What does your menu plan look like? If you don’t have one, now is the time to create one. Make sure your family knows what you’re having for dinner so they don’t expect something different each night. You can use this website to help you create a successful time-saving money-saving menu.
Plan ahead
Plan your menu around the foods you already have on hand. Don’t forget the “emergency” foods like beans, rice, pasta and canned vegetables. You can stretch a meal with these easy-to-use ingredients. And, if you don’t eat them, they will keep for later use. This way you won’t run out of food if you get stuck without anything to make with. (I know I always have something to “make with”! in my pantry).
Our list of time and money saving tips at a glance:
- Use up leftover or stale ingredients in soups, stir-frys, chilis and stews.
- Prepare a big pot of chili and freeze in small containers for quick meals.
- Add extra garlic to pasta sauce and freeze in freezer bags for quick meals.
- Freeze small amounts of soups and stews so they are ready to reheat and serve.
- Cook up a batch of whole wheat pasta, freeze in small packages, and reheat to use later.
- Make a huge pot of soup with frozen meat and vegetables.
- Freeze casseroles in individual portions.
- Cook up large quantities of rice or noodles for quick meals and freezing.
- Use the leftovers from your refrigerator to make a stir-fry or quick soup.
- Use leftover chicken and beef in stir-frys or quick
- Use your magnetic fridge planner to stay on track
Leftovers
Leftover ingredients can be the basis for many good ideas. Some people throw away perfectly good food, but that’s crazy. Leftover ingredients can become the foundation for some really great meals. When you have a surplus of something, look at it as an opportunity to expand your culinary horizons.
Freezing foods
There’s no reason to let good food go to waste. Freezing is a great way to preserve it for future use. Just remember that freezing can alter the quality of some foods. Vegetables and fruits tend to lose more of their nutrients when frozen, so you may want to add them to your menu choices before freezing.
Have your frozen meals stocked up when you have time so they’re on standby ready for days when you have zero time and lots of hungry mouths to feed.
Pick fresh and in season produce
In the supermarket produce section, there are certain fruits and vegetables that are at their peak of freshness and quality at this time of year. These include avocados, bananas, celery, cucumbers, onions, oranges, peas, peppers, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Produce prices vary by season and sometimes by store. But a savvy shopper can usually find a bargain if they know what to look for.
In season: They’re cheaper, they taste better, and they’ll last much longer. This is also the month to buy herbs and spices in season. They’re less expensive, they taste better, and they’ll last much longer.
Conclusion
There you have it, our top tips for healthy meal planning that sticks to your time and budget.
That’s it for this month.
I hope these top ideas have given you a lot to think about. And please do think about giving some of these ideas a try. You’ll find that many of them are easy to put into action.
Maybe you’ve got some fresh ideas of your own. Please share them with us by contacting me directly.