Ways to Save Money When Cooking at Home

The good news is you're already half way there. By choosing to cook at home instead of dining out, you're reducing your daily costs tremendously. Though food is a necessity, dining out is a want, not a need. However, depending on what dish you're cooking at home you can still spend a considerable amount on the dishes you're making. At least with dining out you're not doing any work! Make sure that cooking at home is worth your while. There are several ways to save money by cooking at home, not only once but time and time again.

Weekly grocery shopping.
Everyone has different habits when it comes to grocery shopping. Some people do their shopping once a day, some once a week, others once every two weeks, and the daring ones shop once a month. Shopping once every two weeks or once a month can be bad for various reasons. When it comes to money, not shopping often prevents the shopper from knowing their inventory at home and usually leads to buying items that they don't necessarily need. For instance, have you ever gone out grocery shopping when it's been two weeks since your last trip and you came home with something you already had? This is due to the ignorance of your inventory. Shopping once a week requires you to be up to date on the items in your pantry. You will then, in return, shop on a needed basis.

Generic brands.
Buying generic grocery store brands is a great way to save money on groceries. Like anything in the world, people are sold mostly on brand name products, paying top dollar for something that tastes the same as a generic product. Don't make this mistake. Frosted flakes can be GRRRRRRRREEAATT despite whether or not Tony the Tigers is on the front of the box.

Double the amount.
When cooking at home make a double batch as opposed to the usual serving size. Whether it's a casserole, soup, or stew, this will allow you the option to eat leftovers the next night for dinner or lunch. You could also freeze the dish and serve at a later date. Not only does this save you money but can free up some much needed time. By serving leftovers, you don't have the task of cooking and you can spend the rest of this time thinking of other great ways to save money!

Use leftover ingredients wisely.
It's easy to throw away things away when making an entrée. Don't do this. When you've made an entrée for dinner, consider using the leftover ingredients when preparing a meal later in the week. If you can find a similar recipe, then the carrots, roast, and chopped up potatoes that are scraps from the meal you prepared tonight could be used to make something else, so don't you do throw them away!

Spices.
The reason most food is so expensive is because it is centered on convenience and ignorance. All the ingredients are in place, saving you the task of having to take the extra step to do it yourself. This can be applied to such items as marinated chicken at the grocery store. A shopper can pay much more for marinated chicken. Don't be lazy. Buy the normal priced chicken, marinate it with spices yourself, and save yourself the money. Also, instead of buying the high priced roasted coffee with spices, buy the normal generic brand and add your own personal spices such as nutmeg or cinnamon to make up a drink that rivals that of Starbucks.

Keep it simple.
There's no need to hit a homerun every time you make an entrée. Though it's nice to have an elaborate meal, you don't have to have one every night. Keep your menu for the week simple. Pasta is a basic food that can go a long way. The cost for pasta noodles or shells is next to nothing, and by throwing in some chicken and generic brand sauces you've got a tasty, inexpensive meal. Eggs are another great idea. Every once in a while, my wife will have a breakfast night where we have eggs, sausage, and pancakes for dinner, all of which are fairly inexpensive.

These are just a few ways to save money when cooking at home. It's best to use your judgment in the kitchen, but don't get caught up in brand name products or creating the masterpiece of the century. Just keep it simple and keep it coming.