My college years are a distant memory, but I do recall that my lifestyle left a lot to be desired. Healthy eating was the last thing on my mind as I subsisted on a diet of instant noodles and takeout deliveries, and I was left with a vague sense that I was always either hungry or broke.
Fast-forward a couple of decades, and the cost-of-living crisis is in full swing. Whether we live in Madrid, Mumbai, or Manhattan, we would all appreciate some money off our grocery bills, and this is where my Instant Pot has made a real difference. In a world where every penny counts, this economical device not only makes meal prep easy but also saves me money by helping me plan and portion meals from week to week.
Bigger batches cost less
Cook large, affordable meals that stretch your food budget
The first and most obvious benefit of the Instant Pot is its ability to cook large, affordable meals in one go. As a college student (and honestly, as an adult), I’d often fall into the trap of buying small quantities: a single chicken breast, a microwaveable meal, or pre-packaged food that looks cheap but costs far more per serving. With an Instant Pot, it suddenly makes sense to buy in bulk.
Dried beans, rice, lentils, whole chicken, and tougher cuts of meat are dramatically cheaper per pound than their pre-cooked or pre-packaged counterparts. With an Instant Pot, you simply need to keep a few pantry staples on hand, toss in the right measurements, hit the preset button (or dial in your own settings), and leave it to work its magic. There’s no careful monitoring and long cooking times. There’s also an alarm to tell you if your pot is starting to burn. Even for someone like me, it’s very hard to go wrong.
Economies of scale
Build financial discipline with easy portioning and meal prep
Until I owned an Instant Pot, I had no clue about how to really stretch my food dollar. By cooking large batches and dividing them into single servings, I’ve discovered financial discipline through food. In college, I often made meal decisions based on immediate cravings. If I didn’t feel like cooking, I’d justify spending money on delivery. If I bought groceries, I would always end up wasting food because I didn’t plan ahead.
With an Instant Pot, it’s easy to prepare a big dish on a Sunday, portion it into containers, and then freeze or refrigerate it according to how I want my meals to pan out that week. Not only does this reduce food waste and save me money, but it also means I rarely order food impulsively. All of a sudden, I am staying well within my food budget and eating more healthily. It feels like a win-win scenario.
A game-changer for families
Spend more money and time on the things that matter
It’s one thing to be nostalgic about my student days, but when applied to family life, the Instant Pot’s benefits extend even further. I moved back in with my parents during lockdown, and it quickly became apparent that feeding multiple people is exponentially more expensive than feeding one. I took to making and freezing chili, pasta sauces, curries, stews, and soups in bulk, and this helped us make it through that difficult time.
Not only have prices continued to soar since then, but parents are back in the workplace and busier than ever. By cooking a few meals ahead each week, you save valuable time that could be better spent with family, helping kids with their homework, or enjoying some well-deserved time out watching Netflix, instead of being busy in the kitchen.
Isn’t it just another expensive gadget?
Our kitchens can be cluttered enough without another bulky, pricey utensil
It would be easy to see the Instant Pot as another gimmick — I have a George Foreman Grill and an expensive food processor that are currently gathering dust. If you’re on a tight budget, I can see how another appliance might seem unnecessary or indulgent. It’s also true that a simple stovetop Dutch oven can handle many of the same tasks as an Instant Pot.
However, this misses the point. An Instant Pot is a Dutch oven, pressure cooker, and slow cooker, and it sautés, boils, and steams all in one. It has a relatively small footprint (about the size of a medium frying pan) and multiple settings that allow for complete cooking with the touch of a button.
Even if you rarely cook, I see this as all the more reason to grab an Instant Pot, as it cuts down on time and effort. And for starting prices of around $90, it’s a drop in the ocean compared to what the average person spends on DoorDash.
Less time, less effort, and more savings
After initially shelling out for my Instant Pot, everything else was saving me money. Its time-saving and “set it and forget it” design also removed the psychological barrier to cooking. In college, time and mental energy were as scarce as money, and things haven’t changed much since, so this is a significant advantage.
In hindsight, better budgeting and meal planning would have made a big difference to my health and spending through college, but that’s no less true today. As expenses continue to rise, my Instant Pot helps me reclaim control of my diet, my time, and my budget, and these weekly savings feel like a small but important victory.
