Small Batch Preserving

 

I arrived home from our family reunion to find that the produce in my fridge needed some attention. We all have times when what we purchased at the grocery store begins to languish and the plan for it being eaten has changed.  This week we are unexpectedly down a few family members to help eat the fresh produce, so rather than have it spoil, I spent a few minutes to process it.

It really was a few minutes.  I had a head of cauliflower, a 1/2 pound of bacon, a bunch of asparagus and a red pepper to process. With just a little effort, all of those things are in my freezer, saved for another day's use. We always think of canning, drying or freezing when the harvest is on and the abundance flows in, but this can be done throughout the year. If you try it, you will be surprised at how easy it is.

To freeze the cauliflower and the asparagus (and most other vegetables), you need to blanch it.  Set a pot of water boiling while you wash and  cut your veggies, then pop them into the boiling water for a minute or two. You are not cooking it, you blanch to kill bacteria that deteriorate your produce while in the freezer. After the couple of minutes are up, you plunge the veggies into a cold water bath to stop the cooking process. Drain well, pack into freezer bags, label and freeze. I used my saucepan for this, since it was such a small batch. (When I have large batches--although it sounds kooky--my favorite tool for blanching is my wok; with the large surface area you can get a lot of peaches or tomatoes done quickly.) Different vegetables are blanched for different amounts of time. There are online tables for blanching times, or you can refer to a Ball Blue Book.

To freeze the bacon, Brown and drain on a paper towel, let it cool, then crumble and put it into a freezer bag. Squeeze out all the air. It is super handy having cooked bacon in the freezer! This same method is used for most meats. You can read more on this here.

To freeze the pepper: Wash, slice, put them in a freezer bag and place in the freezer. Peppers and onions don't need blanching before freezing. I slice mine for ease of use. It allows me to take out the amount I want, and further dicing is really easy when they are frozen, you can even break them into cubes for cooking. Use these from a frozen state.

General guidelines: berries can be frozen like the pepper, wash and freeze. Here is a how-to for freezing zucchini and one for winter squash. There are a some other small batch preservation recipes on the blog, here are a few: 

Refrigerator Pickles, Freezing Tomato Paste, Family Spaghetti

Once you start thinking this way, you could even have a double-preserve situation, like stashing a bag of cranberries in the freezer, and later using them to make Cranberry Orange Butter! So smart and yummy!

Jenny

Beef and Bean Taco Filling

My kids love crunchy tacos, and they can eat a mountain of them. I developed this recipe to make the ground beef stretch to fill more tacos, and it is delicious and hearty. If you want other recipes to help with eating meat on a budget, check out Stretch the Meat, Stretch the Dollar.

Beef and Bean Taco Filling
1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
2/3 c. rolled oats
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
5 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1 1/4 c. water

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and onion together. If you are using lean ground beef, add the oatmeal toward the end of browning. If you are using ground beef that will need the fat spooned off, brown it and spoon fat before adding the oatmeal, then give the oatmeal a few minutes to brown as you stir it around with the beef a bit.  When all of that is brown, stir in beans, taco seasoning and water and let it simmer about 10 min. Serve in taco shells with your choice of toppings.  Fills about 20 standard size tacos.

Notes: If you don't need this much for your family, you could cut the recipe in half, or you could just freeze the leftovers for a very fast second meal; heat and eat.
Jenny

The Master Grocery List

Years ago, my friend Ruth introduced me to having and using a master grocery list. This is a tool for cutting down on trips to the store and boosting sanity by helping you remember obscure things, or maintain focus when the people you took to the store with you are distracting. (That always happens to me.) The basic idea is to make a list of everything you buy, to organize it in a way that assists you in the store, and to be able with a few minutes planning to create a useful shopping list.

 I have created many of these over the years, and have finally come up with The One for Me. It won’t be the same as The One for You, but inspiration and example can be a catalyst for your own list, and may save you some steps in trying it out. It really does help! I have used a photo-copied printed check list, an electronic check list, and my friend’s original example was a thin binder that contained her list, organized by isles of her favorite grocery store which saved her time in the store.

  After all of these lists, the one I have used for years now is a batch of 3x5 cards organized in categories, held together by a tiny clip and tucked into a pocket of my purse. I consult the cards while making a hand written list which I check off when I get to the store.  I have organized my list by isle of the grocery store in the past, but since my move, I have to rely on multiple stores to fill our grocery needs, so the categorized list has become the most useful tool for me. Also, as you probably already guessed, I am a pen and paper kind of person. My electronic list was useful, and there are apps out there for making them, but I lost it all when a device broke and decided it wasn’t as reliable as my paper. I told you, my list will NOT be yours, yours will be best for you, but I encourage you to make one.  You will save time, energy, money and headache with this one great tool.

 I will include mine in its entirety here to jog your memory as you think of your own. I have it in alphabetical order by category.

Baking Supplies: flour, self-rising flour, sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, raisins, dried cranberries, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices, vanilla, cake mixes, frosting, oil, olive oil, marshmallows, mini marshmallows, cocoa powder, brownie mix, corn syrup, molasses, chocolate chips, other baking chips, baking mix, shortening, pudding mixes, coconut, jello mixes, peppercorns, almond flavoring, maple flavoring, baking spray, corn starch, candy flavoring, mint flavoring, nuts

Bread, Grains, Pasta and Beans: rice, oats, bread, French bread, pita bread, tortillas, English muffins, bagels, hot cereal, cold cereal, cornmeal, granola, stuffing mix, pasta, macaroni and cheese, ramen, cous cous, chow mien noodles, popcorn, lentils, split peas, dried beans, rice a roni, bran, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, wheat germ, Arborio rice, bread crumbs, pancake mix, granola bars

Canned Goods: corn, green beans, black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, white beans, cream corn, chicken noodle soup, tomato soup, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, chili, diced tomatoes, clams, tomato sauce, tomato paste, diced chilies, pork and beans, mandarin oranges, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, chicken, pineapple tidbits, crushed pineapple, pineapple slices, water chestnuts, beets, spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, sauerkraut, fruit cocktail, refried beans, olives

Condiments: peanut butter, jam/jelly, salsa, sweet pickles, dill pickles, pickle relish, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, gravy mixes, taco seasoning,  Lawry’s seasoned salt, onion soup packets, Italian dressing mix, teriyaki sauce, ranch dressing, Italian dressing,  ranch dressing mix, BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, dried herbs, sesame oil, minced dried onion, bacon bits, French fried onions, bouillon, maple syrup, Nutella, balsamic vinegar, chili powder, vinegar

Dairy Section: milk, eggs, cheddar cheese, margarine, butter, sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt, cottage cheese, refrigerator biscuits, Swiss cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, heavy cream, half and half

Drinks: Kool-aid packets, orange drink powder, lemonade powder, soda pop, drink pouches, water bottles, hot cocoa mix, chocolate milk powder, powdered creamer, bottled juice-apple, cranberry, tomato

