Meal Prep on a Budget: How to Save Time and Money Now

Meal prepping is a great way to save time and money, especially if you have a busy family. By planning and preparing your meals ahead of time, you can avoid wasting food, ordering takeout, or eating unhealthy snacks. You can also enjoy more variety, nutrition, and flavor in your meals.

But how do you meal prep on a budget? How do you make sure you have enough food for everyone without breaking the bank? And how do you keep your meals interesting and delicious?

In this article, we will share some tips and tricks on how to meal prep on a budget for a family. We will also give you some sample recipes and a grocery list to get you started. Let’s dive in!

7 Tips on How to Meal Prep on a Budget

Meal prepping on a budget doesn’t have to be complicated or boring. Here are some simple ways to make it easier and more affordable:

1. Buy food in bulk. Buying food in bulk can help you save money and reduce packaging waste. Look for items that have a long shelf life, such as rice, beans, oats, pasta, canned goods, frozen vegetables, and meat. You can also buy fresh produce in season and freeze or preserve them for later use.
2. Plan meals based on sales and seasons. Check your local flyers and coupons for deals on food items that you can use for your meal prep. You can also plan your meals around seasonal produce that is cheaper and fresher. For example, in the summer, you can use tomatoes, zucchini, corn, and berries for your salads, soups, and desserts.
3. Use simple recipes that average $1 to $3 per serving. You don’t need fancy ingredients or complicated techniques to make delicious meals. You can use simple recipes that use common pantry staples and basic seasonings. For example, you can make a hearty pasta fagioli with canned beans, tomato sauce, broth, pasta, and cheese. Or you can make a teriyaki chicken with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and chicken thighs.
4. Batch cook and freeze meals. Batch cooking means making large quantities of food at once and storing them in the fridge or freezer for later use. This can help you save time and energy during the week, as well as prevent food waste. You can batch cook soups, stews, casseroles, meatballs, burgers, muffins, pancakes, and more.
5. Use different sauces and spices to add variety. One way to avoid getting bored of eating the same meals is to change up the sauces and spices that you use. For example, you can use marinara sauce, pesto sauce, alfredo sauce, or cheese sauce for your pasta dishes. You can also use different spices such as curry powder, cumin, paprika, or chili powder for your rice dishes.
6. Repurpose leftovers into new meals. Another way to add variety to your meals is to repurpose leftovers into new dishes. For example, you can use leftover chicken and broccoli to make a chicken and broccoli quiche or a chicken and broccoli with dill sauce. You can also use leftover rice to make fried rice or rice pudding.
7. Make one-pot or one-pan meals. One-pot or one-pan meals are meals that are cooked in one pot or pan, which means less dishes to wash and less mess to clean up. They are also usually easy and quick to make, which is perfect for busy weeknights. Some examples of one-pot or one-pan meals are enchilada pasta, gnocchi chicken skillet, pizza on a stick, or cheeseburger cups.

Sample Recipes for Meal Prepping on a Budget

To give you some inspiration for your meal prep on a budget, here are some sample recipes that you can try:

Breakfast: Oatmeal Muffins

Oatmeal muffins are a no-brainer breakfast that you can reheat and eat all week long. They are filling, healthy, and customizable with your favorite toppings.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional toppings: chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruits, coconut flakes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle with your desired toppings.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Let the muffins cool slightly before removing from the tin and storing in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Lunch: Greek Salad with Chicken

Lunch is the one meal you get to eat by yourself, so lots of vegetables and flavor is the ultimate goal. This Greek salad with chicken is easy to make, nutritious, and satisfying.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• For the dressing:
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, and parsley.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
4. Divide the salad into four portions and store in airtight containers in the fridge.

Dinner: Easy Tamale Pie with Peppers

Head to the Southwest for this cheap dinner idea: Pre-made tamales, canned chili, cheese and peppers in one easy casserole. It’s a surefire winner for hungry families.

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 12 frozen beef tamales, thawed
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chili with beans
• 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream and cilantro for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Remove the corn husks from the tamales and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
3. Arrange the tamale pieces in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
4. Spoon the chili over the tamale layer and spread evenly.
5. Sprinkle the green chilies and cheese over the chili layer.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
7. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving with sour cream and cilantro if desired.

Sample Grocery List for Meal Prepping on a Budget

To help you get started with your meal prep on a budget, here is a sample grocery list that you can use or modify according to your needs. The prices are based on an online grocery shopping platform that’s local to you, but they may vary depending on your location and availability.

As you can see, you can get a lot of food for your money if you plan ahead and shop smartly. You can also adjust the quantities and ingredients according to your preferences and needs.

How to Store and Reheat Your Meals

Once you have prepared your meals, you need to store them properly to keep them fresh and safe to eat. Here are some tips on how to store and reheat your meals:

• Use airtight containers, preferably glass jars or BPA-free plastic containers, to store your meals in the fridge or freezer.
• Label your containers with the name and date of the meal, and use them within three to five days if refrigerated, or up to three months if frozen.
• To reheat your meals, you can use a microwave, oven, stovetop, or toaster oven, depending on the type of meal and container.
• For microwave reheating, transfer your meal to a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely with a lid or paper towel, and heat for one to three minutes or until hot, stirring halfway through.
• For oven reheating, preheat your oven to 375°F and transfer your meal to an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and bake for 15 to 25 minutes or until hot.
• For stovetop reheating, transfer your meal to a skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat, add a splash of water or broth if needed, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot, stirring occasionally.
• For toaster oven reheating, preheat your toaster oven to 375°F and transfer your meal to a toaster oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until hot.

Conclusion

Meal prepping for a family on a budget is not only possible but also enjoyable and rewarding. By following these tips and recipes, you can save time and money, eat healthier and tastier meals, and have more fun in the kitchen.

We hope you found this post helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. And don’t forget to share this post with your friends and family who might benefit from it.

Happy meal prepping!

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