We don’t have to tell you that times are tough, dear Pandas. You likely already noticed how everything costs just a bit more (or, well, a LOT MORE in some cases), and how some food packages at your local grocery stores are shrinking and shrinking. Meanwhile, some food items simply don’t get delivered to your neighborhood anymore and the quality of some groceries might not be the same as before. Welcome to the awful world of inflation, supply chain issues, and financial worries.
High gas prices, rising food costs, and the inflated cost of rent are all making many people look over how they budget things. They’re looking for areas where they can cut back. Drastically. Some choose to change their eating habits but aren’t sure where to begin. Luckily, the internet’s full of unsung, kitchen-savvy heroes who are willing to teach others how to eat well in a way that’s lighter on the wallet.
We’ve collected the very best cooking and grocery-shopping hacks shared by the r/AskReddit community in this thread, so scroll down and be sure to take notes. Upvote the tips and tricks that you found the most useful. And if you’ve got some awesome money-saving cooking advice to share with all the other Pandas, we’re all eyes and ears—drop by the comments and share some of your wisdom.
Bored Panda got in touch with cooking and baking grandmaster Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin, who’s known all around the globe for her fabulous pie art. Jessica shared her thoughts on saving money on food, whether it makes sense to freeze food nutrition-wise, and she even revealed her awesome idea for a cheap-but-delicious meal for the entire family.
“Everyone is feeling the pinch the world over right now—so don’t go it alone! Team up with friends and relatives and develop your cost-cutting strategies together. Your purchasing power is greatly increased when you shop together and you can share tips and keep an eye out for deals together,” the pie artist told us that you should look to your friends, family, and community for help in these times. Scroll down for the full interview.
#1
instead of getting grains/lentils from international food isle, visit an Indian groceries. you will see grains/lentils that you have never seen before and much cheaper. also many of the lentils have high protein contents.
Image source: WideBlock, Betty Subrizi
#2
Soup. I know it’s summer and hot af but I love soup anytime. I always bulk buy staples like diced tomatoes, beans, veggies etc. last night I made tomato basil soup with fresh basil from my garden. Eat some freeze some.
Image source: vixystix303, Nathan Dumlao
#3
Less meat overall. Cabbage is super affordable and can be salad, sautéed, or ingredients in stir fry. Eggs – quiche, omelettes, scrambles. Bananas are amazingly cheap per pound and make amazing smoothies and desserts. Soups and stews with leftovers and add rice and beans. Grow your own herbs – I haven’t bought rosemary in decades because the fresh one on my porch is amazing and hard to kill. It can really elevate those on sale potatoes.
Image source: StinkyCheeseWomxn, Thomas Le
#4
Roasting a whole chicken instead of buying breasts or thighs already cut up. I think I paid $5.50 for a whole chicken and $9 for 4 breasts.
Image source: AtlJayhawk, Tim Douglas
#5
Beans beans and more beans.
Image source: KekistaniNormie, Łukasz Rawa
#6
Avoid processed foods. Careful shopping to minimize waste. Cheap veggies like potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, etc. Plant based foods like grains and legumes.
Image source: alanmagid, Fikri Rasyid
#7
Impulse buy meat thats on sale and freeze it. Its a rare day when i pay full (inflated) price for meat anymore.
Image source: TurkTurkle, phiraphon srithakae
#8
Really started honing my Chinese dish skills because so much of it is rice (cheap) and few veggies and even fewer meat. Like, a single chicken breast can be a part of a 5-6 serving meal.
Also, refried beans for burritos. So cheap, so delicious.
Image source: Little-Nikas, Pille R. Priske
#9
1 small chicken is all the meat 1 adult needs in a week. Costs less than £4. I roast and debone it on Sunday, then make meals each evening with it, curry, stir fry, roast dinner etc. Fresh fruit and veg are cheap enough, big 2kg bag of rice lasts ages, porridge for breakfast. Only spent £22 at the weekend for this week’s shop.
Image source: fozid, Amanda Lim
#10
I’ve changed what I’m growing in my garden this year. I’m currently drowning in raspberries and artichokes, all free! I’m going to be freezing most of my blueberries and preserving/canning almost everything else. I’ve also planted extra onions and squash because they keep for a long time and make an excellent and filling side with dinner. I still have some squash from last season that we are using up.
Image source: FoolofaTook88888888, Irina Iriser
#11
It will sound obvious, but go to the store and see what’s on sale, especially in seasonal items like fresh produce.
People often go in with a plan that may have nothing to do with what’s a good price that day.
