How to Determine the Cost of a Recipe and How to Cut Down the Cost to Fit into Your Budget
One of the challenges with a very low grocery budget is wondering if you can afford to
make a recipe or not. This morning I was making a soup recipe that I found on the
internet. I added up the cost of the ingredients, and they cost a total of $9.00.
make a recipe or not. This morning I was making a soup recipe that I found on the
internet. I added up the cost of the ingredients, and they cost a total of $9.00.
Corn: 50 cents
Green chilies: 2 cans at 98 cents each
Canned tomatoes: 89 cents
Tomato sauce: 2 cans at 39 cents each
Kidney beans and Pinto beans: 50 cents per can
Ground beef: $2.78
Chicken broth: 59 cents
Spices: around 50 cents total
This recipe yields 6 servings. I take the total cost of the recipe and divide it by the
number of servings it makes. If I wanted to make this recipe, it would cost $1.50 per
serving, which is more than my budgeted amount if I am trying to only spend $1.00 per
meal. What can be done if you still want to make this recipe? The following list has
ideas you can use to lower the cost of this recipe or find another way to make it by
cutting back elsewhere.
Eliminate the meat. This alone would almost make the cost fit into your $1 per meal
budget.
If you don’t want to eliminate the meat, cut down the amount you put in by half or one
fourth, for example. Using meat for flavor, rather than in larger quantities, really cuts
the cost of the recipe.
Buy store brand items. They typically are less expensive unless you use coupons to get
the name brand for a lower price.
Make sure you eat proper portions. One cup of soup or casserole is plenty for one
person. The recipe I made looked like it made more than 6 servings, so it really may
cost less than initially thought.
The beans were from my pantry and were bought a few months before for only 50 cents
per can. I have even found beans for 39 cents per can. By purchasing items at rock
bottom prices, your recipes will cost less than if you buy things at regular prices.
Look into buying a larger size, which may be cheaper than buying two smaller cans
for a recipe. For example, I could have looked to see how much a 16 ounce can of
tomato sauce cost as opposed to two eight ounce cans.
Serve half portions. This will make the recipe only 75 cents per serving which gives
you an extra 25 cents to make bread or buy veggies or fruit to go along with it. Make
sure you buy your produce on sale or on a reduced rack!
Last, if you really want to make the recipe, but can’t find ways to cut down the cost,
consider making less expensive recipes for your other meals during the week to make
up the difference.
This is the process to use if you find that you can’t afford to make a recipe on the
budget that you have.
number of servings it makes. If I wanted to make this recipe, it would cost $1.50 per
serving, which is more than my budgeted amount if I am trying to only spend $1.00 per
meal. What can be done if you still want to make this recipe? The following list has
ideas you can use to lower the cost of this recipe or find another way to make it by
cutting back elsewhere.
Eliminate the meat. This alone would almost make the cost fit into your $1 per meal
budget.
If you don’t want to eliminate the meat, cut down the amount you put in by half or one
fourth, for example. Using meat for flavor, rather than in larger quantities, really cuts
the cost of the recipe.
Buy store brand items. They typically are less expensive unless you use coupons to get
the name brand for a lower price.
Make sure you eat proper portions. One cup of soup or casserole is plenty for one
person. The recipe I made looked like it made more than 6 servings, so it really may
cost less than initially thought.
The beans were from my pantry and were bought a few months before for only 50 cents
per can. I have even found beans for 39 cents per can. By purchasing items at rock
bottom prices, your recipes will cost less than if you buy things at regular prices.
Look into buying a larger size, which may be cheaper than buying two smaller cans
for a recipe. For example, I could have looked to see how much a 16 ounce can of
tomato sauce cost as opposed to two eight ounce cans.
Serve half portions. This will make the recipe only 75 cents per serving which gives
you an extra 25 cents to make bread or buy veggies or fruit to go along with it. Make
sure you buy your produce on sale or on a reduced rack!
Last, if you really want to make the recipe, but can’t find ways to cut down the cost,
consider making less expensive recipes for your other meals during the week to make
up the difference.
This is the process to use if you find that you can’t afford to make a recipe on the
budget that you have.
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