Frozen Foods: corn, peas, corn dogs, burritos, broccoli/cauliflower/carrots (California) mix, meatballs, French fries, tater tots, hash browns, pizza, chicken breasts, chicken nuggets, OJ, lemonade, limeade, whipped topping, ice cream, O’Brien hash browns, individual meals (we use these for my husband’s lunches when he has access to a microwave at work-but I have to defend them like a ninja from my teenage boys who think they make great midnight snacks)

Household Goods/Cleaning Supplies: canning lids, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, sandwich bags, parchment paper, toilet paper, paper towels, garbage bags, toilet bowl cleaner, glass cleaner, fels naphtha soap, borax, face tissues, napkins, wax paper, lunch bags, cat food, cat litter, cat tray liners, matches, batteries, dish soap, dishwasher soap, lighter, laundry detergent

Hygiene Items and Grooming: men’s deodorant, women’s deodorant, feminine pads, liners, tampons, shampoo, conditioner, face scrub, face cleaning wipes, hair gel, hair spray, bar soap, body wash, lip balm, razors, shaving cream, cotton swabs, cotton balls, nail polish remover, lotion, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss picks, floss, liquid soap refill, mousse

Meats: chicken, pork, ground beef, bologna, smoked sausage, little smokies, pepperoni, hard salami, bulk sausage, Italian hot sausage, deli sandwich meat, ham, link sausage, hot dogs, bratwurst, beef, bacon

Pharmacy: ibuprofen, decongestant, allergy pills, gas-ex, anti-diarrhea pills, vitamins, sunscreen, cough syrup, band aids, eye drops, nasal saline spray, nasal decongestant spray, antibiotic ointment, butterfly band aids, gauze, personal lubricant, sinus rinse packets

Produce: apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, lettuce, peppers, onions, garlic, cucumbers, carrots, lemons, limes, tomatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, egg roll wraps, asparagus, pineapple, potatoes, yams, melon, avocado, berries, squash, dried fruit, green beans (other produce in season)

Snacks: potato chips, tortilla chips, candy, cookies, peanuts, crackers, saltines/oyster crackers, graham crackers

The list necessarily evolves over time, adding and eliminating things is normal. It is funny to think about what all is on the list. I list cake mixes, and then it is up to my menu planning to say if I mean chocolate or vanilla.  I say spices, and then leave it to my brain to note if that means I've run out of nutmeg or cinnamon--but I specify all the different kinds of canned pineapple that I buy. It only has to be what you need to keep you pointed in the right direction so you don't get home and realize you forgot the toilet bowl cleaner again, just because it isn't something you buy every week, or it isn't in a part of the store you normally walk through.

To go about making your own list, read over mine, decide on a format you want to try, copy anything from mine that is useful to you, and then go exploring through your pantry, refrigerator and freezer (don't forget the bathroom cabinets and the laundry room) to see what else you buy that isn't listed. After you make a list, take it out on some trips to the store with you and add as you go.  The more you personalize it, the more powerful it will become as a tool.

A warning: at first you may not think the list saves you time or money because your shopping trips are going to be more comprehensive, take longer and may cost more than usual, but as you fill your pantry with the items on your list, your trips to the store should decrease, and your gas, time and the extra dollars we all spend each time we are in the store will all fall away.  This can be especially useful if you have to travel a long distance to get to your grocery supplier.

When I make my weekly list I note the items we run out of as I go each week on the notepad which hangs on my fridge, then I sit down with the master list and menus, then double check my stores (or send my kids to do it :) and especially consult new recipes for specialty ingredients before I feel like my list is complete. Other posts that may be useful to you in this process are: The Fierce Pantry; The Making of a Menu. Hopefully this has been helpful! All the best!

Jenny

How to Cook a Wolf: MFK Fisher

I am reading a book called The Art of Eating, which is a compilation of several publications by MFK Fisher. I recently finished the part called How to Cook a Wolf and thought I would review it here.  This is a cookbook written at the time of rationing during World War II and although there are recipes in it, the main purpose of this book is to encourage people to live with dignity in whatever circumstances come. I really enjoyed it and found insight into homes and families in times of stress.

Between the pages are the effects of this war common to man: fuel shortages, blackouts and rationing, how to deal with a lack of personal hygiene products and pet food. But the ringing message of the book is that you cannot live constantly in a state of emergency in your mind. You must declare your mental independence and maintain whatever normal pursuits you can. This resonated with me because of our own  struggles during the recession. I came to similar conclusions working to keep my own table interesting and feeding our spirits as well as our stomachs.  I love this passage about cheese, which was almost impossible to obtain, so to be used with wisdom:

"Try it on a tired factory worker some day, or a nervous neighbor, with a glass of milk if possible or a cup of tea, and watch the unfolding of a lot of spiritual tendrils that were drawn up into a tight heedless tangle... I have seen it work miracles of restoration." (p. 341 italics added)

There is such power in food to comfort the wounded heart and mind. It encourages our bodies in the daily work they must do. Fuel, yes, but with thought and care it becomes more. It sustains physical and spiritual life. She writes at the end of the book:

"I cannot count the good people I know who, to my mind, would be even better if they bent their spirits to the study of their own hungers."(p.350)

"I believe that one of the most dignified ways we are capable of to assert and then reassert our dignity in the face of poverty and war's fears and pains is to nourish ourselves with all possible skill, delicacy and ever-increasing enjoyment.  And with our gastronomical growth will come, inevitably, knowledge and perception of a hundred other things, but mainly of ourselves.  Then Fate, even tangled as it is with cold wars as well as hot, cannot harm us." (p.350)

I am grateful for this book.  It has been affirming of my own path through troubles.  To her hearty voice and keep-up-the-good-work attitude, I say Amen.

Whole Wheat Crackers

I have been experimenting with this recipe, and I have it to where I like it.  I made them first for my daughter who wouldn't eat her tomato soup without crackers, and of course, there were no crackers in the house.  They are quick to put on the table, the recipe is simple and I have enjoyed the results. The crackers are also cheap to make, and I think if you double the batch, it is equivalent to a normal box of wheat crackers.  See what you think.

Whole Wheat Crackers
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. seasoning salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/3 c. water
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Mix dry ingredients in small mixing bowl.  Add water and oil and stir to combine.  Mixture should form a ball of dough.  Roll dough very thin, directly on a large cookie sheet and cut into strips, then cut across into squares (I use my pizza roller, and then just take a knife to the edges I can't get because of the sides of the pan).  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 8-10 min. or until brown and crisp. (Nobody wants soft crackers!)  Serve warm or cool with soups or dips.

Notes: I have doubled the batch and baked two cookie sheets at once using this tip. You can use white flour with these, you can add pepper or herbs or use olive oil--you could even use a sea salt over the tops.  I'm just beginning to experiment, but I think there are lots of possibilities here.  I like the wheat flour flavor better than white. Do let me know how your experimenting goes!

