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#149 Cooking for Change with Beth Moncel

“I think if your focus with marketing is always how can you solve a problem for people, then you can do a lot of good because people are always going to be struggling with something so if you come up with a solution to that and offer it to the audience and figure out how to communicate that to them… then you can do a world of good.” – Beth Moncel
Beth Moncel founded Budget Bytes in 2009 as a way to slash her own grocery bills while still eating well during a financially difficult time. With a background in nutritional science and a love of numbers, she began sharing budget-friendly recipes with detailed cost breakdowns and step-by-step instructions. What started as a personal project quickly grew into a widely trusted platform that empowers home cooks to create healthy, delicious meals without breaking the bank. Over the years, Budget Bytes has evolved into a full-scale brand, complete with a bestselling cookbook, a mobile app, and an engaged audience across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and more. Beth has built her business by keeping her community at the center—responding to feedback, staying transparent with her audience, and delivering real value through accessible, no-fuss meals. In this episode, Beth takes us behind the scenes of her brand’s growth. She shares how Budget Bytes has adapted over time, the marketing strategies that have kept it thriving, and how she continues to focus on solving real problems for her audience. Beth also discusses how to stay authentic while scaling, how to navigate content creation through algorithm changes, and how she’s diversified her revenue streams with intention. Whether you’re a content creator, marketer, or entrepreneur, Beth’s journey offers thoughtful insights on growing a brand with purpose, empathy, and lasting impact.

About the Episode

Welcome to an insider’s look at one of the most beloved and trusted food sites on the internet: Budget Bytes. If you’ve ever searched for recipes you can actually afford, chances are you’ve ended up on Beth Moncel’s site, comforted by her simple, practical approach to home cooking. But beyond the recipes, there’s a real story of community-building, clever marketing moves, and staying true to your mission—especially when the online world just won’t sit still.

In this post, we’ll dive deep into Beth’s creative process, her approach to business and content, and every tip and lesson she’s learned along the way. Whether you’re a foodie, a marketer, or just someone curious about how one person with an idea can grow a loyal online tribe, you’ll find something here.

Meet Beth Moncel: The Heart of Budget Bytes

Budget Bytes wasn’t born with a grand business plan. It was just Beth Moncel in 2009, broke, but determined not to eat poorly.

“It started as something I was just doing for myself… I didn’t want to sacrifice the quality of my food because I knew that would probably cost me more in the long run.”

Beth noticed a big gap: most cooking sites weren’t addressing realistic, affordable meals that tasted good. So she started documenting her own budget recipes. The rest, as they say, is history. Today, Budget Bytes helps millions learn to cook without emptying their wallets.

A Day in the Life: How Budget Bytes Runs

What’s it actually like running a massively popular recipe website? Beth described her life as a mix of creativity, admin, and community.

She has “two different types of days”:

  1. Studio days: Testing new recipes, cooking, photographing, shooting videos and reels.
  2. Office days: Writing blog posts, editing photos, admin work, answering emails, and managing comments.

No matter what, every day includes some kind of audience interaction—whether replying to comments or helping someone who’s stuck on a recipe.

“There’s always a little bit of… answering comments. Just basic housekeeping type work.”

Creativity in the Kitchen: Beth’s Recipe Development Process

If you’ve ever wondered where recipe ideas come from, Beth makes it clear: it’s part craving, part necessity, and a big part curiosity.

Her process includes:

  • What am I craving this week?
  • What’s on sale or in season?
  • Are there flavors or ingredients I’ve never combined before?
  • Can I reinvent something old by adding new elements?
  • Can I recreate something I saw in a restaurant or even in the Trader Joe’s frozen aisle… but cheaper and tastier?

“Even after 13 years, I have never run out of ideas, and I still have a long list of things I want to try.”

Listening to the Community: Why Connection Is Key

A huge part of Beth’s recipe inspiration comes directly from her fans.

Unlike many who delegate social media to others, Beth reads every single comment herself, across the blog and all social channels.

Why? Because she wants the clearest picture of what her readers are loving, hoping for, or struggling with.

“By reading those comments really quickly every single day, I can stay on the pulse of what people like, what they’re looking for, what struggles they’re having.”

