Batch cooking is a budget-friendly technique that involves preparing larger quantities of food and storing them for later use. Cook a big pot of chili, stew, or pasta sauce and freeze individual portions for quick and easy meals down the line. Pre-packaged convenience foods are convenient, but they can be quite expensive.

Instead of buying pre-made items like salad dressings, sauces, or even pre-cut vegetables, try making them at home. Basic dressings can be whipped up using pantry staples like olive oil, vinegar, and herbs, while sauces can be easily customized to your taste preferences.

Mastering some basic cooking techniques can elevate your budget-friendly meals to gourmet status. Learning how to properly season, sear, sauté, and roast can make even the simplest ingredients shine. There are plenty of online resources, cooking shows, and tutorials that can help you sharpen your culinary skills.

You can also check out our post about the basics of baking! Let us know your own ideas for cooking on a budget in the comment section below! As busy parents they were getting frustrated with long lists of crazy ingredients in recipes and wanted to simplify recipe down to the basics, thus Real Food for Real People was born.

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Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar About Contact Subscribe. Subscribe For New Recipes. Plan Ahead We know the killer of our food budget is not having dinner planned and just ordering out. Embrace Seasonal and Local Produce Seasonal fruits and vegetables not only taste better but are also more affordable.

Buy in Bulk Purchasing pantry staples in bulk can lead to significant savings in the long run. Opt for Generic Brands When it comes to packaged goods, consider trying generic or store-brand products. Repurpose Leftovers Leftovers are a treasure trove of potential budget-friendly meals.

Cook in Batches Batch cooking is a budget-friendly technique that involves preparing larger quantities of food and storing them for later use. DIY Convenience Foods Pre-packaged convenience foods are convenient, but they can be quite expensive.

Learn Basic Cooking Techniques Mastering some basic cooking techniques can elevate your budget-friendly meals to gourmet status. Happy Eating! Leave A Reply! Cancel reply Share your thoughts! Your email address will not be published.

Appetizers Breads Desserts Main Dishes Side Dishes Slow Cooker Soups Slow Cooker Pressure Cooker. Could you repurpose or reuse items already in your home and incorporate them into your wedding decor? What items that you purchase for your wedding could you then sell post-wedding to another bride?

What items could you buy second hand and recycle into something that would work for your wedding? Consider all of these things when deciding what to purchase for your big day! Reach out to vendors, get quotes, and compare the options before making a decision.

Remember that everyone has different priorities and what is important to you might not be important to someone else- so just keep that in mind while weighing your options. Always be sure to look at all the different aspects of your options as well: an all-inclusive venue that includes tables, chairs, and linens might actually be cheaper than one that just offers the venue and rentals are additional.

The readers of The Budget Savvy Bride are intelligent and discerning. They are intentional about the choices they make, from the items they buy to the vendors they hire for their big day. We know that you are smart with your money and want the most bang for your buck.

You do not want to be wasteful with your money or time or other resources. Budget savvy brides take pride in finding great deals and sharing them with others. You want your wedding day to be a reflection of you and your partner, and you put your heart into carefully crafting the details as creatively as possible.

You have your priorities in order and you know in the end that your lifetime of marriage is more important than your wedding day. You can wed beautifully for less if you put forth a little time and effort. The most important thing to us at The Budget Savvy Bride is helping couples plan a beautiful wedding that is within their financial means.

We believe every couple should start their marriage on stable financial footing to avoid adding any money-related stress to their relationship. It is totally possible to have a lovely event without taking out a wedding loan.

Ditch the idea of wedding debt and plan your big day the savvy way! Take your time and do thorough research to find the best vendors. Talk with numerous potential vendors in each category to get the best fit at a price that works within your budget.

Being able to take your time to find the right combo of products or services within your budget is one luxury that extra time affords you! Do not be afraid to ask those close to you for their assistance. If you know a great baker, ask them to bake your cake. Know a great photographer? Ask them to be your photographer.

Prioritize what is most important to you, and put your focus on those areas. Every contract you sign should be looked over thoroughly. If you know anyone in a legal profession, you may want to have someone look it over for you.

Being able to read through and fully understand your contracts so you know exactly what each vendor would supply is great for setting expectations. Not to toot our own horns, but we believe this is crucial in realizing that having a beautiful wedding on a budget is actually possible.

