Smart Solutions for Saving Money

Here are some tips for maximizing your groceries and saving money.

Lettuce ~

Over the last 6 months I have made the switch from packaged lettuce to purchasing a head of lettuce. Since switching, I have realized how much better the head of lettuce taste. It is much crisper and last a lot longer. In the past I bought a box of the organic lettuce and it would last at the most a week. With the unpackaged lettuce, I have found that it last more than a week and sometimes longer. You will loose some of the crunch if you wait too long but it is definitely a smarter purchase.

Box of lettuce: ~ $4

Head of Lettuce: ~ $1.80

Tomatoes ~

Sometimes I am tempted to buy the cheapest tomatoes I find because they can be pricey, but I have found that buying the smaller tomatoes is more cost efficient and practical for my style of cooking. I often use a tomato for a small salad or some sort of topping. Therefore if I purchase a large tomato, only half is used and the other half usually gets thrown away. Tomatoes do not stay fresh long once they are cut.

Depending on your need for tomatoes, it may be more cost efficient to purchase smaller tomatoes that will last longer and not go to waste.

Ground Meats ~

If you are cooking for one or two people, do not be afraid of purchasing a pound of ground meat. I buy ground meat and store it in the freezer until I am ready to cook it. My husband and I do not need to have a whole pound of meat at one meal so my solution to this is simple. Cook the meat in the pan without putting any seasoning on it. Once the meat is cooked use half for one meal and place the other half in a freezer safe container and place back in freezer for a quick fix dinner later. This allows the meat to stay fresh and is already cooked for the next time you need it. This will save on cost because you are making multiple meals out of one package of meat.

Fruits ~

When you see your fruits getting too ripe, do not worry. There are many recipes you can utilize to use your fruits. Use your fruit to make muffins. This is one of my favorite things to do and everyone usually loves a fresh baked muffin. You could also make a fruit crisp for dessert or chop of your fruits and freeze them for smoothies.

These are a few of my food solutions for saving money. Utilize these tips and be amazed at how much you can save.

Happy Saving!

Little Chef-titian