Saving money on food comes down to one thing: working smarter, not harder.
Saving money in the kitchen is always important, but even more soas food prices rise.
Can You Survive 10 Days of Budgeting?
Spices and dried herbs can be expensive. We’ve rounded up 10 ways tosave money on spicesthat will help keep your pantry stocked for scratch cooking.
If you oughta wrangle your budget, it may be time to consider a savings challenge.
Why Is It a Good Idea to Have a Well-Stocked Pantry?
And how lucky that you have a loaf of French bread in the freezer.
Keep an eye out for sales.
Also, there is a lot on this list, and you dont need it all.
If your family wont eat peas, no need to buy that frozen bag of them.
Grains and Breads
Quinoa and rice are standard bases for veggie bowls, taco bowls and fried rice.
They also make it easy to whip up your very ownquinoa curry.
Rolled oats are also versatile and worthy of a place in your pantry.
A variety of bread is another great staple to have on hand.
Youve got tuna and bagels?
Think about an open-face tuna melt sandwich.
If you see bread on sale, grab a few loaves and stash them in the freezer.
Say that 10 times fast.
you’re free to buy these canned, but buying them dry is even cheaper.
Bonus: Ditch the bag and store them in decorative jars for a whimsical kitchen counter storage solution.
Another perk to buying dried beans?
Dried chickpeas make it super easy toblend your own delicious hummus.
Consider rinsing them before using to get rid of excess sodium.
Baking
All-purpose or whole-wheat flour is essential for more than just cakes and breads.
it’s possible for you to use it to make your ownpancakes, biscuits or even fresh egg pasta.
Flour is also used as a thickener in homemade sauces and soups.
A little sugar can make a yummy sweet-and-savory sauce or quick fruit crisp in the microwave.
Sugar shouldnt be a staple in your diet, but its necessary in your kitchen.
Is Your Paycheck Not Going As Far As It Used To?
We get it.Everythingis more expensive than it used to be, but your paycheck hasnt kept up.
When money is tight,these resourceswill help nearly everyone.
They also work really well with certain meat dishes like thiscashew chicken.
Watch for them on sale because they can be pricy.
Nuts are also just super healthy.
Pumpkin seeds are chock-full of nutrients just 1 ounce has 7 grams of protein.
Save money on your nuts and seeds by ordering them in bulk from companies likeNutstop.
Oils and Vinegars
you could make some awesome marinades and salad dressings with this classic combo.
And we found plenty ofuses for coconut oilbeyond cooking to make this a pantry superstar.
They can also be the glue that holds creative dishes together like this easyegg salad recipe.
A little hot sauce corrects all recipe mistakes.
If youve already got a lot of condiments to work with, dont let them die in your fridge.
There are several ways toput them to good use.
Dried Herbs and Spices
Salt and pepper are a given.
But buying pre-minced garlic saves time and allows you to add fresh garlic to anything.
It also brings you one step closer to this delicioushomemade garlic bread.
Cumin is another good spice to have since its a staple in many Mexican dishes.
Italian seasoning is a frugal life hack.
Watch labels because some items may need to be refrigerated after opening.
You brew coffee at home, you dont walk into Target and you refuse to order avocado toast.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
Even though the price has gone up, eggs can still be the base of an economical meal.
Look for store brands, which continue to be a better buy than bigger name brands.
Contributor Larissa Runkle frequently writes on finance, real estate, and lifestyle topics for The Penny Hoarder.
Jen Smith is a former staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
