in your shopping place
One of the biggest ways to reduce the cost of groceries is the place where intentional shopping. Although it seems easier to use a store, you can usually save a lot of shopping by shopping in many stores, but there is no running in the entire town!
Do some research every week to check which two or three stores are the best sales. Plan your shopping trip around these transactions to obtain the best explosion for you. For example, the staple food components of ALDI and Costco are usually high, and local grocery stores may be sold among agricultural products and meat every week.
If you feel too much shopping at 2-3 stores per week, then even if you just rotate your shopping store regularly, it is a good way to save money. The alternation between nearby shops depends on the best transactions operating every week. The best sales of the inventory that week, and any product provided by the store provided by the store. Next week, do the same thing in another store. etc. By rotating your shopping store, you can regularly reserve the best transaction provided by each store-instead of spending more time shopping!
2. Practice purchase principle
If you always shop for what you need that week, then you may pay the price for many ingredients. On the contrary, practice pre -purchase principles. This means that the lowest price is stored in the food storage room, meat and other commonly used items.
For example, if you see 50 % discount chicken for sale, buy additional chicken and freeze it for future meals. Over time, this method will reduce your grocery costs and provide you with greater flexibility of catering plan, because you already have many key components.
Most stores will be sold almost every store every 6-12 weeks. If you buy the value of 6-12 weeks at the lowest price, and most of the products you buy will greatly reduce the grocery budget.
3. Plan your meals
Instead of planning meals, it is better to take a look at your food storage room, refrigerator and freezer according to the good way to make a meal according to the current way. Then, formulate meals around these ingredients and supplement the store sales products. This can prevent waste and help you create creativity through what you have.
Use online tools, such as AllRCipes ingredient search or search on ChatGPT to find recipes using ingredients on your hand. This simple change can greatly reduce your grocery billing, and at the same time make your meals fresh and exciting. (Note: You can check the query on the ChatGPT, for example: “I have this component, this ingredient, this ingredient and this ingredient. I need dinner within 30 minutes. What can I do?”)
4. Simplify your ingredients
The recipes with 15 special ingredients sound delicious, but you can quickly consume your grocery budget. Instead, finding multifunctional staple foods that rely on reasonable prices, such as beans, rice, eggs, potatoes, seasonal vegetables and cheap meat.
Try to merge more recipes that you have purchased regularly. For example, if you like to cook with fresh herbal medicine, but find that they often deteriorate before using them, consider planting or switch to dry herbs when needed.
In addition, it freezes anything you do n’t use based on the remaining items that use other recipes you purchased. Similarly, Google or ChatGPT is very helpful. Search for similar content: “I have a lot of this ingredient. What are some simple and cheap recipe ideas using this ingredient?”
Do you need some fast and simple meal ideas? The idea of using 60 super meals (some of our families) to get free cheating tables!
5. Make full use of leftovers
Instead of treating the leftovers as boring, it is better to treat them as an opportunity to create creativity! Transforming dinner last night into a new meal. The remaining grilled chicken can become chicken fried corn cakes, rich soups or homemade pizza stuffing. Old bread? Turn it into a bread or bread pudding.
The weekly “remaining vegetable night” is also a good way to reduce waste and let yourself get rid of the new meals. We plan to rotate menu for the rest of the night. I just clarified all the odds from the refrigerator, and people can make a plate according to what they desire! This means that we consume more things, I don’t have to cook all night!
6. Use budget -friendly cooking technology
Cooking from scratch is almost cheaper than buying prefabricated or processing foods. Instead of spending money to buy expensive items, but trying to make simple staple food at home:
- Make your own spice mixture instead of buying a pre -mixed data packet.
- Boil dried beans instead of buying cans.
- Bake your own bread, muffin or Grandorra oatmeal stick to save snack foods.
- Make a lot of soup, casserole or stir -fried dishes, and frozen parts for future meals.
7. Season and local shopping
If you are not careful, fresh agricultural products may be a huge budget range. Buying fruits and vegetables in season is one of the best ways to save fresh and healthy meals. The farmer’s market and discount stores may also be a good place to find fresh and affordable ingredients.
If you have time and time, consider planting your own agricultural products. Even the small herbal medicine garden on the window sill can save you money and add fresh flavor to your dishes.
8. Set budget and track your expenditure
If you do not track, it is easy to get your grocery expenditure out of control. Set a clear grocery budget and track your purchase to check your whereabouts. Apply applications such as ynab or simple electronic forms can help you maintain responsibility and be responsible for the place where possible overruns.
Another great strategy is to use cash for grocery. Earlier this month with a cash to withdraw a grocery budget, you only spend what you have. This is forcing you to pay more attention to buying and prevent overcome.
Remember: Love cooking does not necessarily mean overtaking on groceries. In fact, it can help you save funds, because you will like to spend more time in the kitchen and start cooking in the kitchen and starting from scratch!
Through strategic shopping, meals around sales and foods you already have, simplify ingredients, and use budget -friendly cooking techniques. You can enjoy delicious and creative meals within the budget range of grocery stores. With a little intention, you can keep the taste buds and wallets happy!
What skills and strategies would you add to my list to encourage Riley and others like her to be frustrated with rising grocery costs?
Free one -week menu plan!
Simple ingredients and grocery store shopping lists are made for your dinner recipes!
