As you have realised, food takes up a big chunk of your monthly budget. If you have a large family, it can even be more expensive than someone who lives alone. Your shopping habits may also affect your expenditure, and when you feel it’s getting out of control, here are ways you can reduce it

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Reduce Fast Foods or Eating Out

You spend more when you eat out in a restaurant than when you cook a meal. If you have lunches in a restaurant when at work, consider carrying home-cooked food, which can considerably lower your spending. Also, minimize buying ready-made foods. They are expensive, have lower nutrition value, and the worst part is that you never really understand the food components. 

Instead, bring the restaurant experience to your home by learning how to prepare delicious meals everyone will enjoy. For instance, learn how to make beef short ribs on the big green egg significantly reducing the need to go to a high-end restaurant to get the same experience. Invest in cooking machines that make your work easier, faster, and the food more delicious. 

Buy in Bulk

When you have a week or two’s meal plan, you can confidently shop in bulk, reducing your spending. Go to the market or buy most of the items wholesale. Planning your meals ensures you always have ready meals at any point. You don’t have to order takeaway, go to a restaurant or rely on ready-made store foods. You’ll also spend less time shopping for foodstuffs because you can buy enough food to last a week or two.

Have a Day When You Prepare Most of the Meals

People who have a busy schedule appreciate having ready meals to heat and serve the family on demand. If you have more free time over the weekend, take 30 minutes to plan the meals for the entire week and then prepare them. 

Store them safely, then jot down the menu for the week. When you come back home tired and late, fetch the food from the fridge, warm and serve the family. This will reduce the urge to order takeaways or buy ready-made store foods.

Your family will enjoy cheaper but delicious home-cooked meals, and you don’t have to go through the agony of fixing a nutritious meal when tired. 

Grow Your Foods

Do you have a big backyard? It’s time to make good use of it by transforming it into a kitchen garden. You can plant vegetables and fruits to assure you of a reliable and healthy food supply all year round. You won’t have to go to the market or a convenience store every time you want to replenish the supply. Creating a garden will also help maintain a cleaner, healthier environment and will keep you active. Growing your foods gives you a more diverse and nutritious diet, and you can enjoy tastier raw options you couldn’t do before. 

As you try to minimize your food budget, focus more on nutrition and your family’s needs. Don’t compare your expenditure to any other household because your family needs are unique. Also, aim to reduce the frequency of expense rather than the actual monetary amount spent.

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This is a contributed post