Jenny

Freezing Heavy or Whipping Cream

Cream is expensive, so anytime I find it at a good price, I like to stock up.  I found some clearanced at my local grocery store between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and brought it home to the freezer.  It is easy to freeze and lasts for several months, you just place the cardboard container in the freezer and you are done with that part.  It is a little trickier when it is time to use the cream.  If you want to use it to whip, you need to place it in the refrigerator for a day or two to thaw, then shake the carton a few times before opening and pouring out.  There may be some separation of the milk solids, but this usually isn't a problem.  I have noticed some reduced volume after whipping cream that has been frozen, but not enough to keep me from doing it.  If you are going to use the cream in anything that will be warm, a chowder, alfredo, or creme brulee, here is my tip for defrosting in the microwave.

When I first started doing this, I would open the box and place it in the microwave, but I was irritated by the inability I had to stir while it was only melted around the edges in the box.  I won't tell you how long I did this before it occurred to me to just peel the box right off of the frozen cream after you take it out of the freezer, but that is what I do now.  Place the frozen cube in a microwave safe container.  Microwave a minute at a time, turning the block and stirring until you have a nice warm cream.  Maybe you don't need this tip, but I wish someone had shared with me!

Jenny

Skillet Croutons

This is an inexpensive, simple way to dress up a soup. My kids love these, and it is a great trick to know when the crackers have been raided.  (I'm sure that never happens at your house...) 

Skillet Croutons
3 slices bread (I like to use the heel for this)
butter or margarine

Butter both sides of bread, then cut into cubes.  Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Toss buttered bread cubes in hot skillet until toasted.  Serve hot in soup or cool for salads. 

Notes: You can season these with dry herbs or garlic if you like. Just sprinkle on buttered bread before you cut in cubes.
Jenny

Lessons Learned: Food Storage and Unemployment

I think it is wise to record lessons we have learned, so we can remember them.  Our family has been struggling with unemployment or under-employment for 3 years now.  During this time, I have relied heavily on our food storage to sustain us through financial reversals.  Today I write some of the things I have learned in hopes that they will be of use to you or me in the future.
First, I believe in having a supply of food on hand.  It is a useful principle for every day living as well as protection against emergencies. When our first job loss came, we were emotionally unprepared, but not physically--there was plenty of food. These are a few things I have learned about the food:

People like to eat what they are used to eating.  It is a good thing that I have always cooked from my storage so that it wasn't completely foreign to my family to eat what was there. Seasonings of various kinds have helped make the basic foods taste like they are "supposed to" in our minds.  I have still struggled to keep all the people happy all the time.

We are not living on this storage exclusively.  I have been to the store for milk and fresh produce and eggs. It has been important to our emotional health to have this little representation of 'normal'. Whenever a little money comes in, I evaluate what is depleted and try to replace necessities first.

Though I buy milk to drink and for cereal, I have been diligent in using powdered milk in baked goods and canned milk in casseroles and soups to help stretch what we have.  I buy only the tiniest container of buttermilk and use this tip to make it from powdered milk as well.

Knowledge and creativity are my friends.  Cookbooks and a continual open-minded looking for good substitutes has helped a lot.  You can blend a can of diced tomatoes and use it as a reasonable substitute for tomato sauce.  Mayonnaise and sour cream and even buttermilk can be interchanged in lots of salads and casseroles.  Bread bags are food grade plastic, therefore they are easily reused to cover leftovers instead of using plastic wrap.  Most beans can be substituted for other beans (kidney beans for black beans in chili etc.).  Oatmeal, wheat berries and mashed beans all work as meat extenders in casseroles.

The toughest thing to replace on a constant basis has been snack foods.  We are really used to packaged pretzels, crackers, cookies, cake and brownie mixes, and even microwave popcorn.  Making all of these things from scratch takes time and effort, plus basic ingredients--but we have done a lot of it.  One of the things I have learned is that when you are baking more, you need more of the basics.  Oil and baking powder are the baking items I have found I need to replace most often.  Cornstarch and baking soda are other items that seem small but are important. I have learned that in the future, my food storage should contain more of these goods, especially those dry goods which store well. (Note to self: store a bunch of baking powder--it goes in everything!)

I have learned that I prefer a bit of whole wheat flour in most muffin recipes and many cookie recipes.  It imparts a deeper, nutty flavor that is pleasant.

Applesauce is very useful stuff: making muffins, cookies, cakes, and as an instant side dish.  It can also be used to replace part of the fat/oil in baked goods.

Plums can be juiced and the leftover pulp used to make a delicious jam!  Cherries too, but you won't get near as much juice.  Cherry juice is best made into syrup.

People are wonderful!  We have been given food of all kinds.  It has been a blessing to see how kind and generous concerned family, friends and neighbors have been about our welfare.  It has also been fun to challenge myself to learn to cook something new that just showed up.

Money does ebb and flow.  It is important when there is a little money to invest in re-stocking the pantry, because tomorrow you will be glad you did.

Dried beans are so much more useful when you cook a big bunch and freeze them, or when you take the time to bottle them.  Then you can use them instantly like the canned beans from the store.

Making my own mixes saves time, and helps with the mental strain that comes with kids who want snacks.

I make good granola bars.  We prefer them.  (Who knew?)

A good attitude helps.  (My attitude often needs help.)  If I can look at this as a challenge to be met with a bit of spunk I do so much better than if I pity myself.  I have so much!  I am not facing starvation, others probably are, but I am temporarily tight on funds, that is all.  In exchange for this trial, I have learned so much!  I am thankful for prophets of God that counsel us to put food aside against just such a time as this.

Jenny

What Grandma Knew: Bacon Drippings

About a year ago, my mother gave me a cookbook that once belonged to my great grandmother,  The Good Housekeeping Cookbook from 1942.  I love reading old cookbooks, and this one has been particularly handy.  At the time it was published, depression economy and war rationing was a real part of the minds of the cooks of the day.  There are sections of the book dedicated to stretching this and substituting that in the kitchen to make everything as pleasant as possible. One thing that caught my eye was a section dedicated to saving on butter that included the following:

"Use bacon, ham or sausage drippings in seasoning such vegetables as string beans, lima beans, rice, macaroni, vegetable sauces etc."

"Use bacon, ham or sausage drippings for sauteing white or sweet potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, apple rings, cabbage, etc." (pg. 27)

Since reading this, I have saved my bacon drippings in the fridge and found that potatoes fried in bacon fat are super and green beans seasoned with a teaspoon of bacon fat instead of butter are a new hit.  Last night I used a tablespoon of drippings to saute chard from my garden with mushrooms and lemon basil--grandma was sure smart!  I'm grateful in this day of expensive food and tight budgets to be getting more mileage out of any food stuff, but to have the shortcut taste nice as well is a bonus.  Here are the rest of the instructions on the use of pan drippings:

"If they are bacon, sausage, ham or roast drippings, strain each kind into a separate covered container and keep stored in the refrigerator.  Then use for sauteing vegetables, chicken, eggs, French Toast, fish, rabbit, etc.  The ham, bacon, or sausage drippings are good too as seasonings for vegetables and as the fat in buttered bread crumbs, stuffings, casserole dishes, soups vegetables and meat sauces, etc.  Plan to use up your pan-drippings as quickly as possible for they don't keep too well." (pg.28)

One thing I would add: remember that bacon and sausage and ham are all salty.  Taste before you salt when using the fat from any of these meats to avoid over-seasoning your food.  Also, I have yet to strain my bacon drippings, finding that I don't mind a bit of bacon in anything I might want to add drippings to.

