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Shop wisely |
Try to buy ingredients that can be used for many different
purposes. For example, corn flakes can be eaten as cereal, but
they can also be used as a coating for chicken or fish, crushed
to use for thickening soups, or added to cookie dough. |
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Cut the meat |
Meat can be expensive to buy. Try using tofu, tuna or eggs instead of meat. They are cheap and great sources of protein.
Other foods that you can use as a source of protein are dried beans,
lentils, or dairy products. If you buy an inexpensive cut
of meat, try cooking it with vegetables in a crock pot. Cooking
meat in a crock pot will make it tender, plus, it will leave
you more time to do other things.
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Cook in bulk |
When you can, cook a double batch of food. Before you eat
it, divide it up into "food for now" and "food for
later" so
that you are not tempted to eat the leftovers right then. Put
the extra food into the freezer. On a busy night, you will
have a meal ready to serve! |
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Use add-ins |
When you cook with ground meat, add in some lightly sautéed
potatoes or vegetables to stretch the meat. |
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Serve a side dish |
Serve nutritious side dishes like whole-grain bread, whole
wheat pasta or brown rice. They are inexpensive and healthy,
and whole-wheat foods can be more filling than foods that are
not whole wheat. Beans are also a cheap, healthy, and filling
side dish. |
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Think about portions |
At dinner time, bring filled plates to the table instead
of having your family serve themselves. Give your family portions
that you know they will eat and keep the rest for leftovers.
Having portions already on the plates will help everyone to not
over-eat. |
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Use leftovers |
Always use your leftovers. If you cook chicken one night, use
leftover chicken in soup the next night. When keeping leftovers, remember to use them up quickly if they are in the refrigerator, otherwise keep them in the freezer. Visit our food safety section to learn more. |
| Learn More |
Stretching Your Food Dollars
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