She’s adamant: Outsourcing community management creates distance from what truly matters.

What Makes a Great Marketer? Beth’s Take

Beth feels the heart of good marketing isn’t about slick campaigns or clever slogans. It’s not even about “selling” in the classic sense.

“It requires a very deep understanding of your audience and of the current state of the world… you have to take into consideration what is happening every single day.”

It’s about getting right into your audience’s shoes. Understand what impacts them, whether that’s the weather, grocery shortages, or big economic events. If you want content to “land,” you need to meet your audience where they’re at—both emotionally and practically.

Pandemic Challenges: Responding in Real Time

Let’s flashback to March 2020. Grocery stores felt like they might shut down at any minute. Everyone was buying random items “just in case.”

Beth admits: At first, she was frozen in shock—just like everyone else.

But once she regrouped, she quickly put together crucial “emergency” content:

  • A free, two-week meal plan focused on pantry staples
  • An indexed post detailing Budget Bytes recipes that used non-perishable ingredients like canned goods, potatoes, onions

“I really wanted to serve our community because I knew that I had knowledge that would help people get through this time.”

Adapting to Rising Prices (and Feeding a Community)

With inflation and food prices going up, Beth’s readers have been feeling the pinch. She’s doubled down on providing recipes using the cheapest ingredients.

Recent ideas include:

  • Dishes centered on canned beans or cabbage and rice with just a little ground beef (“really simple and really good”)
  • Inspiration from Great Depression-era cookbooks, adapted for modern tastes

Beth even took to TikTok and Instagram Reels to share these ideas, mixing history with practical help for today’s cooks.

“It’s been interesting. I’ve done a couple TikToks and reels about it. The recipes are definitely not usable for us today in their original state, but they have inspired me.”

Social Platforms: TikTok, Reels, and Repurposing Content

Beth’s relationship with social platforms is refreshingly honest. Originally, she was hesitant to jump on the TikTok bandwagon, but a mastermind retreat with fellow food bloggers changed her mind.

She quickly discovered:

  • TikTok is addicting. Even as a user, she saw the potential for reaching new audiences.
  • Repurposing is key. With so many platforms now demanding their own “original” content, it’s impossible to do everything from scratch.
  • Short videos work. People don’t want to sit for a whole cooking show—they want a punchy 20-second recipe video.

Beth loves how TikTok and Reels allow her to experiment and test new styles, often drawing from her vast library of older content.

“Luckily we have a lot of content already that could very easily be repurposed… I just don’t have time to create new content specifically for any one social media platform.”

Content Strategy: Planning, Feedback, and Staying Ahead

Despite the need to be everywhere online, Beth does not run her content calendar months in advance. In fact, she’s often working just a week ahead, always tuning into:

  • Seasonality: Are there holidays or seasonal topics that make sense?
  • Variety: Not too many salads in a row, or making sure different proteins and cuisines are featured
  • Reader feedback: If people are tired of chicken, it’s time for something new

She reflects:

“I make sure there’s always a good variety. And honestly, it’s probably more like I’m reading the feedback and comments—I’m gleaning that from people’s reactions.”

Community Management: Why Beth Still Answers DMs

One thing that makes Budget Bytes stand out is that Beth herself still manages a lot of her community communication, especially DMs (Direct Messages).

“If you do not have a deep understanding of your audience, you’re not going to be able to market to them properly. You won’t be able to help them understand why your content is the answer to their wants and needs.”

She can’t respond to every message—it would be a full-time job—but she does reply to those needing help or media inquiries. This direct interaction not only strengthens community trust but also results in the best kind of marketing: word of mouth.

“Whether you know it, that is creating organic marketing for your brand. I guarantee everyone else is telling their friends: ‘You can’t believe Budget Bytes responded to me!’”

Beth has learned, though, to avoid content that will trigger a comment flood (like controversial opinions)—she’d simply get overwhelmed.

The Secret to Growth: Riding the Feature Wave

When Instagram or Facebook rolls out a new feature—like Reels—it pays to jump in early.

Beth learned this by experimenting:

  • When Reels were new, her videos would result in a huge spike in followers, sometimes up to 1,000 per day after going viral.
  • Early adoption means greater exposure in the algorithm, since platforms are hungry to promote new features.

