Hello Friend
It was really amazing how little I spent on food last month with our no spend challenge and I thought there is no reason we can’t eat like this all year because we wasted so much less.  I honestly don’t like cooking anything that is putsy or takes alot of time, so my goal is to have simple, thrifty, and healthy meals!
 Make a meal plan for the week using what you have in your refrigerator, pantry and freezer.  Only buy what you need for those meals. Look at your schedule and see what is going on for the week.  If you are buying in bulk, make sure you are rotating the items so they get used up and you are only buying foods you really like and use alot.  The most expensive food is the food you don’t eat, so try to buy only what you are going to use that week.
Skip the unhealthy snacks because their cost adds up really fast.  If you want snacks, find new recipes that you can make from scratch because they will be so much healthier and most likely much better tasting as well.  Many times these items are super simple to make yourself and are quick snacks to make homemade.  This tip alone could save you hundreds of dollars each month.  Some really easy swaps are homemade yogurt and homemade granola, muffins, chips, dips, crackers and cheese-its, bars & cookies (which I think are so much tastier) and the list goes on and on-just remember to keep it to simple snack recipes so that you are likely to make them again because they are quick.
Swap out homemade items for staple pantry items you can make yourself quickly.  This will save you ALOT money.  When you start making your own condensed soups,dry mixes ect and see how simple it is, there won’t be a need to spend a larger amount of money on convenience items because you know how easy it is and also, you will know the ingredients you are using and it will taste so much better!!
 
Saving money and learning how to make your own foods is an important skill to have as we continue to see grocery prices rise.  It is just an extra benefit to being able to have better tasting food that is healthier for you without all the additives and preservatives in the store bought  food.
 
I am compiling a list of my favorite recipes that I like to use to swap out the expensive food/mixes  from the store, so if you want to get on the wait list, just send me an email and say wait list!
 
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Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
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Have a fantastic day! 
Monica