Remember how I suggested that buying store brand instead of name brand food items would be a great way to save money? Well, here’s another tip: Don’t buy generic ketchup.
Live, learn, and modify, right?
So, the ketchup idea was not a good one, but I wouldn’t have known unless I gave it a try. And no, I don’t plan to waste it and the money I spent on it. Rather, I plan to use it in recipes that call for ketchup instead of eating it straight up on fries. It doesn’t taste that bad, though I prefer Heinz.
Now, it’s back to the drawing board when it comes to slashing my grocery bill. My next strategy is to reduce the amount of money I spend on meat. Looking at my grocery store receipts, fresh meat is the most expensive item I pay for. Last week alone I spent more than $25 on three dinners’ worth of beef and chicken.
Interestingly, a National Cancer Institute Study found that those who eat more than four ounces of red meat daily were approximately 30 percent more likely to die over a 10-year period than those who did not eat as much red meat. Given that news, I am modifying my family’s protein intake. This week we will be substituting red meat with eggs, tofu, beans and nuts, all of which are substantially less expensive than steak.
If you don’t feel comfortable taking an extended sabbatical from meat, you could subtract it from one dinner per week. Or, simply reduce the serving sizes by combining meat with tofu when making meatloaf or a stir-fry. If you’re lucky your family will never know the difference, though your wallet will. At about $2 per pound, tofu is way cheaper than even ground meat.
As for cutting down on the cost of chicken, I have stopped buying the organic variety, and I am no longer purchasing pre-cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Instead, I buy the whole chicken at an affordable price and divide the meat up, so it lasts a few days. We don’t sacrifice on flavor and if I carve the bird just right, I can feature the meat in a variety of dishes, including salads and omelets.