Cheap Doesn’t Have To Taste Bad
August 2, 2008
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Frugal Breakfast Tips
The most important and the most expensive meal of the day is breakfast. If you want to cut your grocery bill, look for ways to provide a wholesome meal for less.
There are so many options for breakfast these days. Kids can choose from hot cereals, cold cereals, breakfast bars, eggs, bacon, sausage, frozen meals, and the list goes on. Breakfast is packaged fast and convenient for the busy consumer. Unfortunately, fast is not cheap.
Decide a week at a time which options you will offer your family. Serving the same things every week or two at a time cuts down on what needs to be purchased. Each weekend, break the monotony by fixing a breakfast meal composed of all the favorites your kids don’t get during the week.
Of course, when buying cold cereal, the best way to save money is to purchase off-brands. Don’t spend the money on cold breakfast cereal with fancy names and lots of sugar. Buy the off-brand versions of the same cereals we grew up eating.
Whenever you can, purchase your breakfast staples in bulk. Instead of buying a box or can of oatmeal for four dollars, purchase a ten or twenty pound bag of rolled oats for a dollar more. A box containing five dozen eggs is more economical that buying a dozen eggs four times a month.
Visit the local farmer’s market to buy your fresh vegetables and fruits. Adding fresh vegetables to omelets provides flavor and texture to the breakfast meal. The farmer’s market sells dried fruits which make a healthy quick breakfast for you and your kids when time is short.
Buy breakfast meats at the butcher shop. The price is better and you can have the meat sliced for free. This way you can see what you are getting and choose the best cuts to keep your family happy and healthy.
If you want to offer breakfast breads or muffins to your family, make your own. There are no preservatives in the muffins you make. Use fresh ingredients and substitute applesauce for a portion of the vegetable oil for a healthier choice. Make the muffins ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator or freezer to increase their longevity.
Breakfast doesn’t have to be expensive to be good. A little elbow grease and advanced preparation will provide even the busiest families with a hot breakfast each morning.
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Written by Tracy · Filed Under Frugal Living
And of course, there’s the most frugal way of all: skipping breakfast.
I’m *very* confused! Breakfast has always been our cheapest meal of the day. That’s why when we were starving college students we often had breakfast for dinner as well.
The reason most people don’t consider breakfast to be an expensive meal is because they aren’t eating breakfast like they should. A healthy diet should technically have a bigger more rounded breakfast and lunch, and a smaller supper. People usually do the opposite - or skip breakfast all together - which is very unhealthy and not a great money saving option. For us, it’s name brand cereal that gets us. My kids could eat 3 bowls each if I let them. At that rate, we’d go through at least one $7 box a day, not to mention the milk, fruit, etc.
We have milk, cereal, and juice for breakfast, along with fresh fruit. If you average out the money I spend on breakfast food, I doubt it could be more than a couple of dollars per person per day. A large box of Kelloggs corn flakes is under $5 and lasts me at least a week. Store brand would be even less but tastes like cardboard. In contrast, a steak costs at least $6 and only feeds two people for one meal. Plus veggies, etc for sides.