Seriously, the weddings by budget category on our site is amazing — and it shows you that you can have a wedding on any budget. Do you have any other suggestions for future brides on being budget savvy? We truly hope this website is a valuable resource to you while you are planning your wedding.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for BSB! We are here to help you feel supported, and less alone in the wedding planning process!

If you have any fave leftover ideas, please share in the comments of the post. As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Be blessed, and stay savvy!!! Your email address will not be published. If A New Comment Is Posted: Don't subscribe All new comments Replies to my comments.

Skip to content. There are countless ways to enjoy chili, and it only gets better with time. We love it eaten from a bowl with saltines and a side salad.

The next day or two , we like to eat it over rice, as a base for taco salad, or as a topper for baked potatoes see 2. Chili is the ultimate make ahead and freezer friendly food as well, and I often make it to put straight into the freezer to pull out when needed. Baked potatoes. I make these perfect baked potatoes with crispy, garlicky, salty skins several times a month and stretch them into two meals.

I typically make these potatoes every time I make chili. I bake a whole bag of potatoes, and along with a big pot of chili, we get loaded baked potatoes for at least two meals.

Pot roast. This beloved comfort food is also the perfect dish to stretch into several meals. There are many easy ways to fix pot roast my fave at present is Mississippi Pot Roast with Carrots. Day one is perfect for eating roast, carrots and sides.

Leftovers are perfect on toasted buttered subway rolls topped with Swiss and stone ground mustard. If there is enough left over for a day three, I make a skillet hash made from hash brown potatoes, roast, sauteed onions, and a little steak sauce.

There are several broad factors which will determine the overall cost of your event:. Are you planning to rent a venue for your catered event? One of the best ways to slash costs is to entertain at home, at the office, in a private green space or at the beautiful home of a generous friend or relative!

Holding your event wedding or not! in more familiar surroundings need not be stressful. You are already saving yourself a considerable sum which you can use to create the occasion you envision.

Caroline stresses that one of the key determinants of pricing is the type of service you choose. The most expensive will always be a full service, seated event where individual plates are served to guests.

Other options to consider ranked in descending order of cost are:. It's a good idea to explore the price range of these options with your caterer so that you can appreciate the differences and choose the one that suits you best.

Caroline also suggests passed apps without a buffet. Better still, you might consider stationary apps as a less expensive possibility. You can also design a hybrid menu where you provide some of the food yourself and order budget-friendly options from your caterer.

Another way to stay within your budget is to carefully vet your guest list. Micro-weddings and other "downsized" events are trending right now and we believe this trend is here to stay.

People are reimagining what a wedding, shower or celebration of life "looks" like. People seem less concerned with traditional must-haves and must-dos and more concerned with creating meaningful, personalized, smaller get-togethers. This is sort of a sneaky one but you can greatly reduce your menu cost by holding your office party, shower, etc.

in the mid-afternoon. The time of day will determine whether your guests will expect a full meal. Serving apps or desserts instead of a full menu is an excellent way to make the most of your budget!

If this sounds uninspired, don't lose heart! It all depends on your presentation and imagination! Instead of offering individual servings of protein for each guest, you can save money by incorporating your meat or fish into a rice or pasta base with interesting taste profiles and a visually pleasing presentation.

Think exotic spices. Think yummy sauces. Consider international foods. Think out of the box! One of the easiest, least expensive and most enjoyable ways to entertain is to offer a " fix-it-yourself bar ". For example, some of Caroline's most popular bars are: Larb Southeast Asian , Fiesta Taco, Moo Shu Chinese , Platinum Mezze vegetarian , Tacos Two Ways, Traditional Sliders, Traditional Tacos, Upscale Sliders, Vegetarian Tacos.

As you can see, the sky's the limit when it comes to creative combinations. Whether you do it yourself or choose to have your bar catered , you have the option to combine elements. For example: a half salad and half slider bar. If you don't see the bar you have in mind on our website, just ask!

We hope that some of these suggestions have inspired your imagination. If you'd like more personalized tips on crafting an event experience that suits your budget and your taste buds , we'd love to help. Contact our catering team here at Caroline's Fine Food!

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