Don't have much money to eat? So what to do?
My boyfriend and I spend less than €220 a month , on average, for food (including shopping and restaurants).
This amounts to less than €4 per day and per person . And we have no deficiencies!
We do not track promotions and we do not feel any deprivation.
Wondering how we do it?
Here are our 10 tips to help you manage the food budget. Use them and you can eat cheap and healthy in no time!
If you want to eat on the cheap like we do, you have to stop eating out.
Of course, we both like to treat each other and we go out maybe two or three times a month. Eating out at restaurants is very expensive over the year. So it's not ideal for your finances!
Eating less often at the restaurant without feeling frustrated is fortunately possible. The secret is to learn how to make your favorite restaurant dish at home.
We did it with all our favorite cuisines:Italian, Japanese, North African, etc. Of course, it may not be perfect, but the result will still delight you. It's so nice to eat what you've cooked yourself!
Need some recipes? Check out some of these inexpensive meal ideas.
If you don't know how to cook, now is a good time to learn! I recommend watching the various cooking shows and delving into all those mouth-watering cookbooks that come out every year.
Before we go shopping, we always make a list of meals for the week.
We then look in the supermarket catalog to see if there are any good deals to give us ideas. Then, we imagine other menus that would make us happy. We then make a healthy and inexpensive shopping list and go to the store.
Why is this a good idea? Because we save money by limiting impulse purchases. We also save time throughout the week because we already know our menus.
No more headaches, standing in front of the fridge not knowing what to do!
The icing on the cake:we limit waste by choosing ingredients that will be used several times!
To make a healthy and inexpensive shopping list easily, discover our tip.
Rather than stocking your cupboards with heaps of unusual, slightly exotic, seldom-used foods, try playing on versatility instead.
Choose foods that will work in a wide variety of dishes. For example:rice, beans, onions, garlic, tomato sauce, celery, carrots, peppers and pasta.
We use these basic ingredients to create very good dishes and most of them keep very well, in a very dry cupboard, away from light.
Are you worried about always eating the same thing? Learn how to use your herbs and spices, you won't be disappointed!
To discover: 5 Spices and 7 Herbs to Know to Flavor Your Dishes.
You will never find frozen or ready meals on our shopping list. These foods are not only bad for your health, but they are also bad for your budget.
These prepared dishes are not cheaper than the others, nor better. There are lots of recipes for eating healthy and cheap without blowing your budget.
Keep in mind that not everything that makes up the majority of “processed” meals is very good for your health.
The secret is to be wary of prepared dishes and cakes and foods high in sodium, sugar or fat.
To discover: 4 Good Reasons to Avoid Prepared Meals.
It's true that it may seem difficult and it was the case for me and my boyfriend because we love meat and cheese. But these are very often the most expensive ingredients.
Of course, I'm not telling you to banish them completely. But if you are used to eating it every day, you can for example lower the frequency to 2 or 3 times a week.
Then, once you're used to eating it 2 or 3 times a week, try going down to just once a week.
Don't worry, there are plenty of tasty dishes without meat. Beans and rice, tomato pasta or cream sauces (with vegetables) for example! There are also large vegetable patties that mimic chicken and beef surprisingly well.
Another tip:learn how to prepare lower cuts of meat so they taste better. A little know-how will change your view of these products.
Peaches are very expensive out of season! Be sure to follow the correct seasons to save money on fruits or vegetables.
Learn which products are in season and buy them at the right time. Use seasonal produce and build your weekly meal plan accordingly.
To discover: Fruits and Vegetables to Buy Fresh in April.
If you need something out of season, consider dried, frozen, or canned fruits or vegetables. They can be just as healthy and tasty!
Unfortunately, this doesn't work for all fruits and vegetables, but many are just as good as well.
Just keep your eyes peeled for the canned label - there is often way too much sodium. In my opinion, there is no better than fresh or frozen beans:I prefer them to canned ones.
To discover: 27 Things You Can Freeze To Save Time and Money!
Buying in bulk can save you quite a bit of money over time. As long as you have the space to keep it all without letting it get lost.
You might have to do a bit of repacking (dividing up a big tub of meat, for example), but nothing too complicated there.
I add a reservation:buying in bulk is not always cheaper. That's why it's important to learn how to calculate the price per unit and compare your choices before you buy.
Also, be sure to keep in mind that not everything is bought that way!
If you find a good deal on an item that keeps well (like canned food), don't hesitate to stock up.
Obviously, you have to do this for foods that you like and cook often. Buying 20 cans of tuna because it's on sale is stupid if you rarely eat tuna!
If we are talking about perishable foodstuffs (such as fruits and vegetables), think about the different means of preservation:freezing, drying, canning...
To discover: 5 Products You Should Buy in Bulk.
If you plan your meals well in advance, you should be able to end up with few leftovers.
Try to have a reasonable amount of leftovers that you can reuse for another meal or two, but no more.
If you let leftovers languish in the bottom of the fridge, you risk wasting the money and time you spent preparing this food.
Surely you don't want to throw money in the trash, do you? So pay attention to the quantities, it's important.
Overconsumption is a dangerous game. If you cook too much, the extra food will just go to waste!
Plus, your body will store all of this as fat. Overeating is not only a bit of your health, but also a bit of your wallet that flies away.
There you go, you know my tips for eating for less than €4 a day :-)
These few simple principles can help you reduce your food budget to just a few dollars a day. I guarantee your wallet will be better for it!
As you see, you don't need to spend hours cutting out discount codes and become a "coupon hunter".
You don't even have to grow your own food although it's a great idea if you have the motivation to do so.
These money-saving tips are also great health benefits. And as they say, health is priceless!
Indeed, you will thus reduce your visits to the doctor and the taking of medication.
