You can save a huge amount of money on side dishes if you make them yourself. You will also cut down on sodium, calories and hydrogenated ickyness! Ok, so ickyness might not be a word but you get my point.
Don’t think you have the time? Make more than one side dish a night. Instead of only making enough rice for one night, cook a double batch. When you go to make it, add other ingredients to give it another taste.
You can really do this with potatoes. Buy a 5lb bag and cook all those spuds up. Make a big bowl of mashed potatoes and separate them into freezer bags. You’ll have enough for quite a few meals. And all this cost was the $3.49 for the bag.
Budget101.com has a huge recipe list of Make Your Own (MYO) items. Many of the items your buy pre made in boxes you can make yourself for a lot less and much healthier.
Choose a few of the MYO recipes and by the ingredients and pre make your mixes. Keep them in the pantry for a quick addition to your side dish.
Jot down what you will have as a side dish under each menu day. You will know what you have to make.
If you just absolutely don’t have the time and opt for ready made side dishes, look for ones that have lower sodium.
Same rule applies to these, check what’s on sale in your local papers. Keep in mind what’s on sale isn’t always the lower price. Store brands and just as good and may be lower than sale priced brand name items. On your list, write down the price and name. When you go to the store do a quick compare to see which your best option is.
Side dish round up – no matter what, it’s cheaper and healthier to create your own. If you do buy pre made, list what’s on sale and compare to store brands when you get there.
Next Week - Produce