Image source: joemondo, Morgan Von Gunten
#12
I’m freezing a lot more stuff and being much more proactive about labeling and using up foods before it goes bad.
There are only two of us and in the past I might toss out half a can of tomato sauce because it would go unused after a recipe.
Now everything gets portioned out and frozen on the spot with a label. I’ve got butter molds that I use to freeze four ounce sticks of broth and other liquids.
I’m also eating at home more for lunch whereas I used to eat lunch out once or twice a week. Now it’s more like once or twice a month.
Image source: speedycat2014, epicurious
#13
Rotisserie chicken from the deli-and it’s already cooked for you. Shred it for chicken tacos, chicken soup, make stock for other soup bases.
Eggs-so versatile for a boost of protein. Add to ramen, eat by itself. Very filling if made into an omelet with a side of rice. Dice up into egg salad sandwiches.
Rice-can make fried rice, Spanish rice, jambalaya rice or put into casseroles. However you use it, it will fill you up.
Potatoes-bake ‘em, fry them, shred them boil them, mash them.
Image source: PeoniesNLilacs, Alison Marras
#14
Don’t get stuck on having to use a certain kind of meat and look for what suits your budget. Ground beef has been really expensive so I have been buying ground pork and ground turkey instead. Chicken thigh meat works in most recipes that ask for chicken breast. Watch for sales on meat around holidays.
Image source: Bluemonogi, ΛLΞX KOZLΞNKO
#15
I’m intentional about leftover meals. I’ll make extra rice one day and then use it to make fried rice [the next day]. At the end of the week, I make a homemade pizza crust and then put whatever leftovers are still in the fridge on top of it. My kids love ‘leftover pizza.’ It’s always fun and different every week. Last week, we made three pizzas and our toppings were tacos, chicken curry, and spaghetti.
Image source: FoolofaTook88888888, Mgg Vitchakorn
#16
Eating less meat. Showing up at the farmers market near closing and buying a lot of things at reduced prices.
Image source: LemonLymandotcom23, Ashley Winkler
#17
My local small Persian grocer has the best prices on produce, feta, spices, and especially fresh herbs.
things I’ve always done that make my shop more affordable:
Eat a ton of lentils – delicious, cheap, easy, can be spiced and prepared in infinite exciting ways and in many different countries’ styles.
95% vegetarian diet. I eat seafood 1-2 times a month and poultry maybe 3-4 times a year.
#18
Ground mushrooms will bulk up ground beef sauce without much taste affect. Just add when beef is almost browned
Image source: Pucketz, Pixabay
#19
This one might be obvious, but I’ve started shopping online and knowing exactly what I need to cook for the week.
I used to go to the grocery store with sort of a general plan, but not knowing exactly what ingredients I need. I would wander around, see something that looked good, and then try to plan a meal around it on the fly.
Now, I’ll come up with a couple recipes, figure out exactly everything I need, and add it all to the cart online. Doing this also helps with not buying snacks or other things I don’t need. It’s a really great feeling to total everything up in the cart and see that I’m only paying $50-60 to feed 2 people for the week.
Image source: saintlouisarch, rupixen.com
#20
So China wise, “northerners” were poorer back in the day. There’s a difference in cuisine but it’s much clearer to me now having lived with some.
1. Meat is expensive. Use tiny slivers of pork (or bacon) stir fried in dishes of vegetables to give them meaty flavour.
2. Veg is king. Those northerners even eat salad. Usually with a lot of vinegar dressing. Probably a throwback to hide not so great veg.
3. Stodge. Their bread is like bricks. Cheaply made with flour, water, minimal proving. I don’t recommend it but it does fill you up. You can also add flavour by sandwiching with braised aubergine and pork. Yes, more pork fat flavour.
For my regular cheap self, I have some habits that keep things cheap which make up for the fact I spend a lot of money on food as a vice.
1. Lidl. When I can. I’m very selective about meat and veg so if it doesn’t look great I’ll buy elsewhere. Cheap chocolate, eggs, sliced meats, foreign treats…all lidl. Also the cheapest place for cotton pads.
2. Own brand fun. Unless branded cereal is on a major deal, I do own brand. Cheaper and weirdly healthier because they spend less adding sugar.
3. Oats. Love them. Super cheap. Even if you went organic they’re cheap. Raisins, milk, two minutes in the microwave. Can also use up every out of date Nutella, peanut butter, biscoff, jam jar you own as toppings.
