Now, we get to the real meat and potatoes of saving money while grocery shopping! (See what we did there?) We’re talking food preparation and storage.
It is always to your advantage to prepare and or cook up more than you need for dinner. Leftovers make the perfect lunch on the go, or quick dinner another night.
It us important to plan ahead to ensure you have enough groceries on hand and you don’t let those leftovers go to waste. If you aren’t going to use it up, consider freezing it for later! Keep reusable plastic or glass containers handy to make the most of your freezer space and minimize your impact on the environment.
While some food items should not be prewashed, such as mushrooms, in general you should prewash your vegetables to keep your fridge cleaner and to cut down on prep time when you go to cook.
After getting groceries, chop up a big container of fresh vegetables. This makes a perfect snack while prepping dinners and can speed up meal prep that calls for vegetables. Cutting vegetables can cause them to start going bad, but some–such as bell peppers–can easily be frozen if you end up cutting up too much.
At the end of every meal, make up lunch size portions with the leftovers. This makes the morning routine easier when lunch is ready and waiting. It also saves a ton of money that could be spent on eating lunch out. It also helps to reduce the food that gets forgotten in the back of the fridge and wasted. Place healthy snacks and ready to go lunches at the front of the fridge for easy access.
It’s alarming to think that nearly 10 percent of all groceries will be wasted. The National Zero Waste Council’s research says 63% of the food Canadians throw away could have been eaten! As you might have guessed, vegetables are the number one food we tend to pitch without eating. So it’s important to wash and prepare it for enjoyment while it’s fresh and crisp.
CHALLENGE: When it’s time to head to the grocery story, have a look through your cupboards and fridge and make a list of as many meals as you can come up with from what you have on hand. You’ll be surprised with your options, even when the kids say there’s nothing to eat!
The key to successfully trimming your grocery spending is to get creative in the kitchen and reduce the foods that don’t fuel your body.
I hope our tips have been helpful. We would love to hear your money saving food tips. Please share below or send us a note–we’d love to share your words of wisdom.
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The comments contained herein are a general discussion of certain issues intended as general information only and should not be relied upon as tax or legal advice. Please obtain independent professional advice, in the context of your particular circumstances. This article was prepared by Heidi Blondin who is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) at Heidi Blondin Financial a registered trade name with Investia Financial Services Inc., and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Investia Financial Services Inc. The information contained in this presentation comes from sources we believe reliable, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or reliability.