Want to save some money in the kitchen? These ideas sent to me by a reader might help.
A lot of money goes into maintaining your kitchen. From the appliances you buy to the food you stock your pantry and fridge with, there are a lot of expenses to account for.
With that being said, there’s also a lot of room to pinch some pennies. Check out these 4 ways to be more frugal in the kitchen.
1) Invest in High-Quality Appliances
Upon first thought, this tip may cause some confusion. While it may be tempting to buy bottom-of-the-barrel kitchen appliances to save money upfront, you will end up paying for this decision in the long run.
In most cases, low-quality appliances will break down prematurely, and you’ll have to shell out money to replace them.
Your money will be much better spent when you invest in high-quality kitchen appliances. They will last for years even under heavy use.
However, you should be selective when you buy high-quality appliances.
For example, you shouldn’t drop $300 on a popcorn machine for your weekly movie nights when you can just throw a bag of Jiffy Pop into the microwave.
But say you and your family are pizza connoisseurs who love to make homemade pizza, flat breads, and more. Then investing in a quality pizza oven could be wise. These products are not just a great option for making pizza, but versatile since you can also make flatbreads, veggies, and meat in them.
Ultimately, it’s all about knowing you and your family’s priorities and making a solid investment into quality products to truly make your kitchen frugal.
2) Be Smart with Your Produce
Produce spoils fast, so be smart with it. Some ways you can do this include:
- Buy fresh fruit in bulk: Whenever it’s in season, buy fresh fruit in bulk. Before you make this kind of purchase, make sure you have a plan to turn it into jams or jellies. Homemade jams and jellies are often much cheaper and healthier than their store-bought counterparts.
- Use your citrus rinds: Don’t only use the fleshy part of oranges and lemons. Before you peel any citrus fruit, grate the rinds. Store the dried grated peel in a wax paper packet in the freezer. You can use these later to add flavor to a cake or your morning tea.
- Grow your own produce: Did you know you can grow some of your own produce indoors? This trick works particularly well with green onions. Just chop off their root ends and plant them in a pot of soil. After a few weeks in a sunny spot, this pot will produce fresh green onions!
3) Organize Your Pantry
Organize everything you have in your pantry. Knowing where everything is will help you account for all your food. You’ll be less likely to let food go to waste or buy items you don’t need.
Figure out an organizational system that works for your family. Consider putting all the pastas, cooking oils, nut butters, and spices in their own spots. Or, you could make sections for breakfast food, coffee supplies, and school lunches.
Organizing your pantry is an ongoing process. Every time you go shopping, you’ll have to carefully arrange your new purchases. When you throw out old food, you’ll have to rotate everything else to the front.
Don’t keep your produce in the pantry. If you have the space available, store your produce in designated fruit and vegetable bowls on your counter. This way, they’ll always be in sight and you’ll be more likely to remember to use them up.
4) Get Creative with Leftovers
Got some leftover food from last night that you’re not sure what to do with? It can be tempting to toss it out and start fresh. However, this results in a lot of wasted money.
Instead of throwing out your leftovers, find creative ways to turn them into something new and delicious. Take yesterday’s baked chicken and incorporate it into a salad, pasta dish, or casserole. Or you could use leftover pasta, rice, or beans to add some volume to a stew or soup.
When it comes to saving money in the kitchen, you should always keep these tips at the top of your mind! Seemingly small savings in the kitchen go a long way, especially when you stay consistent.