5 Tips for Eating on a Budget

A little meal planning can go a long way when it comes to living on a budget. I've put together a few tips that have helped our family stay within our budget.

1. Plan at Least One Week of Meals

I sit down and plan 1-2 weeks of meals and write a grocery list. Meal planning is where I look at the grocery ads and plan meals based on sales, food preferences, and balancing all the food groups. My goal is to fit all five food groups (protein, dairy, fruits, vegetables, & starch) in every meal. If I plan, I know my meals will packed with nutrition for whole family.

2. Grocery Shop Once Weekly

We take one trip to the grocery store per week (and with two toddlers that's about all I can handle). I get all the ingredients we will need to prepare our meals. I carefully select produce that will last for the week. If that option is not available then frozen fruits or vegetables make a great substitute for fresh. Frozen produce is picked at its peak when nutrition is highest then frozen immediately.

3. Stick to the List

I'm sure you've heard this before, but it really works. If you only purchase items on the list, there are no impulse buys. I must admit that this can be challenging with "helpers" while shopping, but stick to your guns and you will succeed. Just today my 3-year old said, "We need to get that candy." I simply replied that candy is not on the list and we only get items on the list. He was satisfied with my response and made no further requests.

4. Re-purpose or freeze any leftovers

If you have leftovers, find a new way to use them within a few days or freeze them so you have an easy meal in the future. For example, on Sunday I cooked a pork roast and about half of the roast was unused in that meal. So Wednesday I made tikka masala with pork and it turned out great. There was no waste and the meal came together quickly because the meat was already cooked. Another trick is to plan to cook extra meat/poultry all at once for quick meals in the future.

5. Prepare meals at home/dine out less

This is an easy one for us because we are so rural, but when we lived in the city, I still took lunch from home to work and school. Home prepared foods tend to be healthier including lower in calories and added fats or sugars and often taste better. Right now I eat out one meal each week and that is, ironically, the day I go grocery shopping. I give myself a little break on the shopping day and take the kids out for lunch. The rest of our meals are prepared at home, even if we don't eat at home.

I hope you found these tips helpful. Feel free to write a comment and share any additional tips you use to help your family stay on a budget.