I remember a can that held drippings at my grandma's house, but I hadn't put it all together until seeing this hint. Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without! Thanks, grandma.
Jenny

What Do You Want, Dear?

This post is one in a series on cutting the budget by eating at home. Links in this post are to other related articles.

One thing I have realized in thinking about eating out, is that many times it isn't physical hunger that motivates the trip out the door.  Today I want to address the emotional reasons we eat out, and how to cope with them so we can keep the money in our wallets.

I've identified these reasons: Convenience, Celebrations, Boredom, Mother Me, Get Me Out of Here!. I'm sure there are others, but by the time we've discussed a few, hopefully ideas will flow to you about your own feelings and your own situation.   (By the way, these are all legitimate reasons to eat out, and sometimes that is great, but if we are trying to satisfy one emotional need and end up replacing it with guilt or worry because a splurge wasn't in the budget, then we are not helping ourselves or our family.)

Convenience:  I'm guessing this is the main reason we go out to eat.  The best way to battle this one is with a solid menu plan that includes low stress meals several times a week. Also be prepared with some Cheater Pants meals tucked away in your Fierce Pantry.

Celebrations: Food is one of my all time favorite ways to celebrate! Once in a while a celebration sneaks up on us as a happy surprise, but I will submit that we know in advance about 90% of the celebrations in our lives, and therefore can plan for and budget for them.  Birthdays, holidays and family milestones are fun and budget friendly when held at home.  The key to food for an occasion is to have a plan and make everything you can ahead of time, then the celebration really feels like an occasion, even for the cook.  My family loves silly theme parties consisting of decorations, food and a  game or two.  A few streamers hung in the kitchen make everyone feel festive and costs only pennies and forethought.  Children love to help with everything when it is a party!  Call in the reinforcements!

Boredom: Sometimes we are tired of the same old routine, same food, same expected remarks, bleah.  If you realize this is one of your motivators, then you are in for a treat! 
1) Take yourself to the library with a really big bag.  Fill the bag with every cookbook that looks remotely interesting (concentrate on getting some with great photos) and tote them home.  Spread them out and invite your family to flip through with you and find some things that look yummy or exciting.  Make a shopping list and try one new recipe each week for awhile.  You will find new favorites and add new life to dinnertime. 
2) Find a new-to-you ingredient at the grocery store and surf the net for ways to cook it.  Tickling your brain with a challenge can be rejuvenating.
3) Set the table in a fancy way and invite everyone to dress up for dinner, even if it is only a Wednesday with the same old menu.  Light some candles and play soft classical music.  Little girls love this!
4) Give everyone a bib and no utensils.
5) Eat outside on a blanket.
You get the idea.  Think outside your usual dinner box, not just the food, but where you eat, how you set the table, how to involve family members in new ways.

Mother Me, Please.: You know the days when you are sad and tired and you just wish that someone would take care of you?  When it would be so nice to sit down to eat something wonderful if it weren't for the hitch that you would have to make it?  I wish there weren't so many days like this!  There are a few ways to give yourself the gift of a hot meal you didn't have to worry about today:
1) Periodically freeze a casserole or a lasagna.  When you are ready to use it, take it out of the freezer and put it in a cold oven, then turn on the heat, bake for as long as you normally would.
2) If you can tell early in the afternoon that you are needy, pull out the crock pot. Fill it with something simple and read a book while it does the work.
3) Teach someone else to cook.  If you have children old enough to help out in the kitchen, encourage them to learn to make a meal or two, and assign them the kitchen on stressful days.
4) Keep a stash of treats for days when you feel entitled.  Sometimes if I've had a few M&Ms, I can face dinnertime anyway. (These are special, medicinal chocolates, you know.)

Get Me Out of Here!: This is the night when you feel like running away from the kids and all the housework and there is a new stress everywhere you look.  When I get to this point, I go to my bedroom and shut the door and get on my knees and ask for help.  I know God stands ready to help mothers in the work of caring for their families, because he has helped me out of this corner time and time again.  Another thing that helps with this is to have a scheduled night out.  I can cope all week if I know on Friday I do get out of here!  I can even make dinner if I know that when it is over, I'm gone!

You can do this!  Ask yourself what it is that you really want, and then work to meet that specific emotional need.  It is empowering to have a plan, and to know there is something you can do.
Jenny

The Fierce Pantry

Old Mother Hubbard went to her cupboard to fetch her poor dog a bone.

When she got there, the cupboard was bare and so her poor dog had none.

I want to write today and in the near future addressing the topic of saving money by staying home to eat.  Eating out is a money and peace sneak.  (Mostly it sneaks our peace by sneaking our money.)  It can also lead to health problems and steal away family togetherness at meals. Let me be clear that I do not feel eating out is in any way morally wrong, just in our culture we have come to rely on it heavily and now as we face recession and tighter belts, we need to remember how to cut back on what is really a luxury.

The first idea I have on this is to avoid Mother Hubbard's predicament: an empty cupboard.  If you look at your eating habits and you are ordering pizza on the day before the big grocery shop is scheduled, you are facing a bare pantry.  What to do? You want a pantry that is dedicated!  You want it to be 100% on your side! Lets talk about stocking your pantry boldly in layers so it is your favorite ally in the dinner-time decision war.

The Layers: basic food stuffs; seasonings and condiments; canned/bottled goods that your family likes; convenience foods (both homemade and store purchased); snacks and treats; perishables; frozen foods.

Basic Food Stuffs: Flour, sugar, rice, pasta, potatoes (dried), oil and shortening, peanut butter and oatmeal.  This is the basis of what you make.  Most are dry ingredients that store well and are the staples of your pantry.  Do not run low on these, and do not underestimate their value.

Seasonings and Condiments:  How bland life would be without ketchup and her cousins!  I find that barbecue sauce, mustard, flavored vinegar, good olive oil, dried herbs, ground spices and various cultural seasoning sauces are many times the key to making the basic food stuffs work.  Salsa makes anything nice.  Worcestershire sauce and oyster sauce are all happily co-existing in my fridge.  Stock your favorites!  Be bold.

Canned/bottled goods that your family likes: Fruits and veggies stored this way are so useful in so many recipes!  I stock canned corn, beans, pineapple, tomatoes and tomato sauce, mandarin oranges and mushrooms.  Soups and chili too. In my bottles are applesauce, fruit pie fillings, peaches, pears, jams and syrups and juice.  Don't stock something that you don't like.  This should go without saying, but we have all had the sad realization after bringing home something new that it is unwelcome.  Give it to your local food bank.  Otherwise it taunts you from your shelves when you are hungry.  You automatically think, "Nothing here but that old sauerkraut again."

