Grocery prices are slowly becoming more and more expensive with the recent global inflation. With your grocery budget getting you less and less for what you pay for— it’s time for you to be more mindful of what you buy. Don’t worry— if you’re cooking for one, you don’t have to resort to canned food just to get by.

Maximum value for maximum flavor. Whether you’re saving up for something or budgeting your cash to ensure it lasts until the end of the month, these delicious hacks will get you satisfying meals at a small price!

 

Cook In Big Batches

Meal prepping is a super underrated way to save up on time and money and cut down on food waste. Cooking a big recipe with several packs of meat, vegetables, fish, or even pasta and then freezing the portions you won’t eat immediately is a huge game changer. Cooking in big batches is especially effective when you’re cooking for one and don’t mind eating reheated leftovers for your meals.

Meal prep can take a lot of effort initially, but it definitely pays off when all you have to do during future meals is reheat your food.

 

Bring Out Your Slow Cookers & Crock Pots 

If you’re patient enough, slow cookers and crock pots can allow you to turn cheap and tough meat into tender and flavorful dishes. Cuts like beef shank, pork shoulder, or even eye of round can be fork tender and full of rich and deep flavors when slow-cooked.

Slow-cooking vegetables and spices, and using sauces or broths alongside your meat can help it stay moist and tender while making the dish even deeper flavors.

 

Freeze Your Herbs

Not a lot of people do this, but freezing your herbs before they wilt can help you prolong their lifespan by quite a long time! Freezing helps keep them fresh until you need them for your next recipe and helps you cut down on unnecessary food waste in your kitchen.

To freeze your herbs— get an ice tray, remove the stems from your herbs, finely chop them so they can fit in the tray, and pour in water and a little oil.

 

Buy “Imperfect” Produce

Grocery stores worldwide typically sell bruised, irregular looking, or imperfect produce like vegetables and fruits on sale. If you want to save as much money as you can, you should definitely buy these ones instead of the “perfect-looking” produce.

Looks provide little to nothing in terms of the flavor you get in your dishes, and ugly produce is perfectly fine in terms of taste. Unless the produce is dangerously close to rotting, getting imperfect produce for a lower price is an amazing deal.

 

Avoid The Snack Aisle

As much as a bag of chips and chocolate would taste amazing when you get the midnight munchies, you should avoid purchasing store-bought snacks. Whether you live alone or live with your loved ones, getting snacks from the store will always be incredibly expensive.

Instead of relying on these unhealthy and expensive snacks, try making snacks in your own home. Everything from small vegetable dips to granola bars, fruits, and even overnight oats are cheap alternatives to satisfy your cravings.

 

Go Meatless

Buying and eating less meat is a quick and easy way to drive down your grocery bill. This can be a challenge for people who love meat, but don’t knock it before you try it!

Start small, and then work on swapping traditional proteins with things like beans, eggs, peanut butter, tofu, or even legumes.

 

Saving is inevitable, especially in today’s economy. It’s time to suck it up and finally try changing your lifestyle and eating habits and adapt!