Thursday, August 12, 2010
Canned butter and other items available
Alpine Food Storage-link is on the right-has a lot of items coming in almost everyday. She looks for the best prices and passes them on. She also makes a Walton order every couple of weeks.
Honey-Unpasteurized Available
Raw honey-filtered without pasteurization is available from a supplier in Spring City, Utah. For a case of 6 5# tubs it is $70.00. He will meet you at the freeway to deliver for an extra $5 a case or he will ship it.
Jacob Meyers
P.O. Box 268
Spring City, Utah 84662
435-817-0743
preparednesspurchases@gmail.com
Jacob Meyers
P.O. Box 268
Spring City, Utah 84662
435-817-0743
preparednesspurchases@gmail.com
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Canned Meat
I got this message today from Alpine Food Storage. For more information, follow the link on the right for Alpine Food Storage.
Canned Meat Coming
This is Yoder's Canned Meat. It comes in 28 oz cans (#2.5 size) and has a 15 year shelf-life! No kidding! Besides which it is really good meat. The ingredients on most varieties is whatever meat is on the label with water and salt. No additives, no fillers, no preservatives--- Good Stuff!
Here are the varieties: They are $7 per can or $80 for a case of 12
Beef Chunks
Chicken Chunks
Turkey Chunks (one of my favorite!)
Pork Chunks
Hamburger (Ingredients: Beef---that's it!)
Pork Sausage (Ingredients, Pork and herbs and spices that you will recognize!)
Taco Filling
NEW----Grilled Delights---Hot Dogs!-----(There are 8 cooked hot dogs per can!) ---$5.50 per can and $65 per case. Comfort food for the kids! :-)
ALSO----Bacon---finally! These come in 9 oz cans with the equivalent of 3 lbs of pre-cooked bacon per can. (45-55 slices!) True story!
You can eat the bacon STRIPS right out of the can---they are smoked and really great tasting. This sells for $10 per can or $110 for a case of 12.
Canned Meat Coming
This is Yoder's Canned Meat. It comes in 28 oz cans (#2.5 size) and has a 15 year shelf-life! No kidding! Besides which it is really good meat. The ingredients on most varieties is whatever meat is on the label with water and salt. No additives, no fillers, no preservatives--- Good Stuff!
Here are the varieties: They are $7 per can or $80 for a case of 12
Beef Chunks
Chicken Chunks
Turkey Chunks (one of my favorite!)
Pork Chunks
Hamburger (Ingredients: Beef---that's it!)
Pork Sausage (Ingredients, Pork and herbs and spices that you will recognize!)
Taco Filling
NEW----Grilled Delights---Hot Dogs!-----(There are 8 cooked hot dogs per can!) ---$5.50 per can and $65 per case. Comfort food for the kids! :-)
ALSO----Bacon---finally! These come in 9 oz cans with the equivalent of 3 lbs of pre-cooked bacon per can. (45-55 slices!) True story!
You can eat the bacon STRIPS right out of the can---they are smoked and really great tasting. This sells for $10 per can or $110 for a case of 12.
Home Made Laundry Soap
I have discovered the best laundry soap I have ever used! I have not taken the plunge with making my own laundry soap because I just wasn't too excited about heating everything up. Well, I discovered this recipe for powdered laundry soap and it is the best laundry soap I have ever used. I have used Oxyclean for several years and the price just keeps going up. I DON'T use Oxyclean anymore! This mixture is just the best. I hope you will try it. It will save you money and you will be amazed at how clean your clothes are!
Powdered Laundry Soap
1 bar of Fels Napha soap
3 cups Laundry Soda-not baking soda
3 cups Borax laundry booster
Grate the bar of soap into fine shreds. (I use my grater attachment on my Bosch.) Mix with the other ingredients. The soap shreds will settle on the bottom. Shake it up every time you use it.
I use 2 Tablespoons in my front loader for lightly soiled clothing, 3 Tablespoons for heavily soiled clothing.
I also use 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle. I rarely use dryer sheets since using the vinegar. I promise you won't have a vinegar smell in your clothing.
On an additional note: I am allergic to scents. I've had to use fragrance free laundry soap for years. I was skeptical about the Fels Napha fragrance. No problem, this laundry soap doesn't irritate my skin.
Powdered Laundry Soap
1 bar of Fels Napha soap
3 cups Laundry Soda-not baking soda
3 cups Borax laundry booster
Grate the bar of soap into fine shreds. (I use my grater attachment on my Bosch.) Mix with the other ingredients. The soap shreds will settle on the bottom. Shake it up every time you use it.
