Food Archives - Making Sense Of Cents

10 Easy And Affordable Meal Prep Ideas

March 14, 2019 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 14 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Food is one of the budget areas that many people overspend in. That’s because cooking dinners and making lunches can feel like a lot of work when you are already busy. But, finding delicious and easy meal prep ideas can keep your budget (and maybe your diet too) in shape.

Meal prepping works so well because you do all of the work ahead of time. You cut the vegetables, cook everything, and then portion the meals into individual containers. Then, you have a meal all ready to go.

You can grab these meals before work so you don’t spend money on lunch. You can also use these meal prep ideas to make dinner time easier.

In this list of budget friendly recipes you will find something for nearly every diet out there too – from Keto to vegan.

I’m getting really excited to try some of these meals, especially the nourish bowl!

Other recipe roundups to check out:

Note: If you're looking for easy weekly meal plans that are full of budget recipes, I recommend $5 Meal Plan. $5 Meal Plan is a meal planning service that sends you a delicious meal plan and shopping list every week for just $5 a month.

Here are 10 easy and affordable meal prep ideas.

[Read more…]

13 Instantpot Thanksgiving Side Dishes

October 17, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

My 10 Budget Recipes roundup proved to be popular, so I'm back at it again with 13 Instantpot Thanksgiving Side Dishes.

Thanksgiving isn't too far away, which means that you may be looking for some Instapot Thanksgiving side dishes.

I recently purchased my first Instapot, and will definitely be using it for Thanksgiving.

We've always had a slow cooker. I bought one about ten years ago for a whopping $14, and I've used it multiple times a week ever since.

I've definitely gotten a ton of value from that small purchase and decided to upgrade to an Instapot since my crockpot was falling apart.

If you're looking to get your own Instant Pot, I recommend checking out the one I purchased – Instant Pot 3 Qt 6-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, and Warmer.

If you want easy Instant Pot recipes that are budget friendly and delicious, don't worry, it is possible! The Instantpot Thanksgiving side dishes included in this roundup are affordable, easy, and you may already have many of the ingredients in your home! [Read more…]

10 Easy Fall Recipes – Best Fall Dinner Ideas For Your Meal Plan

September 5, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 9 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

I can’t believe that fall is almost here! I love the summer months, and I find that I’m eating lighter, fresher meals when it’s hot outside. But, when the weather starts to cool down, I am in the mood to warm up with something that’s a little more hearty, while still being healthy and not breaking the budget.

A new season is a change in weather, but it also means there are new fruits and vegetables in season. Both of these are good reasons to add some new meals into your weekly meal plan.

My 10 Budget Recipes roundup proved to be popular, so I'm back at it again with 10 Easy Fall Recipes.

I absolutely love the fall months. The weather is cooler, leaves change colors, and more delicious fall comfort foods are being made.

While these easy fall recipes are great for weekly meals, many of them would make great leftovers to bring to work. They would also be easy and delicious meals for a dinner party with friends or for bringing to a potluck.

Doesn’t that sound great? A fall dinner party or potluck with friends would be a frugal way to have fun this fall. These easy fall recipes mean you don’t have to spend over your budget, whether it’s for entertaining or just trying to make your weekly meal plan. [Read more…]

10 Easy Instapot Recipes – My New Favorite Gadget!

August 3, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 20 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

My 10 Budget Recipes roundup proved to be popular, so I'm back at it again with 10 Easy Instapot Recipes.

As you can probably guess, I finally purchased my first Instapot!

We've always had a slow cooker. I bought one about ten years ago for a whopping $14, and I've used it multiple times a week ever since.

I've definitely gotten a ton of value from that small purchase and decided to upgrade to an Instapot since my crockpot was falling apart.

Food is one of the largest expenses a family can have each month, which is why I'm a big believer in, and lover of, weekly meal plans. If you are looking for some new easy Instapot recipes to add to your weekly meal plan, then you've come to the right place.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average family of four spends around $700 to $1,000 a month on food. That’s a lot of money, especially considering that most families waste a large amount of their food each month! [Read more…]

10 Easy Homemade Snacks To Bring On Your Next Hike

June 20, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 11 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

10 Easy Hiking Snacks To Make. Going on a hike soon? Here are 10 easy hiking snacks and backpacking food to make. These all look so delicious and will be a great addition for your next trip #hikingsnacks #backpackingfood

Hiking is definitely one of my favorite activities.

I love exploring new areas, going on exciting adventures, and seeing beautiful views, all while getting in a fun and enjoyable workout.

For a good hike, though, you also need hiking snacks. Whether I'm hiking, biking, or something else, I always bring a snack. Lately, I've been making more homemade hiking snacks. Homemade ones are great for a lot of reasons, and one of them is that homemade hiking snacks usually taste better and are healthier than what you may find at the store.

Plus, making them at home means you will probably even save a good amount of money. Hiking snacks at the grocery store are not cheap!

The hiking snack recipes mentioned in today's article can be great snacks for other times too – not just hiking!

Other recipe roundups to check out:

Here are 10 easy hiking snacks and backpacking foods to make:

[Read more…]

10 Delicious Summer Lunch Ideas

May 11, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Summer is right around the corner, which means it’s time for warmer weather, more outdoor activities, farmers markets, picnics, and more! When it’s cold outside, things like stews, soups, and other hearty meals sound good. But, in the summertime, it’s all about those fresh and easy to prepare meals for your summer lunch or dinner.

With fresh fruits and vegetables in season, the summer is a great time to take advantage of fresh produce. Who doesn’t love going to a farmer’s market and coming home with delicious fruits and vegetables to add to their meal plan?

Many of these recipes would be good for more than just summer lunches as they would make great light dinners too. Some of these recipes would be perfect dishes to bring to potlucks, easy things to prepare for picnics, or great things to prepare as a quick summer lunch before or after a hike.

Also, having a meal plan is an important step in keeping you on track with your budget. These summer lunch recipes won’t break your budget, and they can spruce up a boring weekly meal plan if you feel like you’re in a funk.

If you’re ready for summer like me, here are some tasty summer lunch ideas to get you in the mood for warmer weather by having new recipes to add to your weekly meal plan.

Other recipe roundups to check out:

Here are 10 summer lunch ideas.

[Read more…]

10 Meatless Monday Recipes You Should Try

January 31, 2018 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 13 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

My 10 Budget Recipes roundup proved to be popular, so I'm back at it again with 10 Meatless Monday Recipes You Should Try.

Food is one of the largest expenses a family can have each month, which is why I'm a big believer in and lover of weekly meal plans. If you are looking for some new Meatless Monday recipes to start making for you and/or your family, then you've come to the right place.

If you want Meatless Monday recipes that are budget friendly and delicious, don't worry, it is possible! The Meatless Monday ideas included in this recipes roundup are affordable, easy, and you may already have many of the ingredients in your home!

I have all of these recipes in my current meal plan, and I'm excited to make all of them.

Note: If you're looking for easy weekly meal plans, full of budget recipes, I recommend $5 Meal Plan. $5 Meal Plan is a meal planning service that sends you a delicious meal plan and shopping list every week for just $5 a month. [Read more…]

Here are 10 easy and affordable meal prep ideas.

Here are 10 easy hiking snacks and backpacking foods to make:

Here are 10 summer lunch ideas.

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