If you are looking for tips and recipes to help you save money, kiwilimón is your best option, as we always have the best and most economical dishes and advice. On this occasion, we help you create an affordable menu for the entire week with 10 practical tips.

10 tips for creating an affordable weekly menu

If you want to enjoy complete, healthy, and very easy-to-prepare meals, think no more and follow our best tips to save in the kitchen. Everyone will love your weekly menu!

1. Plan your weekly menu

Before heading to the kitchen and getting to work, it's important to grab paper and pencil to create a complete menu for the entire week.

To create your weekly menu, you should consider different factors: how many people will be eating?, does everyone eat meat?, what are your preferences?, but the main one will be how much you want to spend on food for the week. Remember that you can include soups, salads, stews, main dishes, and side dishes in the menu.

2. Set a budget

Now that you know how many people will be eating from this weekly menu, what they prefer, and what they don't eat, set a budget for the entire week, which will depend on the factors mentioned above.

3. Use what you already have in the fridge

After setting your budget, check your fridge, as many times we already have everything we need to cook incredible dishes at home. For example, if you have tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a little cilantro, you have everything you need to prepare a salsa.

4. Do you have canned goods and cereals?

In addition to your fridge, it’s also important to take a look at your pantry to take advantage of canned goods, as these can be very helpful when saving money. For example, if you have canned tuna and Russian salad, you can create a complete meal, as you will only need to add a bit of mayonnaise and cream, as well as toast or crackers to accompany.

5. Pay attention while shopping

Before going shopping, remember to check your fridge so you don’t buy duplicates, then you can head to the nearest market, flea market, or supermarket to stock up. Pay attention and compare quality and price, as many times you can choose versions that offer more product for less price. It's also a good idea to take advantage of weekly offers on fruits, vegetables, and other basics like oil, rice, beans, among other products.

You can also read: Recipes for meals under $100 pesos

6. Take advantage of seasonal fruits and vegetables

Remember that seasonal fruits are cheaper, so if you want to save on your weekly menu, it’s best to check which fruits and vegetables are in season before going shopping.

7. Make your dishes more filling

Another great tip for saving on your weekly menu is to add nutritious and inexpensive ingredients to your stews. For example, you can add nopales, quelites, purslane, chayotes, carrots, potatoes, or any other vegetable to your stews to make them stretch further.

8. The freezer is your best option

Another good way to save is to avoid food waste, as it's very easy to freeze vegetables, fruits, tortillas, bread, and almost any other product. The best part is that later you can use the frozen items to prepare all kinds of dishes without spending much.

9. Dare to make it from scratch

There’s no better way to save on your weekly menu than by preparing delicious dishes from scratch. For example, instead of spending over $100 on a little granola, make it at home and add large amounts of inexpensive ingredients like oats and amaranth. On the other hand, if you have ripe fruit and sugar, you can prepare a delicious homemade jam. It’s all a matter of imagination!

10. Check out kiwilimón’s recipes!

As you already know, kiwilimón has the best recipes in all of Mexico, so don’t hesitate to search our website to find ideal options for your weekly menu and your budget. Below we recommend some options:

• Recipes to make meals for less than $100 pesos
• Meals for less than 150 pesos
• 12 healthy and economical recipes with nopal
• 7 easy and economical vegetable recipes
• 10 easy and economical rice dishes
• 15 easy and economical Mexican soups
• Healthy meals for less than 100 pesos
• 7 economical chicken recipes
• 7 recipes for less than 150 pesos

You can also read: 5 easy and affordable recipes for lunch