Plan your meals ahead of time
Create a grocery list
MORE TIPS!
-
Look at how much you are spending when you go out to eat compared to eating at home. On average, Americans eat out 4.2 meals per week. This equates to an average of $232 per month on meals outside the home (Hamm, 2017). The USDA estimated the weekly cost for meals at home in October 2017 was $55. 60 for males and $48.20 for females under a low cost meal plan (Carlson, Lino, & Fungwe, 2007).
-
Take a tour of your grocery store with an employee to become familiar with the pricing and utilize free store flyers and coupons (Knol, Robb, McKinley, & Wood, 2017).
-
Shop at your local farmers market for fruits and vegetables.
Meal planning is a great way to control what you are eating and eliminate impulsive food purchases. Be creative with your meals by looking up new recipes or having themed meals. Utilize a weekly calendar to help guide you with your meal plans or use a free app on your smart device.
Popular apps include:
-
Yummly
-
AnyList
-
Pepperplate
-
Mealime
-
Food Print
When you make a grocery list it allows you save money because you are less likely to buy items outside of the list.
A few key benefits:
-
Saves time from wandering throughout the aisles
-
Eliminates over buying and letting food spoil
-
Visually shows you the staple items you need vs. wants