Back-to-school shopping can put a serious dent in the family budget. Between school supplies, new clothes, shoes, backpacks, and everything else kids need, there may not be much left over for groceries. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to feed your family well. With a few inexpensive ingredients and some simple meal ideas, you can stretch your grocery budget much farther.
1. Homemade Sloppy Joes
Ground beef can be stretched by adding a can of tomato sauce, beans, or even finely chopped vegetables. Serve the sloppy joe mixture on hamburger buns with a simple side of chips, carrots, or applesauce.
2. Breakfast for Dinner
Eggs are one of the best budget-friendly proteins. Make scrambled eggs, pancakes, French toast, or breakfast burritos for dinner. Add whatever you have on hand, such as cheese, potatoes, or leftover vegetables.
3. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Soup is a great way to stretch a small amount of meat. Use leftover chicken, inexpensive noodles, carrots, celery, and broth to make a large pot that can provide several meals.
4. Beans and Rice
Beans and rice are inexpensive, filling, and incredibly versatile. Add taco seasoning, salsa, cheese, or leftover meat to change things up. You can also serve them in tortillas for easy burritos.
5. Baked Potato Bar
Potatoes are inexpensive and can turn into a filling meal. Bake several potatoes and let everyone add their own toppings. Try cheese, chili, beans, leftover taco meat, broccoli, or sour cream.
6. Spaghetti
A box of pasta and a jar of sauce can make an inexpensive family dinner. To make it stretch even farther, add cooked ground beef, lentils, mushrooms, or extra vegetables to the sauce.
7. Slow Cooker Meals
A slow cooker can help you make inexpensive cuts of meat into several meals. Try pulled pork, chicken and rice, chili, or a simple beef and vegetable stew. Leftovers can become sandwiches, tacos, or casseroles later in the week.
8. Don’t Forget Leftovers
One of the easiest ways to save money is to make your food stretch beyond one dinner. Cook a little extra and plan to use leftovers for lunches or another dinner later in the week.
Make Your Grocery Budget Go Further
When money is tight, focus on inexpensive staples like potatoes, rice, beans, pasta, eggs, oats, canned tomatoes, and seasonal produce. Plan your meals around what you already have before heading to the grocery store.
Back-to-school season doesn’t have to mean an empty wallet at the grocery store. A little planning and a few simple, inexpensive meals can help keep your family fed while making your grocery budget go farther.
