I’ve developed an array of strategies over the years to save money on grocery shopping. From buying seasonal produce and local farmer’s markets to signing up for Community Supported Agriculture and diligently clipping coupons, I’ve tried them all. However, I’ve discovered the simplest, quickest, and most effective way to save money on groceries is through meal planning.
The idea may seem tedious to many; even I initially dismissed it due to the seemingly demanding tasks of choosing recipes, deciding meals in advance, and creating a comprehensive ingredient list. I often questioned if I could predetermine my food cravings for the entire week. But I soon realized that these hesitant thoughts were merely excuses preventing me from trying meal planning. I believed that I could either save money or save time, not both. But my perception was inaccurate.
Finally, I decided to delve into meal planning by subscribing to a meal planning service. After some research, I joined ‘The Fresh 20’, known for creating five quick-to-make dinners with a focus on local and organic ingredients, with a shopping list centred around 20 ingredients.
Every Friday, they would dispatch my grocery shopping list and the week’s menu. Shopping over the weekend kept me organized for the forthcoming week. It was fantastic as we were consuming healthy food and experimenting with new recipes each week.
However, challenges arose when Eric began working more frequently, resulting in excessive food as the meals were designed for a family of four. Plus, my unique dietary preferences, like my aversion to tomatoes and avocados, often required substitutions, which could be inconvenient.
Gradually, I began to devise my own meal plan, choosing recipes with similar ingredients that were low-calorie and tasty. I then added the required ingredients to my shopping list and posted the week’s menu on our refrigerator.
Meal planning’s beauty lies in its ability to prevent wasted ingredients. By mapping out your meals, you purchase exactly what you need, reducing excessive grocery store visits that can lead to impulse buying, and ensuring that no food goes to waste. It’s impressive how much food wastage I’ve minimized because by week’s end, our fridge is usually empty!
Contrary to what many believe, meal planning does not consume much time—it takes me only about 15 minutes to find appealing recipes (thanks to Pinterest!) and note their ingredients on my shopping list.
In conclusion, meal planning is a cost-saving strategy that everyone should adopt – it’s a choice you can’t afford to ignore!
