M is for Money

I rely on prepared foods to get me through the week. As much as I enjoy cooking, when I get home from work the only heavy lifting I want to do is put fork to mouth. But neither our budget nor our waistlines could support a life of eating out. We can eat healthier food for a fraction of the price by cooking at home, so I look for ways to make meals at home quicker and easier.

The Cost of Convenience

One benefit of our modern lifestyle – we can trade money for convenience. Or vice versa, save money by doing it ourselves. We all have our price point where we’d rather pay someone else. But rarely is it an either/or decision. There are levels of convenience we can pick and when it comes to food:

Least Convenient = Least Expensive
Most Convenient = Most Expensive

In ascending order:

1) Least Expensive – Cook only with food you grow yourself (takes time and labor)
2) Less Expensive – Cook at home with raw ingredients you purchase (saves the farm labor at least)
3) Sort of Expensive – Cook at home with packaged foods you purchase (minimal labor)
4) Expensive – Pick up fast food on the way home (really expensive if you count the health consequences)
5) Really Expensive –Sit down to eat at a restaurant (where you don’t even have to carry a plate)

As you can see, there are some in between choices you can make, like picking up packaged food at the grocery store. It is usually more expensive, but yet far cheaper than buying food from a restaurant. Given how much fat and calories are hidden in those restaurant meals, even a frozen lasagna is probably better for you. Another choice is to make your own packaged meals when you have the time, like on a weekend. This gives you convenience at a great price, plus you can control the contents. Most restaurant meals are laden with calories and salt, no wonder we’re all fat.

The Oversized Sunday Dinner

I like to make a big Sunday dinner, the leftovers can supply a few lunches or dinners during the coming week. Or I’ll spend a weekend afternoon making a meal to freeze for later. By making enough for multiple meals, I build up a pretty good variety after a few weeks.

Casseroles

Casseroles are great to make ahead and freeze. Most can be frozen with little to no cooking beforehand, making them quick and easy to prep. They will cook the rest of the way when you reheat in the oven. To cut down on cooking time, move the casserole to the fridge on your way out in the morning. Frozen casseroles will take too long when you’re starving.

Frozen Pizza

Par-bake a pizza crust from homemade dough, cool it and then top with your favorite fixings. Wrap tightly in saran wrap and freeze – voila, homemade frozen pizza. It’s ready to pop in the oven whenever you are too tired to make a meal. This is another great weekend project, make several at a time.

A Slow Cooker

Throw in dinner to cook while you’re at work. Slow cookers are great for tougher (read cheaper)cuts of meat. Once you throw in some veggies and a potato or two and you’ve got a meal ready as soon as you get home. That’s quicker than stopping for fast food, though you will still have to do the dishes.

Fight Fatigue, Save Your Budget

A lot of budgets are ruined by hungry tummies. I can’t even function when I’m famished, all I know is I need something to eat right NOW. It’s inevitable we’re going to get hungry and when it happens, we’ll pay a high price to quickly drive it away. Convenience stores are never a frugal option for shopping, they rely on customers needing a quick, easy solution to their problem. You can head off the inevitable fast food run by having food ready to eat at home. Whether it’s prepared foods from the grocery store, or your own creation, you’ll have a healthy and frugal option waiting for you.


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