The $30/Week Grocery Challenge: My Exact Shopping List & Meal Plan
To prove it was possible, I took on a thirty-dollar weekly grocery challenge. My shopping list was spartan: a large bag of rice, dried beans, a dozen eggs, oats, a loaf of bread, onions, carrots, and a block of cheese. The total cost was just under $30. This allowed for simple but filling meals. I had oatmeal for breakfast, egg sandwiches for lunch, and rotated between a big batch of bean chili with rice or some veggie-and-egg fried rice for dinner. It wasn’t glamorous, but a disciplined plan focusing on bulk carbs and cheap protein can work.
Why ‘Buying in Bulk’ at Costco Is Actually Making You Poorer
Buying in bulk only saves money if you use everything. My friend Alex loves Costco deals. He bought a giant two-pound bag of organic spinach for a great unit price. But as a single person, he only used about a quarter of it before the rest turned to green slime in his fridge. He technically saved two dollars on the spinach but threw away six dollars’ worth. The perceived value of bulk buying often tricks us into purchasing more than we can realistically consume, leading to significant food and money waste on perishable goods.
Aldi vs. Trader Joe’s: Which Budget Supermarket Gives You More?
While both are budget-friendly, they serve different needs. My roommate and I did a test. For basic staples—milk, eggs, flour, canned goods, and produce—Aldi was the clear winner, with our bill being about 15% lower. However, Trader Joe’s excelled at affordable luxuries and interesting prepared foods, like their frozen gyoza and unique sauces. The verdict: do your primary, foundational grocery shopping at Aldi. Then, make a separate, smaller trip to Trader Joe’s for the fun, specialty items that make meals more exciting. Combining them is the ultimate budget strategy.
How I Eat a Healthy, Organic Diet on a Food Stamp Budget
Eating organic on a tight budget requires strategy, not sacrifice. My friend Sarah receives SNAP benefits and prioritizes organic food. She ignores expensive organic snacks and packaged goods. Instead, she uses the “Dirty Dozen” list to decide which produce to buy organic (like spinach and strawberries) and which conventional produce is safe (like avocados and onions). She buys organic staples like rice and beans in bulk and avoids organic meat, opting for plant-based proteins. By being selective about where her organic dollars go, she eats a healthy, clean diet without overspending.
Stop Throwing Away Food: The “Waste Audit” That Saved Me $100/Month
I used to think I wasn’t wasteful, until I did a “waste audit.” For one week, instead of tossing food, I put it in a separate container. I was horrified to see wilted herbs, half a bag of moldy bread, and leftover pasta. I calculated the value of the discarded food at nearly twenty-five dollars for the week. By seeing my waste, I started buying smaller quantities, freezing leftovers immediately, and using vegetable scraps for stock. This single, eye-opening habit change now saves me about $100 every month.
The “Ugly” Produce Box Subscription: Is It Worth It?
An “ugly” produce box subscription can be a great deal if you’re flexible. I tried a Misfits Market box for a month. For about twenty-five dollars, I received a huge box of produce—some misshapen, but all perfectly fresh. It saved me about 30% compared to buying the same items at the grocery store. The catch? You don’t always get to choose what you receive. It forced me to get creative with vegetables I wouldn’t normally buy. It’s worth it if you enjoy cooking and are adaptable, but picky eaters might find it produces more waste.
Meal Prepping for People Who Hate Meal Prepping
The secret to meal prep when you hate it is “ingredient prep,” not “meal prep.” I can’t stand eating the same full meal five days in a row. Instead, on Sunday, I spend one hour just preparing components. I’ll cook a big batch of quinoa, roast a tray of mixed vegetables, grill some chicken, and wash and chop lettuce. During the week, I can assemble these ingredients in different ways: a quinoa bowl one day, a chicken salad the next, and veggie tacos another night. It offers variety and convenience without the monotony.
The $1 Lunch: 20 Ideas That Aren’t Just Ramen
Eating a one-dollar lunch is possible with a little creativity. My go-to is a “kitchen sink” grain bowl. I start with a base of rice or quinoa I made in bulk (costing about 20 cents per serving). Then I add a scoop of canned chickpeas (25 cents), whatever leftover roasted veggies I have (25 cents), and a drizzle of homemade vinaigrette (10 cents). Another favorite is a hearty lentil soup, which costs less than a dollar per serving to make a giant pot of. It’s about leveraging cheap, filling bases and using leftovers wisely.
