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Today's episode of Meal Prep Monday is the first in a two-part series on grocery budget. Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares tips on how to keep grocery costs down. From what to buy in bulk to how to stretch meat further to how meal planning can save money, these simple, practical tips can help you navigate rising food costs while maintaining the quality and nutrition of your meals.

Grocery Budget Tips:

1. Just using a meal plan lowers food costs. It helps avoid food waste and makes it easier to eat at home, which saves a ton of money. Eating at home more can help offset rising grocery costs.
2. Don't buy pre-chopped: Keep in mind time versus money but if you have time to chop, doing it yourself will save you money.
3. Buy lower cost cuts of meat. Remember, you can always substitute!
4. Stretch your meat: Stretch meat further by adding beans or extra veggies. If you're using ground beef for tacos, do half beef and half black beans. Adding vegetables like mushrooms, onions, shredded carrots, etc. can help bulk up meals. Keep in mind though, veggies are lower calories so aren't as filling. Adding beans to soups and stews can also help the recipes go further.
5. Shopping at Costco, Imperfect Foods, Thrive Market and Butcher Box can help you get high quality products for less money.
6. Buy in bulk: Buy a whole or portion of a cow to have a lot of beef in your freezer if you have a deep freeze. Buy bulk tea instead of tea bags - the cost per serving is so much less! Buy bulk beans, rice, dried fruits and nuts at Costco. You can also buy spices from the bulk section.
7. Make your own: Making your own salad dressings, broth, sauces, etc. is both less expensive and high quality.

Two things that don't save money: Backyard chickens: Having chickens is really fun but the eggs definitely cost more than buying eggs. Same for bees: The honey from our bees is amazing but it is way more expensive than buying honey.

Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777

Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

How I Use Imperfect Foods: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep72/ My First Costco Trip: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep67/ How to Make Homemade Salad Dressings: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep-54/ How to Make Bone Broth: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep48/ Backyard Chickens: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep28/ How to Start Beekeeping: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep98/ Imperfect Foods: http://imprfct.us/v/allison_8366 Thrive Market: https://thrivemarket.com/landing/partner/cj-d2m Butcher Box: butcherbox.com/prepdish

This post contains affiliate links, thank you for your support of Prep Dish!