Meal Prepping Tips to Save You Money & Time | Cleveland Bradley County Teachers Federal Credit Union

You have likely seen a lot about meal prepping out there, but have you ever wondered how it could fit into your lifestyle? While planning a menu, buying bulk groceries and cooking several meals at once may sound like a lot of work, it is actually a fantastic way to save both money and time throughout the week.

Investing in groceries and an afternoon spent cooking can lead to much better food choices throughout the week, removing the need for last-minute takeout or expensive, pre-packaged meals. Plus, when you consider that the average person spends over $200 on eating meals outside of the home every month, planning to cut back on eating out even a little bit is a great way to save.

How to Save Money (and Time) by Meal Prepping

Plan out your menu and stick to the list. While buying groceries is overall a much cheaper endeavor than eating out every meal, if you go the store hungry or without a plan, you can still end up with impulse buys that can increase your bill. Before you grab a cart, make sure you have your meal prep menu planned and a list written out, so you do not go off-script and wind up spending more than you intended.

Find meals that make good leftovers. While many things can be meal prepped, not all leftovers are created equal. Prepared meals like soups, sauce-based dishes and casseroles are great choices for meal prepping, as these tend to taste just as good if not better left over!

Keep frozen meals on hand, too. No, not the kind that come from the freezer section of the grocery store! Did you know that many meals can be frozen in individually portioned containers? This way, if you are having an exceptionally busy week, you still have a frozen meal you can thaw and enjoy!

Maintain an updated inventory. There is nothing worse than doing a bunch of work to make a meal and then forgetting about the leftovers until they turn rotten. Avoid letting this happen by making a detailed inventory that you update as you eat meals so you know exactly how much you have left. Every time you meal prep, make a note of what meals you have stored and how many portions—then when you take one, mark it off so you know exactly what remains!

If you’re looking for other great moneysaving tips, we have you covered! Contact us today to learn how we can help you hit your savings goals.