I use 2 Tablespoons in my front loader for lightly soiled clothing, 3 Tablespoons for heavily soiled clothing.
I also use 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle. I rarely use dryer sheets since using the vinegar. I promise you won't have a vinegar smell in your clothing.
On an additional note: I am allergic to scents. I've had to use fragrance free laundry soap for years. I was skeptical about the Fels Napha fragrance. No problem, this laundry soap doesn't irritate my skin.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Bee Prepared Binder
I am so sorry. Something went wrong with the original link. Here is the one that works, I hope! Cut and paste this in the address bar.
http://www.bluechipgroup.net/articles/recipe/Bee%20Prepared.pdf
http://www.bluechipgroup.net/articles/recipe/Bee%20Prepared.pdf
Friday, March 5, 2010
Download The Bee Prepared Binder
I was so excited to find this. I bought this cookbook about 4 years ago. I was taking some classes on Food Storage at Welfare Square Cannery. This was not sold at Welfare Square. I had to go to Sandy to buy it. The classes were so great, but are no longer taught (a real shame). One of the sister missionaries teaching the classes was Christine Van Wagenen. She co-authored this cookbook before she taught the classes. It is most helpful and the recipes are ALL fantastic. The only thing about this download is that come of the pages aren't straight and not all the lettering is clear. Sister Van Wagenen said that it could be copied but to please make the copies "celestial"; straight, clear and neat. Oh well it is free. The binder can also be purchased at Help U Mail 10271 S 1300 E in Sandy, Utah for $10 including binder. She has a couple of others available also; Meals in A Bag is a good one. If you want that address and phone number, let me know. Anyway here is the link
http://www.bluechipgroup.net/articles/r ... epared.pdf
http://www.bluechipgroup.net/articles/r ... epared.pdf
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Menu Planning
What’s for Dinner?
It is the question of the hour. It may bring anxiety to your mind or fear in your heart. Too many home managers look for answers in the supermarket at 5 p.m. Harried, harassed by hungry children, they rack their brains for an answer to the dinner-hour question. They buy things that look good and don’t have a plan. Too often the food goes to waste. Especially when kids are so hungry we stop to buy a taco on the way home.
Three meals a day. Seven dinners a week. From supermarket to pantry, refrigerator to table, sink to cupboard, the kitchen routine can get old, old, old.
No wonder we hide our heads like ostriches from the plain and simple fact; into each day, one dinner must fall.
Let me ask you, “What is the hardest part of the day?”
I would say, dinnertime. It is a balancing act.
Let me ask you also, “What is your most important time of the day?”
I hope it would be dinnertime, spending time with your family.
From a business point of view, a 1 hour investment that improves the quality of your family life.
A menu plan saves money: Reducing trips to the supermarket, reduces impulse spending. Using leftovers efficiently cuts food waste, while planned buying in bulk makes it easy to stockpile freezer meals at reduced prices.
A menu plan saves time. No dash to the neighbors for a missing ingredient, no frantic searches through the freezer for something, anything to thaw for dinner.
A menu plan improves nutrition. Without the daily dash to the supermarket, there’s time to prepare side dishes and salads to complement the main dish, increasing the family’s consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Dinner together improves family relations.
Last week on Studio 5 they shared these statistics: If families consistently have 5-7 meals together per week their children are
42% less likely to drink alcohol
59% less likely to smoke cigarettes
66% less likely to smoke marijuana
They do better in school
Easier to catch eating disorders- I’ve had friends catch bluemia and anorexia quickly. And overeating.
We all want closeness in our family relationships, but some of us have difficulty creating that environment at dinnertime. Eating is a necessary biological function, but it's also an important social function that we do with loved ones. The following are some things parents can do to make dinners a time when the family wants to come to the table.
1. Prepare the Physical Environment
Turn off the TV. More than half of families have TV on during dinner.
Ban interrupters: I-pods, cell phones, newspapers, magazine (so family can focus on each other)
Get bills, mail, etc. off table, along with any games, toys, or other potential distractions.
Turn off telephone answering machines
Face each other when eating: avoid snack bar dinners.
Have soft music playing
Light a candle - it's hypnotic for the anxious toddler (afterward, let him blow it out)
Close door to rest of house if needed. Create physical boundary
2. Involve the Family ahead of time
Pick a set mealtime but don't be rigid about it.
