Meal planning has completely changed the way I food shop.With the current cost of living crisis my food budget was having to go up month after month but since meal planning I actually have money left in my bills and food account at the end of the month.
It’s scary how much food now costs - you have to really put the effort in to keep the costs manageable. That’s fantastic work by you, meal planning definitely works when done properly
Great video Vicky 🥰. My biggest tip is to ignore or at least take Best Before dates with a pinch of salt. Unless it’s meat or poultry I generally use the sniff test. But this is particularly relevant for dried stuff. I’d never serve it up to guests, but for myself and my partner we’ve eaten dried unopened stuff that’s 2 years old and it was fine and we were NOT sick afterwards. So use your judgment 😊
Someone gave me cold press packets. Too strong for me so I use half a packet with creamer French vanilla yum yum so it lasts longer and is enjoyed 😊❤❤❤
I love batch cooking something that i can have in multiple ways throughout out the week. Eg. Chilli. Can be standard with rice, jacket potato filling, loaded nachos or sweet potato wedges, tex mex shepherds pie.. so flexible
I love what you said about shopping the kitchen. This last couple of weeks or so I've been looking for recipes in my books I've got at home, specifically to see what uses up the ingredients I already have, so I've only needed to buy the odd couple of tins of this or that, or a new soya milk that I was probably going to buy anyway. I'm struggling to find recipes to use up these 3 tins of cannaleni beans. I like planning meals geneally, because then I have an idea what I'm cooking when. I think shopping in different places if you have the time is also useful, because I unexpectedly found that green beans wer sometimes cheaper and better quality in Morrisons than in Aldi.
1. Cook mostly from scratch and buy whole produce 2. Eat leftovers and meal prep 3. Only buy fresh perishables for specific meals or recipes. Otherwise stick to canned or frozen to limit waste 4. Keep a well stocked pantry with staples (rice, flour, pasta, sugar, etc) 5. Bake from scratch (bread, muffins, pizza crust) 6. Use up what you already have at home. Or do pantry cooking challenges once a month. I live alone and my food budget is 200 - 300$. I don’t eat out more than once a month if at all.
Hi there I buy veg that is in season and use them in caseroles and cut down on the meat, i chop sausages up and so we all get some meat, it just helps has most of the times the pack size ie 6 or 8 do not look much but cut up with all the lovely veg makes it a practical dish.
The upper freezer in my kitchen is affectionately called the produce graveyard. Bags and containers of things being saved before they pass over to the other side or those items being reincarnated.
Meatless meals are economical. Single person in the UK, £100/month budget for all general household stuff, including food, cleaning and laundry producte, loo rolls and the like.
Wow! I'm single and budget £50 every week! Rarely much under that. Have dairy intolerance so that adds a bit extra, but yeah meat is the most expensive. We'll done z
@gretelwhite how do you manage that? I keep on going over on my food shops and I include meat free meals 😭. I budget £200 a month and have cut out what some would consider 'luxury' food such as smoked salmon. Any tips would be much appreciated 😊
Buy fruits and vegetables that are seasonal (cheaper and fresher). Eat more chicken as it tends to be the cheapest protein source (followed by canned tuna and pork).
2 tips - 1. use parts of produce you usually trash. Cantaloupe seeds can be eaten raw or roasted, added to smoothies. The white part of the watermelon rind can be added to pickle juice and then wait a week and eat for pickled rinds (very tasty). 2. Most people/families tend to eat a lot of the same meals. When you have a few minutes, price them out, just like Chefs in restaurants do. Try to eat more of the lower cost meals you like and apply the saving to an expensive meal you love. Prawns 🍤 are expensive where I live $5.99lb vs chicken $0.99lb, once every 3-4 months it’s $0.59lb. So it might be lemon chicken(M), taco chicken(W), curry chicken (F) to eat prawns 🍤 on Saturday. Right now eggs at $1.53dz and winter at $3.99dz, so lots of different egg dishes and I might freeze some for baking before the price goes up.
In the US it makes a huge difference where you live. We are a family of 4 and live in Connecticut (ca-ching, ca-ching). Our goal right now is $175 a week. Ideally $150. We've started using Azure Standard (a bulk food company) for a few staples (rice, beans, some canned goods). I know we could go cheaper, but for us what we put in our bodies is really important, so we're ok having this be a larger line item and skimping in other ways. But meal planning is an absolute must and our leftovers go with my husband to work for lunch.
