A great option for saving money on food while also eating a healthy diet is to buy in bulk. This does take a little more planning, but can ultimately help you afford more nutritious foods and not stray from your food budget.
It may seem counterintuitive, but spending more money on food now can actually save you money in the long run. Here’s how.
Buying and Cooking in Bulk
People often think this is only a good option when you have a big family, but that isn’t true at all. Everyone can benefit from buying and cooking in bulk. An obvious benefit of cooking this way is by saving on the individual ingredients you buy. You tend to get the best deals when buying something on sale, buying more than one, and freezing it.
Another great benefit is that you can cook two of whatever meal you are cooking, saving you more time later. The same amount of preparation goes into it to make for example two casseroles instead of one, then you have an entire casserole to put in the freezer and have it ready for a night when you don’t have as much time for cooking.
Bulk buying and cooking also help you become more aware of what you’re eating. You’re able to cook with fresher ingredients, and if you’re buying them on sale, you’re getting them at a fraction of the cost. This is the key to helping you save money on food in the long run- being able to buy healthy foods on sale and in bulk.
Build Up Food Inventory Slowly
Since you still need to stick to your current food budget, it does take a little more planning ahead for buying in bulk. For this reason, you want to build up your inventory slowly, instead of getting everything at once. That way you don’t overload your freezer or fridge, and you’re able to rotate the food so that nothing goes to waste.
A good way to start is by making a list of items that you use frequently and looking for sales on those. Once you have a good stockpile of those items, you can start branching out and buying other things in bulk. Maybe the next time you are at the store, there is a good sale on chicken breasts, so you purchase two or three packs instead of one.
A food inventory will also help you be more aware of what you have on hand, so you’re less likely to let food go to waste. This is a huge problem for many people and one that can be easily avoided by taking inventory of what you have and planning meals around that.
Shop Around for the Best Prices
It might seem tedious, but it helps a lot to compare prices at different stores in order to get the best deal. This doesn’t mean you go to five different grocery stores every week, but you decide which stores have more of what you need with the best deal.
You will probably figure out which stores have the best deals on foods you buy the most often, so that makes it much easier down the line. And once you have a good system for price comparisons, it won’t take as long. You can even do it while you’re at the store by using your phone to look up the prices of items.
The goal here is to save money in the long run, so even if it takes a little more time and effort upfront, it will be worth it in the end.
Keep Everything Organized
Finally, to prevent food from going bad before you get the chance to use it, make sure your refrigerator, freezer, and food pantries are all well organized. Always keep the older food items up front and the newer items in the back. That way, nothing expires before it gets used.
Keep as many food items in your vision as you can so you remember they are there and will use them for your meals. You can also use storage containers and labels to help keep everything organized.
Sure that can be a little extra work, but it’s worth it to save money and time in the long run. Imagine how much money you would save if you only bought the food you knew you would eat and didn’t let anything go to waste.
Make the Most of Leftovers
Although you don’t have to spend any money on leftovers, they are a great way to save time and money. If you have leftovers from a meal, don’t throw them away! Instead, save them for another meal or freeze them for later.
There are so many ways to turn leftovers into new meals. For example, if you have leftover chicken, you can shred it and add it to a salad or make chicken enchiladas. If you have leftover rice, you can use it for fried rice or add it to the soup. The possibilities are endless, and the more you get creative with your leftovers, the more money you’ll save in the long run.
Buy Organic Food if Possible
Many people believe that organic food is a waste of money. They see the higher price tag and think that they could get more bang for their buck if they just bought the cheaper, non-organic options. However, what these people fail to realize is that organic food actually saves you money in the long run. Here’s why:
You’ll save on healthcare costs
One of the main reasons why organic food is so much more expensive than non-organic food is because there are simply fewer chemicals involved in the production process. That might not seem like a big deal, but those chemicals can actually have a significant impact on your health, both in the short and long run. By eating fewer chemicals, you’re less likely to develop obesity, cancer, heart disease, and other chronic conditions that require expensive treatments. In other words, you’ll save a ton of money on healthcare costs down the road by spending a little bit more on organic food now.
You’ll reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals
Another reason why organic food is worth the extra expense is that it reduces your exposure to toxic chemicals. Pesticides and herbicides are designed to kill living things, so it’s not really all that surprising that they can also have negative effects on human health. Studies have linked pesticide exposure to birth defects, cancer, neurological problems, and other serious health issues. By eating organic foods, you can avoid ingesting these harmful chemicals and reduce your risk of developing serious health problems later on.
You’ll help preserve the environment.
Organic farming practices are much gentler on the environment than traditional farming methods because they don’t rely on harsh pesticides and herbicides. This means that organic farms are able to maintain a healthier ecosystem overall, which provides numerous benefits for both humans and animals alike. Plus, by choosing organic products, you can help support these sustainable farming practices and encourage more farmers to switch to greener methods.
Conclusion
The next time you’re standing in front of the grocery store shelves debating whether or not to spend the extra money on organic food, remember this: you’re not just buying food, you’re investing in your health, the environment, and the future.
So there you have it! A few key ways to save money are by spending a little bit more now. Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a great place to start if you’re looking to cut costs without sacrificing quality. Do you have any other tips for saving money? Share them in the comments below!
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