Cheap Food - How to Cook on a Budget

Making a Meal Cheaper Than It Already Is

Apr 30, 2009

With increasing food costs, fuel costs, credit costs and incomes that never seem to rise, consumers are constantly trying to save money where they can.

Below are a list of things that you can do to cut down on the cost of food without cutting out quality.

You can easily feed a family of six dinner with only using 500g of mince and some vegetables.

This recipe makes your meat go further, feeding more mouths but not compromising on taste or quality.

Grow A Vegetable Garden

Finding it hard to afford vegetables? You're not alone. The solution is easier than you think, it is not hard to grow your own vegetables and you don't need 1/2 acre to do it.

If you are living in a unit or apartment, just buy some cheap plastic pots, planter mix and some seeds or seedlings and you are halfway there to having your own veggie patch.

As long as the plants can get some sunlight and water, there's no reason you can't grow your own vegetables.

If you live in the suburbs then you have no excuse for not having a veggie patch. Just ask your parents or grandparents what they did for vegetables in their time. They had their own garden, that's what!

Don't Throw Anything Away

Just like the stale bread in the rissole recipe, there are many things you can preserve for another time or make into something else.

Got some black bananas that need throwing out because you don't have enough time to make a banana cake. Easy, pop them in the freezer for a time you can make a banana bread or cake.

Apples, peel and boil them. Mix some flour coconut and sugar on top and pop it in the oven for an apple crumble. The kids will love it and it's a healthy filling recipe.

If you can't find a use for something that has expired, then put it in your compost heap and your veggies will love it later on.

Know When To Shop

Don't shop while hungry, you will buy things you do not need and are lower in quality.

A bargain is only a bargain if it is on your shopping list. Don't just buy because it is cheap, you may never use it which means it is not a bargain, it's a waste.

Later at night in bigger supermarket chains, they tend to put perishables out on special. This will save you money and time as it is not as busy as in the day.

Use Your Freezer

For foods that have a short shelf life, your freezer is a godsend. If you find a special on bread or bulk meats and have room in your freezer, I highly recommend you grab the special in throw it in your freezer.

Cheap Meals

There is nothing wrong with substituting a meal every now and then with a cheap alternative.

Don't feel bad about not getting the veggies out every night, what's wrong with having baked beans on toast every once in a while. Baked beans are not only high in protein and low in fat but when put on some wholemeal bread, they are perfectly healthy, AND CHEAP!

The copyright of the article Cheap Food - How to Cook on a Budget in Healthy Cooking is owned by Kristin Collins. Permission to republish Cheap Food - How to Cook on a Budget in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.