Trying to save some cash so you can buy a new couch? Start cutting costs in the kitchen! We know we can save money by skipping the $5 coffees, bringing our lunch to work or eating in one more evening, but what else? Here are some simple money savers you can start with at home. 

Put Fruits and Vegetables Where You See Them

The fruit and vegetable drawers that come standard in most refrigerators seem like a great idea, but rather than keeping your food fresh, they invite you to let your food go bad. Don’t keep the food that spoils fastest in the place where you don’t see it. Put the fruit and vegetables front and center. You’re more likely to eat the food when you see it and you’ll stop throwing spoiled fruit in the garbage.

(Healthful eating tip: Don’t store your apples and oranges in the fridge. Put them on a bowl on the counter where you see them and you’re more likely to make eating them a habit.

Take Inventory

Before you go to the grocery store, see what you have in your pantry. Do you need more pasta? More chicken stock? Use what you have before a pantry full of canned peas that you bought because you thought you might be out. Then, keep a list of things you use often and are running low on. Stick to your list when you shop to save time and money.

Grow Your Own Fresh Herbs

Basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, oregano – it’s fun to cook with recipes that call for these herbs but buying them at the grocery store can cost you precious pennies. Save your money by starting your own fresh herb garden. A few garden pots, some dirt and plants, and you’re on you’re way to fresh goodness at little cost. Feeling ambitious in the spring and summer? Grow your own vegetables!

Enjoy Meatless Monday AND Thursday

Cleanse your body and save some money by going meatless two or even three days a week. This is a no-brainer in the kitchen as a money saver, with the cost of meat rising regularly. You and your budget will thank you.

Watch Your Waist By Eating Less

You’ll eat less, lose weight and save money by making smaller portions. Why not give it a try? Slow down, enjoy your meal and simply eat less food. You’ll have another meal ready for the next day, and you’ll get to watch your waist slim down and budget beef up.

Practice Food Fusion

Don’t go to the grocery store because the leftovers in your fridge don’t match. Pull out a pan and start sautéing what you have. See what fun dishes you can create with your leftovers. This can be fun and tasty, a money save and a time saver.

Package Food For Take Out

Make sure all of your plastic containers have matching lids and keep them stored so you can easily pull a container and it’s matching lid. The easier it is to store your food, the more likely you are to preserve your leftovers. Plan ahead and pack the pasta you are going to take for lunch the next day in a to-go container. Make a little salad, too, and bring dressing on the side. In the morning, just grab and go. You can use the same idea for freezing food. If you make soup, spaghetti sauce or the like and plan to freeze it, put it several smaller containers rather than one large one, so you can thaw only what you want, when you want it.

Don’t Grocery Shop for One Week

Or grocery shop but only buy perishables or things you run out of such as milk and vegetables. Otherwise, commit to one week of using what you have in the house to prepare your meals and clear out the pantry. Your creativity may surprise you, you may have some fun and you’ll save money.

You’re going to love your kitchen so much more once you see the savings it holds in store for you. Get cooking!