The Art of Meal Planning: Frugal Tips for Eating Well on a Budget

Farmers are protesting all around the world today!

We all are making les s and less (at least it feels like that to me!).

We are saving even lesser!!

Expenses are going through the roof!!!

So, it is imperative to plan your finances wisely.

We all want to eat healthy, delicious, and varied meals without breaking the bank, don’t we?

And here is the hard part my friend….

We all need to save time, money, and food waste by planning ahead.

That brings up the topic most talked off behind closed doors and hushed up in public ……Meal Planning!

Meal planning is the process of deciding what to eat for a certain period of time, usually a week or a month, and preparing the ingredients and recipes in advance.

Meal planning has many benefits for your health and budget, such as:

• You can control what you eat and avoid unhealthy or expensive options like takeout, fast food, or processed food.
• You can balance your nutrition and include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats in your diet.
• You can reduce your grocery bills by buying only what you need and using up what you have.
• You can save time and energy by cooking in bulk and having ready-made meals for busy days.
• You can reduce food waste by using leftovers, freezing excess food, or preserving food for later use.

According to a study by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, people who spend more time on meal planning have better dietary quality, more food variety, and lower obesity rates than those who don’t.

Another study by the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that meal planning can help families save up to $2,000 per year on food expenses.

In this article, we will share some frugal tips for meal planning that will help you eat well on a budget.

We will also provide some examples of frugal meal plans for different scenarios and occasions.

Tips for Frugal Meal Planning

Take inventory of what you already have and use it up

Before you go shopping,

• check your pantry, fridge, and freezer and
• see what you already have.
• Make a list of the items and their expiration dates.

Then, plan your meals around those items and use them up before they go bad.

This way, you can avoid buying duplicates or wasting food.

For example,

1. If you have some eggs, cheese, and bread in your fridge, you can make a simple breakfast casserole (or a frittata, which I first had in Canada!).
2. If you have some rice, beans, and salsa in your pantry, you can make a burrito bowl or a taco salad (My son’s favorite!)
3. If you have some chicken, broccoli, and pasta in your freezer, you can make a creamy chicken and broccoli bake or a chicken alfredo. ( My wife’s favorite!)

Plan your meals based on sales and discounts.

Another way to save money on your groceries is to plan your meals based on what’s on sale or discounted at your local store.

You can check the flyers, coupons, or online deals and see what items are cheaper or offer the best value. We mostly depend upon Flipp app.

Then, you can base your recipes on those ingredients and stock up on them if they are non-perishable or freezable.

For example,

1. If you see that apples, oats, and cinnamon are on sale, you can make some apple oatmeal muffins or apple crisp for dessert.
2. If you see that chicken/Ground beef, tomatoes, and cheese are on sale, you can make some meatloaf, spaghetti bolognese, or cheeseburgers for dinner.
3. If you see that salmon(yummy!!), asparagus, and lemon are on sale, you can make some baked salmon, roasted asparagus, and lemon rice for lunch.

Buy in bulk and freeze or preserve excess food

Buying in bulk can help you save money per unit and reduce the number of trips to the store. However, you need to be careful not to buy more than you can use or store. Otherwise, you might end up wasting food or money. To avoid this, you need to freeze or preserve the excess food and use it later.

For example,

1. We mostly pick up marinated chicken wings( Our family loves them!) in bulk. Whenever we are at Save on Foods , we pick up 100 pieces of Honey Garlic marinated chicken wings. They give us a 35% discount on more than 50 pieces, we save multiple trips to the grocers, and most importantly……we all love them.
2. You can buy a large bag of carrots, peel and chop them and freeze them in batches. Then, you can use them for soups, stews, or salads. At least, we do so.
3. Buy a large bunch of herbs, you can chop them and store them in ice cube trays with some water or oil.( Try doing this with your kids, they will love it!) Then, you can pop them out and use them for sauces, dressings, or marinades.

Cook in batches and use leftovers creatively!

Cooking in batches can help you save time and energy by making multiple meals at once.

You can either cook the same dish and eat it throughout the week (not possible if your taste buds are alive!) or cook different dishes and mix and match them for variety(more practical).

You can also use leftovers creatively and transform them into new meals with some tweaks or additions.

For example,

1. If you cook a large pot of chili, you can eat it with some cornbread or tortilla chips for one meal, then use it as a topping for baked potatoes or nachos for another meal, then make some chili cheese dogs or chili mac and cheese for another meal. Voila! This is our go-to trick which we use commonly.
2. If you cook some roasted chicken and vegetables, you can eat them with some gravy or sauce for one meal, then shred the chicken and use it for sandwiches or salads for another meal, make biryani the next time, then make some chicken soup or chicken pot pie for another meal.

Keep it simple and use basic cooking skills!

You don’t need to be a master chef or have fancy equipment to cook frugal meals.

You just need to keep it simple and use basic cooking skills that anyone can learn.

You can also use some shortcuts or hacks that can make your cooking easier and faster.

For example,

1. You can use a slow cooker or an Insta-Pot to make tender and flavorful dishes with minimal effort and supervision.
2. You can use a microwave or a toaster oven to reheat or cook small portions of food quickly and conveniently.
3. You can use a blender or a Kitchen System to make smoothies, soups, sauces, or dips in minutes.
4. You can use a knife or a grater to chop or shred vegetables, cheese, or meat without needing a cutting board or a bowl.