How to feed your family on a budget

Feeding your family on a budget is not easy. It’s difficult when you don’t have what you want or what you need. I know all too well how children voice their opinions regarding many things. especially food. However, I discovered that when you’re open and honest with them. They are more likely to empathize with you. Little kids find enjoyment in helping others. So, when you explain to them that you have to complete a few tasks to help the family. They will more than likely not see it as work, but a fun experience. And they will be more than glad to assist you. In this article, I will discuss various ways to help you feed your family on a budget. 

Who can feed their family on a budget?

Anyone can feed their family on a budget. Whether you are rich, average, or struggling, you can still budget. Budgeting for groceries is still possible. The purpose of a budget is to help you create financial stability. When you track your expenses, you are able to follow a plan. This will help prevent overspending. So, just remember the main purpose of a budget is to plan, organize, track, and improve your financial situation. 

Prices have Increased

Have you noticed the price of food has increased? Packaged foods Have decreased in quantity. And quality. If you read the label. You would notice. That it is very high. In calories, salt, preservatives, and sugar. All of the things associated with disease and illnesses. 

Instead of debating companies and telling them what not to put in their products Just stop buying the products. The only way that companies actually comprehend is through money. If you stop giving them money by buying their products, things will change. Until then it’s up to you to care about your family’s health by knowing what foods they are eating.

Ways to feed your family on a budget

Sales

Look for sales. Sales occur for many reasons. Sometimes the store has too much inventory. So, they have a sale to remove some of the products from their stores. If some items simply are not selling. Stores will have a sale to get them sold. If the items are close to expiring, they will mark them down to get sales. Sometimes when it comes to produce it is based on supply and demand. If the item is in season, it’s going to be abundant and more than likely, the prices will be low. If it’s out of season or there was a low turnout in production from farmers, the prices will be higher. 

Here is what you need to know when it comes to sales.

Learn the stores sales dates, when they start and end. What are the exclusions? Do they accept coupons? What are their rules because they vary by store. Purchase items that you can make filling meals with, like rice, pasta, peas, beans.

Definitely buy things like milk. Even if it is close to expiring, you can still use expired milk as buttermilk to cook. Instead of buying your usual meat, switch it up. Try something new like turkey or chicken. And make a healthy meal from that. Look for sales on carbonated water instead of soda. Add the sugar free powder or flavors to the water to make your own soda. And when shopping for meat, it’s best to get to the store when they first open to have a great selection. Which brings me to my next point. Ask your favorite stores when are their stock days. Memorize them, because this means that you will make it there first for your selection.

When choosing produce, just watch for the sales. Because most of them have a short shelf life. The only way to extend the shelf life is by canning, freezing, or drying them for later use.

Overall, try creating meals based on what you can afford. Like, what is on sale. Instead of planning meals of what you want to eat. Like, things that are not on sale and are highly inflated.

I am not going to sugar-coat it. It will definitely be challenging but who doesn’t like a challenge?! You will find yourself eating healthier and saving money in no time.

Coupons

So, coupons are great when you are on a budget. You cut coupons out of newspapers and magazines, take them to the store and use them to get discounts on certain products. A coupon is the same as cash. Did you know that you can get free coupons just by asking the manufacturers? Just email them to tell them how much you like their product and ask if they had any free coupons to spare. Or let them know that the product seems interesting and you would like to try it. Then, ask if they had a coupon to give so you can try their product. More than likely, they would be delighted because if you like it, you are more likely to tell others and that means more money for them.

However, here’s how you can use coupons to save you money. Organize your coupons by departments and expiration dates in a binder with clear card sheets. This makes them easier to see. Each week, check what is on sale and look to see if you have a corresponding coupon to match.

Depending on the store that you are shopping with, you can combine that with the store coupons and their rewards program. That’s three savings in one store!

Just ask your favorite store if they have a free rewards program that you can enroll in to save you money.

Cooking from scratch

I can think of several reasons why it is beneficial to cook from scratch.

 1. If you look at the basic items needed to cook with, you will see that the items are far cheaper than buying ready-made and frozen meals. It will cost less.

2. It will be healthier than processed, canned, or frozen versions of the same food. Processed, canned, and frozen foods and meals are high in sodium, sugar, preservatives, and additives that have been linked to health issues. Some are known but many are not. The companies are only allowed to list the ingredients on labels. However, they are not required to inform you if their ingredients cause illnesses. It is unfortunate, but it is ultimately up to you to research the effects of the ingredients yourselves.

 3. It will taste better. You know what you like. And when it comes to cooking yourself. You can personalize your foods according to your taste buds.

 4. You know exactly what you are putting in it so there will not be any surprise chemicals or preservatives. There are no tricks. You control what you put into your food.

5. You can make a large amount to freeze for later during tough times. When cooking for a family or self, make more than enough and freeze some for later. You never know what may happen in life. You may be the main person in your household who cooks and you suddenly get sick. The family still depends on you and you can still provide meals. Just instruct them to thaw the frozen meals and heat accordingly.

