Kitchen tips: Taming your weekly grocery budget
We Americans tend to spend too much on groceries—or at least think that we do, said
Leanne Brown in The New York Times. A recent study showed that almost a third of us say that when we go grocery shopping, we
“almost always overspend.” Feeling that way can be stressful, especially at a time when prices are rising and we are eating at home more. But there are smart ways to trim any weekly budget.
Focus on inexpensive staples. Maybe you already eat pasta with a simple tomato sauce once a week. Consider how many of your regular meals are built around pasta, rice, beans, eggs, and canned tomatoes, then think how you might add more.
Go light on meat. Because meat is expensive, try to use it for its flavor more than for bulk calories. Maybe by adding chickpeas, for example, you can halve the meat in your favorite lamb-and-rice dish.
Embrace veggies in all forms. Leaning more on fruits and vegetables can sound expensive, “but that’s not a certainty.” First, adjust your cooking to what’s in season. Don’t dismiss canned and frozen produce, which, when chosen well, can be equally flavorful and nutritious. And learn to use less-fresh produce in stir-fries and similar dishes.
Favor versatility. “Limiting prepared snacks can be one of the quickest routes to a grocery bill that lets you breathe easy,” so replace single-use flavored yogurts with quarts of yogurt you flavor yourself. Reach for baking staples instead of prepared desserts, but be kind to yourself, too. “Don’t budget pleasure out of the picture.”