Convenience foods: This is what you need when you are physically and emotionally tired.  It can be boxes of cold cereal, a box of corn dogs or a casserole that you made a month ago and stashed smugly in the freezer for just such a rainy day.  This is a very important layer in your pantry.  We tend to go through these items fast in stressful times, so keep up on this one!  Pre-cooked meats are excellent here.  Cook a chicken and shred it off the bones and freeze in two cup portions.  Do the same with hamburger, brown 3 lbs. at a time, use one in tonight's meal and freeze two of them. You will thank yourself for this gift each time you are able to make a casserole in minutes.

Snacks and Treats: When my husband opens my pantry and stares into it, he wants snacks to answer.  If there are no treats, his mind tells him there is no food.  Plain and simple. Some ideas for this one are crackers, popcorn, pretzels, yogurt, carrot sticks and Popsicles. Treats are a bit like snacks, only sweeter.  Cake and brownie mixes or cookies stashed in the freezer are all in this category.  This is one area I find coupons very helpful, I watch for the sales and then I hide goodies ninja fashion until they are "needed".  Keep basics for making treats on hand too: chocolate chips, coconut, raisins and cocoa powder.  I like to store sweetened condensed milk and graham cracker crusts in my stash too.

Perishables: When you go to the grocery store, try to stock up on enough of these items to last you until your next planned trip.  Milk, bread, eggs, butter/margarine, fresh fruits and veggies and root vegetables with a little longer storage life are all part of this layer.  Yogurt and buttermilk and sour cream are nice to have on hand as well.

Frozen Foods: If a dog is man's best friend, a freezer is a cook's.  Stash just everything you can here.  An assortment of meats (especially when you find them on sale), vegetables and fruits, sauces, frozen potatoes and other convenience foods as well as left overs or planned overs should all appear when you open your freezer.

When you have built this layered supply in your kitchen and couple it with a menu plan, you are well prepared to take on whatever may come in feeding your family.  You don't need to stock your pantry overnight, but if you can look at your finances and take a bit of what you are spending to eat out and put it toward your pantry each week, you will soon have that fierce friend.

Notes: If you are a new reader, and this is an important topic to you, you might find these posts useful:
Cheater Pants Meals
Crockpots and Friends

Jenny

Coping with Less Cash

This post comes as we round the bend for 11 months of unemployment in the last year.  This is the 3rd year in a row that we have been unemployed for a time, my husband's industry being very hard hit by the recession.  But this is the longest stretch by far.  It has taught us a few things about coping that I want to share here.  This post will be most useful to those who live in my same area, but I am sure there are similar things everywhere, if you know where to look for them.

I want to list some things that we have found to stretch all the dollars even more.  Getting creative and gaining knowledge are two principles of survival here.  Every thing you learn that you can apply to coping gives you ability and security.  Knowledge is power.  Creativity is the frosting on all of that.  Ask your brain a question and give it time to respond, you will be surprised what you come up with.  Also pray.  The Lord has helped us so much, and we are grateful and acknowledge his hand in our lives.

Grocery Stores: Use coupons on top of sale prices.  Adjust your eating to what is on sale.  But also know where the store puts everything they are discounting and check out the deals each time you go.  My store has a rack for day old bakery items, a cart for non-grocery clearance, and a special sticker they use on the close dated dairy, meat, and deli items.  My big family can plow through any close dated items, or many of them can be frozen, so I never hesitate to buy them.  Sometimes I have a coupon to use on clearance items, then the discount gets deep.  We love the day old bread store.  I go once in a while and fill my freezer with bread and buns for half of what you usually pay.  Also, if you have animals to feed, you can buy the 3 day old bread by the truck load for animal feed.

Freecycle:  This is a community web site where you sign up to offer and accept free items.  It is great!  If you have furnishings or clothing you would like to see used by others, you offer it here.  If you need an item you can request it and see if someone in the community has one for you.  It keeps these things out of the land fills and can be a great boon to those strapped for cash.

Paperback Book Swap: I can't really go long without buying a book...my biggest weakness.  So I have loved being part of this online community!  I list ten books I am willing to trade and I instantly get 2 credits to order a book from another member.  Then, every time I successfully mail out a book, I get a credit for another book.  All postage is paid by the person doing the mailing.  I have been able to keep books rotating through my home for a few dollars at a time.  Most books ship for $2-$3.  You can also sign up to swap CDs and DVDs this way.

Zenni Optical:  This was recommended to us by two different parties, but we were still a bit worried buying glasses online; however, everything was wonderful!  My daughter broke her glasses playing volleyball and we were able to get two new pair, with the special lenses and coatings our optometrist suggested for $34 shipped! Wow!

Netflix: My husband used to buy a movie a month, just because he wanted to see it.  Many of them were not a show we would watch over and over, so I felt this was a huge waste.  Netflix has been a good answer for us.  For the price of one movie ticket a month, we get to see the new releases.  Even if the nine people in our house only watched one movie from Netflix each month, it would be worth our basic subscription.  They also have a nice service where you can put your account on vacation for up to three months at a time, so when the dollars are really tight, we go without for awhile.

Savers on Mondays:  We have a local thrift store called Savers.  Every Monday they have a 99 cent sale where they put their oldest merchandise on sale for 99 cents.  They have a large selection of clothing and this is where I go if we have specific needs.  It is particularly useful for women's jeans, as they get a large selection and I can usually find a few pairs that work well each time I go to look.  Savers also has a 50% off sale around many holidays.

Free haircuts at Supercuts:  Supercuts puts all of their newly-hired stylists through a training/testing for several days.  At this time, all of the haircuts are free, they are looking for models to work on.  I happen to live right next to one of these training locations, but I am sure they are found where ever the chain has stores.  You sign up on the list and wait your turn, so it can take time, but you can't beat the price!  This is another area where learning can help.  You can buy a set of hair clippers for about $12-$15 at Walmart.  It is not hard to learn to cut hair for little boys (it is just hard to keep them still!).  I cut hair for my husband and my boys, and take myself and the girls in for the freebies periodically.  In our area, check craigslist for advertisements on when they are doing the next round of free cuts.

Trading Services:  Usually I think of this with babysitting, but my husband has offered to swap hours of his labor for car repairs and plumbing work.  Look on your local Craigslist under barter, or talk around your neighborhood.  I recently heard of a lady trading housecleaning for piano and violin lessons for her children. I know my mom used to help make dance costumes for part of my dance lessons price.

Look for Local Help:  Even if you can't trade services, many times you can get a deal on what you need if you do a little sleuthing.  There are several good mechanics in my neighborhood, and they are cheaper than using the shop.  If I can work around their schedules, I can get a good deal, and they make a bit of extra money too.  Makes everyone happy.

Craigslist: Already mentioned a couple of times, this is a great place to buy and sell used items, connecting up with others trying to do the same, is half the battle.  If you are in Utah, you can also use ksl classifieds.

