Are you sick and tired of spending a ton of money at the grocery store every week? Me too! That’s why I’m cooking more. Read on to learn how I save money on groceries by cooking more food than my family needs for each meal.

Like most Americans, our grocery spending is by far one of our largest budget categories. Food costs a lot of money these days and it’s getting harder and harder to save money on groceries. So, instead of complaining and overspending anyway, I’m on a mission to reduce our grocery budget in other ways.

As always, I’m meal planning. It really helps cut costs to know what you’re eating – that way you’re not spending on unnecessary items. But, meal planning alone is not always enough. Especially if you like to eat like we do…it’s sort of a hobby around here. We like to eat and we like to eat good food.

So, another way I’m trying to save money on groceries is by cooking more. No, I don’t mean more often, just more food!

Instead of making small batches of our favorite recipes, I’m making big batches and freezing the leftovers for future meals. It’s a great way to cut costs without feeling deprived of your favorite meals.

For example, we have Homemade Lasagna on Christmas Eve, but instead of making a small batch for the 4 of us, I use the whole box of Lasagna noodles and make a huge pan that serves 12 people. That leaves us with 2 leftover meals and it didn’t cost anymore than it would have if I’d made a smaller pan. You can do this with just about any of your favorite meals, too! If your recipe usually makes a small batch, then double it or triple it to make a large amount, then put the rest into freezer safe containers and save for another day.

Having these freezer meals on hand is perfect for busy weeknights when you just don’t have time to cook or even lazy weekends when you just don’t want to cook.

It’s a win-win, my friends. You stock your freezer with delicious, home-cooked meals and you save money on groceries! How can you go wrong?

Here’s some recipe ideas to get you started…

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Save Money on Groceries by Cooking More {Less Often}

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Everyone loves chicken nuggets – especially kids! So, make a big batch and throw them in the freezer for easy cooking on a busy night.

 

Freezer Biscuits

These go great with any meal and the recipe makes around 28 biscuits!

 

Cheese Ravioli Lasagna {Cheater Lasagna}

This delicious Cheese Ravioli Lasagna recipe makes enough to serve 12 people! So, unless you have a huge family, you should yield some leftovers. Pack them up into individual freezer safe containers and stick them away for another meal or two.

 

Homemade Individual Pizza

If you’re going to take the time to make pizza from scratch, why not make a bunch of them and stick them in the freezer for a busy weeknight or a lazy Saturday?

 

Rustic Bread Recipe

The next time you get the itch to make some homemade bread, make a big batch and freeze it for the future. This super easy Rustic bread recipe makes 3 hefty loaves at a time!

 

Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup

Soups of all kinds are a great way to save money on groceries! It’s easy to make a big batch and most soups freeze well if properly prepared in freezer safe containers. Plus, if you’ve got the skills and equipment, you can make your own homemade canned soup, too!

 

Garlic Chicken & Linguini

Garlic Chicken & Linguini is the perfect comfort food on a chilly winter evening. Make a double batch and freeze the leftovers in freezer safe containers. It’ll last months in the freezer and it’s easy to pull out anytime you need it. Just boil a batch of linguini and pour the reheated sauce over the top.

 

Cheesy Chicken Taco Soup

Another great soup to make and freeze to help save money on groceries! Even the kiddos love this one.

As you can see, cooking larger meals than your family needs provides a great deal of leftovers and instead of wasting them, I say freeze them! The next time you need a quick dinner, you can just pull one out of the freezer and smile, knowing that it didn’t cost you a day’s pay to take the family out to dinner.

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Want more recipes?

Head over to the Recipes page to find your favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

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