We spend a lot of money on food in a month. Unless you look at it in detail, you don’t ever really realize how much money you are spending. Reducing foods costs can free up more money than you think. Here are some reasons why a dinner plan can put more money in your pocket.
Who says that you can’t plan your meals the way that you plan your other finances? Budgeting for food is actually a smart thing to do. The money that we spend on food doesn’t only include the money spent at a grocery store, but also money spent at fast food restaurants. There are times when it is easier to pop into the drive-thru than slave over a hot stove. But, that is a topic for another time.
A weekly dinner plan doesn’t have to be painful. Getting the entire family in on the act makes it fun. Let the kids contribute what they would like to eat for dinner. After all, who wants to waste money on food that no one is going to eat?
A weekly dinner plan begins with a menu. To lighten the load on mom, dad or both, give each person a day of their own. They get to decide on the dinner menu and cook. You can help them if they need it.
Another great way to take work and stress out of creating a weekly menu is using $5 Dinner Meal Plans. This is a weekly meal plan service that can make your meal planning as simple as possible. For just $5 a month, they will send you a delicious meal plan where every meal will cost about $2 per person, and in most cases less. (Erin, the founder of $5 Dinners, makes these meals for her family of 6 for $5 per meal!)
Make a weekly grocery run at the beginning of the week. The food purchased will go along with the menu. Create a weekly budget so you don’t go over your monthly allotment for food. It may take a month or two to work out any kinks in your system.
Use coupons and store flyers. Buy store brand when you can. Stores that double or triple coupons can be a big help with some of the items on your list that you use a lot.
Buy in bulk. Items like milk, eggs, rice and bread can be purchased in larger quantities because you are almost guaranteed to use them up.
Don’t forget about fresh fruit and vegetables. Farmer’s markets are great places to get a deal on fresh fruit. To avoid it going to waste, wash and cut it up and then freeze it until you need it. The taste is sweeter than canned and with fewer preservatives.
Save the leftovers. Leftovers can be used as lunch menu fare on the weekends or for a change in lunches during the week.
You don’t have to stop with dinners. Let that be the way that you work out the bugs. You can also plan breakfast and lunches with a meal plan that reduces the cost of food for your household.
Food is a necessity for all of us. But, we don’t have to spend a fortune feeding our families. With a little menu planning, you can eat well and save money at the same time.
Andrea is the Chief Chick of Smart Money Chicks. After filing BK twice (once because she panicked, second time because the pro messed the first time up), she realized that it all could have been avoided if she understood more about how her Finances worked and the options available. At that point, she wanted to help as many as she could never make the same mistakes again. Our Promise is that all the content you read on here is created or edited by Andrea