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Double the Savings with Family Dinners

Double the Savings with Family Dinners

Last updated on September 30th, 2021 at 10:19 am

pantryBy: Victoria Venti Baird – Mom of Carston & Emmett, age 13 months

One thing many of us have in common is double everything. Many times double the love, but too often its double the cost. Planning ahead and shopping smart can have you saving double  – time and money! Just a few simple changes to your weekly routine can help create family dinners on a budget.

  • Planning ahead is essential in making meals for your family that are easy on your wallet and your schedule. We all know too well the feeling of dinnertime rolling around and nothing is prepared. For many families the solution is to get takeout. Yes, its delicious and the kids love it but its expensive and many times unhealthy. But who has time to cook each night? Whether you work or stay home, time is limited and cooking for a family of four or more each night is a daunting task. It doesn’t have to be.
  • Let’s start with the grocery list. Many of us rush to the store on a lunch break or in between errands. We run through the aisles grabbing the usual staples and some extras that catch our eye. Don’t even get me started if you have the kids with you! No time for coupons or looking for the best deal and the bill at checkout is sometimes pretty hefty. Take the time to plan your grocery list, look for coupons and store specials, and most of all, take your time in the store whenever possible. Look at the various brands of the item you are getting. The store brand isn’t always the cheapest. Often times the name brand will be on sale plus have a coupon available. Buy your produce according to what is in season. Substitute frozen vegetables and fruits for the fresh version when you can. They are just as nutritious but last longer and can really save you some money.

shopping list

  • Let’s take it a step further with organizing. A big time and money saver is to organize your grocery list by department/aisle. Sound crazy? It’s not. (Until you get to the level I am and highlight the departments according to their proximity to one another. Hey, I am all about saving time.) For example, you write “deli” and then list underneath the five items you get in that area. When shopping time comes, you head on over to the deli, grab your five items and you are on your way to produce. I have found that this eliminates me picking up extras and my time spent in the store is minimized. Not so crazy anymore! (Twiniversity Tip: Check out the Ziplist app, a shopping list app that organizes products into departments for you)
  • Recipes are another time saver and should be incorporated into your grocery list planning. Look up recipes and aim to keep them simple with minimal ingredients or with those that you already have in the pantry. Many recipe websites allow you to enter in some foods you have to work with and will give you dozens of recipe ideas. Some of my best meals are made using only four ingredients. Not every dinner needs to include meat and switching to a meatless meal a few times a week can save a pretty penny at the grocery store. Think about what kinds of meals your family likes to eat and try to get everyone eating the same thing. Switching my twins over to our menu was a huge time and money saver. No more cooking two meals at night or buying those expensive baby foods.
  • An added time saver is cooking in a crock pot – total lifesaver for all of us busy parents. What better way to save time then throwing a few ingredients in a pot and checking on it later to find a delicious meal? Do your crock pot cooking on a Sunday and have enough food for multiple nights during the week ahead. Try out new dishes and you may be surprised at what will become the new doubly loved, budget friendly, time saving family favorite.

Need some more tips? Take a look at:

10 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Being a Stay At Home Mom After Twins

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy

Cooking for the Week in One Day to Save Time and Money

The Art of Efficiency for a Life With Multiples

Bringing Families BACK to the table

Freezer cooking 101- is your freezer family friendly?

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Tags: Money, saving money, dinner, dinner planning, meal planning, frugal dinner planning, frugal mom, cooking for twins, cooking for a large family, twins, multiples, triplets, quadruplets, saving money when cooking for a large family, money, saving money, saving money with twins,

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