Buying Inexpensive Food

Having been down and out many times in my life I've learned to find ways of eating and cooking food that are both satisfying and very inexpensive. Sometimes there is a bit of work involved but in the end you will find you can eat healthy satisfying food for very little money. Here are a few hints about shopping and food preparation that will make it easier for you.

Know Where To Shop

Anytime you are in a store check out their food aisles. If you are in a pharmacy, a dollar store, or a department store they will most certainly have food aisles. Don't underestimate what you can find in these stores. They have all kinds of canned goods, spices, packaged foods, nuts, desserts, jellies, sauces and beverages. Make sure you always have a few bucks in your pocket whenever you go out of the house just in case you find yourself in one of these stores. Keep a notepad with you at all times incase you see something you may want to buy another time, after all, you may forget where you found that deal of the century on baked beans.

Compare Prices

Take a notebook with you everytime you shop. Keep a list of things that you will buy often and compare prices. This may take some time but in the long run you will know where to go directly to get something you need. If you have to travel half way across town its not worth it though. If you only save a couple cents on something but have to travel a great distance to get it then don't bother.

You will find that alot of the dollar stores have spices for, you guessed it, one dollar. They are actually quite good and come in a shaker bottle. You will also find some of these stores have vegetables and fruits in cans or plastic containers. Make sure you arent loading up on heavily sweetened stuff though. At these dollar stores you can also buy shelled seeds and nuts to make salads or rice more interesting. You will also find packages of coffee and tea that are far cheaper than the ones at your grocery store.

Some of the big box stores now have food aisles. Many things are similar in price to your grocery store but there are some things that are quite cheap. If you look in the frozen food section you will see hamburgers for very cheap. You must look carefully to make sure you get the right brand and if you dont like fillers you should read the labels. There are many good buys in these stores and all you need to do is keep your eyes open. They even have an aisle with foreign foods and they are much less expensive than specialty shops.

You can even buy your eggs and dairy in these stores now. You will find everything from cheese, to yogurt, to icecream, to milk and even soy milk.

Watch to see which stores have a discount bin. Find out when things are put into the discount bin and be there as soon as it's put out. There are bins for fruit and veggies that are a little bruised but mostly they look very good. There are also frozen meat bins where the meat is very inexpensive and close to the expiry date but still quite tasty. There are also bins with bread and tinned food that may have been slightly damaged. Don't buy a can of anything that is severely damaged as it may affect the food inside.

Where To Go

Try to shop in your neighborhood or within bus, car or walking distance. Wasting money on travel just defeats the purpose of saving money on food. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for low income families to shop in their neighborhoods. This is why I say you should always have a few bucks in your pocket in case you are in a store you wouldn't normally have a chance to go to. If you do have to shop at several different stores to get cheaper food just remember that you are getting exercise (if you dont have a car). You just shouldnt try to do all your shopping in one day as it will leave you cranky and annoyed.

Cheap Foods To Always Have On Hand

There are certain foods I always buy that are inexpensive and have a long shelf life. These foods can be used in a variety of ways and if prepared right can be very delicious.

1. Dried Lentils

   I use these to make soups or cook them with very little water and make a thick mush which I then form into patties. I add an egg to hold them together and fry them. I add onion, garlic and spices to make yummy vegetarian fare.

2. Tuna

   I make casseroles, sandwiches or rice with veggies and tuna in it. It can also be made into a tuna casserole like mom used to make.

3. Pasta

   Who needs to tell you about pasta?

4. Sausage

   I sometimes find dinner sausage cheap but not always. I use it in soups or make a salad and put cut up and cooked pieces into the salad. It can also be put into a casserole made with pasta or rice.

5. Rice

   I use a lot of rice as it can be used for soups, casseroles, fried patties (mix with egg and meat), or rice pudding.

6. Canned or Dried Beans

   I use beans a lot. They are fantastic in salads, mixed with rice, in soups, or mashed and fried as patties. There are so many different recipes out there using beans its almost endless.

7. Eggs

   These are a great source of protein and can go into soups (lemon rice soup) omelettes, casseroles, patties, hard boil them and cut into salads, or use them in smoothies for breakfast.

8. Oatmeal

   It's not only for breakfast. You can mix it with tuna and egg to make patties that you can fry. You can also use it as meat extender when you make hamburgers, meatballs or meatloaf.

9. Head Lettuce (iceberg lettuce)

   Usually its the cheapest lettuce you can buy and it goes a long way. If you aren't eating enough vegetables well, this is a good start. You can even put lettuce in soups.

10. Canned Soups

    I like to use these soups as sauces on meatloaf, or porkchops or mix them into patties for flavour. Sometimes you just want soup on its own and you can snaz it up a bit with croutons from leftover bread thats dried out.

The foods I have mentioned can be made to be very healthy but you do need to augment your diet with fresh veggies and fruit. These suggestions are merely a base for saving money so you can afford the more expensive things like fruit and veggies. I do not suggest you buy too many processed or prepackaged foods. These foods are usually high in sodium, sugar and processed ingredients. Your body wont like you for long if you eat bad food every day.

The best piece of advice about saving money on food is to keep your eyes open for deals. Make sure you keep track of where these deals are and when the markdown bins are filled. Talk to the department managers to find out what days they fill these bins and what they are filled with. If you ask enough questions you can beat the crowds to the deals. Happy shopping!