Time Instead of Money:  This Christmas, many of the gifts I gave out were hand made.  I have time, and materials, but no extra money.  Works for birthday parties too.  This is another area where what you know helps you out.

Local Library:  Where would we be without it?  I love the books, movies, CDs and audiobooks we get here.  Ours has a large county system we can make requests from and several locations to choose from.  I find it works best if I go once a week.  That allows me to keep track of everything, because fines are what we are trying to avoid!

Yard Sales: O, that the summer months were here always!  I love to buy clothing at yard sales.  So often I get what I need for 25-50 cents an item.  You have to look ahead.  The children will always grow.  Our rule of thumb is to only keep things they can use in the next year or two.  But high ticket items like coats and boots are worth keeping for a while if you got them for a song.

What Goes Around, Comes Around:  If we have things we are no longer using, we take the time to pass them on to other families that can use them.  This means sorting out the worn out and cleaning or even mending, but if I give it away, I find things tend to show up at my house when we need them.  It also creates a sense of community when you are watching out for one another.  (Clipart by KarensWhimsy)

Express Gratitude:  We have been helped on all sides by many loving, helping hands to get through both the financial and emotional trials that come with unemployment.  So many times, I wish I could do for others what they are doing for me, but I trust someday my turn to help will come.  In the meantime, all I can do is say thanks.  Thanks for sharing, for taking time, for being true friends, for withholding judgement, for phone calls and anonymous donations.  We are grateful for angels seen and unseen that remind us of God's love. Thanks.

Jenny

Eat Out and Save

We have talked about some ways to avoid eating out in an attempt to help the pocket book, but there are times when we enjoy and look forward to a meal with a spouse or friend that we didn't have to cook or do the dishes. Here are some tips to save a few dollars anyway.

Clip coupons: Most fast food chains and many family style restaurants have a series of coupons they mail out or that can be found in the weekend paper.  They offer savings to the wise, so gather them in one place and refer to them when planning your outing. You may want to keep them in the car if you don't usually plan ahead. You can also get a yearly Happenings book for many cities or visit restaurant.com for discount meals.

Drink water:  If there are just two of you and you each order a simple lemonade, you have probably added about $6 to your tab.

Share the food: Once when I went out to eat with a friend, she ordered her meal and a take out box at the same time.  When the meal came, she immediately separated half of it into the box, then enjoyed the half remaining on her plate.  She left with a second meal for her fridge, and she had practiced portion control.  We can apply the same principle by sharing an entree or a dessert with a spouse or friend.

Use the drive-thru: In our area, a tip is not expected at fast food-type restaurants, so often in the warm months, we order at the drive thru and take our meal to a park to eat under a tree. We get a nice visit and scenery for less cash.

Just desserts: Sometimes, for our date night, my husband and I will have a simple meal with the children and then go out for an activity and dessert at a fun restaurant.  I get the eating out experience in a whole new way, as I'm usually too full to try a dessert if we have already eaten an entree!

Soup or salad: My husband will often order a bowl of soup.  It usually comes with a type of bread and he gets his meal for pretty cheap.  The same idea usually holds true if you try a salad.

Consider your situation:  If you are choosing a restaurant, think about why you are going.  To visit? Avoid the noisy sports-bar type places.  To have a new culinary adventure? Ask around, do your homework.  Enjoy every dollar you spend to have that experience. Many restaurants have a menu to view online and some information about what you can expect there.  Don't forget to look for a coupon, or try the daily special,  it usually will be tasty and either a few dollars off, or a something-nice thrown in.  Don't scrimp by not leaving a tip where it is called for! That is not  the way to save a few dollars. Be aware of week day specials, for instance, Village Inn offers a free slice of pie on Wednesdays when you order any menu item.  I love free pie!  If you have other ideas to share, I'm always looking for a good one!
Jenny

Eat In and Save; Crock pots and Friends

Another way we can avoid eating out is to plan to use our kitchen tools to our advantage.  The ones I rely on most in this way are my crock pot, freezer, and microwave oven.  With a little planning, crock pot meals take only minutes to assemble, and greet us at the end of the day with promising aromas and instant hot food.  They are also great in the summer time, not overly heating the kitchen.  I find the little instruction booklet that came with my crock pots to be full of yummy recipes and hints on how to use the device.  You can also use it for about any meal that calls for simmering.  Just transfer to the crock pot, set the temperature and go.  Crock pots with removable crockery are the easiest to clean and they come in fun colors and all sizes. They also have the advantage of preparing the food ahead, right in the crockery.  Refrigerate until time to start cooking. I had a tiny crock pot given to me at high school graduation which I used for my college years, and four of them given to us at our wedding.  (We took all four back and traded for one with removable crockery, which was a little more expensive back then.)  Now we have grown out of that one too.  I may own the granddaddy of crock pots at this point!

The microwave is also my friend.  Just about any casserole that calls for baking in the oven can be micro-cooked for 10 min. Almost all my vegetables are steamed in it, and leftovers for lunch are always heated there.  There are some desserts you can make in the microwave too!  It has the added advantage of being capable of taking cold dishes from the refrigerator or freezer and heating right away.  You can assemble your casserole in advance and refrigerate, then pop it in the microwave for its 10 min. any time you are ready to eat.

The freezer is my main source of quick meal tools.  It allows you to save your work for another day.  Freeze breakfast foods like waffles and pancakes which can be toasted or microwaved.  Make double batches of muffins and freeze what you don't eat immediately.  Seconds in the microwave and you have breakfast on the run. Freeze cooked meats in recipe size portions: browned ground beef, chunks of chicken or turkey, pre-cooked meatballs, seasoned pork; all make into meals so fast!  If your freezer has a few of these, you have options.  Breads (including tortillas) freeze well for short periods, quick breads too freeze well.  Cheese can be frozen, but will crumble, so the way to freeze cheese is to shred it first, then top casseroles or pizza with the frozen shreds before baking.  Leftover or planned over soups will freeze well (providing they are not full of potatoes, which tend to lose body in the freezer) Just Good Chili and Chicken Sausage Gumbo are good examples.  You can also make lasagna in two smaller containers and bake one and freeze one.  Another that freezes nicely is enchiladas.  Really your imagination is the limit. (And those pesky potatoes....)  I love to buy green peppers when they are cheap or free from my garden, wash and slice, then freeze.  I've been told you can do the same with onions, but I haven't tried.

