22 WAY TO SAVE ON BUYING FOOD

Food is generally the most controllable expense we have. As with anything else, our monetary savings are directly proportional to how much time and effort we spend. . .

General Tips

How low can you go? In this version of the pantry game, see if you can
make a tasty and satisfying stew with a quarter pound or less of meat. Use spicesor herbs to bring out the flavor, and make it hearty with leftover vegetables, pasta, mushrooms and the like - whatever you can find.

Use plastic bottles that soft drinks or juices come in, in all sizes, to
fill the empty places in your freezer. Not only will keeping your freezer
filled make it run more efficiently, but you'll be better prepared for
electrical outages, (the extra ice will keep things frozen longer) and
have safe emergency water supplies.

Don’t over-shop. A bargain isn’t really a bargain if it goes to waste.
Ask yourself: will it keep? Can it store it? Does my family like it? Will I
really cook it? If the answer to any of these is no, don’t stock up on
it – at any price.

Eat less meat. Meatless meals are almost always cheaper. Beans,
grains, cheese, eggs – all make a less expensive basis for a meal than meat (and these days, include most seafood in the high priced category).

Use Up Those Odds’n’Ends

Save juices from cans. Liquid from vegetables can be used as vegetable
stock or a more nutritious base in which to boil pasta, potatoes, etc. Juice
from a can of black olives can be incorporated into marinades or salad
dressings. Grate orange peels and freeze, for use in baked goods and
other recipes. Think before you throw out!

Clean out your refrigerator on a regular basis, and freeze small bits of
leftover vegetables before they spoil. Cooked vegetables, chopped fine,
are great in pasta salads and summer casseroles. Small bits of meat and
vegetables will enhance an omelet, so don't throw them out.

Eggs are cheap in the spring and summer, so you can make a gourmet
snack for very little. Put peeled hardboiled eggs in the leftover liquid from pickled beets or dill or sweet pickles, and let them set in the
refrigerator for a few days. This will also preserve them so they will keep longer.

Save all the little bits of leftover sausage, bacon, or ham and keep it in
the freezer. It doesn't matter that it's all the same type or flavor when
you use it on a pizza or in an omelet or quiche. You can mix it into
cornbread, too, and serve with beans or dried pea soup, but that's not
as frugal as using it in the main course.

Water in which you've cooked potatoes can be used in place of milk in
many recipes, especially breads and milk gravies. Be sure to drain it from the potatoes before you add margarine or salt, though. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week before using for either one.

Keep a stock bag. Use large zip lock bag and place all the end bits of
carrots or celery, overripe tomatoes, etc., in this bag. When you’ve
accumulated a large bagful, it’s time to make some vegetable stock.
Cook the stock until its well concentrated and freeze in ice cube trays for a bit of flavor or in containers to use as a base for soups or sauces.

Salads can be economical if you make your own dressing. Three parts
oil to one part vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, wine, raspberry or herbed), a little pinch of mustard and garlic, a few herbs and ... Voilà ...
gourmet salad dressing.

When you realize you have too much of a good thing: many raw vegetables (carrots, zucchini, other squash, broccoli stems, etc.) Can be shredded and frozen. Add these to casseroles, soups and even to muffin and bread recipes for extra bulk, flavor and nutritional value.

Do you love herbal teas? They can be expensive to buy, but most are
quite easy to grow in a bright window or shelf even if you don't have room outside. Now is the time to find them at the garden shops, where
they'll usually be happy to tell you how to care for them. You'll get more than your money back.

Meat Lovers’ Tips

If you live near a butchering or meat packing facility, you can usually buy
meat for less, if you buy a 'bundle' at at time. You can also get hog fat to
render into lard, usually for mere pennies per pound. Sure beats the
dollar or so you pay already rendered.

Meats can usually be bought at a lower price per pound in larger
packages, so it makes sense to buy at least one if you can afford it every time you shop. When you figure the cost of things, figure the cost according to how much it will take per meal, rather than how much per pound.

Roasts seem to be a nice, but rather expensive meal, but there are
ways to have your roast and eat it too. Generally speaking, a five dollar roast canmake 5 or 6 meals, depending on how you handle it. There are two methods, either of which will work according to your personality and personal needs.
First, buy the largest roast you can find for what you can afford. Cut
it into smaller pieces and freeze it. (As an added bonus, the smaller the
roast, the less time it takes to cook.) Roast one piece, then make a
point of saving enough for another meal before you begin. Another method is to roast the whole thing the first day, and just enjoy. The second day, cut the remaining roast into as many meal size portions as you can.

Stew meat is usually odds and ends from the meat department – carrying
a pretty hefty price tag these days. Better to buy the cut of roast on
sale and cut up for your own stew meet. Fat can be trimmed more completely for a healthier meal and the price difference can be significant.

How to get a meal out of a little leftover meat? You can chop up a
half cup or so and make a stew with it, or you can grind or mince a half cup, and make sandwich spread. Add boiled, chopped eggs, pickles, onions, cheese, olives, green peppers, any and all these things, or whatever you have on hand. Mix in enough salad dressing or mayonnaise to make it spreadable.

For the stew, you can use any vegetables you roasted with the meat,
plus the gravy if you made it. Take out enough gravy to use in another meal. (Always make as much gravy as you can from the drippings) Take out anything you want to save from the pot you roasted in, and just add water to the rest, then thicken with cornstarch. Add a small can of tomatoes, or tomato sauce, and more spices if you wish.

Slice off a few pieces to eat over mashed potatoes with gravy, or in
gravy over bread. Save the pan drippings for that gravy, or go ahead and make it, if you haven't already, and freeze it with the slices already in it. It only takes a minute to pack and freeze things, and you'll find this is the
simplest way possible to have convenient, inexpensive, and good food.

Eating grains instead of meats, and even only vegetables occasionally,
will cut your food expenses tremendously. Compare the cost of rice, wheat, barley, oats or other grains to the per serving price (not the per
pound price) of most other foods.

After you've cooked that roast, or fried that steak (or liver), or
bacon, put the pan just as it is, in the refrigerator, and when its time to
cook again, lightly brown a cup or two of rice in the drippings. Add water or bouillon, then add spices such as garlic, pepper, and allspice to
taste. The bits and pieces of meat that would otherwise have gone down the drain are usually enough to provide a hearty meat flavor to your dish. Add vegetables if you like, or use them as a side dish.