“Anytime a social media platform comes out with a new feature, you have to go all in with that feature because that is what they’re going to prioritize in the algorithm.”

Challenges with Changing Algorithms

All that growth? It can evaporate overnight when the platforms change things.

Beth notes:

  • Features fade. Yesterday’s hot new thing (like Facebook Live) gets replaced by the next (Instagram Reels, TikTok).
  • As soon as you figure out the key to growth, it changes.
  • Practice and learning are constant—but that can become exhausting.

“It’s not just Reels itself, but the fact that the platforms change so often… that can be really frustrating. And it’s definitely a roller coaster. It’ll keep you on your toes.”

If you’re building your business on social, staying adaptable is a must.

Marketing Fails: What Didn’t Work

Beth is as candid about her flops as her wins.

A few years ago, she tried launching paid PDF meal plans, coached by a marketing consultant who pushed Facebook Live as a promo tool. Despite knowing she wasn’t comfortable being live in front of the camera, she went for it.

The result?

“It was just an epic failure. It’s just not me.”

Her takeaway: Don’t force yourself to adopt a marketing tactic that fundamentally doesn’t fit your style or strengths.

Staying Behind the Scenes: Choosing the Brand’s Face

Unlike many food creators, Beth prefers to keep the focus on the recipes and the audience—not herself.

“I try to keep it exclusively food. So I’m a really private individual. I don’t like sharing my life on the Internet with strangers.”

She knows being “the face” or main character can supercharge growth, but it just isn’t her. Still, she makes sure the brand has personality—a down-to-earth, no-shame, real-life approach that readers connect with.

Newsletter Win: The Power of Email

While social platforms fluctuate, Beth found a rock-solid growth lever: her email list.

She started a second, midweek newsletter themed around recipe types—noodles, cold salads, and more—seasoned to what people needed most at that moment.

“People have really been enjoying those and giving us great feedback. Not only is it great for the users because it’s giving them the recipes that they need at that moment…it helps us, too, because it’s bringing a lot more traffic back to our website every week.”

Marketing for Good: Solving Real Problems

Beth is clear on the reason she does all this: to help people have easier lives.

“If your focus with marketing is always how can you solve a problem for people, then you can do a lot of good.”

She regularly gets grateful messages from people who say Budget Bytes helped them through tough situations—like grad school or times of unemployment. For Beth, this is why she sticks with it after all these years.

Betting on the Future: Web3 and What’s Next

What will food marketing look like down the line? Beth’s watching major changes unfold:

  • Social platforms becoming more like the Home Shopping Network, mixing content with commerce
  • Everyday users—not just influencers—able to sell products through social posts using affiliate links and tagged products

“I think… you’re going to see a lot more everyday people who are not necessarily influencers using affiliate marketing on social media and everyone’s going to be selling to everyone. It’s going to be crazy.”

She admits Web3 and blockchain are still a mystery, but she’s keeping an eye out for what’s next—because being early usually leads to success.

Best Purchase Under $100? Beth’s Fun Confession

Beth’s down-to-earth nature shines in her answer to this classic closing question.

She sheepishly admits to a little online shopping habit, fueled by morning coffee and targeted ads. Her latest find? Flavored vinegars from a company called Acid League.

  • Maple apple cider vinegar
  • Citrus blends
  • Even one made with port grapes

She likes them so much that “I just pour some over ice and then top it off with water and it’s so delicious.”

Final Thoughts

Beth Moncel’s journey proves that smart marketing doesn’t have to mean pushy tactics or putting on a show. The heart of Budget Bytes is empathy, honest communication, and delivering real solutions for people’s everyday lives.

Some key lessons any creator or business can take from Beth:

  • Know your audience, beyond the data. Read their comments, respond to their messages, and never outsource the heart of your community.
  • Use new platform features early. Growth loves early adopters.
  • Repurpose content strategically. You don’t have to be everywhere with brand-new stuff every time.
  • Stick to what fits your style. Being successful while staying true to your nature is possible.
  • Market for good. If you focus on helping, the marketing works itself out.

“Just making people’s lives easier is an incredibly satisfying thing.”

And isn’t that what we need a little more of from the Internet?

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