Use Your House: Cooking At Home
Unleash the potential in your home. Your kitchen is the first place to turn if you're trying to save money. Eating out is a huge drain on finances, so cutting back on that can make a big difference in your budget.
Make double of a meal and freeze half. Cook up a roast or a family-size package of chicken on the weekend, and plan several meals using that meat during the week, keeping weeknight preparation to a minimum.
Check out these sites for some ideas to get you started cooking at home:
- All Recipes
- Food Network
- My Recipes
- Recipe Source
- Recipe Zaar
With a little advance planning, you can cut daily meal preparation to a minimum. Make meal preparation enjoyable by using fresh, local ingredients in creative dishes. Don't be afraid to experiment with something new--that helps keep cooking interesting!
"Is it really that much cheaper to eat at home?"
YES! A family of four can eat at home for the entire week for the price of just a few meals out! And shopping sales, buying in bulk, and cutting coupons (check out SmartSource.com for online, printable coupons) can increase your savings even more. Just make sure that the groceries you're buying are items you'll actually use."But my mornings are crazy as it is."
Breakfast at home can be faster than breakfast out--and you DON'T have to settle for bland breakfast bars or drinks to make that happen! Stir up some oatmeal or a simple egg casserole to cook in the crockpot overnight. Take advantage of conveniences like an auto-start on your coffeemaker. Make breakfast sandwiches ahead, then wrap them in wax paper and keep them stashed in the refrigerator. On those busy mornings, pop one in the microwave for a minute and you're good to go."Who wants to cook after work?"
Of course, you come home at the end of a long day, and the last thing you want to do is sweat over the stove. Right? Well, who says you have to? Once again, look to your crockpot. With some basic prep (AFTER dinner and a chance to unwind), you can have tomorrow's dinner ready to go the night before. Keep the crock in your fridge overnight, then drop it in to cook the next morning before heading to work.Make double of a meal and freeze half. Cook up a roast or a family-size package of chicken on the weekend, and plan several meals using that meat during the week, keeping weeknight preparation to a minimum.
Check out these sites for some ideas to get you started cooking at home:
- All Recipes
- Food Network
- My Recipes
- Recipe Source
- Recipe Zaar
With a little advance planning, you can cut daily meal preparation to a minimum. Make meal preparation enjoyable by using fresh, local ingredients in creative dishes. Don't be afraid to experiment with something new--that helps keep cooking interesting!