With the cost of food skyrocketing, it’s becoming more challenging than ever to feed your family healthy meals without breaking the bank.
I get it—it’s tough.
But I’m here to help!
Believe it or not, you can provide your family with nutrient-dense food while staying on budget.
Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks to stretch your food dollars without compromising on quality:
1. Stretch Ground Meat with Eggs
One of my go-to methods for making ground beef or ground chicken go further is to mix in eggs. I add 2 eggs for every pound of ground meat—it not only stretches the quantity but also gives the meat a tender, delicious texture. If you prefer a firmer texture, just add 1 egg per pound.
(Or add 3! I do this for my son who loves meat but not eggs. He doesn't even notice.)
2. Tame the Spice in Our Mild Italian Sausage
If your kids are sensitive to spices, (like mine) try adding eggs to our Mild Italian Sausage Chub. Mixing in 2 eggs makes the sausage even milder, making it easier for everyone to enjoy. Plus gives you more to cook with. I'll then make patties for breakfast sandwiches, or make meatballs, or break it up to put in a rice bowl, salad, or veggie stir fry.
3. Eat Breakfast for Dinner
By breakfast, I mean- MORE EGGS. (I know I’m going crazy on the eggs right now, but they really are a huge money saver with no compromise on nutrients). Use it for your main protein. Make a quiche, egg salad, egg tacos, omelet or just scramble them up. Eggs are an incredible money saver and nutritional powerhouse. If you eat 3 eggs per meal, a $7 carton can provide 4 meals—that’s just $1.75 per meal! Even with 6 eggs, you’re only spending $3.50 per meal. You really can’t beat that for a budget-friendly, nutrient-rich option.
4. Boost Rice with Bone Broth
Rice is cheap, but let’s be honest—it’s lacking in nutrients. It' basically a filler with no nutrition. That’s why I cook it in bone broth instead of water. Not only does this add a ton of nutrition, but it also infuses the rice with amazing flavor. It’s a win-win, especially if your kids are like mine and aren’t big on sipping bone broth from a cup. This gets healthy bone broth in them with no fuss.
5. Get Multiple Meals from One Whole Chicken
Whole chickens are more economical per pound than buying individual cuts. My favorite way to cook a whole chicken is in the Instant Pot, but a slow cooker works great too. You’ll get about 4-7 cups of shredded chicken (depending on size) plus nutritious bone broth for soups or cooking rice (as mentioned above). Use the shredded chicken for salads, casseroles, tacos, BBQ sandwiches, pizzas, stir-fries, or freeze it in 2-cup portions for quick, healthy meals on busy days.
6. Multiply Your Meals by Cutting Meat Thinner
One simple way to make your meat go further is by cutting or pounding it thinner before cooking. In our house, I always fillet chicken breasts in half—or even into thirds if they’re large. This turns one pack of 2 breasts into 4 or 6, giving you more servings per meal. Plus, thinner cuts cook faster, so you’re less likely to overcook the outside while waiting for the inside to cook through. (Something I did too often before I started cutting them in half)
These tips have been super useful for me, helping to keep my family well-fed with healthy meals every day, without overspending.
The key is to start with high-quality, pasture-raised meats (like ours) and apply these tips to stretch them further.
This way, you’re not only getting the best nutrition, but also making the most of every dollar spent.
Happy cooking, and here’s to saving money while staying healthy!
Katie
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