8 Money Saving Tips for Feeding your Family on a Budget
Saving money is always a win, but as the world struggles to deal with our new pandemic reality, financial constraints seem to be at the forefront of many people’s minds. Being a mom of 4, I have learned a thing or two about stretching the family budget to ensure everyone is fed, clothed and entertained. Here are a few simple, yet effective things you can do to feed your family well on a budget.
Use the sale cycles - Grocery stores typically put items on sale in 4 to 6-week cycles. Meaning, if the item you need is not on sale this week it should be coming up at least within the month. Wait for the sale, and then stock up on the things that you know your family uses a lot. It is important to keep expiry dates in mind, and not buy so much that you end up throwing it out later. Buying on sale is especially important for higher value items such as meats and cheeses and these can last you until the next sale cycle if your fridge and freezer can handle it. Meat can be portioned into usable amounts and frozen, and bread does well in the freezer too. Spending the money upfront may not feel great at the moment, but it will pay off financially in the long run.
Eat seasonally - Seasonal foods take fewer resources to produce, are more plentiful and therefore often cheaper to buy. Not to mention, they taste so much better! It’s tough in Ontario given our changing seasons, but whenever possible, try to plan your meals based on what is in season at any given time. Aside from the money-saving benefit, foods that are grown and eaten during their appropriate seasons are more vitamin and nutrient-dense. For those who are really savvy, why not try canning and jarring to appreciate the intense flavours all year round? https://www.ontario.ca/foodland/page/availability-guide
Use your leftovers well - Leftover chicken from Sunday’s roasted chicken dinner? Use this to make chicken quesadillas for lunch on Monday or a chicken noodle soup for the week. Decreasing wasted food is a huge help when money is tight. Soups, stews and chilis go a long way - If you haven’t already, take this time (and there seems to be a lot more of it!) to learn how to make a few easy recipes. Soups and stews can be so simple to make and can really stretch a dollar. When the hardy vegetables such as broccoli or carrots are in season, buy in bulk and make a large batch of soup to put in the freezer. This is a cheap way to get lots of healthy vegetables into your family and an easy way to use up nearly expired items from your fridge. Pair your soup with some fresh bread and you have a healthy, filling meal.
Plan your meals - Never go to the grocery store without a plan. Spend some time on a Sunday evening looking through the flyers, determining what is on sale for the week or what you already have on hand and plan out what you are going to eat for the week. Don’t forget to incorporate the use of leftovers into your plan.
Focus on the staples - Flour, eggs, sugar, milk, yeast, ground meat, pasta, rice and potatoes are your friends! The range of meals that can be made with these items, some seasoning and a little creativity are endless. As many of us seem to have a little more time at home right now (thank you social distancing!) why not capitalize on this time to learn to cook and bake new recipes from scratch? Get your kids to help in the kitchen and you can squeeze in some math and reading skills at the same time.
Price match - If you aren’t already on the Flipp App bandwagon, now is the time to try it out. This app gives you access to flyers for all of the grocery stores (and more) that you may frequent. Use it to comparison shop and make a shopping list based on your finds. At some stores in Ontario, you can even use this app to price match items and get them at the competitor’s cheaper price.
Coupon clip - Ever dreamt of scoring large grocery hauls for free like you see on TLC’s Extreme Couponing? It’s not quite as easy in Canada as it is in the US, but it is still possible to get items for a fraction of the cost or sometimes even free. Look for coupons in the store aisles (the dairy section usually has lots), at the front door to the store, or check out the links below for coupons that can be sent to you directly via mail or email based on your family’s preferences. Stock up on your coupons, wait for the item to go on sale (this is where price matching can come in handy) then use your coupon for the ultimate deal.
Most importantly keep the fun in the kitchen! Experiment, try new things and enjoy time spent learning together as a family.
Wishing everyone good health and mental wellness as well all navigate this challenging time together.
From my family to yours.
Leslie Bosman, RBT