With winter weather here to stay, many families struggle to afford the rising cost of heating their homes. Often, this is accomplished by cutting back on another household expense like food.
Trimming your food budget is easy to say but difficult to implement. At the end of the day we all still need to eat and eat healthy. Taking $50-$100 out of your food budget could mean not eating three meals a day for some families.
So, what can we do? There are lots of ways to make the most of your food dollars.
- Cook more meals at home and eat out less.
- Browse your local grocery store flyers for deals on your favorite items. Look for “buy one get one free” type promotions.
- Rewards cards and coupons also are great ways to save a few bucks. Remember, store brands are often less expensive than name brands and canned and frozen produce is cheaper than fresh.
- Buy in bulk can save you some money if you have the space in the pantry or freezer. After dinner, pack up leftovers and have them for lunch the next day.
For other money tips, check visit Plan, Shop and Eat Smart.
But, what happens when you’ve saved every penny you can and you still need additional food resources? Visit Need Help Finding Food?. Here, you can find information on SNAP benefits, WIC, free and reduced school meals and where local food pantries are located near you.
Visiting a food pantry is a great way to stretch your food dollars and stock up on staple foods. Most food pantries like to provide shelf stable foods to their families. Food giveaways usually have a variety of canned food items such as fruits, vegetables, gravies, sauces, soups, stocks, and proteins such as tuna and chicken. Families also receive dried goods such as rice, pasta, oats, cereals, boxed bread and muffin mixes as well as instant mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese, and boxed stuffing. Other items commonly given away are peanut butter and jelly, pancake mix, and syrup. If your pantry has freezer space, you may also receive some frozen food items like chicken, ground beef, pork chop and hot dogs. Some pantries even give away fresh produce gleaned from local farms or shipped in from other states, and bakery items from local stores.
Food bank visits are not meant to replace your regular grocery shopping and they will not have everything that you need. Usually you will only receive about 2-3 days’ worth of meals and some extra staple items. Also keep in mind that food pantries are not your grocery store. Most likely you will not get to choose your items and they may not be brands that you are used to buying. By visiting a pantry and getting some of your staple food items for free, you can use the money that you would have spent on those items for other foods at your grocery store.
Be adventurous with your food bank haul. Try brands that you’ve never tried before. Try foods that you’ve never tried before. And if you come across a food item that you are not sure what to do with, visit Eat Smart Recipes for healthy recipes and cooking tips. Got an abundance of canned beans, tomatoes, fruit, veggies, or chicken? How about too much milk, peanut butter or oats? Check out Cooking 5 Ways for tips on how to use up those excess items.
Feeding a family is tough in the best of times. Added winter expenses only makes it harder. Make the most of your food dollars by spending wisely and if you need extra help visit a food pantry near you.
