The EASIEST way to save on groceries | Reverse Meal Planning PLUS 11 Budget Recipes

A quick look at how I save on groceries the easy way! Using reverse meal planning, I plan all my meals for the week using what I have on hand and then fill in the gaps by shopping the weekly grocery ads.
I’m also sharing 11 recipes that I made over 2 weeks using food from my pantry, refrigerator, and freezer with one small grocery trip to fill in some missing items.
If you’d like more detailed tips and tricks, worksheets, and recipes, checkout some of my guides and books:
🍋 Meal Plans, Recipes, and Grocery Lists - Get the paperback of my Meal Planning Guide here! a.co/d/0cFYb2T
🍋 My Meal Planner (the book I use while grocery shopping): a.co/d/f5Z15yy
As always, I truly appreciate you being here! Thank you so much for watching!
With Love,
Laura
🍋 Shop all my digital products: lauralegge.mys...
🍋 My Meal Planner: a.co/d/f5Z15yy
🍋 More Recipes can be found on my blog and social media! linktr.ee/Laur...
🍋 Shop ALL my favorite kitchen tools and more on my Amazon storefront: www.amazon.com...
CONTACT:
For business inquiries, please use this email: [e-mail]
Thank you so much for joining me today!
With love,
Laura
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[@trishwebb4024]

Great video Laura! I save any leftover shredded cabbage, freeze it, and add to soups. It’s a great way to not only add flavour but it’s nice to be able to ‘health’ things up!

[@LauraLegge]

@@trishwebb4024 I love that!! What a great idea! I’ve never tried that before so I’m excited to give it a go! Thank you for the tip!

[@Purple0fairy0bunny]

Our budget is technically 150 a week for 2 adults and 2 teens. But we have been putting back 30-50 a week then stocking up at Sams for around 100-150 a month. This has helped us alot as things like shredded cheese (freezes beautifully), pizza rolls, chicken nuggets (kids lunches), wolf chili, oatmeal, poptarts etc is alot cheaper at sams.

[@LauraLegge]

@@Purple0fairy0bunny I love that! It definitely helps to get some things in bulk to save over the entire month. Such a great idea!

[@Candie-ub2yv]

I never freeze cheese thought it would be mushy thanks for tip.

[@diversekakes]

Quit the pop tarts and bake some muffins. You will save even more!

[@Purple0fairy0bunny]

@@diversekakes lol my daughter has dance at 6:30 every morning. We have tried muffins but they are a crumbled mess by the time she can eat them I between 1st and 2nd period. So poptarts works, protein bars some times but they are expensive.

[@blessed1113]

Every time I watch your videos, I find hope 😅 thank you so much for sharing your affordable meals with us ❤

[@LauraLegge]

@@blessed1113 I’m so glad to hear that and thank you so much! ☺️ I’m always trying to be creative with what I’ve got haha

[@samanthadodd8112]

I think cabbage is under rated too. It last much longer, so i use it as lettuce sub and mixed in mexican and asia dishes.

[@LauraLegge]

@@samanthadodd8112 yes!! I completely agree! It seems to stay nice and crisp for longer than lettuce too, which I love! It’s great on so many things

[@cherryknott7233]

Crusty No-Knead Bread (by Frugal Fit Mom) is my go-to recipe for easy bread, just flour salt yeast & water; she also has a cinnamon and raisin variation, full recipes can be found on her blog

[@LauraLegge]

@@cherryknott7233 oooh yum!! Thank you! I love her channel. I’ll look up her recipe!

[@princessdumbarton9877]

You can add unsweetened cocoa powder to chili too. And I think even cinnamon.

[@LauraLegge]

Oooh that sounds amazing!! Thank you for the tip! I’ll give it a try! About how much would you add?

[@princessdumbarton9877]

@@LauraLegge I might start with a tablespoon of cocoa, maybe 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. If you like it add more, but I'd start with small amounts. People put all kinds of things in chili, like allspice, cloves, etc. Cloves sounds terrible I think.

