It May Be “Convenient”—But It’s Not Cheap!
If you’re fan of convenience foods, you’ll want to pass by some of the more costly or just-not-worth-the-price products. Forget about the pre-shredded cheese in the dairy case unless you are sure you will use it all before it becomes dried out. Opt for blocks of the real stuff instead; it takes just a minute grate your own. The same goes for precut and presliced vegetables from the produce department—you pay such a premium for the “convenience” when it really takes almost no time to prep the vegetables yourself. On the other hand, frozen vegetables, especially when on sale, can be a bargain, and they keep in the freezer indefinitely. And do choose other convenience food wisely. That pricey frozen ravioli will feed your family for just one night. But for a just-as-quick pasta dinner, buy a tub of pesto sauce to toss with spaghetti and chicken for tonight, then freeze the remaining pesto for two or three dinners in the future. And convenient canned beans can be the basis for a nutritious dinner: Instead of stopping for take-out Mexican on the way home, heat up some canned pinto beans or black beans and mix with rice and seasonings (and maybe some leftover chicken) for homemade Mexican.
The Power of Leftovers
Don’t throw out those leftovers! The remains from last night’s roasted chicken can be tossed with pasta, stirred into rice or made into sandwiches. Recycle beef stew by heating it up with egg noodles. Leftover pork roast makes a great addition to fried rice. Leftover vegetables can be the basis for a substantial salad or folded into omelets for an easy dinner. And don't forget about main-dish salads, like Colorful Cobb Salad, that can feature a little bit of leftover meat along with other filling ingredients. Even mashed potatoes can have a second life when you form them into patties, dip in beaten egg, dredge in bread crumbs, and then fry up to crispy goodness.
Go Easy on the Meat
Another tactic for trimming your food budget (and eating more healthfully) is to start cutting down on the amount of meat you serve. Flavorful ingredients like cheese, olives and nuts can stand in for more pricey meat or fish in pasta and rice dishes.
Try vegetarian crowd-pleasers like Two-Cheese Macaroni, Fettuccini Alfredo and Pasta and Bean Salad. But keep in mind that you don’t need to go totally vegetarian—you can steer yourself in the right direction with recipes that just have less meat than you might be used to. For instance, a minimal amount of chicken, plus canned beans, provides the protein in homemade chicken tacos.
Meaty, but Manageable
When you do want a meat dinner, pass by the expensive boneless chicken breasts and tenders and opt instead for whole chicken or chicken parts (even cheaper if you catch them on sale), and use them in recipes like Best-Ever BBQ Chicken and Herb Roasted Chicken.
Instead of indulgent beef steaks, go for meaty and flavorful pork cuts, like pork roast and pork chops. If you do want to splurge a bit on beef, try a cheaper cut, like pot roast or flank steak. Or buy ground beef on sale and freeze some to use later in hamburgers and dishes like Hearty Pasta Casserole, Favorite Meat Loaf and Quick Chili con Carne.
Go Ethnic
Consider adding more ethnic dishes to your repertoire to save money. If you invest in a few pantry staples from the Ethnic Foods aisle of your grocery store, you’re never far away from a quick cheap meal. (Even better, hit the markets in ethnic neighborhoods and you can also get deals on staples like rice, pasta and beans.) If you like Italian food, keep canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, pasta, olives and Parmesan cheese on hand. For Asian dinners, stock up on soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil for easy stir-fries. For Mexican or Tex-Mex, invest in fresh, dried and canned chiles and beans and salsa.