Have you ever stopped to consider just how much it costs to feed your family? Remember, you are not only looking at the amount of money you spend on groceries but also all those cooking utensils, pots & pans, small appliances, storage containers and so much more. When added up, the average family is usually flabbergasted at just how much money they are spending in the kitchen, to the point where it’s no wonder they have problems meeting their budget. Take a few moments to look around your own kitchen and then start thinking of ways you can cut costs drastically. Here are a few examples to consider.
Reuse Literally Anything You Can!
Cold cuts are a prime example of how to get ‘two for the price of one.’ Unless you shop at the deli for fresh sliced cold cuts, chances are you are buying those plastic containers with the red tops containing ham, roast beef, turkey, pastrami and other cold cuts packaged within. When you’ve used all the meat, take that cardboard label off the top, wash the container and use it for storage. These are a perfect size for leftover veggies, mashed potatoes, and other food items which can be reheated for another meal.
The same goes for coffee cans. Both Maxwell House and Folgers no longer use metal cans and so those plastic coffee containers make perfect storage for dry goods like flour, sugar, beans and even cereal. The trick is getting the smell of coffee out of the container. There is an easy way to accomplish this. Simply soak the ‘can’ in warm water with an at least ¼ cup of baking soda for a good 24 hours. If that doesn’t do the trick, repeat but this time with common household bleach. Why purchase costly canisters when you have so many plastic containers which can be reused again and again!
Multiuse Small Appliances
Those little Magic Bullets and Ninjas are nice, but are they really worth the money? Instead, why not invest in a good quality food processor or blender which can do so much more! You are feeding a family after all and so you’ll need a bigger bowl, won’t you? Check out small appliance and smoothie maker reviews on sites like Cuisinestudy.Com to find which would work best and most importantly, wear well over time. Do away with buying any small appliances that aren’t well-suited for multipurpose use. It’s a redundancy you don’t need to waste money on. Smoothie machines are great if they have glass carafes!
Also, what about that microwave and toaster oven you have sitting on your counter? Today you can get a combination oven which works even better. These can be used as toasters, broilers, small ovens and yes, microwaves. The next time you are in the market for either a toaster oven or a microwave, invest a little more to get a combi-oven that saves space and money in more ways than one. Did you know most of these work as convection ovens, thereby reducing the amount of electricity you use?
Now that you get the idea, do look around your kitchen. It’s possible you’ll spot dozens of ways to reduce waste, save money and create the perfect budget-friendly kitchen!
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