[@Purple0fairy0bunny]

We also love to use sloppy joe mix instead of tomato sauce in chili. It adds alot of flavor.

[@LauraLegge]

@@princessdumbarton9877 thank you! I’ll give that a try!

[@LauraLegge]

@@Purple0fairy0bunny oh wow! I never thought to do that! Great way to stretch the chili!

[@lindadobranetski6302]

Laura I love your channel I still have not had to shop much except for veggies

[@LauraLegge]

@@lindadobranetski6302 yay! And thank you so much! I’m so glad ☺️

[@phylliss.-ur3td]

All great ideas! And not too carb heavy like most 'budget' meals! Good job, I don't know how you do it with a family,too❤❤

[@LauraLegge]

@@phylliss.-ur3td thank you so much! ☺️ I appreciate you saying that!

[@brg2743]

We keep stocked using loss leaders and eat from that. A certain kind of meat goes on sale about once a month. The next week it will be another kind of meat on sale.

[@LauraLegge]

@@brg2743 yes!! I love that! Those loss leaders and meat sales are one of the biggest ways to save!

[@rebeccadunning2649]

Hi, Laura! love your video...great ideas! to more easily cut up your bacon simply make sure its at least partially frozen. if its thawed already put in freezer for 20 mins or so. its so much easier to cut or cube bacon that way. hope that helps!

[@LauraLegge]

@@rebeccadunning2649 oh my goodness, that’s brilliant!! Thank you so much for the tip!

[@AdrianaPage-vb8zu]

You are creative with your recipes ❤

[@LauraLegge]

@@AdrianaPage-vb8zu thank you so much! ☺️ I appreciate you saying that!

[@l.chelseegobin7853]

Thank you so much for the ideas and meal inspiration! I love seeing how others put together their freezer and pantry items. ❤

[@LauraLegge]

@@l.chelseegobin7853 you’re welcome! I love it too! I get a lot of inspiration from watching other people’s channels too. It’s great!

[@l.chelseegobin7853]

@@LauraLegge You could use your homemade peanut butter to make peanut sauce with the gochujang and a splash of vinegar.

[@LauraLegge]

@@l.chelseegobin7853 oooh that sounds so good!! Thank you for the suggestion!

[@tanyajasiecki3722]

Great job again! Using all the spices, yes, that's me too ..whatever catches my fancy and smells right for the dish, it gets added 😁

[@LauraLegge]

@tanyajasiecki3722 yes!! Exactly! It’s the best way to do it! And thank you so much!

[@foofookachoo1136]

@@LauraLegge. I like a lot of DIFFERENT spices too, but can’t afford all of them!! (Can’t put all my eggs in one basket, deal!!). So if u HAD TO CHOOSE 4 spices, what would u pick?? Thank u so very much!!

[@LauraLegge]

@@foofookachoo1136 for me, it would be Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Cumin. I can make a lot of things with those four, plus a little salt sometimes. I wonder if they make a spice blend that includes all 4 of those? Because I also like to have Italian seasoning on hand too. I noticed that they’ve created a lot of different blends these days so that could be a good trick to get a bigger bang for your buck! Target, Dollar Tree, ALDI, and Walmart all have a pretty good selection

[@foofookachoo1136]

@@LauraLegge Thank u, Laura! I didn’t know they ever combined spices!! Yes, more bang for my buck!!

[@LauraLegge]

@@foofookachoo1136 you’re welcome! I just noticed it at Dollar Tree a few months ago and I think it’s brilliant! Spend less but get more variety 😄

[@nanar.8088]

Very smart point with that $50 a week and other $ allotted for other shopping to prevent going over budget.