4. I memorise prices of things I like and if its over that line, I don’t buy them. Doesn’t work for necessities, but water crackers and the ilk, my brain knows things to be £1 or less…
5. Drinks are water for me. I am grossly resentful when dining out that soft drinks can be £3 and up. You can’t really reuse teabags the way we used to but you can if you let it brew in a pot for longer.
6. If you use the oven, use it to cook more than one thing. Sweet potatoes constantly get roasted when I bake cakes.
Image source: flyingmonkey5678461, Wright Brand Bacon
#21
Choose potatoes, onions, and garlic with no blemishes. Keep them dry, dark, and separated (onions and garlic can be together, but the potatoes need to be kept in another area). You can keep all these for weeks. I like to use pantyhose and hang the potatoes on the inside of my pantry with hooks.
Image source: cachemoney426, Monika Stawowy
#22
Rotisserie chicken from Sam’s for $4.98 (they’re huge), instant mashed potatoes (family size is like $2.49), and a bag of fresh green beans ($3.50) roasted with garlic powder, black pepper and olive oil. $11 to feed family of 4.
Spaghetti is always cheap and easy to feed multiples. Rice and homemade gravy. I make a cheap broccoli cheese casserole that easily feeds 4. But for real. Those Sams rotisserie chickens are a godsend. So easy.
Image source: Negative_Gift1622, Sam’s Club
#23
The usual: I shop at Aldi and a Korean vegetable store. I also check the local flyers and buy things on sale. Also I have been doing intermittent fasting (for health reasons) so that’s one less meal per day. I’m hoping that everyone else has answers because other than being really mindful of food waste, it’s tough.
Image source: nvmls, Marques Thomas
#24
Honestly I’ve been buying bulk meats and freezing extra for years with a vacuum sealer. I barely noticed the price increases. If I can’t get a good deal at the market I just grab out of the freezer.
Also trying to reduce meat intake can drastically reduce bills. Tofu is usually like a dollar per lb at costco. And most vegetables are even cheaper. Fill up on healthy vegetables and a more modest serving of meat.
As for vegetables, just buy what’s fresh and plentiful and usually on sale.
Also check out farmer’s markets and produce stands and look for deals with CSA farmers.
Image source: Picker-Rick, Los Muertos Crew
#25
We use ground turkey in place of ground beef. Way leaner, and properly seasoned it’s hard to tell a difference. Burgers, chili, tacos, works for all of it
Image source: Professional_Fun_182, Eva Bronzini
#26
Thank god for culinary school- because it’s taught me how to menu plan and utilize the same ingredients in different ways, as well as how to keep veggies longer and what to freeze, as well as I have been buying whole chickens (I live alone so it’s easier with less people to feed BUT) and fabricating them on my own and freezing the rest for later use as well as the carcass to make homemade stocks and broths. I’ve also been saving veggie and herb scraps to add to homemade stocks and broths as well. It’s been saving me a ton of money thankfully.
Image source: yodacat24, Cisco Lin
#27
I have all the apps for my local grocery stores so I can compare prices.
Buy lots of frozen veggies because they’re cheaper right now.
Bought a cheap rice cooker and eat a lot of rice to stretch my meals out.
Have a small chest freezer so I buy meat in bulk when it’s on sale.
Image source: BalthazarShenanigans, Priscilla Du Preez
#28
I turn maruchan ramen noodles into all kinds of things. Spaghetti, Alfredo, butter noodles, pesto, beef stew and noodles, etc. If I need carbs in a dish, I add it. I save the flavor packs for soup bases/broth or whatever I might need seasoning for. Like I just used a chicken packet to make the base for broccoli cheddar soup. The beef packs work well with caramelized onions for a French onion soup. Add the noodles as well!
Image source: LandonSleeps, M. W
#29
I switched to smoothies instead of whole fruits. I can make a combination of fresh and frozen fruits without compromising the flavor since the texture doesn’t matter too much in the smoothie.
Image source: cachemoney426, Alina Karpenko
#30
Buy cheaper – chicken legs rather than boneless-skinless thighs.
Research costs – online (Walmart and Amazon) vs local shops.
Rotate through 2-3 markets for sale items.
Much more store-brand items like vinegar, mustard, milk.
Downgrade some items. Gala Apples cost $1 less per pound than Honey Crisp. More common red bell pepper, avoid the more expensive orange and yellow.
Buy family-size chicken packages, repackage into 1 meal packages and freeze.
Plan out menus so I can prep for several meals at one time, usually freeze before cooking.
Ask people in the parking lot if they remember how much they paid for that pack of paper towels. No one is ever surprised. Every one is watching prices like a hawk.
Image source: MrsKravitz, John Schnobrich
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