Another way to save money is to use leftovers.

I'm sure most of us do this already. The costs add up most when there are just small amounts left. One serving is too much to throw away and not enough to do much with, so it often spoils in the back of the fridge. Another problem can be boredom with the same old thing for 3 or 4 days in a row. A key to happy leftovers is making them seem like a totally different dish...

When I purchase a roast, I always get larger than needed. The first night is pot roast with lots of potatoes and veggies cooked in the hot broth once the roast is done. The next day I might shred enough of the meat to make BBQ sandwiches for lunch and enchiladas for the evening meal.

I usually cut the potatoes in halves or large quarters and veggies in large chunks for the first cooking. This makes them more versatile to use in other dishes. I might fish out enough potato to chop, lightly brown and serve as hash browns with the morning eggs or in an egg, cheese and potato burrito. Or they can all be drained and heated in the microwave in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with seasoned breadcrumbs and/or grated hard cheese, then lightly brown in the oven for a new dish entirely.

Another favorite happens when the pot gets low and is put back on the fire to simmer. Once the veggies are all really soft, mash them with a fork to make a thick soup, with or without meat. Toss in any other small serving leftovers within reason too... I have even chopped and added a couple of poorly wrapped, dried out pizza slices! They thickened the soup and gave it a whole new flavor. With a little extra Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese to taste, a side salad and fresh garlic bread it got rave reviews.

Planned leftovers helps in several ways...
_Initial food costs because larger packages are usually cheaper
_Energy costs because the next servings only have to be reheated
_Subsequent meal prep takes less time and effort when all you want to do is put your feet up after a hard day and
_If there is something good in the fridge that is easy to pick at, everyone is more likely to snack on something besides cookies or other junk, which is beneficial enough to make having to re-think that next meal you had planned okay