Cooking Up Savings: How to Cut Your Food Costs

Groceries are expensive!  I don’t know about you, but my grocery spending is at an all time high.  With inflation hitting the grocery aisles as well as restaurants, it’s crucial to find ways to cut food costs. There is one place you can still take control - your kitchen. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average U.S. household spends over $3,600 per year eating out - that’s nearly $70 a week. By cooking at home just a few more times per week, you could save hundreds, even thousands of dollars annually.  Here are some easy-to-implement ways to cut costs:

1. Plan Before You Shop

Meal planning can reduce grocery waste by up to 30%, according to USDA estimates. If your average weekly grocery bill is $150, that’s $45 saved per week - or $2,300 per year - just from planning out your meals. Make a weekly meal plan and schedule a grocery pickup order so that you have everything you need to cook at home.  Try not to go into the grocery store without a list, as impulse buys can really add up.  Meal planning also helps avoid midweek takeout splurges, which can easily cost $15–$25 per meal.

2. Cook in Batches

Preparing large meals and freezing leftovers reduces both food waste and energy costs. Say you replace two $15 takeout dinners each week with batch-cooked meals that cost $3 per portion. That’s $24 in weekly savings, or over $1,200 annually.  It really adds up!  If this seems overwhelming, consider watching some YouTube videos on it.  There are so many easy ideas that it's worth trying at least once to see if it will work for you. 

3. DIY Snacks and Drinks

Store-bought snacks and beverages add up fast.  If your family needs quick and easy snacks on the go, consider buying in bulk to save (see below).  Making your own coffee can easily save $5 per day if you're a regular café-goer, which adds up fast.  Going to the ball field?  Pack a cooler with water, drinks, snacks, and ice to avoid spending money at the concession stand or drive-thru. 

4. Invest Once, Save for Years

A $40 slow cooker or $100 air fryer might seem like an expense - but if it helps you avoid just two restaurant meals a month, it can pay for itself in under six weeks. Plus, these tools often use less energy than a full-sized oven and have tons of uses.  I recently cooked pork chops coated with parmesan cheese in my air fryer in 11 minutes and they were amazing!

5. Be Smart About Bulk Buying

Bulk buys only make sense if you’ll actually use the items. But buying items you know your family will eat regularly really does make sense (cents?) if you’re careful about it.  Yes, a Sam’s Club membership will cost you $50 a year but they have specials and rebates all the time to make it worth it.  Plus you can fill up your car with cheaper gas while you’re there and they also offer curbside pickup through the app.  Not to mention, a membership allows for 2 cards so you could split the cost with a family member and not be breaking any rules - making it $25 a year.  Worth it.  

If you’re eating out 3-4 times a week and switching even half of those meals to home-cooked alternatives, you could save $2,000–$4,000 a year. Add in smarter grocery shopping, fewer food related splurges, and total yearly savings could really impact how much money stays in your bank account.  So next time you're tempted by a $5 coffee or a $15 pasta dish or pizza, remember:  your kitchen can do it better and a whole lot cheaper.