Remember how I’ve talked about the money-saving magic of your kitchen?
Well, I’ve upped my game. You see, I really hate grocery-shopping. It’s a recessive gene. I know this because both my mother and my brother love grocery shopping, and even my father didn’t mind doing it. My mother loves it so much that one time she complained that I went through the store too fast. “It was like you were on roller-skates! I didn’t get a chance to look around!”
Look around?!?!! It’s a grocery store! You’re here every week – sometimes twice. Exactly what is there to see that you didn’t see 48 hours ago?
Anyhow, I’ve had to adjust my perspective over the past year…
Step 1 – Saving Money While Grocery Shopping
We all know that inflation has impacted the prices we pay for food. As a result, I’ve cut back on dining out. Instead of it being a casual, spontaneous thing, I’m far more meticulous about planning my restaurant visits. Dining out is now a treat, rather than a weekly staple. That said, I still get hungry with alarming regularity. Going to the grocery store is no longer optional. Meal prep is now mandatory in my home. My belly demands satisfaction!
Currently, my credit card of choice is issued by PC Financial. This card allows me to accrue points that can be used to pay for groceries and it doesn’t have an annual fee. I pay the balance in full every month so I never pay interest. If you’re the sort who carries a balance, then stop using your credit cards and pay cash for everything until you’re out of credit card debt.
Accruing points to pay for groceries is one way to lower my grocery bill each month. At a minimum, I earn 10 points for every $1 that I spend on the card. Every time I accumulate 10,000 points, I get $10 in free groceries. By running nearly all of my expenses through my card, I earn a substantial number of points every month. There’s something especially sweet about leaving the store with several bags of groceries and only paying $5.76 for them!
Getting the groceries is only half the battle. The next step is figuring out how to create tasty things for myself.
Step 2 – Cooking at Home Way More Often
Finding recipes I love isn’t that hard. I’m a fan of TikTok and YouTube. My favourite creators are the ones who cook and bake. I’ve discovered some really fantastic things to eat just by watching videos then finding the recipes online. Now that I’m back in the office several days a week, I’m doing a lot more meal prep on Sundays. A couple of hours in the kitchen results in a several meals at the ready during the week – lunches, dinners, snacks, even dessert! One small change to my weekend routine allows me to take my lunch to work instead of spending $20 or more each time I go into the office.
I’ve even taken to making my own muffins for snack breaks. The coffee shop in our building makes delicious food, but their menu isn’t set. Sadly, there’s no way to know in advance if the carrot loaf with cream cheese that I love ever so much will be available from one day to the next. So I’ve started making my snacks. Right now, I’m quite happy with the morning glory muffins from Baker by Nature. They’re so damn delicious! They’re easy to make and I only need one bowl to make the batter. (By the way, Damn Delicious is the name of another fantastic recipe blog that you may want to check out!)
I love chicken and am always looking for new ways to prepare it. A few weeks ago, I discovered how easy it is to make cajun chicken pasta. Like all of my favorite recipes, this one is simple & straightforward. It takes maybe 10 minutes to prepare the chicken before it’s left to marinate in the spices. After a little bit of time in the oven, I pair it with whatever I want if pasta’s not calling to me that day. And so long as I don’t adjust the recipe, there’s always leftovers so I need not cook every single day. Meal prep for the win!!!
Is is my turn to host book club? Then let’s head to the World Wide Web for some appetizer ideas? Surely there’s one or two recipes out there to make finger food that is suitable to please my guests. How about some buffalo chicken pinwheels from Cooking for Keeps?
Same principle applies to sporting events. As a guest, I don’t like to show up with my hands swinging. A few minutes in the kitchen means I always have something to bring. Grey Cup parties & Superbowl Sunday are perfect opportunities to share my favourite appetizer cheeseball from Natasha’s Kitchen.
Even when it’s my turn to bring dessert, I find that there’s no reason to hit up a bakery. I can make something delicious in the comfort of my own home. Whether it’s a marble cake, a bumbleberry pie, or a cookies, I’m ready to spend some time in the kitchen with my handy-dandy KitchenAid stand mixer. In the past year, I’ve overcome my fear of making mini cheesecakes. This recipe for mini pecan pie cheesecakes, also from Baker by Nature is one of the best things I have ever made! If you like pecan pie and you also like cheesecake, then this dessert will make you very happy.
Everyone needs to eat. And we all enjoy eating delicious foods. Don’t let inflation stop you from doing so! Meal prep is an effective tool to minimize inflation’s impact on your wallet. Sure – you might have to spend a little more time at the grocery store and in the kitchen. Big deal! Trust me – you will not regret improving your culinary skills and expanding your repertoire of recipes. Doing so means eating very well while still keeping more of your money in your pocket. And who can complain about that?