[@LauraLegge]

@@nanar.8088 thank you! I used to give myself $100 per week but then I noticed we were still spending on random trips after that. It’s helped a ton with staying on budget and I don’t have to feel stressed when someone wants to pick up something last minute

[@tamaraliscia3408]

Gochujang (go-chu-jang... chu, like choo-choo - jang like jangle) is a fermented chili past. It's a little spicy ... not hot like calabrian chilis, though that depends on what weather was like when the chilis are growing. It's really good added to stir fried/sauteed vegetables, over rice, with noodles as you used. The noodles used in Korean dishes are different but your spaghetti noodles work fine. Bulgogi, chicken, pork or beef is really good, customizable and easy. Baked chicken pieces is good with gochujang. Look up a few recipes and gp frim there. By the way, Black bean garlic paste is delish, too! Love it that you use spices. Spices and herbs take a dish from ho-hum to oh-ya! 😂 Yep, cabbage, the unsung hero is versatile, tasty and nutritious; I use it more than once a week in some way.

[@alovese5725]

Wow! Appreciate all the information. I feel more informed using these ingredients. Thank you!

[@LauraLegge]

@@tamaraliscia3408 thank you so much for all the tips! I really appreciate it! I love trying new ingredients and I can’t wait to experiment more with the gochujang!

[@amandasnailtasticnails9657]

I’ve always budgeted around 100 for just me in the past. Currently I range 25-40 or even 50 it depends on what I get. I’d prefer to get back to 25 wkly instead on the higher end.

[@LauraLegge]

I love that! I was just reading about someone who spends $800 per year for her and her husband. She uses the same method I do and I’m impressed! It’s definitely becoming more challenging these days with the prices!

[@amandasnailtasticnails9657]

@@LauraLegge I believe how I came up with my budget was from Dave Ramsey because he says a food budget doesn’t need to be totally extreme. I still eat healthy and what I like with my 100 dollars a month.

[@LauraLegge]

@@amandasnailtasticnails9657 that’s amazing! I love their money saving tips

[@anabeldleo2491]

Your video came up in my algorithm and I am trying to find a plan to meal prep and also save money ok groceries. Thank you for sharing!!! Where did you get the meal plan booklet you used?

[@LauraLegge]

@@anabeldleo2491 yay! you’re welcome! I have lots of meal plans on my channel for inspiration too! Here’s the link to the meal planner I use a.co/d/084DswW

[@elenacala]

Kneading helps develop the gluten. If you can get a bread machine or a bosch mixer. You can use either on the dough cycle and let it rise right in the machine and when it beeps(at least for the bread machine) you can pop it out and bake it in the oven if you want a different bread shape than the bread machine. Its nice to set it and forget it so to speak while you have other stuff gong on. Look at adding vital wheat gluten, ground flax and things like ground arramath or millet, ground oats to increase the protein and fiber count. Also you can double a batch of bread and throw one in the freezer so you don't have to make any again for a while.

[@LauraLegge]

@@elenacala thank you so much for all the tips! I’ll definitely have to start experimenting with adding things. I had a bread machine last year and I didn’t love the way the bread tasted from the machine. I don’t know if it was just the brand so maybe I’ll try again

[@elenacala]

@LauraLegge you don't have to bake it in the machine but let the machine do the mixing, kneading and first rise for you. What I do is add liquid ingredients on the bottom, flour, sugar, yeast and salt next. Then I just select the dough setting and walk away. About 45-1/hrs later I come back take the risen dough out, shape it put it in a greased loaf pan covered and let it rise again for probably about 20 minutes or so. A great place for it to rise is to sit it in the microwave with the door closed to keep the warmth in. Then just bake it. They say (even though it's hard to resist) to let it cool completely on a rack before slicing. I think the bread is still cooking inside or something.

[@LauraLegge]

@@elenacala thank you for the tips! Maybe I’ll try it again! I LOVED the idea of using the bread maker. It was so easy!

[@itsjustbella5633]

Great video 🎉

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much!! ☺️

[@dmmrad54]

I always check my fridge, freezer and pantry before grocery shopping. I usually shop at Aldi. Walmart maybe once a month. I cook for just myself.

[@LauraLegge]

@@dmmrad54 I love that! It works so well and those are definitely the least expensive stores near me as well

[@leem200]

Do not add salt until after cooked. Will harden the bean. Also, older the bean longer the soak. Sometimes if you cook in instant pot they still need to go on a burner for 20 minutes or more to make them creamy or crock pot seems the older beans are more like that then fresh. Peace!

