How often are you in the drive-thru waiting for your next fast-food fix?
According to the Center for Disease Control, one third of Americans report purchasing some sort of fast food on a daily basis. With inflation in the fast-food industry greatly outpacing inflation of other food items, it makes sense that regular fast-food drive-thru runs can make a normal budget feel especially constricting.
According to the June 2024 Consumer Price Index, in the last 12 months, prices of food from restaurants and fast food spots increased nearly four times as much as the prices of food purchased in grocery stores. So, of course buying fast food in 2024 is going to feel more expensive than buying it in years past.
Start Meal Prepping to Save Money
A simple solution to help you save some cash is making a switch from eating out at restaurants to start meal prepping.
Think for a second about reasons why you gravitate towards purchasing fast food. Fast food might not always be the most delicious or healthy thing on your plate, but it is undeniably convenient, easy, and predictable when it comes to food quality.
But fast food can also be unfulfilling, and it’s getting more expensive every day.
Solving the debacle of finding food options that are affordable, nutritious, and convenient is not easy. Cooking takes time. After a long day of work, most people are not jumping for joy at the idea of tracking down a recipe, going to the grocery store to gather ingredients, and taking the time to make a meal.
A solution to this problem, though, is setting aside a chunk of time to plan and prepare your meals for the week. Preparing your meals ahead will ensure that you have a readily available supply of healthier snacks, meals, and quick bites to snag when you are running short on time.
Interns Offer Money-Saving Tips
Several Zions Bank and Zions Bancorporation summer interns offered their tips for saving money on dining. Project analyst intern Braden Ritchie preps meals regularly to save himself time and money.
“If you just have a plan and know what you’re going to eat every single night of the week, it’s easier not to fall back on things that you know are expensive,” he says. “Before, I was spending too much money on food. I was buying food and never using it before it went bad.”
Although it may seem daunting to begin planning your meals, Zions Bancorporation software intern Charlotte Saethre suggests that taking things one step at a time can make meal prepping much more doable.
“Start simple,” she says. “The type of person who doesn’t plan their meals ahead may be averse to cooking. But it’s not very hard to cook simple meals.”
Saethre recommends starting off by picking things you know you will eat during the week.
“I will do a batch of rice, veggies and sometimes meat,” she says. “It’s not something that I’m strict about…It’s just a habit after time. It changes depending on the week.”
Another important thing to remember, according to Ritchie, is that meal planning can include more than just dinner plans.
“As you meal plan, it doesn’t just have to be dinners.” He says, “Think about packing a lunch — I do it every day. You can totally save money that way.”
One of Ritchie’s favorite lunches to prepare is Caesar salad. He recommends mixing things up by making your salad into a wrap from time to time by adding a flour tortilla. Ritchie always makes sure to include a granola bar, chips, carrots or apple slices to ensure that his lunch is filling.
Small Changes Generate Big Savings
When it comes to how much you can save, Ritchie finds himself saving as much as $150 a month, depending on what’s on his meal prep menu.
“All you have to do is spend that extra 10 minutes,” he says. “It’s the difference between spending an extra 30 or 40 dollars every week.”
Another small expense that adds up is spending money on beverages. Instead of spending seven dollars on your next iced latte, take some time to learn about making coffee at home. Making your own coffee can seriously be as simple as picking up some instant espresso and a half gallon of milk. To sweeten your drink, add a teaspoon or two of your favorite syrup or sweetener.
It can be intimidating to start on your meal-prepping journey, but making small changes is key to starting to build up your savings.
To help with your savings and financial goals, Zions Bank offers a suite of Student Banking products. Schedule a visit with an experienced banker at a Zions Bank branch near you to learn more.
Marlie Hansen is Zions Bank’s Corporate Marketing and Communications summer intern, and is a junior in communications at the University of Utah.
