Cooking on a budget

My list of ways to save money:

  • Shopping with a shopping list.
  • Compare the price of products per kg (or per litre).
  • Go to the supermarket after you have eaten.
  • Opt for seasonal fruit where possible.
  • Focus on "home cooking".
  • Incorporate the leftovers from the previous day.
  • Prepare in large quantities and freeze portions.
  • Cooking on a budget means starting by organising your shopping properly. To avoid buying things you don't need, make a shopping list based on what you plan to cook in the next few days. To avoid falling being tempted by misleading special offers, get into the habit of comparing prices by looking at the price per kilo (or per litre) and not per unit or packet.
  • Go to the supermarket after you have eaten. You will be less tempted to make impulse buys.
  • Choose seasonal produce where possible and opt for basic, unprocessed products. Not only are they cheaper, but the nutritional quality is higher and they taste better.
  • Unprepared frozen foods (e.g. peas) and tinned foods (e.g. peeled tomatoes) can be an alternative, especially for out-of-season produce.
  • Tins or jars of fish are also a recommended staple, particularly sardines, mackerel, etc.
  • Focus on "home cooking". Preparing your own food is the best way to eat healthily and cheaply. For that, you need to plan your meals in advance, shop accordingly and, whenever possible, use up leftovers from the day before. Also try to prepare portions to match the number of people eating - it helps avoid waste.
  • However, if you do have leftovers, they can be used to make soups, gratins, quiches, pies and so on.
  • Sometimes it's more economical to prepare a large quantity of food (e.g. soup, tomato sauce, stews, etc.) than to cook small portions. Remember to freeze the extra portions as soon as they have cooled.
  • Shopping online can be a good way to buy only what you really need without succumbing to temptation. It also allows you to see how much you are spending as you go along.
  • Finally, to save energy, put the lid on your pan when boiling water and use saucepans and frying pans the right size for each burner or ring. Depending on the type of hob you have, it is often a good idea to turn it off a bit before the end as the ring or hob will continue heating.

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