 6. Most foods made from scratch are filling. They are filling because there are no preservatives or additives. If you aren’t the best at cooking, just follow recipes. There are many beginner friendly recipes on this site. Check them out. You will soon catch on pretty fast.

Growing a garden

It may sound unrealistic but it’s actually easier than you think. I too was intimidated about starting a garden. So, I joined gardening groups and asked older people familiar with gardening about gardening. I have learned so much. The main reason that I started gardening is because of the price increase of groceries. And to provide a stable food source for my family in case the unforeseen circumstances happen. 

So, I discovered that I could garden out of containers and that is exactly what I did. I mainly did it to control my environment because I did not want to hassle with the pH of the soil. Nor did I want nature to have easy access to my food.

But even during storms, you will see the sun rays shining through dark clouds. In other words, although all of my gardening experience was not successful, I still produced plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Did you know that 1 Bell pepper has enough seeds to produce over 30 individual plants? And did you know that you can go to the store and get a bag of dry beans or peas and continuously have a growing food supply without having to go hungry? Fruit and vegetables don’t just appear at the store. Someone had to grow them. Why not let it be you? When you grow it, you will know that no chemicals or pesticides were used on the food that you will eat. That is not only giving you a peace of mind, but it is also satisfying to grow something from a seed and eat it.

Bartering

What is bartering? Bartering is an alternative method of trading where goods and services are exchanged directly for one another without using money as an intermediary. It was widely used many years ago. And many people still use it till this very day. For example, a long time ago, a farmer would have exchanged a bushel of wheat for a pair of shoes from a shoemaker.

Today, it works pretty much the same. You may know the owner of a small store that would allow you to get food free of charge in exchange for fixing their car. When you barter, you are able to save money that you can then move to your food budget. You can also barter fruits and vegetables for eggs if you know someone who has chicken. They will be more than happy to barter because chickens lay eggs almost daily.

And if you are worried if it is legal, it is. It was totally free without consequences back then. But now, according to the IRS, exchanging goods and services with another business owner – bartering – is a common practice, and can make excellent sense in today’s economy, but the IRS is warning that “barter dollars” are equal to “real dollars” for tax purposes.

Regardless, bartering is another way of saving money to help you budget.

Livestock

Livestock refers to the animals. Owning livestock is a huge responsibility and a lot of work. However, those animals provide your family with food. Livestock animals, such as cows, sheep, goats and chickens, have many roles in the farm ecosystem. They eat corn and hay grown on the farm, they provide milk, eggs, wool and meat for humans, and their waste can fertilize the soil. By fertilizing the soil, it helps the plants receive many nutrients to help your plants grow. It is literally a farm ecosystem. Livestock provides livelihood to two-third of rural communities. And when it comes to farmers, did you know that farmers set aside enough to feed their families first? Then, they sell the remaining for profit to the stores and markets. So, if you are able to own livestock, get a few animals instead of an entire farm.

If you can’t get large animals, try owning a few chickens or ducks. They will supply you with fresh eggs daily. Now, if owning animals is not an option for you, that leads me to my next tip.

Hunting

Did you know that hunting wild game is a nutritional protein source?

Animals live in the wild foraging on natural grasses and forbs, insects, and other animals.

One of the biggest benefits of hunting is that it’ll allow you to bring home plenty of fresh meat to store for long periods. When you harvest your own meat by hunting, you are still taking a chance just like buying at the grocery stores. The difference is the meat at the stores are inspected by a governmental entity on a federal or state level. Animals are inspected for signs of disease before and after slaughter.

Here are some pros and cons of hunting.

When it comes to hunting, you have options. You just need to learn the seasons for hunting specific animals.

Fishing

Fishing is another great way to help feed your family on a budget. Fish also has great health benefits. For example, fish is filled with omega-3 fatty acids. They help build and maintain a healthy body. They’re key to the structure of every cell wall you have. They’re also an energy source and help keep your heart, lungs, blood vessels, and immune system working the way they should. Below are some pros and cons of fishing.

Foraging

Foraging is the act of searching, identifying and collecting food resources in the wild. Those include a wide range of plants, mushrooms, herbs and fruits growing in many places uncultivated.

Foraging is a skill that requires time and patience. It is a great way to learn about the world around you. You can feed your family from foraging. However, it is very time consuming because it’s like playing hide n seek or Where’s Waldo with nature. It would take a lot of time to find enough food to survive each day. So, unless you know exactly where the food supply is located or if you are a veteran forager, it will be very stressful for a beginner.

My advice, if you want to do it, you can still do it but do something else to supplement feeding your family while you are learning.

Assistance

Finally, if you need assistance and the other methods are not an option right now. Seek local and governmental programs that can help. Like food banks, food drives, WIC, SNAP, and etc.

If you really need assistance, try a governmental program like SNAP.  SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which is the largest federal nutrition assistance program. SNAP provides benefits to eligible low-income individuals and families by supplementing the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency. Every state is different when it comes to applying. So, talk to a worker who can help. Or speak with someone who is familiar with the program to gain insight.