When the news is full of talk of inflation, and the rising prices of staple foods like eggs are throwing your grocery budget off, it can feel stressful. Food is a necessity. Beyond that, though, nutritious, balanced meals are a cornerstone of good health and an everyday pleasure. Shared dinners at the end of a busy day can also be an essential bonding time for couples and families. When costs rise at the grocery store, it’s natural to look for ways to economize so that you don’t have to compromise on the quality of what you eat while you keep your bills in check. However, for the best strategies on how to save money on food, you may find that the solution is not what you expect.
The Hidden Costs of Common Money-Saving Tips
There’s no doubt that many tips on how to save money on groceries will work if you can apply them consistently. Some involve work before you even set foot in the store. For example, if you take stock of what’s already in your pantry, you don’t buy something you already have three of simply because you couldn’t remember and didn’t want to come up short on a necessary ingredient. If you write a list and stick to it every time, you’re less likely to fill up your cart with less-useful impulse buys. And of course, if you compare prices and look beyond the expensive products grocery stores put temptingly at eye level, you may find budget-friendly alternatives.
Unfortunately, these tips all share a common denominator that may make them hard to stick to—they take time. Time to plan menus. Time to compile an efficient shopping list. Time to scrutinize what stores offer to find the best prices. It’s often not practical for busy professionals or working parents to devote the amount of time and energy it takes for these kinds of strategies to make a significant dent in the grocery bill.
Other advice on how to save money on food can also turn out to be less effective than you might expect. Buying in bulk doesn’t always produce overall cost savings—not only do you need to check that the per-unit cost is really lower, but you also need to be sure you use everything you buy. Food waste can be another drain on your budget. How often have you thrown out fruits and vegetables that have gone bad, or a partial bunch of wilted herbs, because you had more than you needed and didn’t find a use for the remainder? How many bottles of specialty sauces sat in the refrigerator door until their sell-by date had passed because you only needed a couple of tablespoons for a recipe? And be honest with yourself—how many times have you thrown out untouched ingredients because life got in the way of your plans to cook?
The truth is, well-meaning tips can produce more frustration than savings, especially when time is short. A meal delivery service can be the surprising answer if you want a cost-effective way to put a healthy, delicious variety of food on the table without stress.
The Benefits of Meal Delivery
How can a meal delivery service help you achieve the goal of eating well without wasting money? Here are four ways having prepared dinners delivered to you can help:
Healthy options: Putting a balanced meal on the table night after night can be difficult, especially if you’re trying to avoid falling into a rut of having the same recipes over and over. Meal delivery can make it simple to enjoy healthy choices that might not be as easy to make yourself.
Variety: Want to try new dishes and flavors without the headache of attempting unfamiliar recipes or cooking techniques? A meal delivery service can give you the opportunity to expand your palate with a wide variety of meals to choose from.
Portion control: If you’re watching what you eat—whether you want to manage your weight or you have specific dietary needs—a meal delivery service can give you greater control over portion sizes without sacrificing the variety and quality of what you eat.
Cost savings: A meal delivery service can actually be more cost-effective than buying groceries and cooking at home if you often find food going to waste, or if you frequently end up eating out/ordering in when good intentions run up against an unforgiving schedule. Meal delivery can help you plan ahead for healthy, delicious dinners without unnecessary excess or unrealistic demands on your time.
Easy Meal Solutions
For quality, convenience, and nutrition that will make you feel that your food budget is well spent, Jessie & Laurent’s fresh, oven-ready meals are the answer. Conveniently place your order online a week at a time or several weeks in advance, choosing entrees, sides, salads, and more to create your perfect menu. We serve the Bay Area, North Lake Tahoe, and the Sacramento to Auburn corridor. To get started, just place your first order on our website, or contact us here for more information.
Ready to Order? But of course.
Existing clients, please click here: LOGIN
New clients, please click here: GET STARTED