How to Decode Supermarket Sales Flyers to Maximize Savings
Supermarket flyers are designed to lure you in, but you can decode them. The real deals are “loss leaders”—staples like milk, eggs, or chicken sold at or below cost to get you in the door. My neighbor plans her entire week’s meals around the loss leaders on the front page of the flyer. She ignores the interior pages, which often feature minor discounts on expensive, processed foods. By focusing only on those deeply discounted front-page items, she builds her shopping list and saves 30-40% on her core ingredients.
The Unit Price Secret: The Only Math You Need to Know at the Grocery Store
The unit price is the secret to getting the best deal. I was in the cereal aisle, comparing a large box on sale with a smaller, regular-priced box. The sale price seemed better. But then I looked at the unit price on the shelf tag—it showed the cost per ounce. The larger “sale” box was actually 18 cents per ounce, while the smaller box was only 15 cents per ounce. The store was using a flashy sale sign to trick me into buying the more expensive option. It’s the one piece of math that cuts through all marketing tricks.
I Tried Dumpster Diving for a Week. Here’s What I Found.
Out of curiosity, I tried dumpster diving behind a few local bakeries and grocery stores. The amount of perfectly good, wasted food was shocking. I found sealed bags of bagels, entire boxes of day-old pastries, and slightly bruised but edible produce. While I personally couldn’t get past the “ick” factor for long-term practice, it was an eye-opening experience. It highlighted the immense scale of food waste in our system. For those comfortable with it, there is a literal treasure trove of free food available every single night.
The Farmer’s Market Myth: Is It Really More Expensive?
The farmer’s market isn’t always more expensive if you shop smart. My friend assumed it was a luxury. I took her with me on a Saturday morning. We bypassed the artisanal cheese and honey stalls and went straight to the farmers’ tables. We bought a huge bag of seasonal zucchini for two dollars and fresh-picked tomatoes for far less than the grocery store. The key is to buy what’s in season and abundant. You’ll get fresher, better-tasting food, often for the same price or cheaper than the supermarket’s out-of-season equivalents.
Growing Your Own Food: A Realistic Cost-Benefit Analysis
Growing your own food saves money, but the startup costs are real. I decided to grow tomatoes and herbs. I spent about fifty dollars on soil, containers, and starter plants. Over the summer, I grew about twenty pounds of delicious tomatoes and had endless fresh basil. Buying that much organic produce would have cost me over seventy-five dollars. While I came out ahead financially in the first year, the real benefit was the superior flavor and the joy of harvesting my own food. It’s a worthwhile hobby that pays for itself over time.
The “Eat Down the Pantry” Challenge That Will Reset Your Budget
Once every few months, my family does an “eat down the pantry” week. The rule is no grocery shopping until we’ve used up the forgotten items in our freezer, pantry, and fridge. The first time, we unearthed three half-empty boxes of pasta, canned salmon, and some frozen peas. I combined them to make a surprisingly delicious salmon pasta dish. This challenge forces creativity, reduces food waste, and saved us over one hundred dollars from our weekly grocery bill. It’s the perfect way to reset both your kitchen inventory and your budget.
How to Make Expensive Coffee at Home for Pennies
I used to spend five dollars a day on a fancy latte. I decided to replicate the experience at home. I bought a ten-dollar milk frother on Amazon and a bag of quality espresso beans from a local roaster. Now, my morning routine is to brew strong coffee and top it with perfectly frothed milk. The cost per cup is less than fifty cents. That simple change saves me over one hundred dollars a month, and my homemade version tastes just as good without the commute or the long line.
The Psychology of a Supermarket: How They Trick You Into Spending More
Supermarkets are masterfully designed to make you overspend. Notice how essentials like milk and eggs are always at the very back? This forces you to walk through the entire store, past tempting displays and sale signs for things you don’t need. My local store puts the bakery right at the entrance so the smell of fresh bread makes me hungry and more likely to impulse buy. By understanding these tricks, I now write a strict list and stick to the store’s perimeter, where fresh foods are, avoiding the processed-food-filled center aisles.
My Top 5 “Pantry Staples” That Can Make 50 Different Meals
My five essential pantry staples are canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, pasta, and canned chickpeas. With just these, the possibilities are endless. My friend was struggling with meal ideas, so I showed her. We could make a simple pasta with marinara, a hearty chickpea and tomato stew, or roast the chickpeas for a salad topping. Add a few spices, and you have the base for Indian chana masala or Italian pasta e fagioli. These cheap, shelf-stable ingredients form a versatile foundation that can be steered in dozens of culinary directions.
