How to Eat Frugally, But Not Plainly

When most people think of eating frugally, their first thoughts go to foodstuffs like beans and rice. While those can be a delicious mainstay of a really frugal menu, they are by no means the only choices.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Coupons and sales circulars
• Cookbooks or access to recipe sites

1. Don’t buy convenience foods. Yes, they are easier, but you pay a whole lot more for easy. Not only will you be eating healthier, you will also save money.
2. Buy items like a picnic ham and slice your own lunchmeat. One whole ham will cost less than some premium lunchmeat packages. The same is true of turkey lunchmeat. Buy the whole breast, cook it and slice it.
3. Use coupons and read the store sales circulars before you go shopping. Make a list and stick to it. Shop the perimeter of the store; veggies, dairy and meats and avoid the center isles except for items that are on your list.
4. Take a few hours on the weekend to cook from scratch. Many frugal dishes can be prepared ahead of time and frozen until needed. Think casseroles, soups and stews.
5. Reduce the amount of meat you normally purchase by half. A smaller amount of meat used in a casserole or pasta dish will still be filling.
6. Have several vegetarian meals during the week. Look at Mediterranean, Indian and Asian menus for ideas.

Tips & Warnings

• Weekday leftover veggies and meats can be combined into stews and soups.
• If you have a crock pot, meals can be cooking while you’re at work or doing other things. Cooking from scratch can save money and will let you know exactly what’s in your food.
• A small pressure cooker can be used to cook a quick meal.
• Meat slicers can be found at thrift stores for just a few dollars and are a great way to slice meat or cheeses.
• Beans and rice can still be a great frugal meal. Spice the beans to taste, serve over rice and you have a meal for about fifty cents per person.
• Cooked beans can replace meat in many recipes.
• Be sure and check the unit prices when buying packaged products in the store. The largest package is not always the cheapest.
• Use coupons whereever possible, but don’t buy a product just because you have a coupon for it. It’s not frugal for something to sit on the shelf unused.
• Shop farmer’s markets whenever possible; prices for produce is generally less than at the grocery store.