![]() ![]() If you’re running out of ideas for dinner, have several “go-to” dirt cheap meals you can throw together at any time. Have 3 to 4 “go-to” easy meals you can whip together at any time. Cross each out as you cook them throughout the week, so you know which options are left. Write them on a whiteboard on the fridge so that you can see your options. Out of dinner ideas? Have each family member contribute a meal idea (or two). Then go all crazy with the gluten-free soy planted-based stuff. Give yourself some grace and a pass to take it slow so you can build up skills that get you where you want to be. I’m classic for that – and also traditional for throwing my hands up and walking away when it doesn’t automatically work the first time I try it. It’s easy to get wrapped up in doing it all 100% right, 100% of the time, right off the bat. Wait to go all paleo gluten-free soy-based vegan until after you’ve mastered the art of just getting food on the table that’s not from a fast-food wrapper. Even if it’s premade frozen family size meal – it’s still cheaper and healthier than fried fast food, right? Throw frozen veg in the microwave as a side, and you’re done! Don’t plan intricate and complicated meals, especially with kids, activities, work, and school. Go with foods that are super easy to prepare. Starting with easy dinner ideas is the most effective and easy way to stay on budget. Having nothing planned means grabbing dinner on the way home – on top of a coffee from the drive-thru, a snack on the go, a quick lunch out on the way to a kid’s activity…it all adds up, and so fast. ![]() This is probably our biggest downfall when it comes to our food budget. I’ll admit it – I hate trying to figure out dinner ideas for tonight. Use these tips to help you create a grocery list on a budget: 1. Without a plan in place, you’re guaranteed to overspend. The first piece to reigning in your grocery budget is to face meal planning. Here are my favorite simple ways to avoid getting caught with an empty pantry, a growling stomach, and no time to cook: Meal Planning on a Budget What we can all agree on is that if you’re seriously overspending, it’s time to put your grocery on a budget. Ultimately it’s up to you to decide if you can get by on spending less than $100 a week, or $150 a month, on groceries (or whatever your goal is!). You can read more about their estimates for different scenarios here.ĭave Ramsey believes that you should spend 10% to 15% of your take-home pay on food – again, I think it can vary wildly depending upon your situation (such as food allergies, special diets, and if you count toilet paper as a grocery item or not). A basic guideline to follow comes from the USDA and says that a family of four should spend between $682 to $1361 a month on groceries. The amount an individual or family spends on food varies greatly depending upon their specific needs and preferences. Staying on track with your food budget starts with finding cheaper options and easier ones that you’ll be able to use on even the busiest days. So I sat down to make a game plan that I know you can probably use as well. We’d been struggling with keeping our grocery on a budget for the past…well, since we started budgeting.
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