Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
We all know that cooking at home is cheaper than eating out. But if we aren't careful, we can still spend a bundle on home cooking.
Consider these 9 tips to help you keep that home cooking budget in check:
When preparing meals:
(1)Research substitute ingredients. Don't dash to the store (or worse, a convenience store), if you find you're missing an ingredient to complete a recipe. Log online instead. The web abounds with information and suggestions for ingredient substitutes ““ everything from eggs to buttermilk.
(2)Lighten up. Not all meals have to consist of 3 or 4 offerings, plus dessert. Consider lighter fare, with only one main item and one side or dessert. Benefits the waistline to boot!
(3)Stage a challenge. One night a week, stage a pantry, freezer, and fridge challenge. Have fun making meals from leftovers or items that need to be used soon.
(4)Put inexpensive tenderizers to work. Pound, then marinate, less expensive cuts of meat in vinegar, apple juice or tomato juice to tenderize them. This will make them enjoyable while saving money on fresh meat.
When shopping for ingredients:
(1)Comb mark-downs racks first. Stores mark down their overabundance of bakery goods, produce that needs consumption soon, and sometimes even regular dry goods. Check these before selecting from regular areas.
(2)Think “˜non-food'.Every week, coupons and store incentives combine for free or nearly free health, beauty, and household supplies. Leverage this on a regular basis to free up money for food, especially fresh ingredients.
(3)Look high, look low. If an ingredient you need is not on a good sale, shop the top and bottom grocery racks. Often store or lesser-known brands will be shelved there, as name brands pay a premium for eye-level shelf locations.
(4)Fill a prescription.Many stores occasionally offer coupons, worth money off a shopping trip, for using their pharmacy and starting a new prescription, transferring one, and sometimes occasionally simply filling one.
(5)Watch the ounces. Bigger is not always cheaper. Check the price per ounce on everything you buy. Then get the best value that matches your needs (and, hopefully, your coupons).
