In these economic tough times many people are learning the joys of frugal cooking. This style of cooking is more than just eating on the cheap, it is about learning to feed your family within a budget while giving them nutritious meals.
One of the most expensive parts of most meals is the protein source. Meats, especially lean meats are notoriously expensive. Fortunately, nutritionists are finding that we need less protein is included in most diets. While you do not have to go totally vegetarian in your meals to be frugal, most families could do with a few meatless meals in their menu.
There are some very frugal foods that can fit in a nutritious menu if you plan carefully. Beans, if cooked from dry can be very inexpensive yet nutritious. Beans are the basis of many of the popular Mexican dishes and when seasoned correctly are very tasty as well as inexpensive. If you do not know how to cook beans from the dry product, take some time to learn the simple process.
Potatoes are one of many American’s comfort foods. Potatoes can be very nutritious if cooked correctly. Baking potatoes allows you to enjoy these foods without all the fat of fries.
Growing your own vegetables is a great way to add nutritious but frugal foods into your families meal plan. Even apartment dwellers may have room for a container garden. A lettuce bowl can be grown in a hanging basket. This container has several types of salad greens that can be picked to make a fresh salad. Tomatoes do very well in pots on patios. Adding a small amount of meat to a salad can turn a dish that was formerly just a course into the whole meal.
If you learn to cook your own meals, you are on the way to frugal living. Often what is spent on one meal in a restaurant could feed your family for two to three days if you had cooked yourself. Always have a meal plan and meals that can be prepared quickly to avoid the temptation to grab something quick that destroys your food budget.
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