[ healthy strategies]
BY TASTE FOR LIFE STAFF
5 budget-friendly
meal planning tips
getting
organized can
save you time
and money
Eating out can be fun and exciting but doing it every
night of the week probably isn't the best choice for
your budget or your waistline. Cooking at home can
be healthy and cost-effective, but it does require
some planning. Organizing the week's dinners before
you go shopping can help you save time and money,
and takes the guesswork out of meal prep. Here are
five tips to get you started!
pasta, canned beans, rice, tuna fish, and tomato
sauce? Organize dinners around these ingredients.
Take stock of what's in the freezer, as well.
After planning meals and making a list of the
ingredients you need for each one, check to make
sure you don't already have the items on hand. This
helps prevent duplicate purchases.
4 Focus on filling foods
O Feature your favorites
Have everyone in the family contribute their favorite
meal ideas. Organize the top 20 dishes by category:
soups, chicken, vegetarian, seafood, etc. Make a list
of the ingredients needed for each meal. Keep the list
handy on your computer or in a notebook for quick
reference when it's time to make a shopping list.
Plan meals around inexpensive and nutritious items
found in the store. Consider foods that are filling:
beans, squash, sweet potatoes, lentils, brown rice,
tofu, mushrooms, and eggs are good choices.
6 Seek out specials
2 Get creative with themes
Another idea is to give each day of the week a specific
theme. Taco Tuesday is a common choice. Pasta
Wednesday and stir-fry Friday are other options.
Make an ingredient list based on recipes you find for
these themed days.
Check the store's flyers and weekly circulars for
specials. Pick out recipes that feature sale items.
Scour newspaper inserts or the internet for coupons
featuring your favorite brands. Buy in-season
produce-not only is it less expensive, but it's likely to
be fresher too.
Look for manager's specials at the store. Another
place to find deals is the grocery clearance section.
Ask an employee where to find the discounts. O
3 Shop your shelves
To save time and money, plan meals around what
you already have. Are the cabinets stuffed with dried
SELECTED SOURCES "10 family meal planning tips & ideas on a budget"
by Kristia Ludwick, www.MoneyCrashers.com, 2019• "How to plan your
meals when you're on a tight budget" by Kristin Wong, www.twocents.
LifeHacker.com
20 JANUARY 2022
