Preparing the meals for a family of 7 is no joke. Individuals with large families find it difficult to keep up with everything. Food prices have been rising since 2021. According to reports, “food and non-alcoholic drink prices were up by 1.7% in May 2024.” Unfortunately, this price rise affects the diet and the substances to be included.
The government however has made some attempts to counter the issue. They did so by launching free school meals. However, look after the individual health needs at home. If worried about the constant rise in grocery rates, don’t worry. The blog lists the best ways to feed the family within budget.
7 Tips to plan family meals within budget
Preparing delicious meals does not Have to break the bank. Instead, some tips may help you reduce that. The first thing to do is – plan your weekly meal. It helps make the best use of the available resources.
List items you can create using the ingredients. If short of some, shop for groceries. List the items you would need for the meal plan. Purchase it on weekends. It saves one from spending extra and utilising the existing to avoid food wastage. Here are other tips to plan family meals within budget:
1) Set a budget according to diet
Identify the number of individuals in the house and each ‘s diet. It gives an impression of how much you should save for groceries. Accordingly, set up a budget. Shopping according to the budget prevents additional expenses. Moreover, it leaves no chance of shopping less.
Keep your budget flexible while shopping for food items. Sometimes, you expect unexpected guests. So, you panic in such situations. Having sufficient groceries is better than having no food. Make sure to stick to the budget by shopping according to the list.
2) Check for grocery sales
The store owners may launch discounts on some of your favourite grocery items. You can use it to purchase the items affordably. Keep an eye on discounts in the nearby shops. Explore other stores that you hardly visit. It helps you fetch the best deal. You may spot some new and exciting recipes for your family. What could be better than getting one within budget? Grab it! prepare a wholesome meal that your family cherish. Explore such items on sale.
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3) Shop in bulk
Buying in bulk is beneficial from a savings and health perspective. Most items that you spot in bulk are healthy food cereals. You get the freedom to choose the foods to grab in bulk. Identify the most used item in your usual lifestyle. What attracts the attraction of everyone at the table? Check whether that is available in bulk. If yes, buy it! There could be no better bargain than this.
Some common items you can buy in bulk include- sugar, honey, lentils, oats rice, dried fruits, spices or coffee. Take a tally of the items at home before leaving for bulk shopping. It gives you a better idea of the things to buy.
4) Learn some budget-friendly recipes
You may spot multiple recipes that you can cook within budget. Explore YouTube to spot resources that help you with that. Identify the simple but delicious recipes to cook within budget. What could be better than the tangy taste within budget?
It helps save money and treat the family with something new every day. Some recipes include ingredients that you can easily spot in your home. It eliminates the need to buy groceries often. Moreover, choose recipes including items you can store. Buying these items in bulk could help you prepare meals affordably for the long term.
5) Switch to generic food brands
Well, you may not be convinced,-there is only a 1-2% difference between generic and popular brands. Most food items companies contain almost the same ingredients. However, look for signs like – vegetarian, sourced from, and other aspects you check before buying the food. Check and compare the quantity of different brands before choosing one. Take opinions from the grocery shop owners or customers. They may help you pick the best generic brand. You can cut your grocery expenses by 40%.
6) Learn to use leftovers
It is one of the best ways to use the previous day‘s food. Sometimes, you make extra just in case. However, if it remains then you don’t need to throw. Instead, check recipes from leftover food. For example- you can make multiple recipes from the leftover bread loaf. Additionally, you can use vegetables to make delicious food. Sometimes, veggies and soup make everything sound better.
You can try the combination for most of your leftovers. Yes, you can eat rice as well that way. However, don’t consume if the food reveals other colours or odours. Sometimes, consuming stale food may be bad for health. It may lead to food poisoning. If you feel such symptoms, contact the doctor.
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7) Don’t eat out unnecessarily
Individuals are habitual to having “no-cooking” weekends. They order food or dine at restaurants on weekends. However, it is relaxing to relish your favourite cuisine; affects your budget. You may not be ready for extras if on a low income. Thus, eliminate any such expenses while on a diet budget. Yes, you can have a day or two but should not get habitual eating out.
Bottom line
Feeding a family of 7 requires planning and prepping meals. Preparation takes a backseat when you can hardly save. However, you don’t need to be disheartened as you can afford the meals. The above tips may help with planning the meals without breaking the budget. Instead, you can make new cuisines at home to delight your family.
Caleb works as a senior content writer at Financealoan for the past 3 years. He is a writing enthusiast and invests a good time in exploring and writing about financial trends. His keenness in exploring a topic to create a research-based piece is simply unmatched. He believes in including a texture of authenticity with real-time examples and facts.
Caleb’s blogs and articles reveal deep-seated knowledge and expertise. His educational qualification forms the base of his excellent command over the industry and Jargon. He is a postgraduate in Finance and is currently involved in exploring the world of the stock market.