Also, though I haven't mentioned it yet, the freezer is the main stock of easy-peasy meals like frozen burritos, cardboard pizzas (our name for the thin, frozen ones), chicken nuggets and frozen fries.  Stocking these can be a life saver!  Buy when they are on sale or use coupons and they are going to feed you for less than that restaurant bill!  In fact, I'm pretty sure we can eat like this on less than we would need to leave for a tip!
Jenny

Eat In and Save; The Cheater-Pants Meal

Yesterday I was reading on a new site Imagine a Happier You which helps women to work towards a more stable position financially.  Several women commented they felt they were spending too much money eating out, and were frustrated with time and energy being at a premium.  I have been thinking about it, and I want to dedicate several blog posts to this problem that gets many of us.  First, you should know the main reason I don't take my family out to eat:

Once upon a time, about 3 years ago, my husband decided it would be nice to take the children to a restaurant.  We entered a family-friendly establishment (Dee's, I think), and seated 6 children 2 parents and 1 babe-in-high-chair.  The excitement was high as the waitress approached with water in glasses and straws all around.  Children began to blow straw wrappers and pat the tiny puddles of water left on the table every time they pulled the straw out of the glass.  We did survive ordering the food. So did the waitress.  But then it was time to wait for the food....and wait....7 children get fidgety and one of them (I still cringe to think about this) discovered that there was gum stuck to the underside of the table.  Sequence of events: Child in question feels a bump under the table.  Head of child ducks under to see what it is.  Child sits up and announces loudly, "Hey, there is gum under here!"  Six children disappear in the blink of an eye, all heads under the table to investigate.  Ugh! Trying not to draw too much attention to ourselves (ha, ha!) we encouraged the children in strong voices to get up off the floor. (Did I mention ewww!)  They continue to discuss frankly and openly the type, quantity and colors of the gum. Finally mediocre food came from the kitchen.  The children played in it.  We paid for the mostly uneaten food, leaving a large tip for the unfortunate waitress, and headed for home.  The children wanted food the minute we walked in.  Sigh.

Now you have an idea of my background.  This story plus the fact that I am a tight wad keeps us from eating out.  But I still have many of those times when the fridge is empty or unappetizing, or I am tired and just want someone to mother me instead of the other way around.  So, what to do about it?  Many times when I am tempted to run out for something, I tell myself, "It will take 20 minutes either way."  By that, I mean it will take 20+ minutes to drive away, decide on food, pay for it and bring it back, or it will take 20 minutes to put on one of my emergency back-up meals.  When I look at it that way, it seems to take just as much time and energy to run for something.  The main thing to remember here is that what we are really dealing with is hunger and comfort.  Hunger can be taken care of almost instantly, a can of soup, carrots and dip from the fridge.  You can think so much more clearly and be so much braver if you eat something small and instant in the moment.  The comfort part is the most intimidating.  We are hungry, we need comfort after a rough day, but there are all the faces of our loved ones swimming in front of us, they want to be fed and comforted too.

My first tip for this is to stock some cheater-pants meals.  Ones that take so very little time and effort that you can satisfy that first wave of need without compromising your sanity.  The following are some ideas I use:

1)  Western Family Alfredo packets.  Boil noodles, add practically instant sauce, throw in left over meat if there is any.

2) Canned spaghetti sauce, same drill.

3) Canned chili and tortilla chips. Heat and eat.

4) Tomato soup and cheese sandwiches (I can get away with just tomato soup and saltines, but I am a hero if I have oyster crackers or goldfish crackers.)

5) Taco soup: 1 can chili, 1 can corn, 1 can tomatoes.  Stir together, heat, serve with chips and cheese.

6) Instant mashed potatoes and gravy from a can or mix. Stir in left over meat or meat from the freezer (more on this in an up-coming post).

7) Eggs.  The magic protein that cooks so fast!  Scramble eggs, serve with toast. Top with cheese if you feel festive.

8) Egg variation: open 1 can chicken noodle soup, add it to 4 beaten eggs.  Scramble all in a bit of butter, serve over toast.

9) Pancakes and syrup. (esp. if you have a pancake mix on hand!)

10) Biscuits and gravy. (canned or Bisquick biscuits and gravy from a packet or can)

If I serve a cheater-pants meal, sometimes I find that after I am fed, I feel better, so I make dessert...or maybe I feel entitled, so I make dessert.  In either case, a brownie mix can stave off the next wave of just-before-bed munchies.  I'd love to hear some of your quick and super-easy meals! (I can always use a few more....)
Jenny

Mixes make Cents

I believe the first of this series of cookbooks was created in the 1970's.  I became familiar with it in its second run about 12 years ago.  I still remember cringing at the $20 I spent on the book (in the days before I could shop on-line) and wondering if it would ever pay for itself.  At the beginning, the authors talked about how we already use mixes in our cooking, like cake mixes, brownie and pancake mixes, but that you could make your own.  I was used to making my own everything, and I was looking for something to stretch my time and my dollar.  I was not disappointed.  The way it is set up, the book begins with a series of recipes for basic mixes, and then lists a group of recipes to be made from each mix.  Originally I was discouraged, thinking it was a whole new system and I might be overwhelmed, but I had invested....so I began to try it out. 

I cannot say what a help this has been over the years.  I can take an hour one afternoon a month and make up a batch of mixes. I let the kids help and we make it a sort of party.  Later, the mixes really cut down on time in the kitchen.  I also like knowing all the ingredients my family is eating. You will need canisters, but I had been given a bunch for my wedding, so I was already set.  After that, we use the mixes all month.  Right hand ones are Quick Mix, Muffin Mix, Hot Cocoa Mix, and Russian Refresher (to name a few).  I also love their cookie mix recipe.   Now that I use coupons, I can buy store mixes for about as cheap as making my own, so when I get the chance I do, but I still make many mixes and this little book revolutionized the way I look at cooking!
Jenny

Stretch the Meat, Stretch the Dollar

We are all aware that meat is one of the big expenses at the grocery store.  Here are some ways that I have learned to stretch the meat, I'd love to hear any you have to share!

1) Serve it in casseroles, it takes less to satisfy everyone.
2) Use intensely flavored meats, like ham, bacon or sausage in with a starch-potatoes, pasta, or rice.  The flavor goes a long way and you can use less.
3) Plan leftovers into your menu.  If I am roasting a chicken for one meal, you can bet that in a couple of days, there will be Chicken Noodle Soup, or Chicken and Dumplings. This way, none is wasted.
4) Soups stretch meats.  My Taco Soup feeds us all one and a half times on 1/2 lb. of hamburger.
5) Add beans.  They are such a good-for-you protein, and cheap too!  You can add canned, mashed beans to dishes like Sloppy Joes or Enchiladas, and no one will ever know.
6) Add oatmeal.  Use this one for stretching ground beef in burgers or meatloaf.  Just add the oatmeal to the ground beef while it is raw, about 1/2 c./ lb.  This trick helps keep burgers from shrinking too.
7) Serve bread on the side.  Adults and children alike enjoy bread with a meal, and it is filling.
8) Serve a variety of side dishes.  Everyone's plate should look full when it is loaded.
9) Cut your meat into small pieces when adding it to a casserole or soup, you get meat in more bites of food this way.
Jenny

Do the Cooking

This is the next idea in the series for saving money on your grocery budget.  I start out with a disclaimer, lest you get the impression that we do not pull hot dogs, buns and fries out of the freezer on a regular basis.  We do.  And we eat mac and cheese out of the box etc.

