Frugal Cooking - a Bargain You Can Live With
July 29, 2008
Frugal cooking is very important now because it’s costing more and more to just exist in these days of the rising cost of living. It’s getting to be a real problem, especially for those on a fixed income or public assistance.
One way to help keep food costs down is to buy in bulk. I’m talking about canned goods and packaged foods that have a long shelf life. You don’t want to buy things like fruits and vegetables in bulk because they will likely spoil before you get a chance to use them all. You can also buy foods in bulk that freeze well, such as meats and poultry. Also, watch for bags of frozen vegetables to go on sale. These will keep for quite a while in a good freezer, especially if they are “double” bagged inside another zip-lock bag.
Packaged foods contain all sorts of ingredients that we don’t need in our bodies, such as excessive salt and who knows what else. Making your own “quick” casserole from leftovers can be just as fast and a lot more nutritious than some of the stuff you find on the grocery store shelves.
You don’t always have to buy the top brands of canned or packaged foods. Generic or “store” brand foods are less expensive and, when used in casseroles or mixed with other foods, taste just the same as the more expensive foods. Sometimes, they even taste better.
I normally go to discount stores to buy canned and packaged goods. The quality is the same but slight dents in the cans will lower the cost, sometimes considerably. The only difference is the name on the can and the color of the label. Why pay full price for something that is just as good elsewhere? You can also buy flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar at discount stores cheaper than at regular grocery stores. Do watch the expiration dates on these items. Baking powder that is too old won’t work as it should and you’ll be wasting your money.
When you go to the grocery store without a shopping list, you’re leaving yourself open to buying things that you think you want instead of things that you really need. There’s a reason that the stores put certain items on shelves that are at eye level. They want you to buy the more expensive foods rather than the cheaper foods.
Create a shopping list from “on sale” items from your local newspaper and flyers. If you plan your meals around the items that are on sale and in season, you’ll save more money. Planning meals is always a good idea whether you’re on a budget or not.
Go to the “Dollar” stores in your area to buy spices such as oregano, thyme, Italian seasoning and basil. You can buy more than one jar if you want to. The spices will keep just fine as long as you don’t open them.
Join a “membership” store such as Costco. You may think that the membership fee isn’t worth it, but trust me…I’ve saved a LOT of money there. You don’t always find exactly everything you want but you can get great deals on cases of canned goods, paper products and pet foods. Even though Fido has to eat, he doesn’t have to have “Pet Store” food! You can also get great buys on meats and poultry at membership stores. They bulk package so you’ll have to divide them into appropriate meal-sized portions before freezing.
Are you stuck with leftovers that sit in your refrigerator for weeks until you throw them out? Why not freeze them? Buy several boxes of different sized freezer bags and throw your leftovers in them for those days you can’t think of anything else to have for dinner. Bags don’t have to brand name either. The less expensive bags will do just as well. Just wash them out when you’re done with them and save them for another day.
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