How to Save Money in the Kitchen
When you are called upon to look at your family budget, undoubtedly one of your major areas of spending tends to center on the food bill. It is therefore natural to try to devise ways that can address the issue of how to save money in the kitchen. When you start to ponder this budget category you may come up with solutions that address using less water and electricity to cut back on bills generated in the kitchen, but the following solutions are mostly focused on ways to save on cooking and of course spending less on the products used.
Freeze Extras
Money is wasted everyday in the kitchen when you have to throw out extra food that has gone bad. Instead of losing track of the things that are sitting in your refrigerator and bumping into these dishes only to have to toss them out because they have passed the point of consumption, you should develop a cook and freeze system that cuts back on the amount of food you waste everyday. Instead of cooking a meal and placing the extras in the fridge, practice freezing the extra portion immediately. This way you can retrieve it later on and be confident that it will be just as fresh as the day it was made when you warm it up.
Label with Dates
Keep a roll of tape and a marker in your kitchen drawer so you can label your containers clearly according to what is inside and the date it was made. This eliminates the problem of defrosting a container only to find that you are surprised by the contents. The dates can help you to prioritize what needs to be used first.
Plan a Menu
By taking the time to plan what you will cook in advance you not only save time during the week, but you can also shop around your list and save money by not buying unnecessary items. When you set a menu you can also plan to use extras to create additional meals for later in the week to ensure that nothing is wasted or is left to go bad.
Buy Generic Brand Poducts
Some brand name food items are more expensive than others not because they are superior in quality, but because they are better marketed. You can save a lot of money by using less pricey brands or opting for cheaper store brands that can do the job just as well.
Clean Out the Pantry
Another important tip is to keep your pantry or kitchen cabinets well organized and neat. When like items are kept together you are less likely to double buy because you will be able to see what you have in stock. You should also challenge yourself occasionally to come up with a meal using the things you have in the pantry. This way you get to use up your supplies without spending any more money.
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