However, it is important to remember that food is usually cheapest in the least processed form. Every processing step ups the price tag. For instance, I can pay $1.29 for 2 lbs of large carrots, or I can pay $2.50 for a 2 lb. bag of "baby" carrots, that are already peeled and cut. This is a tricky area, because we are trading time for money.  Time is worth money too, so if it is not worth it to you to peel carrots, fine.  But the general principle is sound and looking for things we can do, will allow us to save money.  Respect savings of a few cents, it all adds up in the end!

One of my favorite ways to apply this is with pre-cooking meat.  It is so convenient, but expensive to buy pre-cooked, frozen chicken breasts,  or pre-cooked bacon, or meat balls.  But all of these things are easy to cook at home, and you can freeze them for a later time.  Take a package of boneless, skinless chicken, season and bake. It takes almost no time for preparation, and you can be busy with something else while it bakes. When it is done, and cooled, you can package it in meal-sized portions, label and freeze.  I love to have already cooked chicken or ground beef in my freezer! 

Another way to do this is to make extra and freeze it.  Children at my house love cookies.  They will eat as many as I bake at any given time, but there are several recipes in my stash that make many dozen, so after I bake part of the dough, I take part and roll it into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap, and pop it in the freezer.  When the next cookie panic sets in, we pull it out, slice it while frozen and bake the exact same way as if it were not  frozen.  I even write the baking instructions on the package, so I don't have to look it up. Work once, eat twice or more. Now we have saved time and money (and, most importantly, we STILL HAVE COOKIES)!

Just some ideas to get you thinking.  I would love to hear how this works in your home!  I am always looking for new ideas too.  I will try to actively point out ways to apply this principle as I add to the blog, so look for them.
Jenny

Coupons Cut Costs

Two years ago, my sister convinced me to try couponing.  She had been using them successfully for a while and I had come up with every excuse in the book to not jump on board.  It would take too much time.  It would be a pain.  "You can't possibly get tighter with groceries than I am and I bet it won't change my bills that much.  It is all junk food and things I never use."  Yes, I said it all. But the bald fact was, she was getting some great deals! We had just barely survived a round of unemployment, and I needed new tactics.  So I tried it out, and I am a believer!

It does take time.  But my husband (who loves trivial facts) came up with a number from some place that the average coupon cutter makes/saves $84 per hour of time invested.  I know for our family we saved $4000 the first year off of grocery and household items.  I have been impressed with how much it has helped! 

I do not profess to be a guru at this.  I am still called a junior penny pincher on the web site I use for couponing, so I will just link you up with the pros. But, I will give you a run down on the basics.  The first idea is to only use a coupon if the item is already discounted for a sale.  This gives you the biggest savings.  The second idea is the power of multiple coupons.  I don't just get one Sunday paper with coupons, I get four.  Then I stack my coupons with like pages together and staple through the coupon before I clip it.  Now when shampoo goes on sale, I can get four of them at the sale price with a coupon instead of one.  Four papers seems to be a good number for the number of people we have in our house.  It allows me to have a stock on hand, but not a ridiculous one.  My neighbor has 5 people in her house and she uses two sets of coupons.

There are two camps (probably more, actually) in the coupon world, one is the clippers, and the other is the filers.  The clippers cut the coupons and file them in a binder or coupon organizer for carrying with them into the store.  The filers only clip the coupons each week that they are going to use for the week.  When the coupon inserts come, they mark the date on the front and file it in a folder. They use the Internet to track the coupons and match them to the sales.  It will all be revealed by the experts, but I am putting in a plug for clipping.  So often I am at the store and find an unadvertised special.  Because I am a clipper with a binder, all my coupons are with me, and because I clipped and sorted them, I am familiar with them.  I can take advantage of any unadvertised or clearance merchandise and many times it comes home for free!

One note to the junk food/things I don't use concern: I was wrong.  If you use toilet paper, deodorant, shampoo, cleaning products in your home, etc., etc. you will use coupons.  I had only focused on the food coupons, but I have been really impressed with the way it has helped on the non-food grocery items around here!  OK, here is the magic.  There are alot of coupons sites out there.  This one is Free (my favorite price).  It is extremely useful locally and they have links for other states (see the state forums), but search around if you are not from the intermountain west, there are probably sites like this in your area too.  Coupons have become a big deal lately! There is sure to be something!  Read the thread for newbies.  You won't be sorry!

Food Storage Strategy

Food storage is something I learned about early in my marriage, and it has been a huge part of saving money in the food budget.  My husband and I were shopping at our first case lot sale.  We had been married for about a year, and I was very excited about the prices, they were so much lower than I had been paying.  Nathan asked me, "Well, why aren't we buying more?" I remember giving him a blank stare. It was obvious to me that we were staying within our weekly food budget.  He explained it like this: "Look, if  this is stuff we will use, and this is the best price you've seen all year, and it will store for a year, why don't we buy enough for the year?" We couldn't afford to buy a year's worth of everything that time, but we did buy bulk of what we would use most, and we saved up for case lot the next year so we could buy a year's worth of our canned goods.  We figure the savings add up to about 30%, simply by buying when it is on sale and being able to hold it here in our home.

Storage capacity is something to consider seriously. Food in various forms can be stored for extra months giving you leverage. It works like this: I have a deep freeze. When chicken goes on sale, I can stock up by storing it in my freezer. I can buy enough at a good price to wait until the next time it goes on sale. Just like white sales happen in January, food goes on sale in cycles too. If you can buy it at the best price, and store enough to get you through to the next sale on it, you are never paying more than you should for that item. Canned goods store for a year or more, check expiration dates. Meat will stay good in your freezer for up to a year, depending on the packaging, and the temperature of your freezer--frost-free freezers are not as cold, and food lasts longer in the frosty kind. Dry goods, carefully packed, can last longer. Even if you build only a small food storage, you will save yourself money this way. This will also cut down on trips to the store, which cuts down on impulse buying. If you are really tight on space, get creative. Your coat closet can hold coats on hangers and cans on the floor. It is important to store food where you can easily get to it, then you will use it effectively. You don't want food you have stored to go bad!

This does take some thinking.  It will not serve to buy too many cans of sauerkraut unless you are a real fan.  Look at your family's eating habits, consider what items you eat all the time that can be stored.  Consider your budget too.  Start small and work on it.  You are learning the price points that are best at your favorite grocery store, put that knowledge to work for you.  When you find the deal, buy as much as you can afford and as much as will last for the time it will store.  Although I still love a good case lot sale, I now rotate my stocking up throughout the year.  Pork and beans, olives and barbecue sauce are all cheapest in the summer months.  Stock up on soups in the winter.  This way you avoid having a whole bunch of food that is expiring all at once. If you are storing your food on shelves, stock them the way a supermarket does with the newest things at the back.  Use a Sharpie to label things you are putting in your freezer with the date you are freezing it.  You can use the Sharpie on any item you purchased to remind you the date you added it to the storage.  With a little evaluation and some strategic planning, you will be on your way to saving at least your 30%!

Jenny