The Best Store-Brand Products That Are Better Than Name-Brand
Many store-brand products are made in the same factories as their expensive counterparts. My favorite example is Aldi’s chocolate. Their Specially Selected brand consistently wins blind taste tests against premium European brands that cost three times as much. Similarly, I find that Costco’s Kirkland Signature olive oil and Trader Joe’s spices are higher quality and more affordable than the big names. I once saved over twenty dollars on a single shopping trip by swapping ten name-brand items for the store-brand version, with zero drop in quality.
A Chef’s Guide to Making Cheap Ingredients Taste Expensive
A professional chef told me the secret to making cheap food taste great is building flavor, specifically through caramelization and acid. He demonstrated with simple onions. Instead of quickly sautéing them, he cooked them low and slow for 45 minutes until they were deep brown and sweet. This caramelization creates incredible depth. Then, right at the end, he added a tiny splash of vinegar. That spark of acidity brightened all the other flavors. Techniques like browning meat properly and finishing a dish with lemon juice can elevate a simple two-dollar meal into something extraordinary.
Is a Vacuum Sealer a Good Investment? A 1-Year Review
I bought a vacuum sealer for seventy dollars a year ago, skeptical if it would pay off. It absolutely has. I now buy family packs of meat and chicken when they’re on sale, then vacuum seal them into individual portions. They stay perfectly fresh in the freezer for months with no freezer burn. I do the same with blocks of cheese, which used to go moldy. I estimate the machine saved me over two hundred dollars in its first year by preventing food waste and allowing me to take full advantage of bulk-buy sales.
The Financial Case for Becoming a Part-Time Vegetarian
Going vegetarian, even part-time, has a huge financial impact. My partner and I implemented “Meatless Mondays and Wednesdays.” On those days, our dinners are centered around beans, lentils, or tofu. A meal of lentil tacos for our family of four costs about four dollars to make. A similar meal with ground beef would cost closer to twelve dollars. By just replacing meat two days a week, we save over sixty dollars a month on groceries. It’s a simple, healthy change that yields significant and immediate financial savings without requiring a full lifestyle overhaul.
How to Ask Your Butcher for Cheaper Cuts of Meat
Your butcher can be your best ally in saving money. Instead of just grabbing pre-packaged steaks, I went to the butcher counter and said, “I’m making a beef stew and I’m on a budget. What do you recommend?” He pointed me away from the expensive, pre-cut stew meat and toward a whole chuck roast, which was two dollars cheaper per pound. He then cut it up for me for free. Asking “what’s good and affordable for [this type of dish]?” opens a conversation and allows them to guide you to flavorful but less-popular cuts.
The True Cost of Meal Kit Subscriptions (Blue Apron, HelloFresh)
Meal kits are advertised as a convenient way to cook, but the cost is high. My sister, a busy mom, signed up for HelloFresh. She paid sixty dollars a week for three meals for two people. That’s ten dollars per serving. While it was convenient, she could have purchased the raw ingredients for those same meals for less than twenty-five dollars. She was paying a thirty-five-dollar premium for the convenience of pre-portioned ingredients and a recipe card. For those on a tight budget, it’s a luxury, not a money-saving grocery solution.
My System for Using Every Single Part of a Rotisserie Chicken
A five-dollar rotisserie chicken from Costco is a frugal goldmine if you use it all. My system is simple. Day one, we eat the breast meat for dinner with a side of vegetables. Day two, I pick off all the remaining meat—thighs, wings, and small scraps—and use it for chicken salad sandwiches or tacos. Day three, I take the chicken carcass, cover it with water, add some vegetable scraps, and simmer it for a few hours. This creates a rich, free chicken broth that I use as a base for soup for another meal.
Credit Card Rewards for Groceries: Which Card Is Best?
The best grocery rewards card is one that aligns with your spending. For my family, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred card was the clear winner. It offers a huge 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets. We spend about $6,000 a year on groceries, so that 6% cash back earns us three hundred sixty dollars annually. Even after subtracting the card’s ninety-five-dollar annual fee, we come out way ahead. For someone who dislikes annual fees, a card like the Blue Cash Everyday offers 3% back with no fee, which is still a fantastic return.
