Family Budget: How to Keep the Family Food Expenses to a Minimum

There are ways to keep the food expenses to a minimum without sacrificing the daily nutritional needs when you feed your family on a budget.

When you’re already settled down, having to prepare and feed your family daily sustenance tends to be a challenge, from ingredient sourcing to eating preferences. In many cases, there’s a danger of getting over budget, however, there are ways to keep the food expenses to a minimum without sacrificing on the daily nutritional needs.

Laydown

Start by tracking down your latest pay and breaking down the budget you estimate for various things — maintenance, insurance, the kids’ allowance, etc. Even if you have listed a certain amount for groceries, anticipate the possibility that you might spend more, then endeavour to keep the cost down. A finance app like UBOMI can account for that spread and warn you when you’re getting too close to the limit.

Food plan

Variety is the spice of life, some people may say – and it does apply to the food you eat every day. In the case of food for your family, draft out meal plans for the entire week. This will help govern the budget by identifying which food items are easy to find and are in ample supply.

Less meat, more non-perishable food

Meat is a hefty source of protein, but is often expensive, hard to store, and doesn’t take that long to spoil if the refrigerator breaks down. To counter this, try reducing the budget for meat products and compensate with plant-based food that contains a good amount of protein and iron.

Allot a hefty amount for more food items with a long shelf life, such as pasta, flour, lentils, and certain classes of milk.

Coupons and promo codes

Be on the lookout for grocery coupons and promo codes in either print or online media. These can offer you some nice deals, but remember to check the fine print for validity. You can join notable rewards programs that may also have member-exclusive perks.

Ditching the tipple

You may have to allot zero if not meagre budget towards alcoholic drinks and repurpose it for other important food items. Think of it: aside from the health benefits of weaning off alcohol, your loved ones will thank you for looking after their welfare as well. At the same time, you may potentially save a sum from not spending on spirits.

Hydration

Consider spending less on flavoured drinks and just consume more water for the household. Although, make sure you have a water purifier installed at home instead of buying bottled water. The return on investment will be worth it when you cleanse your body of toxins and even sugar from flavoured drinks, especially soda or commercial juice products.

Open an herb or vegetable garden

Take time to build a herb and vegetable garden at home with seeds acquired from plant supplies and nurseries in your neighbourhood. A well-tended herb and vegetable garden may help save you a reasonable amount of money in specific produce and open fresh options for your recipes.

Coffee on thermos

If you often rely on coffee to power your day at work, make the effort to stockpile on your preferred coffee beans or powdered coffee and prepare a sufficient amount to bring to work in your thermos flask. This way, you could save an ample amount of money that would have been spent on a cup of joe at your nearest barista place.

More veggies on ice

Consider investing in frozen vegetables and stash them in the freezer as soon as you come home. Some food experts claim they may be better than fresh produce as they have been pre-cut and the cold temperatures keep their nutrients in place, saving you ample time in meal prep.

Buy or cook in bulk

If you got wind of some sweet deals, take advantage of the sale by buying a reasonable amount of stock. For cooking, make sure the volume of food cooked follows your meal plan and save the leftovers.

Late food shopping

Some farmers markets tend to offer big discounts towards the end of the day. This is often made to help clear out the stock, giving you the opportunity to buy as much as the budget will allow.

Packed lunches

Your meal plan may include provision for packed lunches. Prepare them in sealed containers to be stored in the fridge the night before, but only after they have simmered down from the cooking. That way, they will still be in good condition when you bring them out the next day.

No food brand loyalty

Some people say that brand loyalty can be a bad thing but if you’re looking for a food item that offers the same amount of nutrients and good taste as the leading names out there, research on those that may be a bit cheaper. You may be surprised at the various competing food products out there that turn out to be much better than the top brand but have had little fanfare.

There’s no harm in trying to cut back on expenses to help feed your family. All it takes is a little creative accounting and food prep.

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