There are two main ways to get ahead in your cooking. You can either combine ingredients and freeze before cooking, or cook all of the food and freeze it to thaw and reheat later. There are benefits to each, which we will cover and then look at a few other ways to prepare food for easy preparation.

Cook First – For those with time constraints, such as a second job, kid’s soccer practice or even a late night out with friends, cooking first is the way to go. Just as the title conveys, this involves cooking all of the food first, letting it cool down and then storing it in the freezer to be used at a later date. The best part about this preparation method is the almost-instant door to table effect.

Since this food is already cooked, it only needs to be warmed up to your liking which can be accomplished within a few moments of walking in the door. Unlike the freeze first method there is no fresh cooking. If you are not a fan of eating leftovers, this may not be the ideal preparation method for you.

Other preparation techniques for foods include dehydrating, pickling and curing. With all of these techniques, food can last longer and be ready almost instantaneously. Not only does this help save money, it tastes great and is generally healthier than eating out. Get everyone in the kitchen one night and cook or prepare, until the cows come home. Once this is done and the food is in the freezer, you won’t even have to second-guess dinner for the next month. It also gives you a plethora of options to choose from for those indecisive ones in the family. The only thing left is deciding who does the dishes.

Imagine only walking into the kitchen to cook dinner once a month, yet being able to have a new and hardy meal every day. This does not include eating out or hiring your own personal chef to cook every other day either. Impossible, you might say. Very possible, and even more so, there are numerous people doing it all around the world. Meal preparation is an important factor when trying to plan for a family or a stressful month. The more prepared you are, the easier it will be to have great-tasting and healthy food on hand even when you don’t feel like cooking.

Freeze First – Combining all of the ingredients into a big pan and then freezing is a great way to have a home cooked meal on limited time. These meals can be prepared well in advance, taken out to thaw that morning. At dinnertime they can be easily slipped into the oven to cook through. This completely cuts out the prep time for that meal on that given day. Imagine getting home from work and pulling the bake set out of the refrigerator and popping it in the oven while you take off the day with a warm shower. By the time you are done, so is dinner.

This is a great way to get the home cooked taste without all of the work. By freezing first, the freshly cooked taste remains intact and nothing beats a good hearty meal to end the day. The only negative to this solution comes into play when the amount of cook time is greatly reduced. These meals still need to be cooked. The reheat in the microwave factor doesn’t apply.

The Savings:

Meal planning in itself is a giant cost savings habit. It is a habit because in today’s microwave society, where we want everything instantly, it is extremely easy to stop at the drive through or order out if in a pinch for time. The savings comes in with advanced planning.

If you spend ten dollars a day for food at a restaurant, you can easily spend $200 a month, which equates to $2,400 per year. If you also figure that meal planning allows you to eat those same meals for five dollars a day, you are already saving over a thousand dollars a year.

Food is much less expensive if purchased in a store. Just take a look at the cost of a steak in a restaurant versus buying that same cut in a store and cooking at home. The cost saving is ridiculous.

Sit down and try out each type of meal planning to see which one works best for your family. If you do need a night to eat out, make sure it is in your food budget, so you don’t end up with more month than you have money. No one likes a ramen meal plan if they can help it. Once you have decided which meal plan technique works best for you, find a set time to sit down and write out what you plan on cooking that evening, week or month. Stick to the game plan and watch your cost savings grow.

Sitting down with your family and writing out a meal plan is extremely important to saving money and creating a smart shopping habit. Some families like to meal plan by the month, others by the week and for a select few, there is a nightly meal plan. There are certain benefits to each one of these types of meal plans as well as certain drawbacks. No matter what style you choose, each one will save you money and time when it comes to healthy dinners.

The Plans:

Monthly – These meal plans are extremely helpful for families on the go. Monthly meal plans help big families and active families to see what is for dinner on any given night. It also allows those who are doing the planning to fit certain foods around the monthly schedule. For instance, on a night where all three kids need to be in different places within thirty minutes of each other, pizza might be a good alternative. Monthly menu plans may also include pre-preparation and freezing, making it easier as a grab and go type meal.

Weekly – Weekly meal plans are usually more typical due to the frequency of store visits. Most families abide by the weekly meal plan, buying just enough food for that week, so a minimal amount goes bad. This meal plan is best for a family that may not be on a tight schedule, but on a schedule none-the-less.

Nightly – Nightly meal plans offer the most flexibility when it comes to meal plans. These meal plans are usually for people who live near a store or market and are extremely health conscious. This specific meal plan usually includes copious amounts of fresh fruits and veggies. Since the meal planner has all day to come up with what they would like for dinner, these meals are usually more in depth when it comes to preparing.

Depending on your shopping habits, and how much money you wish to save, should, at least somewhat factor in to your decision on where to shop. Many of the smaller cities still have a butcher, fish monger and even a local farmer’s co-op where many items can be purchased for a fraction of the cost. Larger cities, with a greater industrial industry seem to be moving away from these localized specialty shops for more of a bulk shopping club type store.

Fish Monger – For the seafood lovers out there, finding a fish monger to befriend can also aid in cost savings. The fish monger has the inside scoop as to what fish is the most fresh and can prepare different cuts depending on whether you are planning for sushi, a catfish fry or a high quality tuna steak. If you get to know the fish monger, he or she can also suggest new items that you may like, but would have never thought about buying in a local grocery store; they may just turn out to be your favorite type of seafood.

Local Produce – Between farm co-ops and local open-air markets, local produce is, almost always cheaper than buying from a store. Many shops import their produce, which means the goods are plucked from the ground or tree well before they are ready. This is done in hopes that by the time it is unpacked at the store, it is still in a semi-decent quality. Getting your produce from a local farmer will help support a local business as well as offer the freshest produce your money can buy. It is a win-win situation.

Take a look at your family eating habits and keep an open eye for local retailers who respect the food you eat, other than trying to make a dollar off of everything you buy. Your cooked meals will become the highlight of your day and will save you a bunch of money at the same time.

Befriending the butcher is the oldest trick known to shopping. It started back in medieval times and continues today, just not as strong. With supermarkets importing much of their food, finding the right place to shop is growing more difficult by the day.

Taking a good look around in your city, as well as a few outlying areas can still prove useful when looking for the best deals on items you buy regularly.

Butcher – Finding a local butcher is the best thing to do if your family consumes large amounts of meat. The butcher can provide certain cuts that you may not always find in larger supermarkets. Not only can they make specialty cuts of meat for you, they always know what is fresh and can provide tips on how to prepare certain types of meat.

Many butchers also can provide lower prices on meat because they are distributing operations. When the meat has to be sold to a supermarket, you have to pay the mark-up from the butcher as well as the supermarket that bought the product. Many butchers, if you get to know them over time, will be able to let you know exactly when meat goes on sale.

If you are looking for the best possible deal, inquire about purchasing an entire portion of a feed animal, or splitting one with your friends. Buying a whole cow or pig will stock your freezer, allow you to get the cuts you desire and can hold a huge reduction in price due to the quantity. This is the way to go when looking for the cheapest, but best quality meat that money can buy.