Feeding a family can be expensive, but there are certain ways to keep costs down.
Kaitie Purssell, from Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, regularly shares snaps of her incredible meal prepping sessions as well as tips and tricks for shaving hundreds off your grocery bill.
Since learning to cook healthy meals and snacks in bulk, the 28-year-old mum has lost an impressive 21.6 kilograms.
From freezing unfinished herbs and curry pastes to storing her fruit and veg in bags to prolong their life, here FEMAIL looks at Kaitie’s top 20 tips to save you money.
Kaitie Purssell (pictured), New South Wales, regularly shares snaps of her incredible meal prepping sessions as well as tips and tricks for shaving hundreds off your grocery bill
Since learning to cook healthy meals and snacks in bulk, the 28-year-old mum has lost an impressive 21.6 kilograms (pictured with her meal prep)
1. Meal plan each week
It sounds straightforward, but creating a detailed meal plan each week can work wonders in keeping costs down.
Kaitie makes a note of everything she intends to cook for her family of four on one particular week night, and then shops accordingly.
‘If Sunday doesn’t work for you find a time that does! I often spend less than an hour in the kitchen preparing a whole week of food for my family. It doesn’t have to be hard or take all day,’ Kaitie said.
The busy mum will then often carry out a mass cook-up, where she prepares multiple meals and snacks in advance before freezing them.
Kaitie makes a note of everything she intends to cook for her family of four on one particular week night, and then shops accordingly (pictured with her fridge)
2. Buy meat in bulk and bulk mince out with lentils and carrots
Meat is one of the more expensive parts of any shop. But it doesn’t have to be.
Kaitie recommends buying it in bulk, and then bulking out mince with lentils or carrots to stretch your costs further.
‘Use cheaper cuts of meat where possible,’ she said.
You should also plan at least one meat-free meal per week to save cash.
Kaitie recommends buying meat in bulk, and then bulking out mince with lentils or carrots to stretch your costs further (pictured: one of her meals)
3. Try ‘fakeaways’
Takeaways are tempting when you’re exhausted and can’t be bothered to cook, but they really ramp up the cost of your food spend.
Kaitie recommends you cut out takeaways altogether and instead replace them with ‘fakeaways’ – whereby you make your own cheat meal such as homemade Pad Thai and burgers.
Leftovers are annoying, so Kaitie makes sure to freeze all of her leftover curry pastes, herbs and passata in ice cube trays and saving them for a later occasion (pictured)
4. Freeze unfinished pastes and herbs
Leftovers are annoying, so Kaitie makes sure to freeze all of her leftover curry pastes, herbs and passata in ice cube trays and saving them for a later occasion.
‘Freeze all unfinished pastes such as curry pastes, tomato pasta, and passata. Pour into an icecube tray and once frozen transfer to a ziplock bag,’ she said.
You can do the same with herbs to use in cooking.
‘Try Vent smart containers or fruit bags to help extend the life of your fresh fruit and vegetables,’ Kaitie said (pictured)
5. Try Vent smart containers or fruit bags
Eking out the life of fruit and vegetables is key to a tight grocery bill.
‘Try Vent smart containers or fruit bags to help extend the life of your fresh fruit and vegetables,’ Kaitie said.
The bags are said to keep your fruit and veg fresh for ‘up to three weeks’.
Place the fruit and vegetables in the bag and put them in the drawers of your fridge.
The 28-year-old mum (pictured before and after) has lost weight by following The Healthy Mummy approach and meal prepping meals and snacks
Kaitie (pictured) recommends picking up the catalogues from supermarkets, where you can find out all of the deals and weekly specials
6. Check catalogues for weekly specials
They’re the catalogues that you so often ignore when you’re at the checkout.
But Kaitie recommends picking up the catalogues from supermarkets, where you can find out all of the deals and weekly specials.
She recommends you meal plan according to the sales and then shop online so you can see your total before you check out.
Kaitie loves to prep meals and snacks in bulk, so there’s always something to turn to if she feels like she can’t be bothered to cook (pictured)
7. Meal and snack prep in bulk
Kaitie loves to prep meals and snacks in bulk, so there’s always something to turn to if she feels like she can’t be bothered to cook.
‘I am a busy mum of two on a tight budget, and always having a freezer full of meals and snacks saves me from skipping meals or grabbing a takeaway on nights where time is limited,’ she said.
‘It absolutely keeps me on track.’
8. Use an app to compare prices
You can compare prices by way of an app, and see where you could make savings.
Kaitie recommends Trolley Saver, which allows you to compare grocery prices from various supermarkets.
In-season fruit and vegetables are great for saving money, so look at what’s on special and act accordingly (pictured)
9. Use in-season fruit and vegetables
In-season fruit and vegetables are great for saving money, so look at what’s on special and act accordingly.
Alternatively, you can opt for tinned or frozen veggies to save you money.
10. Make your own cleaning products
DIY cleaning products have taken off in recent years.
And Kaitie often makes her own, with natural ingredients including ‘vinegar, lemon juice and bicarb soda’.
If she is buying supermarket brands, she opts for home brands instead of the branded options.
Kaitie also makes her own DIY coffee scrub, which she uses to exfoliate her body (pictured), as well as other skincare products and cosmetics
11. Make your own DIY coffee scrub
Kaitie also makes her own DIY coffee scrub, which she uses to exfoliate her body, as well as using coconut oil as a makeup remover, moisturiser, hair treatment and more.
12. Get a money box
Every little counts, especially with spare change.
Kaitie recommends you buy yourself a money box, and throw in bits and pieces of small change.
‘You will be surprised how fast it adds up,’ she said.
13. Check local stores
You might think the budget supermarkets are the way forward for saving money, but in actual fact local stores can often save you a tonne of money.
Kaitie checks out her local fruit and vegetable shops, butchers and more, and said they are often good for bulk buying and weekly deals.
14. Sign up to free loyalty programs
Kaitie recommends free loyalty programs like Flybuys and Everyday rewards cards for great deals.
She recommends writing a weekly budget so you can very clearly see where all of your money is going (pictured before and after)
15. Write a weekly budget
This is crucial for you to see where all of your money is going.
That way, you can know where you’ve over-spending, under-spending and spending just the right amount.
16. Pack your own stuff
Heading out on a day trip? Kaitie said it’s a great idea to pack your own drinks, meals and snacks.
This will stop you from having to visit a costly cafe while on a trip out.
17. Take a look at the Woolworths’ ‘the odd bunch’
The ‘odd bunch’ is Woolworths’ ‘ugly fruit and vegetables’ sold at hugely discounted prices.
While previously these might have ended up in the bin, now you can buy them and save money.
18. Entertain at home, rather than heading out
The Healthy Mummy’s new book (pictured) is out now
Entertaining at home is not only cheaper, but often more relaxing and enjoyable.
‘Have friends over for a BBQ instead of going out for dinner, where everyone could bring a plate,’ Kaitie said.
19. Grow your own
She also said planting your own vegetable garden and growing your own herbs is great for saving you money.
20. Stock up
‘Stock up on things you go through a lot of when they are on sale such as dish liquid, toilet paper, paper towel etc,’ she said.
You’ll thank yourself later.