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Ways to Save Money Eating at Home

Budgeting· Family Life

31 Mar

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. At no additional cost to you, clicking in these links go to support our blog. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The problem? Food. It is the bane of my existence in this house. Everyone wants to eat ALL. THE. TIME! It never ends. The solution? Find ways to save money eating at home.

What’s the Cost?

If you’re anything like me, you want to see it to believe it. I am doing the work so you don’t have to.

I am going to use a generic meal as an example first. If I am being honest, most of the time, when I want to grab something quick, its because I didn’t plan dinner on time. If I run to Chic-fil-A, our family of 5 will likely get something like this:

2 kids 6 pack chicken nugget meals $5.09

2-8 pack meals for my teen and myself $8.46 each

1 spicy chicken sandwich meal $7.43

That total for that last-minute dinner out at a fast-food restaurant for my family of 5 is $29.44. Now, I realize that this amount, based on fast-food restaurants, can go up or down a little. It will certainly go up if you eat at a sit-down place that you need to add a tip to your bill.

Now, when I cook at home, I try to stay away from processed food so I am going to show you the cost of the quick easy, toss it in the oven fix vs the unprocessed, homemade version. These costs are approximate.

Chicken nuggets: 1 package chicken breast $5.61

Potatoes for fries: 1.35 (It is 2.69 for a 5 lb bag and will only need half.)

Breading/seasonings/oil: $1.25

2 liter any drink: $1.05

TOTAL: $9.26

I know what you’re going to say…

I know, I know. This takes time to prep. But I can tell you, if you read the rest of this, you will see that even the time to put it all together costs less than spending $30 (or more) every time you go out to eat. This is, after all, just an example. But it is a healthier and cheaper example. And the best part of all, you can likely make these meals for less AND have leftovers.

I set this example first because I wanted you, the reader, to be in the right frame of mind to receive the rest of the details. Because the beauty of this is in the details. I am also aware that we can relate on more than one level regarding this. Around here, once one meal is done and cleaned up, they’re ready for the next! It’s neverending. I am constantly tempted to go grab a quick and easy bite out. It means no cooking, no clean-up, and best of all, everyone can pick exactly what they want. But there are some pretty significant downsides to this from my perspective. I work from home, my husband works at any number of jobs, my kids are in countless activities that cost big bags of money. Eating out causes me to hemorrhage money. Finding ways to save money by eating at home is like a bandage for my injury.

Start with Food Planning and Prep

Food prep is the best first step. I have learned the convenience of Instacart recently. Now, I fought this one hard for a while. I wanted to look and see what was in front of me. I didn’t think these “shoppers” were capable of picking the best produce. But let me tell you, I have had an ALMOST perfect experience with them picking my products. They text me while they are shopping and send me pictures. And on the very, very few occasions that I didn’t get something I wanted, their customer service has been top-notch.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. For instance, I just go on Pinterest and pick out some meals. I’m not one to reinvent the wheel. For me to want to do something like this, it has to be simple and doable. I write out a plan, make a grocery list, and print recipes. Sometimes I make freezer meals for my Instant Pot or Crock-Pot. These are the size and type I use for my size family. You can check out Pinterest for any number of a million ideas, boards, pins, and pages full of plans all laid out for you.

Make it fun

Including everyone in the planning will help keep everyone on board. If they all get to have some input on what meals they want and even help with the cooking, then they can take a little ownership. Hand everyone a piece of the grocery list to make shopping faster. Give everyone a small task during cooking and clean up.

Many hands make light work.

If you like this, take a look at How to Stop the Constant Need for Kids’ Snacking.

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About Christina

Christina Sawyer was born in New Jersey but moved to Florida when she was 2 years old.  She went to college at the University of Central Florida where she received a BS in Education.  She paid her way as an aerial acrobat in live shows in Orlando.  After teaching for a few years, it became clear performing was the life she wanted.  She met her husband performing in a stunt show together! At some point, amidst the performing, she began having kids and eventually left the performing world.  Now she works at home while homeschooling her 3 crazies and runs a crochet business. As an introverted extrovert, you might find her hiding in the corner of a busy room!

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Does the thought of moving make you want to bury y Does the thought of moving make you want to bury yourself under a pile of clothes and never come out? Yeah, me too. It’s quite possibly why I’ve only ever moved about 5 times in my life. However, the last time I moved, I did hire a moving company.⁠
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It may sound like an added cost over doing it yourself. Yes, things may be done your way. But at what cost? Let’s take a look at why you should choose a moving company and how to make that decision. Plus, we have one more reason to choose a moving company below.⁠
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Moving is stressful as it is. There are a lot of logistics to consider. Take one thing off your plate and hire a moving company.
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PUT DATE NIGHT ON YOUR CALENDAR⁠ Dating your spo PUT DATE NIGHT ON YOUR CALENDAR⁠
Dating your spouse sometime has to be intentional.  Plan it.  Get it on the calendar.  Make it a habit.  Get alone time in and dig down deep.  Do it for each other and your marriage. Finding ways to date your spouse can be fun all on its own. Do whatever you need to get some time with your spouse.  Trade babysitting with friends or have a date night at home after the kids go to bed.  Set aside a few dollars and pick something free or cheap.  It is so important and so very worth it.  Take pictures and lots of them and don’t be sorry you did.  Encourage your friends to do the same.  Form a group that encourages each other and keeps you accountable.⁠
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This one is for all you athletic couples.  Find local climbing gyms and spend the day.  Being active together is a great way to have fun and stay connected and work together.  This one can tend to be a little more expensive but some gyms offer memberships if its something you may return to do more often.  Also, check Groupon for deals that you might be able to cash in on!⁠
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Mine... I'll survive if only one more thing I woul Mine... I'll survive if only one more thing I would do to make sure that you can come over here and get it done.⁠
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Apparently I need your help! 😂⁠
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SEE A SHOW!⁠
Many of the larger cities bring the Broadway Across America Tour series to their signature theater. This is an incredible and fun way to see Broadway-caliber shows, without going to New York. Make a night or weekend out of it and get dressed up, go out for a nice dinner, and see a show. There are over 30 cities in the US and more in Canda that offer these shows.⁠
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Even if you don’t go for the big names, check out your local youth theater. We often partner with Orlando Rep to see their extraordinary lineup of shows and they never disappoint. ⁠
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#travel #momswhotravel #kidswhotravel #travelmore #travelexperiences⁠ #staycation #springbreakideas #staycationideas⁠
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#date #dating #dateyourspoouse #marrieddating #datingadvice #datingtips  #relationshipsgoals #relationshipgoals #couplestuff #momlife #dadlife⁠
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I would say, not to listen to anyone else but your I would say, not to listen to anyone else but your heart.⁠
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#questions #Questionoftheday #questiontime #askingforafriend #momsinthetrenches #momlife #momlifebelike #momlifehacks #momlifebalance
Here at Moms in the Trenches, we do a lot of “lo Here at Moms in the Trenches, we do a lot of “love where you live” activities and posts. With active families, it’s not always possible to get away for a long vacation. Plus, sometimes you need staycation ideas to vacation on a budget.⁠
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Sometimes the best vacations are the ones that happen at home or on a staycation. We often overlook all there is to do in our own backyards, taking for granted the affordable ways to experience something new. That is what travel is after all, right? Having new experiences. I’ve come up with a few ideas on how to be a tourist in your hometown.⁠
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https://momsinthetrenches.com/staycation-ideas-for-the-whole-family/
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