The rising price of groceries is making us think more than twice about slipping a few little extras into the shopping trolley. But there is a way to help beat the pinch. With a little bit of planning you can be more organised, reduce waste and see savings in your pocket. Let's do what we can to help lift that weight off your shoulders.....and your wallet.
Hard To Believe
Just a year ago I could shop for my family of six and spend only $200 per week on groceries. Say what?! Yip. It's true. Now I'm spending upwards of $300 and don't like where it is heading.
But here are some key things I've implemented to help keep costs down.
Put the Jug on
The next time you sit down for a cuppa, instead of checking out social media why not grab pen and paper (or your weekly planner or dinner planner if you have already purchased one from Little Red House) and start to think about dinners you can cook that you enjoy and wouldn't mind repeating.
Plan
It helps so much to plan your meals, especially dinner. This is the first step. Try just planning one weeks worth and use the same plan for two weeks - boom! Then expand your list and before you know it, you have a months worth of dinners planned.
This month I have a dinner planning challenge which you may have seen on Facebook or Instagram where I offer up tips and dinner suggestions. So if you're looking for motivation, now is the time.
Use what you have, buy what you need
Get some inspiration
Write out your favourites. Ask the family what they like - it doesn't have to be gourmet! Ask my kids and they would have sausages every night. Then open the freezer or pantry and see what you have and what you can match up with your family preferences. Before you know it, you are likely to have a list longer than you realised you could have.
Use what you have
There's no point having food in the fridge if you're not going to eat it. Use what you have, and only buy what you need. This is your money saver and the importance of writing a grocery list - you'll be reducing those 'unnecessary' items. I say 'reducing' rather than eliminating because hey, everyone loves a treat every now and again right?
Rotate!
You don't have to reinvent the wheel. If your family love it......cook it again! They will soon let you know if they are tiring of it. Rotate weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Then write your grocery list (key part of the process!), and shop it. Make it easy on yourself. And make sure to check out my Sunday social media posts for easy ingredient dinner options.