Worried about how to properly feed the family this winter? You’re not alone. With household budgets tighter than ever before, families up and down the country are juggling the need to feed their family healthy food whilst also paying for the heating and electricity costs.
Hands up if you’re feeling a tiny bit overwhelmed! But don’t worry, our easy hacks will control the cost of your grocery shopping whilst also putting healthy and nutritious meals on the table.
Make your food last longer
This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s still a problem for households who can’t keep track of their groceries, only to remember what’s at the back of the fridge when it’s gone bad. Combat this common problem by properly storing your food to ensure it lasts longer.
Glass containers with tight fitting lids are perfect for fruits, vegetables and leftovers and keep them fresh for longer. Then save some space in the fridge by storing your tomatoes, potatoes, onions and garlic at room temperature and freeze things like bread so it doesn’t get stale.
And if you’re drowning in all the food you’ve bought, use it all by making a massive stew!
Bulk out food to make it last longer
The trick here is to use recipes like guides rather than rules; it’s a particularly nifty trick for growing families. If you’re following a recipe and you don’t think it will quite stretch between you all, try adding bulky vegetables like potatoes, butternut squash or pumpkin to bulk it out.
Pulses and beans work well in this regard too and add additional protein to any dish, leaving your family fuller for longer. And don’t disregard the humble tin of baked beans! Add it to anything from cottage pie to spaghetti Bolognese and stews to make it stretch even further.
Plan your meals
When it comes to cooking for a big family, you want to have a plan in place, so you don’t have to keep nipping to the shop every day. Go to the shop with a set shopping list that will prevent you from overspending and buying things that can’t be stored because you don’t have space.
Make sure you always have ingredients like potatoes, pasta and rice to hand at home, checking the levels before you leave to the shop. These will form many of the meals you cook as a family and they’re cheap to buy and prepare.
Try different ways of cooking
Bored of the same pasta dish or stew? We get you. Invest in different cooking utensils, like a slow cooker and a quality set of saucepans so you can try all kinds of recipes to keep mealtime exciting for you and your family.
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