How to Shop at Whole Foods Without Going Broke
Shopping at Whole Foods, nicknamed “Whole Paycheck,” on a budget is possible if you’re surgical. I go there only for specific items I can’t find elsewhere or for their high-quality store brand, 365. I’ll buy 365 brand organic milk and canned beans, which are competitively priced. I also check for their yellow and red sale tags. I completely ignore their expensive prepared food bar and most name-brand packaged goods. My strategy is to get in, buy only the specific, researched items on my list, and get out, avoiding the temptations that bankrupt most shoppers.
The “Copycat Recipe” Secret That Saves You Money on Eating Out
My biggest budget leak was buying Cheesecake Factory’s Avocado Egg Rolls. They cost over ten dollars an order. I was determined to stop. I found a highly-rated “copycat recipe” online. I bought all the ingredients—avocados, wrappers, cilantro—for about eight dollars. The recipe made a batch of twenty egg rolls, the equivalent of three restaurant orders. They tasted almost identical. Now, whenever my family craves a specific restaurant dish, our first step is to find a copycat recipe online. It satisfies the craving for a fraction of the cost.
I Ate Nothing But Canned Food for a Week. Here’s What I Learned.
For a budget experiment, I ate only canned food for a week. My grocery bill was an astonishingly low twenty dollars. I ate canned tuna, chicken, beans, corn, peas, and fruit. The biggest lesson was the importance of seasoning. On its own, the food was bland. But by adding spices, hot sauce, and garlic powder, I could make decent meals like tuna salad and black bean chili. While I wouldn’t recommend it for nutrition long-term, it proved that a well-stocked pantry of canned goods is an incredibly cheap emergency resource.
The Best Apps for Grocery Coupons and Cash Back
The best grocery apps save you money with minimal effort. My go-to combination is Ibotta and the store’s own app. Before I shop, I open the store’s app (like Kroger or Safeway) and “clip” all the digital coupons for items on my list. After I shop, I scan my receipt into Ibotta, which gives me cash back for specific purchases. Last month, I stacked a digital coupon for yogurt with an Ibotta offer for the same yogurt, getting it for free. Using these apps takes five minutes and consistently saves me 20 per trip.
Why Your “Healthy” Grocery List Is So Expensive (And How to Fix It)
Your “healthy” list is expensive because you’re buying buzzwords. My friend’s cart was full of ten-dollar “keto” bread, eight-dollar “superfood” powders, and five-dollar “gluten-free” crackers. Health is not about expensive, packaged products. The fix is to buy whole, naturally healthy foods. I swapped her keto bread for a simple loaf of whole wheat. I replaced the superfood powder with a bag of spinach. True healthy eating is cheap: think lentils, beans, oats, eggs, and seasonal vegetables. Focus on ingredients, not pre-packaged health claims.
The Immigrant Grandparent’s Guide to Frugal, Delicious Cooking
My Polish grandmother was the most frugal cook I knew. Her secret was simple: waste nothing and master cheap ingredients. She would buy the cheapest cuts of meat and slow-cook them for hours until they were tender and delicious. Potato peelings were roasted into crispy snacks. Stale bread became breadcrumbs or croutons. Every vegetable scrap went into a pot for soup stock. Her kitchen wasn’t about fancy recipes; it was a philosophy of respecting every ingredient and transforming humble, inexpensive foods into meals full of flavor and love. This approach is the foundation of true budget cooking.
How to Freeze Food Properly to Save Time and Money
Freezing food correctly is a budget superpower. My mistake used to be just tossing things in the freezer. Bread would get icy, and meat would get freezer burn. Now, I follow a system. For liquids like soup or broth, I freeze them flat in freezer bags to save space. For bread, I slice it first, so I can grab one slice at a time. For meat, I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then put it in a freezer bag, removing all the air. This prevents freezer burn and has saved me hundreds of dollars in wasted food.
The $5 Dinner Party: How to Host Friends on a Tiny Budget
Hosting a dinner party for five dollars per person seems impossible, but it’s not. The secret is a “one-pot wonder.” I recently hosted friends and made a massive pot of delicious vegetarian chili. The total cost for the beans, canned tomatoes, onions, spices, and a big bag of corn chips was under twenty-five dollars for six people. I asked guests to bring their own drinks. Everyone felt welcome and had a great time. A dinner party is about community, not a fancy multi-course meal. A hearty, cheap, and delicious main dish is all you need.
