Don't worry about rising food prices; these easy to prepare meals and money saving tips will ensure your family eats well as food budgets are squeezed.
It is possible to eat economical and wholesome meals that are easy to prepare.
Six economical recipes
- Making your own home made fresh pasta takes a little time, but is easy to do and much cheaper than store bought pasta. If you use whole meal flour you instantly boost the vitamin and fiber content of your meal.
- Home made soup is a nourishing and satisfying meal which can be surprisingly inexpensive to make. The possible combinations of ingredients are endless and you can vary the recipe to use seasonal vegetables and inexpensive cuts of meat. Use real bone stock from meat bones you would otherwise discard as the base ingredient for your soup. Bone stock is nutritious, for example it is rich in calcium and also delicious as an ingredient in soups and sauces.
- Cheap, filling and delicious, lentil lasagna takes a little time, but is easy to make.
- Lentil dhal is a traditional Indian dish is spicy and rich in protein – the perfect accompaniment to a spicy meal or with a few additional ingredients and a side dish of rice, dhal can form a main meal in itself.
- Learn how to make yogurt, home made yogurt is far cheaper than store bought and is wholesome and delicious.
- Home made houmous is a delicious vegetarian dip or spread. It is even cheaper to make if you use your own home made tahini in the ingredients.
Five money saving tips
- Buy basic ingredients such as oats, flour and lentils in bulk. Avoid pre-prepared ingredients such as tinned beans as these are generally more expensive than cooking your own.
- Reduce your meat consumption and replace it with cheaper vegetable proteins such as beans and lentils. You can cook beans and lentils in bulk and freeze them in small bags to avoid waste and reduce fuel costs.
- Build up your store cupboard with tasty wholesome ingredients such as herbs, spices and tasty sauces such as soy sauce. You only use them in small amounts so they will liven up your recipes while costing very little per meal.
- Eat vegetables in season. They should be cheaper, and probably fresher, as they are less likely to be flown in from a distant place.
- Plan your meals and do not waste food. Enormous amounts of groceries are thrown away in developed countries. If you make a shopping list as you plan your meals you may save a great deal of money on groceries.
The copyright of the article Save Money on Food in Food Trends is owned by Joanne E. Brannan. Permission to republish Save Money on Food in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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