That's so interesting, I'm not sure how much the variation is between the regions here actually is. It certainly varies a lot between supermarkets and not all deals are offered in every branch/nation.
Our tips: 1. Eat plant based. Beans, lentils and tofu are cheaper and have a longer shelf life than meat. Easier to prepare also. 2. Cook and eat mostly at home. (We get two takeout pizzas from a local shop once a week. It’s about $35 and lasts all week). 3. Limit alcohol to special occasions or not at all.
I`m not being disrespectful but I find it unbelievable that you`re trying to teach us how to save on our groceries while you`re doing your own shopping at Waitrose - the most expensive shop in the UK.
@@coockiekat hi there, we own and use Waitrose bags for life but do not do our shopping there on a regular basis. Waitrose is a treat shop for us, for example I get their Indian ready meals instead of a takeaway. It’s more expensive than Tesco, but less than an actual takeaway. My regular weekly shops are at Tesco.
Meal planning has completely changed the way I food shop.With the current cost of living crisis my food budget was having to go up month after month but since meal planning I actually have money left in my bills and food account at the end of the month.
It’s scary how much food now costs - you have to really put the effort in to keep the costs manageable. That’s fantastic work by you, meal planning definitely works when done properly
“We” DEFINITELY NEED to CLOSE DOWN HALF the restaurants, EVERYWHERE!!
Just MEAL PLAN…at HOME!! Restaurants are a MASSIVE RIPOFF!!
We buy things when they are on sale most of the time. It saves a lot. Peanut butter was in sale for $1.99 so we got 6.
Great video Vicky 🥰. My biggest tip is to ignore or at least take Best Before dates with a pinch of salt. Unless it’s meat or poultry I generally use the sniff test.
But this is particularly relevant for dried stuff. I’d never serve it up to guests, but for myself and my partner we’ve eaten dried unopened stuff that’s 2 years old and it was fine and we were NOT sick afterwards. So use your judgment 😊
Thank you for the tips! I am always watching your videos! More power to you, Vicky! From Philippines here! 🥰
Hey thanks so much for watching!
Extend meals add lentils to meatballs....potatoes to eggs n bacon. ...make your cold flavored coffee at home etc etc
Someone gave me cold press packets. Too strong for me so I use half a packet with creamer French vanilla yum yum so it lasts longer and is enjoyed 😊❤❤❤
I love batch cooking something that i can have in multiple ways throughout out the week. Eg. Chilli. Can be standard with rice, jacket potato filling, loaded nachos or sweet potato wedges, tex mex shepherds pie.. so flexible
Also this week I spent more on my lunch planning but that's because I get SO fussy with lunch and I bought something I know I Will still want tomorrow
Yes saves so much time and you can make it different every day! Great ideas here.
I love what you said about shopping the kitchen. This last couple of weeks or so I've been looking for recipes in my books I've got at home, specifically to see what uses up the ingredients I already have, so I've only needed to buy the odd couple of tins of this or that, or a new soya milk that I was probably going to buy anyway. I'm struggling to find recipes to use up these 3 tins of cannaleni beans. I like planning meals geneally, because then I have an idea what I'm cooking when. I think shopping in different places if you have the time is also useful, because I unexpectedly found that green beans wer sometimes cheaper and better quality in Morrisons than in Aldi.
1. Cook mostly from scratch and buy whole produce
2. Eat leftovers and meal prep
3. Only buy fresh perishables for specific meals or recipes. Otherwise stick to canned or frozen to limit waste
4. Keep a well stocked pantry with staples (rice, flour, pasta, sugar, etc)
5. Bake from scratch (bread, muffins, pizza crust)
6. Use up what you already have at home. Or do pantry cooking challenges once a month.
I live alone and my food budget is 200 - 300$. I don’t eat out more than once a month if at all.
Fantastic tips and you're clearly doing really well!
Hi there
I buy veg that is in season and use them in caseroles and cut down on the meat, i chop sausages up and so we all get some meat, it just helps has most of the times the pack size ie 6 or 8 do not look much but cut up with all the lovely veg makes it a practical dish.
Yum, a really nice meal idea and such a good idea on chopping up the sausages - sounds like a delicious meal
The upper freezer in my kitchen is affectionately called the produce graveyard. Bags and containers of things being saved before they pass over to the other side or those items being reincarnated.
