Save BIG $$ On Your Milk Bill!

 

My kids drank A LOT of milk growing up, especially my oldest son during his teen years.  Between gigantic bowls of cereal and guzzling it down at every turn I always felt like I was going to the store to get milk and buying four gallons at a time.  Then I discovered from another blogger how to literally cut my milk bill in half.  It has definitely been a game changer.

 

Instead of buying gallons of 1% or 2% milk I switched to whole milk.  I took an empty one gallon milk jug and poured half a gallon of the whole milk into it and then topped it up with half a gallon of filtered tap water (our water has a lot of chlorine in it so I use a Brita).  I also filled up the jug with the remaining whole milk with water and then capped them both and gave each one a good shake to mix.  After I placed them back in the fridge I just waited and to see what happened.

 

My kids said the milk tasted different and I thought “oh no”.  But, when I asked them if it was good or bad they said good.  They liked the taste better.  I tasted it and I got the whole milk flavor with the 2% texture.  After that I never looked back.

 

If your kids are anything like mine were they didn’t just drink an eight ounce serving of milk at one time.  They always grabbed a big tall glass and filled it to the top essentially consuming two to two and a half servings at a time.  When I suggested they drink water they looked at me as if I had just suggested they drink water out of the toilet.  By diluting the milk we were both happy.  They got their milk and I got them to drink more water.  It also saved me a ton of money and many trips to the grocery store.

 

Even now I dilute my whole milk.  It works perfectly in recipes, with cereal and it really does taste just fine.  It also mixes well with cream to make half & half.  If you are struggling to keep milk in the fridge consider trying this out.  You might be surprised.  Your family may not even notice, but if they do, they may like even better just like mine did.

 

Meal Planning For The Win!

 

In anything you want to be successful at, it begins with a plan, and that couldn’t be truer or more helpful when it comes to what we eat.  I like to plan my meals by first taking inventory of what I already have on hand.  Using up first what we have on hand not only saves us money, but it also curbs potential food waste.

 

My next part is to plan my meals expecting leftovers so I can cook once and eat twice so plan your meals with this in mind.  Leftovers allows for convenience so you are less likely to be tempted to order take out or run through the drive thru window on the way home because you are too tired to even think about cooking when you get home.

 

Meal prepping is also a key to meal planning success, either by preparing entire meals or components for making meals and placing them in the freezer.  I will often take a block of time and prepare several meals and tuck them away in the freezer so anyone can grab one and reheat it in the microwave.  Homemade soups or chili is another great item to keep in the freezer.

 

Making a list of favorite meals or meals you would like to be eating allows you to have ideas at your fingertips.  As a budget stretcher I include a soup, salad and bread meal at least once a week which makes for a quick and easy meal to prepare as well.  Brainstorming with your family for ideas of which meals they would like to see on the table takes a lot of the pressure off of you to come up with all of the ideas yourself.

 

Once you have taken an inventory of what you already have on hand and your list of good ideas for meal it is now time to come up with a plan.  Map out what you plan to prepare for the week and make a list of ingredients you still need to buy at the store.  Once that is done, check the store ads online, download any digital coupons that may apply and you are ready to shop.  Keep in mind as your are planning that you are using REAL food in your plan and steer clear of any overpriced and unhealthy ultra processed items.

 

Consider making a batch of muffins or scones from scratch instead of buying cereal to serve for breakfast.  Zucchini bread, banana bread or apple walnut bread made with a combination of all purpose and whole wheat flour plus dried fruit and nuts is a much better option than a sugar laden cereal and much less expensive too.  Leftovers are great options for lunches.  If you have children you can make your own “lunchables” with sliced chicken or ham, sliced cheese, grapes and a homemade oatmeal cookie.

There are many ways to tailor your meal plans to meet your needs and save you money.  We’ll be exploring more ideas in the coming weeks.