[@LauraLegge]

@@leem200 thank you so much for the tips! I didn’t add salt to these while cooking the first time because someone had mentioned that too. I’ll have to see if the crock pot will work better. I did these on the stove and I think they were just really old. They didn’t cook evenly either

[@vixxcottage]

I let my beans soak at least 36 hours. I change the water after 12 hours. I slow cook in my cast iron Dutch oven. This adds heat to house and the taste is so much better. I don't add any seasoning until the end.

[@LauraLegge]

@@vixxcottage I’m going to have to try your method! I usually soak for 16-24 hours and cook for 70-90 minutes. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@aaronmcconnell4409]

I do the meal planning for our household. Do you have a link to the planner/inventory notebook you’re using in this video? Looks like a game changer!

[@LauraLegge]

@@aaronmcconnell4409 yes! I created it and it’s currently on Amazon for $10 US. I hope you love it! a.co/d/084DswW

[@aaronmcconnell4409]

@@LauraLegge Sweet! Already in my cart. Thanks! I’m newly retired and learning to be a domestic god. LOL! I’ll be tuning into the channel for more tips.

[@LauraLegge]

@@aaronmcconnell4409 fabulous!! I can’t wait to hear how it helps and I hope you find lots of tips and inspiration on my channel!

[@Ozarkmountainoutback1]

I would put the beans in a food processor and pulse to make them smoother.

[@LauraLegge]

@@Ozarkmountainoutback1 thank you for the suggestion! I’ll try that!

[@emilyclarysells4222]

Hi Laura, what was that spiral bound book with the pepper jack taquitos recipe. I looked at your meal plan/recipe book but it is paperback. I am a sucker for cookbooks and would like to have one. Thanks

[@LauraLegge]

@@emilyclarysells4222 it’s the digital version of my meal planning guide (the downloadable PDF)! I just printed it at my local staples and had them bind it 😄 it’s on sale right now for 40% off actually! Use code ENDOFSUMMER40 at checkout - lauralegge.myshopify.com/products/budget-meal-planning-guide-tips-worksheets-grocery-lists-and-recipes-for-cheap-meal-inspiration-to-reduce-the-grocery-bill I wasn’t able to offer the guide already bound in a spiral binding, unfortunately. But it was super fast and easy to have staples bind it for me!

[@BergenholtzChannel]

My curiosity is how you spend so little and have so much extra in the freezer. Besides a gardem, where else do you get your extra from?

[@LauraLegge]

@@BergenholtzChannel I shop the weekly ads and sometimes I’ll buy extra if something is really deeply discounted but most of the time I’m just putting things in the freezer if we didn’t get the chance to use it that week. It just adds up quick 😄

[@LauraLegge]

@@BergenholtzChannel also, I want to mention that I often make beans from scratch, portion them, and freeze them or make freezer meals like muffins, pancakes, etc. I don’t have as many canned goods on hand but my freezer is usually full.

[@diversekakes]

The oil is supposed to make it softer. More like a farmhouse white bread.

[@LauraLegge]

@@diversekakes thank you so much for letting me know! That makes sense! It turned out SO good so I’m excited to make more

[@Ozarkmountainoutback1]

It keeps it fresher longer also.

[@LauraLegge]

@@Ozarkmountainoutback1 oh interesting!

[@JanGrowsVeg]

Good video but it would be great if you could take a breath in between jumping from one thing to another. But your content is definitely interesting.

[@LauraLegge]

@@JanGrowsVeg thank you so much for the feedback! I’ll try to slow down. I noticed I start talking too fast when I’m excited about a recipe 😅 I’ll focus on taking it slower

[@juliecampos9842]

@@LauraLeggeI talk fast too when I’m excited 😊

[@LauraLegge]

@@juliecampos9842 haha I’m glad you understand! It’s hard to remember to slow down 😅