Stretch Pricey Ingredients With Smart Portion Sizes and Simple Add ins That Cost Less

An effective way to stretch pricey ingredients further is to add cheaper items as filler in meals, such as rice, potatoes or pasta – these budget-friendly yet nutritious choices can go far towards creating filling and satisfying meals.

Doing little things right can add up over time to make a significant difference, so try these easy strategies for making your grocery budget stretch further.

1. Smart Portion Sizes

Budget cooking relies heavily on stretching ingredients across multiple meals by purchasing large quantities at once and planning ahead so as to take advantage of sales or discounts. Though it may seem counterintuitive, doing this is key to saving money when grocery bills increase or food waste occurs. By practicing mindful meal planning to strategically overlap ingredients across meals you’re also taking full advantage of discounts offered from stores or vendors.

Portion sizes have slowly increased over the years without us even realizing it, especially when eating out and purchasing packaged food products. Understanding what constitutes a healthy portion is vital in order to maintain balance and satisfaction when eating well; use our handy pictorial guide as a means of identifying appropriate serving sizes for various foods.

4. Pasta

Pasta is an integral component of many kitchens, from spaghetti Bolognese and linguine pescatore dishes to bowls of kugel. As an ingredient it serves multiple functions; from side dishes and main courses to dessert. Plus, with proper planning fresh pasta can provide affordable nutritional enhancement for your menu with its combination of healthy protein sources and vegetables.

An alternative way to enjoy pasta that’s good for the body is with gluten-free versions made from corn, rice or quinoa or by adding fresh mozzarella, tomato and sun dried tomato into a pasta salad – adding these healthy ingredients can help your guests meet their 5-a-Day requirements while decreasing sodium consumption.

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