Grocery planners save money by planning meals ahead

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 22 Oct, 18:33 · Archive

Cookbook author Jenn Lueke says Americans waste money on groceries by failing to plan meals and shop lists in advance.

Cookbook author Jenn Lueke, based in Boston and author of 'Don't Think About Dinner', has identified a costly grocery shopping mistake that starts before shoppers even reach the store. 'The No. 1 biggest mistake is just not taking the time to plan ahead,' she told Fox News Digital. Making a grocery list and deciding what to cook for the week ahead can help shoppers save money and stress less about meals.

Lueke identifies another source of overspending: the pressure to make a different, impressive dinner every night. Social media can fuel this mindset, she said, but home cooks can repeat familiar meals and switch them up with ingredients already in their pantries. One flexible example from her cookbook is a one-pot chicken thighs and rice dish, where cooks can swap different proteins or add seasonal ingredients such as squash in autumn or asparagus and peas in spring.

Lueke recommends keeping pantry and freezer staples on hand, including canned beans, rice, pasta, quinoa and frozen proteins. Bowl-style meals and vegetable frittatas can serve as flexible starting points for using up food that is about to spoil.

How it is being reported

• Americans make crucial shopping mistake that could cost them extra at grocery store: expertAnother source of overspending may be the pressure to make a different, impressive dinner every night of the week.New York Post · 22 Oct, 18:21
• Americans are making costly grocery mistake even before entering the store, expert warnsCookbook author Jenn Lueke reveals the top grocery shopping mistake costing Americans money and shares budget meal planning tips to stretch every trip.Fox News · 22 Oct, 11:00

In this story: Jenn Lueke · Boston

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