stock up
The first tip is for anyone who has a little more space in the kitchen or maybe even a pantry for groceries. If you have the necessary capacities, it is advisable to buy longer-lasting food directly in larger packs, as these are often significantly cheaper in relation to the price per kilogram. Especially when it comes to special offers, stocking up can save you a lot of money. If you like chocolate, for example, you should boldly grab it when your favorite variety is on sale. Since such foodstuffs also have a long shelf life, it is worth packing larger quantities when the price is reduced – in order to prevent the stocks from being unexpectedly exhausted and forcing you to buy expensive replacements.
Buy herbs in pots
Kitchen herbs are relatively expensive – but many enthusiastic cooks do not want to do without basil, parsley and the like. In order to still save money, you should therefore buy herbs that grow back if possible. Because even without a garden you can plant kitchen herbs – but for this it is necessary that you buy the green nutrient suppliers in a pot instead of taking them to the supermarket already cut.
Beeswax wraps instead of aluminum or cling film
The next trick should appeal to environmentally conscious eaters and shoppers in particular. Because aluminum foil and cling film are not only harmful to the environment, they are also very expensive in the long run. In order to still be able to seal open food airtight, sustainable chefs recommend so-called beeswax wraps for storage. These are available in all conceivable sizes, can be easily shaped by hand and, unlike cling film and aluminum foil, can be reused. If this is too cumbersome for you in the long run, you should look around for the reusable, flexible plastic covers, which can now be found in almost every supermarket or furniture store. Simply put it in the dishwasher for cleaning and then conveniently use it again.
You can also use permanent baking foil instead of parchment paper. The foil is heat-resistant and can be cleaned and reused after baking.
Shop just before the store closes
Another tip for saving money in the kitchen: just before the shops close or at the end of the weekly market, groceries are often much cheaper than if you buy them during the main shopping hours. Because at the end of the day, traders want to get rid of their goods; Fresh products such as baked goods or fruit in particular are difficult to pick up.
Apps like ToGoodtoGo can also be a good alternative. Supermarkets, restaurants and bakeries use the app to sell their leftover products that are still fully intact at the end of the day – and at a much lower price.
grate your own cheese
With another tip, all cheese lovers can save a lot of money a month. So it is advisable not to buy the cheese grated, but to buy it in one piece. If you compare the prices for 100 grams of Parmesan cheese, for example, you will notice that 100 grams of grated cheese in supermarkets is up to 30 cents more expensive than the same piece of cheese. So if you like to put grated cheese on your lasagna or pasta, it’s best to grate the cheese yourself.
Arrange food in cupboard according to shelf life
To avoid food spoilage, nutrition experts also recommend sorting food by shelf life. Food that spoils quickly goes to the front, and things that keep longer are put in the back of the cupboard. That way, you don’t lose track of which foods will soon spoil and consequently you don’t have to throw away as much food. Also a plus in the wallet.
use the freezer
A chest freezer can also save some money on food. Not only can leftovers be stowed in it, but frozen products are often significantly cheaper than fresh goods. The price differences are often enormous, especially for fruit and vegetables. This applies to berries, for example, but also to vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and spinach. Another advantage: Products in the freezer do not spoil as quickly as their fresh equivalents and often even have more vitamins because they are frozen directly after harvesting, explains Günter Wagner from the Institute for Sports Nutrition at WELT.
Avoid useless finished products
Also, you shouldn’t get carried away with buying “senseless” ready-made products. Baking mixes for cakes in particular are very expensive in relation to their content, because a baking mix often contains nothing more than flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder. You can mix these ingredients yourself without much work and thus save yourself expensive branded product mixtures. The same applies to products such as porridge, melted butter or mashed potatoes.
Vegetable broth is created by itself during cooking
You don’t necessarily have to buy the expensive vegetable broth in the supermarket either. Anyone who likes vegetables and also prepares them in the pot from time to time can produce vegetable broth all by themselves. Another advantage: the vegetable broth you have cooked tastes even better and has significantly more nutrients than the finished product from the supermarket. If you don’t need the vegetable broth immediately, you can freeze it without any problems.
save energy
What is often underestimated is also the high amount of energy required to prepare the food. In order to save electricity costs, it is therefore advisable to always put the right lid on the pot or pan when cooking, for example. You should also use circulating air when baking and use the residual heat from the oven and the stovetop for separate cooking processes.
Pauline Breitner/editors finanzen.net
Image Sources: Lisa S. / Shutterstock.com