Breakfast has become an important meal that helps us power through the rest of the day. A healthy breakfast also contributes to a healthy lifestyle for the entire family.
But as you eat this meal more often, have you ever stopped to find out how much you’re spending?
Because people don’t have as much time to prepare breakfast, they end up spending more on expensive a la carte items in the process. Buying a cup of coffee every morning could be costing you over $1000 a year. The good news is that you can save on costly breakfast items by preparing early. Here are some useful tips to consider.
1. Start with a detailed shopping list
The easiest way of saving money on breakfast is by making as much of it (at home) as possible. Start by preparing a detailed grocery list of what you’d wish to eat in the morning. Go for convenient items that are easy to make- such as bread, frozen items, oatmeal, eggs, and cereal.
A grocery list is the best way to keep track of how much you’ll be spending every month on breakfast. You’ll also have an easier time monitoring your health choices and other ingredient information.
2. Hot cereal works for the entire family
Convenience is the guiding principle of enjoying your breakfast meals. Hot cereal is quick and easy to prepare, and it doesn’t cost much when compared to eating out. Kids also love cereal, especially when combined with syrup, fruits, and ice cream. You can rotate different cereal flavors and include a selection of wheat, oats, and fruits.
3. Prepare your eggs at home
Buying one egg at a time is much more expensive than buying by the dozen. Imagine spending $1 on a single egg, and you could spend a dollar and some change for an entire pack. The trick to saving on eggs is by preparing them yourself.
Boil them in groups and dip the unused ones in an ice bath for another day. This will save you time and money as you grab each egg to prepare your breakfast. There are also other ways of making eggs quickly. Scrambled eggs only take minutes to prepare, and you can mix them with brown rice for a protein-filled morning treat.
4. Bagels and muffins will fill you up
Your breakfast wouldn’t be complete without a bagel or muffin on the side. But we all know that these can be expensive, even in grocery stores. Consider purchasing your bread in bulk from day-old bakeries. Such bread stores can help you save up to 50% or more on the cost of breakfast bread. Furthermore, bagels and muffins are quite filling and will keep you going until lunchtime.
5. Put that blender to good use
Smoothies can cost as much as $5-$10 apiece. If you need a fresh smoothie to get your morning started, consider making your own. Is that blender collecting dust? Clean it and obtain some frozen fruits, yogurt, or juice (from the grocery store) to get started. All you need to do is toss a combination of the above inside your blender, crush with ice, and you’re ready to go.
6. Have some juice
It may sound convenient to purchase a cup of fresh juice on your way to work, but doing this is also expensive. Juice is a healthy and nutritious option to get your morning started. However, it can also drive up your breakfast budget pretty quickly.
Consider purchasing a bottle of fresh juice each week and titrating some into a container as you walk out the door. A combination of apple, orange, mango, and avocado juices should do the trick.
7. Avoid buying coffee at restaurants
Next comes the mother of them all: coffee. Buying a cup of coffee every day can burn a hole in your wallet. The solution? Consider brewing your coffee at home. Not only will you have the freedom to select from different flavors, but you can also save on the time it would take to wait in line for your tall Starbucks cup.
You can easily save hundreds of dollars every year by brewing your coffee, even after investing in a new coffee maker.
In a nutshell, saving money on breakfast is about paying attention to detail. What may seem affordable quickly adds up over time and could set you back hundreds of dollars by the end of the year. But if you plan ahead, prepare as much at home, and eat healthily, you can put a significant amount back into your pocket.
To read more on topics like this, check out the food category.
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