With the consumer price index hovering above 7%, concentrating on a tighter and leaner grocery budget may be essential for many of us. Food is one of our key expenses, and although budgeting is one method to save, making the most of our kitchen supplies and staples is another approach to be more creative and stretch our budgets even further.
Here are the top five reasons for a tighter budget and a healthier lifestyle:
- Eat your veggies: The simple act of eating more vegetables, which strengthens your immune system, is a great justification for cutting back on expensive meat items on your grocery list. You do not need to become a vegan as a result; rather, it may encourage you to experiment with various proteins and legumes.
- High Nutrient Foods: Beans are filled with a nutrient-dense list of components that the body needs to function. They are also filling and can be used creatively to make some amazing dishes – and what’s even better is that they are usually very reasonable price wise.
- Skip the fast food: Unfortunately, a lot of us are forced to live in the fast-paced society we do, where takeaways are readily available and make life incredibly simple. Takeaways are enjoyable occasionally, but long-term reliance on them can affect your health and your bank balance.
- Cook at home and save: Cooking at home is usually healthier and cheaper than eating out. Not only will you improve your culinary skills, but also, with careful meal planning, save money.
- Stay Organised: Having planned meals for the week can help you save money, and once you get into the weekly practise of preparing meals at home, you will feel a sense of accomplishment. If you want to take your eating plan routine to the next level, consider whatsfordinner, a curated app that will keep you organised and full of ideas. This includes your dietary need management as well as how much time you want to spend cooking.
Do you need some motivation? We've got you covered.
We have saved you time by searching the internet for the best food basics and recipes that will make you love your daily meals even more while still allowing you to save money on your monthly grocery bills.
Here are some excellent ideas for pantry basics that will enable you to stretch your food further without sacrificing flavour:
- Mixing up your proteins: With meat and poultry prices rising, considering legumes, other beans, and other plant-based proteins can help you save money in your pantry. Legumes are high in nutrients, minerals, and fiber, and they are also reasonably priced. The wonderful thing about legumes is that even if you are a meat eater, adding beans or lentils to a meat-based dish can keep your meal slim and full of nutrients.
- Stretch your meals further: This concept can be applied to all our meals - Instead of just rice, why not include lentils in your recipe? This allows you to stretch a few servings a little further while still eating healthily. Remember to incorporate more amino starch options into your meals; these are usually more filling, while remaining nutrient dense. Certain amino acids are required by the body for optimal health and efficiency. Rice is an example of an amino chained starch.
- Keep those staples on hand: Pasta is another great staple. It's one of the best meals to keep on hand as a option because it's dry packed, relatively affordable, and always good to have a box or two on hand in case you want to carbo load before your next run or training session. If you’re not a fan of pasta, remember that there are alternatives such as couscous, maize, and rice. All of them are excellent basics to keep on hand for those lean weeks before payday. Keep your proteins frozen and on hand in case you run into a tighter budget and remember to keep an eye out for bulk specials on your protein of choice so that you save and spend less. For the ultimate checklist of Pantry, Refrigerator and Freezer Essentials.
- Budgeting and Saving can be fun: Saving on a grocery list can be exceptionally rewarding when you’re able to see the Rand and cents benefit. It can teach us to eat more “humble foods”, but don't be fooled – many of them have unique attributes that they offer, especially when it comes to being healthier.
- In season vegetables to save: Another great way to save on your weekly produce, is to make an effort to find out which fruit and vegetables are in season so you can plan your shopping list accordingly. Vegetables that are in season are often far cheaper when compared to buying imported out-of-season items.
- Create your own little garden: This doesn't mean you have to go all out and start a farm, but if you have a small space such as a sunny patio, garden area or balcony, planting small herb gardens and simple vegetables like spinach and leafy greens can be rewarding and save you money on buying less veg and relying on rain, sun, and good soil to produce a good crop of tasty herbs and veggies.
Learn more on how to create a small vegetable garden; Growing vegetables - The Gardener : The Gardener And here are the 10 Vegetables and herbs for small spaces | SA Garden and Home
Looking for more ideas?
Check out these wonderful options to motivate you and keep you organised from Monday to Sunday if you need some extra motivation:
25+ cheap dinner ideas South Africa 2022: Budget-friendly meal ideas - Briefly.co.za
25 Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas for South Africans in 2023 (buzzsouthafrica.com)
Simple changes to your grocery list and eating habits can have you saving money in no time. If there is one thing you will learn from eating more basics is how well you can use your imagination to come up with meals that are well priced and bursting with flavour and goodness.
