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Eating well is so important, but with the price of everything skyrocketing at the minute, many people are wondering how they’ll be able to continue doing so. Even those who previously lived comfortably are feeling the pinch, so just about all of us need to consider ways we can reduce our food costs. Here are some tips that can help.
Learn How to Cook
Spend time learning to cook- it’s one of the best skills you’ll ever acquire. We all need to be able to feed ourselves, so why not learn how to properly prepare healthy and delicious food? That way you’ll always be able to whip up meals with the ingredients you can get your hands on, you’ll save money and avoid all of the extra chemicals, salt, sugar, and oil that get added to processed and prepared foods. Start with a couple of simple recipes and work your way from there. Read recipe blogs, and watch cooking channels on Youtube and TV. Educate yourself about different ingredients and cooking techniques and over time you’ll improve your cooking. You could even attend cooking classes or ask a friend or family member who’s a whizz in the kitchen to show you a few things. See this as an investment in yourself, your health, your family, and your future.
Meal Plan
Once you have an understanding of how to cook and what ingredients go together, what kind of recipes you’re able to do, and what you enjoy making, it makes meal planning much easier. When you meal plan, you can create a shopping list based on exactly what you need. That way you’re less likely to waste food, won’t shop mindlessly, or be sucked into buying things that you don’t need. If you’re on a really tight budget then base your meals around inexpensive staples- pasta, rice, and potatoes are good options as they fill you up while still providing a decent amount of nutrition. From there, work out which meats and vegetables you’re able to get your hands on cheaply, anything local and seasonal is likely to be your best bet. Right now, root vegetables like parsnips and carrots are plentiful as are cabbages. You could go with something like easy sautéed napa cabbage with beautifully seasoned mashed potatoes and slow-cooked meat that falls off the bone- a hearty, tasty, and inexpensive meal. Curries and rice, pasta bakes, and stews are all cheap and perfect for this time of year.
Build Your Store Cupboard
Having ingredients on hand when you come to cook is really helpful. It means you’re not having to buy tons of ingredients every time you make a meal, you’re pretty much ready to go once you have your fresh items. Purchase things like herbs and spices, dried foods like big bags of pasta and rice, jars of sauces, and tins of food. These are all long life and will last a really long time if they’re stored correctly. When you’re running low on fresh foods, you will be able to create store cupboard meals too which can help keep you going during more difficult financial times.
