5 Foods You Are Wasting Your Money On – What To Do Instead
Last Updated on by Bree
If I went through your grocery shopping list, I might find a couple of foods you are wasting your money on.
I am not judging, I’m just stating a fact. And I am guilty of it too.
Most not all of us are probably wasting our money on foods we can actually prepare ourselves.
Some of us do not know how to prepare them while others buy these foods for convenience.
But whatever your reason is, these items are jacking up your grocery budget month after month.
And just in case you are not sure of the items, I will cover a few of them in this post.
I’m sure there are lots and lots of such foods out there.
But these are the ones I am familiar with.
5 foods you are wasting your money on, and what to do instead.
Make sure to read to the end and download a free shopping list to help you organize your money.
5 Foods You’re Wasting Money On
1. Lunch meats
People buy lunch meats so that they can fix a quick sandwich for lunch or whenever.
And that’s cool.
But if you found another way to make meats for your sandwich, won’t that be awesome?
Moreover, some of these lunch meats are high in sodium and other chemicals.
The ham slices, turkey slices, hotdogs, turkey in water (I never knew this existed), are just extra expenses on your budget.
And you can do without them if you had better alternatives.
What To Do Instead
What I would do is walk past the deli aisle and to the frozen foods area.
Pick some frozen chicken breast or leg quarters, a small turkey breast, frozen salmon, or tilapia.
Then I would season them, marinate overnight, and cook them.
I even freeze some after cooking.
So that I would have more than enough for any recipe or quick snack that calls for meat or fish.
It tastes a lot better than the ones on the deli aisle.
And it is a healthier option.
Here are some ingredients that make delicious homemade meat:
- fresh garlic – minced or grated,
- fresh ginger – grated,
- fresh onions – ditch the onion powder,
- thyme leaves,
- turmeric,
- fresh pepper – try jalapenos (buy and blend them into a puree),
- seasoning – for chicken or even fish, try Knorr Bullion powder (you can find it at Kroger), and
- salt.
These ingredients are always present in my meats or fish.
Trust me, if you try adding them to your meats, you will be hooked for good.
Your meat would taste so good, you won’t even think about deli meat anymore.
You may also love How To Eat Healthy Foods On A Tight Budget – 6 Easy Lifestyle Hacks.
2. Cookies & Cakes
Yes, sometimes you want to snack on a cookie or a slice of cake.
But what if I told you that homemade cookies and cakes taste better than store-bought ones?
Okay I can’t make red velvet cake, so I won’t brag too much.
But my homemade pound cake and even cookies are awesome.
Plus you can also make healthier versions of cakes and cookies.
I know sometimes we still want the ones we can eat quickly, which is okay.
But your budget may suffer in the long run.
What To Do Instead
What I would do this.
I’ll add flour and other baking ingredients to my grocery list.
Then I would make my cakes or cookies from scratch whenever you want.
And enjoy them fresh or any way I like.
The baking ingredients would last for a while, likewise the cakes or cookies.
And when the ingredients run out, add them to your shopping list again.
I usually make oatmeal raisin cookies, sometimes chocolate chip cookies (flour or coconut flour versions).
It is much cheaper and tastes great fresh from the oven (because I hardly wait for my cookies to cool before eating them).
So you can still relish baked goods without knocking your grocery budget off balance.
3. Yogurt
Everybody loves yogurt!
Okay, not everybody but lots of people love and enjoy eating yogurt.
And it has become a regular item on our grocery shopping lists.
But store-bought yogurt is one of the foods you are wasting your money on because you can easily make yours at home.
Plus, they contain lots of sugar and preservatives.
What To Do Instead
When making your grocery list, add extra milk, maybe a half-gallon more for yogurt.
Then buy just one cup of storebought yogurt with live cultures to make your own yogurt.
Here is a simple homemade yogurt recipe.
Thinking of where to store your homemade yogurt?
I heard yogurt loves glass, and most of us have empty jars in our kitchens.
The small ones are perfect.
But if you have bigger ones, they would work too.
The only thing is that you would have to scoop from jar to bowl before eating it.
I have lots of 4 oz glass jars I use for my homemade yogurt.
You can still enjoy yogurt without destroying your grocery budget.
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4. Grocery-store broth
The packed broth is another food you are wasting your money on.
Of course, you need broth for several recipes, and the boxed ones are convenient and readily available.
However, that can put a strain on your grocery budget as the days, weeks, and months go by.
What To Do Instead
Create time to make your own broth, it is very easy to make.
Lots of people make both vegetable and meat broth at home.
In as much as I enjoy soups and other recipes that call for broth, you won’t find it on my grocery list.
Because I boil my meats with seasoning and spices.
That way I get a rich and flavorful chicken stock compared to grocery store ones.
Sorry. Am I bragging again? Okay, I’ll stop now.
Anyway, this is a homemade chicken broth recipe to help you out.
For a different flavor try the ingredients I listed under lunch meats.
Your broth doesn’t have to taste like everybody else’s.
Okay, I’m drifting to cooking now. My bad.
Anyway, making broth at home is easy and you can tweak the ingredients to your preference.
You may also love How To Meal Plan With Chicken Without Store-bought Chicken Broth.
5. Pasta Sauce
Since the first time I ate pasta, I have eaten it with homemade tomato sauce with beef, chicken, whatever.
So when I see bottled pasta sauce, I’m kind of surprised they actually exist.
Making pasta sauce is easier than you think.
I know it is convenient to use bottled pasta sauce but if you tried homemade ones, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Don’t worry, I would link a simple homemade pasta recipe for you to follow.
Now let’s look at what you can do to reduce your grocery shopping budget.
What To Do Instead
Add more tomatoes (canned or fresh) to your grocery list, plus tomato paste, and the spices in regular storebought pasta sauce.
I like to use fresh ingredients. I mean onions, garlic, ginger.
And chicken or beef (meat & stock) is always present in my homemade pasta sauce or stew (like I’m used to calling it).
Here is the homemade pasta sauce recipe I promised to link.
I hope that helps.
You may also enjoy 9 Unusual Meal Planning Tips To Simplify Kitchen Life.
5 Foods On Your Grocery List You Are Wasting Your Money On
There you go!
Those are 5 foods you are wasting your money on and stretching your budget too thin.
I hope this helps you check some things off your shopping list, and help you budget for groceries wisely.
What foods have you taken out of your list to adjust the grocery shopping budget?
Please share in the comments.
Make sure to download a free shopping list, meal planner, and lots more from the Free Resources Library.
Thanks for reading.
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