The kitchen is the heart of our home. That’s always been true of our family, as I love cooking for my boys, but lately it has really become the place we spend most of our time. Zac has followed in his brother’s footsteps and taken up an interest in the kitchen- the other night when I was making dinner, he put on his apron and chef’s hat and even got his own {kid-safe} knife to help me cut up some squash!
Both of the boys have been going through growth spurts for a couple of months now, so I’m pretty much always feeding them. It’s important to me that they have what they need, but all that food adds up quickly. I’ve had to find some creative ways to save money in the kitchen lately, but it’s been really great for us! Here are the tips I’ve picked up:
1. Kitchen savings don’t stop at the food. We buy Hefty Ultra Strong trash bags because they are a tremendous value! They are strong enough to hold up without ripping when I stuff way too much in the garbage can on trash day, which saves me from having to use additional bags. They are also at a new, lower price- and they smell amazing! Hefty Ultra Strong trash bags have Arm & Hammer odor neutralizers and new, invigorating scents to help keep odors at bay {we love the Lavender & Sweet Vanilla scent the best}. They also have an unscented version if that’s not your thing.
2. Buy meat when it’s in “season”, so to speak, and put it in the freezer. During the holidays, many grocery stores offer specials on hams or turkeys, you can get great deals on extra chicken wings at the end of football season- you see where I’m going with this. When you find a sale on meat that’s too good to pass up, grab a couple extras and stick them in the freezer. Just be sure to mark the date of purchase on the package so you can make sure it hasn’t gone past the expiry date! {This chart is super helpful for figuring out how long foods stay good in the freezer.}
3. Skip the pre-cut produce. While the cartons of precut pineapple and watermelon are tempting, they are way more expensive- and often not as fresh. It’s cheaper to buy the full fruit and cut it up at home. {The one exception I make is with diced onion- but that’s only because cutting onions makes my eyes tear up so badly that I can’t see for ten minutes afterwards!}
4. Bag it yourself. While snack-size portioned bags can be convenient, don’t rely on them. They cost way more because you’re paying for the packaging- buying a bigger container and splitting it up yourself is a better option. It also cuts down on waste!
5. Make a habit of searching for savings on your favorite brands. I am often running to the store unexpectedly or without a whole lot of prep time, so I don’t always have time to search for a coupon before I go. Instead, I make a regular habit of browsing my favorite savings sites and apps, like Ibotta, in my downtime for the products I’m most likely to buy. Ibotta has a great cashback deal on Hefty right now {$1 rebate on any size box!} that I made sure to grab because I know I always buy their trash bags!
You can learn more about Hefty Ultra Strong trash bags on their website- and be sure to get the $1 rebate offer from Ibotta today!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.