Food, glorious food. We all need it. And it knows it! The money we spend on food can be quite considerable. However, there are more affordable ways that can be explored.
Takeouts
It can be so convenient to get a takeout, especially if you’re tired or can’t be bothered to cook. You just want crash after a long day and eat. You don’t want to go back home, go to the kitchen and start cooking.
That’s understandable. Perfectly.
A way around that, though, is to cook in advance. Cook enough over, say, the weekend to last you through the week and store it in the freezer. That way, you can just pop it in the microwave when you get back.
Cook your own food. It will save you a ton. And then have the odd takeout every now and then.
Shopping
Look around for cheaper versions of what you consume, either at the store you already buy from or at cheaper stores. Some products might be worth switching to and some might not. Try them and find out. It’ll be worth the dollars you save.
Look at things like eggs, milk, cheese, meat, fish, alcohol, and non-food items such as toilet rolls and detergent. Also, think about buying certain things in bulk, as it’ll also save you some money.
The report “Protein Ingredients Market by Source (Animal and Plant), Form (Dry and Liquid), Application (Food & Beverages, Animal Feed, Pharmaceuticals, and Cosmetics & Personal Care), and Region (NA, EU, APAC, SA, RoW) – Global Forecast to 2025”, published by MarketsandMarkets™, The global protein ingredients market size is estimated to be valued at USD 52.5 billion in 2020 and projected to reach USD 70.7 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 6.1%. The major factors driving the protein ingredients market include the increase in demand and consumption of functional food & beverages, growing consumer awareness about healthy diets among people, and increasing demand for protein as nutrition and functional ingredients. Also, try out some High protein Meal Prep that is both healthy and quick; cook in advance.
Eat Less Meat and Fish
Cut back on the meat and/or fish you eat every week. Or buy cheaper meat/fish. For example, if you eat salmon, swap it for a cheaper oily fish. If you eat beef, swap it for chicken, which is cheaper.
Consider going to your local butcher’s (if there is one) and buying your meat/fish there.
Prepare your own sauce
Not only is it a cost saver, and healthier, but it can be fun and interesting, knowing you made your own tartar or your own barbecue sauce! There’s a cool budget-friendly homemade barbecue sauce recipe shared on the site, pocketchangegourmet.com, if you’re feeling adventurous. And it looks really easy too. Just ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar.
A list
Never go shopping without a shopping list. It’s more likely you’ll buy more than you planned. Ever walk into a store just to pick up one thing and ended up with way more than one item?
Imagine a shopping list has superpowers and that it’s physically impossible to buy anything that’s not on it. Also, imagine that when you write the list, once you draw a line under the very last item, that’s it, you can’t add anything else!
On a serious note, an instant way to cut back on food expenses is to just stick to your list and not listen to any other thing in the store that calls out your name.
Figuring out and implementing various ways to cut back on a food budget can be quite empowering. And it’s something you can start doing as early as your next shop, starting with just one item.
Happy shopping.