Haha, that has made me laugh out loud! We all have corners of the kitchen where things seem to go to die
Meatless meals are economical. Single person in the UK, £100/month budget for all general household stuff, including food, cleaning and laundry producte, loo rolls and the like.
That’s fantastic! Meat is so so expensive, we have been trying to find more veggie recipes the kids will happily eat too
Wow! I'm single and budget £50 every week! Rarely much under that. Have dairy intolerance so that adds a bit extra, but yeah meat is the most expensive. We'll done z
@gretelwhite how do you manage that? I keep on going over on my food shops and I include meat free meals 😭. I budget £200 a month and have cut out what some would consider 'luxury' food such as smoked salmon. Any tips would be much appreciated 😊
Aldi and Albertson's has the best sales and mark downs
I've not heard of Albertson's, are they a big national chain?
I am California not sure in other syate
Other states
Great tips 👍🏼 Hi from San Diego 😊
Thanks so much!
hi There I went to San Diego 2 years ago to visit family, hello San diego woo hoo
Hi
I am watching from
Johannesburg
South Africa 🇿🇦
Just the day after my 48 birthday.
I am new sub.
Very happy birthday to you!
You can bulk out mince with rolled oats
Great tip! Thank you
Buy fruits and vegetables that are seasonal (cheaper and fresher). Eat more chicken as it tends to be the cheapest protein source (followed by canned tuna and pork).
2 tips -
1. use parts of produce you usually trash. Cantaloupe seeds can be eaten raw or roasted, added to smoothies. The white part of the watermelon rind can be added to pickle juice and then wait a week and eat for pickled rinds (very tasty).
2. Most people/families tend to eat a lot of the same meals. When you have a few minutes, price them out, just like Chefs in restaurants do. Try to eat more of the lower cost meals you like and apply the saving to an expensive meal you love. Prawns 🍤 are expensive where I live $5.99lb vs chicken $0.99lb, once every 3-4 months it’s $0.59lb. So it might be lemon chicken(M), taco chicken(W), curry chicken (F) to eat prawns 🍤 on Saturday. Right now eggs at $1.53dz and winter at $3.99dz, so lots of different egg dishes and I might freeze some for baking before the price goes up.
I absolutely love these ideas, and that second one is such a great way to bring costs down without giving up foods you enjoy the most. Love it.
In the US it makes a huge difference where you live. We are a family of 4 and live in Connecticut (ca-ching, ca-ching). Our goal right now is $175 a week. Ideally $150. We've started using Azure Standard (a bulk food company) for a few staples (rice, beans, some canned goods). I know we could go cheaper, but for us what we put in our bodies is really important, so we're ok having this be a larger line item and skimping in other ways. But meal planning is an absolute must and our leftovers go with my husband to work for lunch.
That's so interesting, I'm not sure how much the variation is between the regions here actually is. It certainly varies a lot between supermarkets and not all deals are offered in every branch/nation.
We have PLENTY of Aldi’s and Price Rite’s in CT!!! Stop&Shop is ALWAYS a MASSIVE RIPOFF!!
We spend about $125 for 3 people (1 teenager) weekly in Georgia, US.
Our tips:
1. Eat plant based. Beans, lentils and tofu are cheaper and have a longer shelf life than meat. Easier to prepare also.
2. Cook and eat mostly at home. (We get two takeout pizzas from a local shop once a week. It’s about $35 and lasts all week).
3. Limit alcohol to special occasions or not at all.
So true, meat adds a crazy amount to your weekly costs, and on alcohol too.
Do you spend money on snacks? Next time you use peeled potatoes, deep fry the peels. They're super!
I challenge you to also be liberal with best before dates in meat. It doesn’t automatically go bad on the date in the package.
Yes exactly this, and even veg that looks just past its best can be cooked and you don’t really notice any difference
One 💯% agree with you! 👏👏👏👏
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Ramon and tuna or 4$ pizza for teen. Emergency food minimum only with coupon.
I cook any extra meals go freezer so my teen can Forage.
I`m not being disrespectful but I find it unbelievable that you`re trying to teach us how to save on our groceries while you`re doing your own shopping at Waitrose - the most expensive shop in the UK.
@@coockiekat hi there, we own and use Waitrose bags for life but do not do our shopping there on a regular basis. Waitrose is a treat shop for us, for example I get their Indian ready meals instead of a takeaway. It’s more expensive than Tesco, but less than an actual takeaway. My regular weekly shops are at Tesco.