100 Ways To Save On Food - Article 4 of 5

Food prices, gas prices and everything else we need  are raising rapidly. There are ways to save money when it comes to your food.

Not every tip fits every situation. A gallon size container of salad dressing is cheaper per ounce, but not if it sits in a single person's fridge for months on end.

I will post 10 more tips tomorrow on the Be Prepared and Back To Basics Groups. Be sure to check them out.

You can find Article 1 of 5 here.

You can find Article 2 of 5 here.

You can find Article 3 of 5 here.

Remember:

The most expensive food you can buy is the food that goes to waste.

31. Pull out that old bread machine. Besides making bread, it can be used for rolls and pizza dough. My family loves the pizza dough made in the bread machine. It is so good.

32. Make croutons or bread crumbs from day-old bread or hotdog buns. The crumbs can be seasoned and used as a "shake-and-bake" chicken coating. You can put them in a food processor or just put them between two pieces of waxed paper and roll a glass over them to crush them. Rolling pins work better. You wont even need the layers of waxed paper. Just put them on a clean cutting board and use the rolling pin to crush into flour size particles.

33. Seek out day-old bread "thrift" stores. But be wary of the temptation to overbuy empty calorie items such as cupcakes, potato chips and doughnuts. I used to do this all the time but they closed down our bread thrift stores.

34. Bake a batch of muffins from scratch for on-the-go breakfasts. Even if you use a mix, you'll still save over bakery prices. You can find recipes for homemade mixes for muffins as well as other mixes in the Gather Group Homemade Mixes.

Produce

35. Buy fruits and vegetables in season when they're cheaper and taste fresher. When compared to the price per pound of meat, cheese, chocolate, etc., they're a nutritional bargain. Also if you will check at your local market, they will often give you produce that is starting to ruin. You can get a lot of use out of it still. You just need to work it up immediately. I used to work in a produce market and we were always giving away lettuce leaves to people who had rabbits. Peaches that were beginning to ruin and other produce items.

36. If you're preparing a commercial meal kit (such as Hamburger Helper or a frozen pasta dinner), toss in a few more vegetables. Chopped bell peppers or celery, and frozen broccoli or peas add color, flavor and nutrition to what is usually a lot of starch, sauce and salt. They can also stretch the meal into more servings. Better yet, make your own homemade Hamburger r Helper mix by using the recipes found in the Gather Homemade Mixes group.

37. Ready-prepped veggies cost more but may be worth it if you actually use those peeled carrots or sliced mushrooms. A huge percentage of fresh produce goes to waste sitting in refrigerators. Remember: The most expensive food is that food that goes to waste.

38. A pound bag of chopped iceberg lettuce salad costs more (about $2) than a head of iceberg lettuce (approximately $1 per pound) that you clean and chop yourself. But if bagged salad greens keep you from buying restaurant salads, there's still a savings. You have to decide what is perfect for you and your family. No plan is tailored to fit all families needs.

39. If lettuce prices are up, vary your veggies. Consider cabbage, spinach, carrot or broccoli salads. You can always find an alternative to certain fresh veggies. You are only limited by your own mind.

40. Grow your favorite herbs year-round in your kitchen window. It's convenient to be able to cut a few sprigs as needed, and packets of fresh herbs can cost $1.50 - $2 in grocery stores. Many herbs will repeal insects as well. Lavender is great to plant by the front or back door to repeal insects and the scent is amazing. You can use it to help you sleep better too.

41. If you're not up to planting a garden, add a few strawberry or tomato plants to your flower beds. You have to weed and water them anyway. Or add a fruit tree to your back yard. We just planted 25 cherry trees in our back yard. I cant wait to harvest those cherries. You can purchase dwarf varieties now that does not take up much room and you can reach most of the limbs.

42. Yellow onions are often 40 cents to 50 cents less per pound than red (purple) onions. We raise winter onions so we have fresh onions all year round in our garden. We don't even have to purchase bulbs as they reproduce on top of the onions each spring.

43. When your favorite fresh vegetables are out of season, look for canned and frozen versions. Do the math and figure out which offers the best price per serving. Purchase them on sale so you will be eating food at sale price all year long. If you watch the sale papers, you may never have to pay full price again.

44. Dried Beans are an inexpensive protein. Add them to tacos, casseroles, salads, etc., so you can use less meat. They have a long storage life also. You will find many recipes to use with beans as well as bean flour in the group Back To Basics.

45. Dried beans, per cooked serving, are often less than half the price of canned beans. But they take a lot of time to cook. Soak a batch overnight in your slow cooker on low heat, then portion and freeze for later use. You will never be without beans again when you need them.

46. Price fruits with an eye on the cost-per-edible serving. If you are buying by the pound, you are also paying for any inedible seeds and rinds. Have you ever thought of this? Purchase fresh fruit from local farmers at much better prices than you can get it at the market.

47. When buying fresh greens by weight, be sure to shake off the excess water before you put them in your cart. Water hidden in between the leaves adds weight and raises the cost.

48. I love fresh fruit. When traveling, I will often stop and purchase fresh fruit and have the deli or meat department to wash it for me. It has already been weighed so the water does not add to the price. This way, I can eat it fresh from the container. Fresh fruit and veggies has so much chemicals on them that you should never eat them without being washed.

49. Serve a vegetable "medley" when you have small amounts of several different vegetables. Mix together and microwave, and top with a little cheese or a sprinkle of nuts. Yummy. How is your garden doing?