When it comes to saving money it’s all too easy to think of the efforts that you go to as a sacrifice. You give up a treat, skip events with your friends or otherwise deprive yourself of something that you want in order to stick to your budget. However, not all frugal living tips are unpleasant – buying groceries in bulk and cooking in large batches can be fun and healthy, as well as good for your wallet.
Buying in Bulk
Many ingredients are much cheaper when they are bought in larger quantities. You don’t need a head for figures, just bring along a calculator when you go shopping. Use your calculator to figure out the cost of one unit of your ingredients for each package size. For example, an 8oz bag of rice for $1.20 works out at $0.15 per oz, whereas a 20 oz bag for $20 works out at just $0.10 per oz. As you get more used to these calculations you will find it much easier to figure out which package sizes are the most cost effective.
Cooking in Bulk
There are a number of different dishes that you can prepare in large batches as easily as if you were just making a single meal. You should choose those which will freeze well such as chili, pasta sauces, cottage pies and so on. One big cooking effort on a Sunday night will provide you with enough of the dish for several meals. Once you are finished with the preparation, divide the dish into portion sizes, either individual portions or enough for your whole family. Then, simply pop them into a freezer-safe container and label them. Labeling is important so that you can use each meal while it is still good and so that you do not end up thawing out some apple pi8e when you wanted cottage pie!
Why It Is Worth It
There are a number of reasons why it is well worth it to spend a little bit of time each week cooking in bulk.
Save time: Sure, cooking a big batch of chili will take a bit more time and effort than just making enough for one meal. However, in the long run you end up saving much more time! The chilli will be in your freezer whenever you want it, saving trips to the store and cooking time during the week. You can spend this time relaxing, working or enjoying your family’s company.
Save money: While buying in bulk saves you some money, the biggest savings from cooking in bulk come from easy avoidance of ready meals and fast food. We all have days where we just can’t face the idea of cooking a nutritious meal. The easy solution is to buy some expensive ready-meals or order pricey fast-food. However, when you have a lovely pasta sauce in the freezer all you need to do is defrost it in the microwave while you let some past cook on the stove. It’s as easy as calling for takeout and a fraction of the cost.
Be Healthy: The cost isn’t the only problem with ready meals and fast food – they are also often much less healthy than foods you cook yourself. You know exactly what ingredients you used in your homemade cottage pie, and if you think your family could do with more veg in their diet you can add some extra when making it. Often healthy living like this will make your family private health insurance plans cheaper too. You can cut down on the salt or use less fat – whatever your health focus your cooking can accommodate it. By making it easy to avoid ready meals and fast food you make it easier to keep your family healthy.
Betty writes food and family money saving articles on behalf of an online healthcare news site. They strongly believe in promoting healthy living and disease prevention as a better alternative than just relying on treatment.
