Meal Planning on a Budget

The beginning of a new year is a great time to change up your diet in a way that fits your budget. Meal planning is popular among those who desire to eat healthy while maintaining a healthy budget. While there are many resources available for recipes, we have a few tips on how to make the most of your meal planning options.

Plan your shopping trips and meals in advance.

Take some time to look at the grocery store circulars or online deals to see what is on sale for the week. Once you know what meats and seasonal fruits and vegetables are being offered at a good price, you can research recipes to maximize your meal planning options for the season. These prices tell you how much they are by amounts so you can compare with your recipes to determine your budget before you’re in the store.

Check out meal planning resources via a Google search and on sites like Pinterest. There are meal preps and plans available from home cooks and more popular sources like Food Network. Be willing to try new recipes and look into meat-free recipes to conserve your funds. There are plenty of cost-effective options that can be a good source of protein.

Choose different recipes with the same meat.

Whether you’re making meals for a family or you’re making lunches for yourself, buying in bulk is always best. If you’ve found a few recipes for chicken that you think you’ll like, buy the chicken in bulk and freeze what you don’t use right away. This will keep your meat fresh and ready for when you’re ready to use it. For example, you could use chicken for the following meal planning recipes:

• Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
• Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice

With the money you save on supplies, you will be able to allocate elsewhere for something you want and possibly didn’t have the funds for originally.

There are so many different choices that make meal planning flexible and customizable depending on your particular preferences and tastes. Make sure to mix it up so your tastebuds won’t get bored since this is easy to do with meal prepping.

Choose recipes that require a limited number of ingredients.

It’s easy to get carried away when you’re looking at what sounds and looks good for meals. Make sure to get recipes that have either a limited number of ingredients or items that you need to buy. If you find recipes that have common dried spices that you have in your kitchen, this could work as well and help you branch out and try different recipes and combinations.

Branch out and experiment with flavors that you’re confident will work well together.

Keep track of all your transactions and budget with a Columbine FCU Checking Account. Use these tips and tricks and you will be well on your way to being a savvy meal planner that works for your tastebuds as well as your budget.