Pasta with tomato sauce is a cheap meal idea.
If you are spending more than $175 per adult per month on food, you can save money by changing your meal planning. You don't even have to sacrifice nutritional quality, because many healthy foods, such as dry beans, are quite inexpensive. Adjust your grocery shopping, cooking and eating habits to significantly cut the cost of meals.
Go Meatless
Meat is the most expensive component of most meals. Prepare some meals that are vegetarian or in which meat is only a small portion of the meal. For example, many soups and stews are vegetarian or have just a little meat in them. Substitute beans, mushrooms, eggs or tofu for meat to save money in recipes. Rice with stir-fried vegetables and pasta with tomato sauce and cheese are a couple of simple and cheap meatless meals.
Shop Sales
Buy groceries when they are at their lowest prices, and use what you can get inexpensively to save money. Look up the weekly ads for your favorite grocery store and make your meal plan based on what is on sale. When you see something non-perishable on sale, stock up so you do not have to pay full price on the item when you need it later. Purchase seasonal produce and rely on frozen or canned fruits and vegetables when nothing is in season.
Buy and Cook in Bulk
In many cases, you will get a better price per pound if you buy a larger package of the item. Therefore, buy in bulk whenever possible, either by buying the largest size your grocery store stocks or by joining a club store. When you cook, prepare enough for an additional meal and either freeze it to serve at a later date or refrigerate it to use for lunches the next day. Preparing food in advance helps you avoid paying for restaurant food or expensive packaged foods when you don't have time to cook.
Restaurant Meal Tips
Although restaurant meals are generally much more expensive than cooking at home, there are times when you will want to eat out. Use a few techniques to keep the cost down. First, order water instead of soft drinks or alcohol. Second, look for coupons in the newspaper or online to take a couple of dollars off the cost of the meal. Third, share entrees whenever possible. Most restaurant entrees have enough calories for two people, and especially if you order extras, like a side salad or an appetizer, you should be able to get by with half as many entrees as you have people. Another trick, if you have young kids, is to order something for yourself that your child can share with you. Some restaurants offer promotions where you can get a free kids meal with each adult entree.
Tags: save money, entrees have, grocery store, tomato sauce, whenever possible