I cook ~95% of my meals, used to eat out maybe once every 2-3 months, but in the last few years its more like 1/year. I'm a vegetarian, vegan most days, and I'm also not buying expensive ingredients and I don't shop at premium stores.
Groceries were manageable, I was able to shop for the occasional treat, try different things, and not worry too much.
That has changed due to the price increases. Everything costs much more. I completely gave up snacks like chips. All the stuff in frozen aisle is now outrageously priced. Even basic staples, eg lentils from the Indian store, are now 2x. I wish I'd stocked up on more pantry staples that last for years.
Cooking takes a lot more mental effort/planning now. I never used to waste food but now I don't try new things. I think about making packaged snacks at home and the time/cost of doing so, and just give up.
I'm lucky I know how to cook and plan my meals, and I still feel the hit. I can't imagine otherwise. It really shouldn't be like this.
Cooking takes much more effort and planning now
byu/ECrispy inFrugal
Posted by ECrispy
3 Comments
Price increases really hit your pocket and wear you down. But there is some consolation: even if prices rise, you already have a system and skills that help you cope with such situations. Besides, cooking skills are not just a skill, but an investment that always pays off, even when prices rise. Hang in there, you can do it!
I recently got a piece of advice to invest in a large freezer, it’ll cost you a few dollars a month in electricity but you gain the ability to make huge batches using bulk ingredients and freeze them for later.
We might all have to switch to this method, at least it seems to be beneficial for dropping the glycemic index of the starches…
I usually try and stick to the store flyers as much as I can and plan my meals around what’s on sale. I don’t think it’s taken much more planning, but there are definitely a lot of items that I only get once in a blue moon. I’m not veg by I got 25lbs of pinto beans and I’ve been trying out new dishes with them to try and stretch my budget more.