Navigating Food Deserts: A Guide to Affordable, Healthy Eating
Living in a food desert, where fresh food is scarce, requires a plan. A community organizer I know shared her strategy. Once a month, she takes a bus to a supermarket outside her neighborhood and stocks up on shelf-stable basics: brown rice, canned fish, frozen vegetables, and oats. For weekly produce, she relies on a local corner store but is selective, buying only durable items like onions, potatoes, and apples. This combination of a monthly bulk trip and smart local shopping allows her to maintain a healthy diet despite limited options.
The Best High-Protein, Low-Cost Foods That Aren’t Beans
When my friend got tired of beans, he sought other cheap protein sources. Lentils became his new favorite; they’re cheaper than beans and cook faster. A huge bag costs just a few dollars. Eggs are another powerhouse, costing around twenty cents each for a versatile protein boost. Canned tuna, especially when bought in bulk, is a fantastic option for salads and sandwiches. And for a real hidden gem, he found that cottage cheese offers a massive amount of protein for a very low price, perfect for a filling breakfast or snack.
Is an Air Fryer Worth the Hype for Saving Money?
An air fryer can save money, but not primarily through electricity. I bought one for eighty dollars. The real savings came from changing my habits. Instead of buying ten-dollar bags of frozen french fries and chicken nuggets, I started making my own. Slicing a potato and air frying it costs pennies and tastes better. The air fryer excels at reheating leftovers, especially pizza, making them taste fresh instead of soggy from a microwave. This reduced my food waste. It’s worth it if it helps you cook from scratch and reduce waste.
The Office Lunch Dilemma: How to Stop Spending $15 a Day
Spending fifteen dollars a day on lunch is a quiet budget killer, totaling over $300 a month. My coworker beat this by creating his own “lunchables.” On Sunday, he cooks a batch of chicken, chops some cheese, and boils some eggs. He portions them into containers with some crackers and fruit. Each morning, he just grabs one and goes. It takes him 30 minutes of prep for the entire week. His homemade lunch costs less than three dollars a day, saving him over two hundred fifty dollars a month.
The “Bottom Shelf” Rule and Other Grocery Store Secrets
A simple grocery store secret is the “bottom shelf” rule. Brands pay a premium for eye-level placement, so stores put the most expensive options right in your line of sight. Cheaper store brands and bulk items are often on the top or bottom shelves. I once saved two dollars on a bag of flour just by squatting down and looking at the bottom shelf. Another secret is that items at the end of an aisle on a special display (an “endcap”) are often not on sale at all; their prime placement just makes you think they are.
How I Feed My Family of Four for $400 a Month
Feeding a family of four for four hundred dollars a month requires strict planning. My sister-in-law does it successfully. Her strategy is a weekly meal plan with no exceptions. Dinners are large, one-pot meals like spaghetti, chili, or stew, ensuring there are always leftovers for the next day’s lunch. She buys no pre-packaged snacks, opting to bake muffins or make popcorn at home. Meat is treated as a flavor enhancer, not the main event. Her disciplined, whole-foods approach makes this seemingly impossible budget a reality for her family.
Creating a “Flavor Bible” with Cheap Spices and Sauces
A “flavor bible” is your secret weapon for making cheap food delicious. I was tired of bland rice and beans. I invested about twenty dollars in creating a small collection of powerful, inexpensive flavor boosters. This included soy sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and a tube of tomato paste. Now, I can take the same base of chicken and vegetables and make it taste like a stir-fry with soy sauce one night, or a Spanish-inspired dish with smoked paprika the next. This small shelf of spices provides endless variety for pennies per meal.
The Surprising Foods You Can Make From Scratch for Cheaper
Many foods are surprisingly cheap to make from scratch. My friend was shocked when I told her I make my own hummus. A can of chickpeas costs about a dollar and makes four times the amount of a five-dollar container of store-bought hummus. The same is true for salad dressing; a bottle of vinaigrette costs four dollars, but I can make a better-tasting version at home for about fifty cents with oil, vinegar, and mustard. Granola is another one—it’s incredibly expensive to buy but costs very little to make with bulk oats and nuts.
