Money Saving Ideas - Save on Groceries to Make Easy Cheap Dinner Recipes

Many families struggle with finding meals that fit within their budget and still provide enough to eat for a family of 4 or more. This article will discuss different ideas for saving on meals, where to find recipes, and general ideas for pinching pennies at the table.

What Makes So Many Meals Costly?

There are many different factors that come into play when you're coming up with ideas for dinners throughout your week. The reason that seemingly mundane meals become so expensive is due to the cost of the ingredients - this is a no-brainer; if you make your food with other expensive foods, the cost will go up. Avoid using specialty ingredients that can only be used in one dish. These are often used for taste or garnish, so substitute accordingly when possible.

Another factor that drives up the overall cost is the size of the meal that you make. Avoid making meals that are too large for the people eating. If you're someone who really loves leftovers you might be able to justify the fridge full of extra food, but the reality is that leftovers often go uneaten and get thrown away. Try to portion the meals so everyone has enough to eat, but don't over do it. If you buy too much food at the grocery, you're better off making two meals.

General Money Saving Tips For Easy Cheap Recipes

We'll list out some general tips to save money when you're at the grocery store, and discuss some things to avoid as well.
Plan at least a week at a time (10 days might be better if you have the fridge/freezer space). Document each meal and what you need to make it. Avoid ingredients that don't add much to the meal. Some condiments and spices really don't provide much in the overall flavor of the dish and just add cost. Try to share ingredients. If you have a meal that involves 3 chicken breasts, you would probably benefit in sharing the cost with another meal and buying 5 instead. Pick up some salad in a bag, add the cooked chicken on top and cut the cost per meal almost in half. Try different things. Spaghetti and marinara is a notoriously cheap meal (you can probably feed 5 people for $5 if you plan accordingly) - try different variations, like a different type of noodle or sauce, to keep the family from boycotting spaghetti from the meal plan.Where to find Easy Cheap Dinner Recipes.

Scour the local library for cookbooks and modify accordingly (substitute when needed to save money), or search the web for cheap recipes. If can find 10-20 that you like, you could cut your grocery bill in half. Track your spending and watch the results. Once you see the difference in your pocketbook, you'll be motivated to move forward and keep up the good habit.

Easy Cheap Dinner Recipes.