The Frugal Foodie

We’re big frugal foodies here at MeVest and we love affordable and delicious recipes. One of the smartest ways to enjoy great food without busting your budget is to plan for the week ahead.

Download a free meal-planning template (or app) or make one up yourself. Quickly jot down what you’d like to eat for the next seven days for each meal and the snacks in between. We really like Menu Planner and Mealboard.Yes – you should include the meals you plan to eat out. Next, do your best to set a food budget limit like $100 for the week.When you’re through, and after you’ve checked your current inventory of food at home, take this template to the grocery store and only buy what you need.When choosing a grocery store, awareness is key.Specialty shops tend to have loads of organic produce, pre-made meals and salads, high-end cheese, great cuts of meat and much more. Though these stores are tantalizing to walk through, doing a full grocery shop here will be ultra expensive – upwards of 40 percent more than traditional grocery stores. So keep these purchases for special occasions.Focus the bulk of your shopping at a nearby grocery store that has advertised sales for products that you need. Pick a store that offers better prices than competitors and a loyalty program so that you can cash in free rewards. Remember, tomatoes are tomatoes, which are tomatoes. It doesn’t really matter where you get them from, so long as they are fresh.For staples, shop in stores with concrete floors. Wholesalers beat grocers any day of the week for bulk items. So, if you need to stock up on cans of beans, flour, sugar and bulk cases of granola bars, shop here.Wherever you go and whatever you buy, really consider whether you’re getting a deal. Just because orange juice is on sale for $3 per litre doesn’t mean it’s a good deal if the two-litre jug is $5.Last, if you’re heading out for meals throughout your week, take advantage of happy-hour specials, coupons, local specials and off-peak nights. Splitting dishes, having your appetizers and pre-drinks at home can also save a bundle.The ultimate meal plan will save you money, reduce food wastage and help you achieve nutrition and weight-loss goals.To help you get started on your meal planning, here are recipes for breakfast, lunch & dinner - all meals for under $10!Breakfast: Berry Baked OatmealLunch: Grown-Up Grilled CheeseDinner: Game-Day Chili