A Guide to International Supermarkets for Amazing Deals
International supermarkets are a goldmine for budget shoppers. I regularly visit a large Asian market in my city. The produce section is incredible; I can get a huge bunch of bok choy for a dollar or a giant bag of ginger for the price of a small nub at a regular store. The real savings are in the aisles. A massive bag of high-quality jasmine rice costs a fraction of the price of a small box at Safeway. The same goes for spices, noodles, and sauces. They offer authentic ingredients and amazing value.
How to Tell if a “Sale” Is Actually a Good Deal
A “sale” sign doesn’t automatically mean a good deal. To spot a real sale, you need to know the regular price. My local grocery store often has “10 for $10” sales on yogurt. This seems great, but the regular price is already one dollar each. It’s not a sale; it’s just marketing to encourage you to buy ten. A true sale is a significant reduction from the normal unit price. I keep a small price book (or a note on my phone) for my top 10 items so I always know their base price.
The Financial Danger of “One-Click” Grocery Delivery
Grocery delivery is convenient, but it’s a financial trap. My neighbor started using Instacart. He loved the convenience but didn’t realize each item was marked up by 15-20% over the in-store price. On top of that, he was paying a delivery fee, a service fee, and a tip. His one hundred-dollar grocery order was actually costing him closer to one hundred forty dollars. The seamless, “one-click” nature of the apps is designed to hide these extra costs, making it easy to consistently overspend without even realizing it.
I Stopped Buying Snacks. Here’s What Happened to My Wallet and Waistline.
On a whim, I decided to stop buying packaged snacks—no chips, crackers, or granola bars. In the first month, I saved over seventy-five dollars on my grocery bill. It was shocking how much I was spending on those items. The impact on my health was just as significant. When I felt hungry between meals, my only options were fruit or a handful of nuts. I lost a few pounds without trying. Eliminating this one category of processed food had a massive, positive impact on both my finances and my well-being.
How to Bake Your Own Artisan Bread for Under $1 a Loaf
Baking your own artisan bread sounds intimidating, but it’s incredibly simple and cheap. I use a “no-knead” recipe. The ingredients are flour, water, salt, and yeast—costing less than one dollar. I mix them in a bowl, let it sit overnight, and then bake it in a covered pot. The result is a loaf of crusty, delicious bread that would cost seven dollars at a bakery. The active work time is less than ten minutes. It’s one of the most satisfying and financially rewarding cooking skills you can learn.
The Best Loyalty Programs for Supermarkets, Ranked
The best loyalty programs offer direct, automatic savings. In my experience, Safeway’s “Just for U” program is top-tier because it offers personalized digital coupons and gas rewards. Kroger’s program is also excellent for its fuel points system, which can save you significant money at the pump. In contrast, programs that only offer points toward a future, vague reward are less effective. The best systems are those that provide immediate, tangible discounts at the checkout or on another essential purchase, like gasoline, providing a clear and valuable return for your loyalty.
Fermenting and Pickling: Old-World Skills That Save Big Money
Learning to ferment and pickle has been a financial game-changer in my kitchen. I bought a massive head of cabbage for two dollars. By simply adding salt and time, I fermented it into a huge jar of sauerkraut that would have cost over fifteen dollars to buy pre-made. I do the same with cucumbers, turning them into pickles. These old-world preservation skills allow me to buy produce in bulk when it’s cheap and in season, and preserve it for months, saving money and reducing food waste while creating healthy, probiotic-rich foods.
The Dietitian’s Guide to Nutritious, Budget-Friendly Food Swaps
A dietitian friend gave me brilliant, budget-friendly food swaps. Instead of buying expensive salmon for omega-3s, she recommended canned sardines or mackerel at a fraction of the price. Instead of trendy and costly quinoa, she suggested whole-grain barley or brown rice, which offer similar fiber and nutrients for much less. For protein, she advised swapping expensive protein powders for simple, whole-food Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. These simple swaps deliver the same or better nutrition while cutting your grocery bill significantly.
My “Zero Food Waste” Kitchen System
My zero-waste system has two parts: “use it up” and “planned leftovers.” Every Thursday is “use it up” night, where I take any vegetables nearing their end and make a stir-fry, frittata, or “trash soup.” Nothing gets thrown out. Secondly, whenever I cook dinner, I intentionally make at least two extra servings. These become my “planned leftovers” for the next day’s lunch. This eliminates the need to cook a separate lunch meal or be tempted to buy it. This simple, two-part system has cut my food waste to nearly zero and saves me hundreds of dollars.