Growing up, I was fortunate to have a stay-at-home mother. She gave me love and stability, even when resources were tight in our household of five. Meals weren’t always healthy, but they were heartfelt—and that foundation stayed with me.
As I grew older and became a working parent myself, I developed a love for cooking. I realized that knowing what goes into my body felt empowering. I also found that homemade meals weren’t just tastier—they were budget-friendly, too. Through trial, error, and necessity, I’ve built a system for planning meals without breaking the bank. Let me share a few tips that have kept my family fed, my budget intact, and my sanity mostly in check.
🥫 1. Shop Your Pantry First
Get creative with what you already have! Staples like spaghetti, beans, rice, and canned soups can be transformed into dishes like white bean chili or chicken and rice. Don’t underestimate the power of spices and broth. And yes—I’ve totally used ChatGPT to whip up recipes based on random pantry items. It works wonders!
🍫 2. Eat Before You Shop
I know it sounds simple, but shopping hungry leads me straight to impulse snacks and sugary regret. Grab a bite before heading to the store—it’ll save you more than you think.
🧃 3. Leave the Family at Home
Even with a detailed list, bringing extra shoppers means extra spending. Mickey and Bluey snacks have found their way into my cart thanks to toddler meltdowns—adorable, but costly. Advertisers know what they’re doing!
🚗 4. Try Curbside Pickup
Curbside shopping is a sanity-saver. It keeps me focused, avoids impulse buys, and keeps my toddler meltdown-free. Bonus: no checkout line drama.
🥩 5. Buy in Bulk When It Makes Sense
I love my Costco membership, especially for meat. Prepackaged chicken breasts and ground turkey freeze well without the freezer burn. It’s a bit pricey upfront but pays off in long-term savings.
🛒 6. Know Your Stores
I shop weekly because I like fresh produce, and Aldi is my go-to. It’s unbeatable for veggies, dairy, and staple goods. I know what I’ll find and at what price.
💰 7. Shop Weekly Ads
Publix makes me feel rich—BOGO deals for the win! Bacon, yogurt, and creamer at half price? Yes, please. I even plan meals based on BOGO meats when I don’t have a set menu plan. Without these deals, Publix would be way out of budget.
📝 8. Always Make a List
My budget wrecks usually happen when I skip the list. It takes time to plan out meals for the week, but it’s worth it. Don’t forget snacks and leftovers!
📇 9. Use Recipe Cards
I swear by the Passionate Penny Pincher recipe cards. Categories like freezer, slow cooker, and low-cal have saved my evenings. Their grocery portal? Life-changing. Premium access lets me pick recipes, and the app builds my grocery list. Talk about streamlined!
🍳 10. Stretch Ingredients
Groceries are expensive. I once made a blackberry cream pie and had leftover whipping cream—so I made a quiche and an Alfredo sauce, since I had garlic, eggs, butter, and Parmesan cheese on hand. This turned into three delicious meals. Waste not, want not.
❄️ 11. Freeze Leftovers
Leftovers become next week’s lunch or lazy dinner. I freeze chili, soups, and egg bites in large silicone muffin tins, label them with names and dates, and sometimes vacuum seal to keep them fresh.
Being a mom, working full-time, and keeping everyone well-fed isn’t easy—but it’s deeply fulfilling. With a bit of planning and creativity, meal prep becomes less of a chore and more of a joy.
If you found these tips helpful or have your own tricks to share, I’d love to hear them. Let’s make budgeting feel a little more delicious.
The Determined Mama 