Ring a dinner bell 5 minutes before dinner is ready to start
Don't start until everyone is there. "Here we sit like frogs on a Lilly pad" is what we sang until the last kid showed up for dinner.
Begin with a prayer or statement of appreciation for what has been prepared.
Let each person choose a favorite dish or meal, at least once each week.
Involve the family in the shopping and food preparation and table setting
3. Expand our comfort zones
Let the kids invite a favorite friend over once a week (promotes better behavior in the child; allows parents to evaluate and encourage good friendships)
Once a week serve an ethnic or international meal or dish. Talk about the country and its people
Insist that family members try each new food or recipe. Don't require that they eat it all, however Make it mandatory that there be no negative comments about the cook, or the dish (i.e. "This is gross!") They can simply say, "I didn't care for it. Thank you." Shows respect.
4. Make it Fun & memorable
Take advantage of the holidays, birthdays, and every possible celebration. For example, make everything green for St. Pat's day, rotate table centerpieces, use balloons, make signs, etc.
Develop your own rituals. For example "tacos on Sunday night" or "roasts every Monday"
Don't be predictable: pick up plates and move outside; or go on a picnic; or eat backwards one night (right to left handedness; start with dessert).
5. Engage the Family during dinner
Talk about fun things; keep it light; do planning for holidays, birthdays, vacations
One person should guide the discussion, and set a positive tone
Ask each person to mention at least one exciting thing that happened to them today.
Here are also some tips on teaching your children what needs to be taught without being too strict:
First of all we teach by example
Have an ending time to the meal. "May I be excused?"
Avoid the LAP routine at dinner: Lecture, Argue, Pry (so they don't feel dinner is an interrogation session).
Meal time is not a time to complain or discipline children; in fact, parents should save their own disagreements for later so kids aren't feeling the trauma and drama.
TABLE TALK JAR
The Rewards?
Small enhancements or changes can have big benefits. Don't make a big deal of it, just implement them one by one.
Women are generally the ones who bear the most responsibility for ritualization so they may have to initiate.
As family learns to focus on family, dinnertime will again become special.
Busy families seem to find it a chore to make decisions about what to eat every night. This often leads to catch-as-catch-can grazing, ordering in or eating out. Yet studies show over and over the positive impact of eating family dinners together as often as possible.
One woman has taken this as her mission in life The foodnanny.com she answers all excuses like, “I can’t cook” “My family won’t come”
"Nothing makes us happier than the smells coming from the kitchen enticing us with our favorite foods,"
She also suggests on soccer, baseball… nights, have sandwiches right after school. Then have a light dinner when everyone gets home. Remember it isn’t just the food, it is being together as a family.
Menu planning has been a challenge for me. I’ve tried a lot and have had a hard time sticking to it. I have a lot of good recipes that my family likes. But, it is the organizing that is a challenge for me.
This is the plan that works best for me. It is flexible, so if I get bored I can easily change it.
Another way to get your family together and ask them what they would like to have for dinner. A good time to do this is before dinner.
Another way is to write down everything your family eats for a month. From restaurants, at home, take out…everything. Then plan the next month around these preferences.
Now if you are at a point in your life where there are 2 to cook for. Have fun. You can spend a little more on ingredients you didn’t use when raising a family. Try new recipes. Enjoy!
The foodnanny suggests giving each night a theme. This doesn’t make it a party, but it gives the menu some structure.
My challenge for myself is 5 dinners a week, at the table, with the family members who are home.
It is the question of the hour. It may bring anxiety to your mind or fear in your heart. Too many home managers look for answers in the supermarket at 5 p.m. Harried, harassed by hungry children, they rack their brains for an answer to the dinner-hour question. They buy things that look good and don’t have a plan. Too often the food goes to waste. Especially when kids are so hungry we stop to buy a taco on the way home.
Three meals a day. Seven dinners a week. From supermarket to pantry, refrigerator to table, sink to cupboard, the kitchen routine can get old, old, old.
No wonder we hide our heads like ostriches from the plain and simple fact; into each day, one dinner must fall.
Let me ask you, “What is the hardest part of the day?”
I would say, dinnertime. It is a balancing act.
Let me ask you also, “What is your most important time of the day?”
I hope it would be dinnertime, spending time with your family.
From a business point of view, a 1 hour investment that improves the quality of your family life.
A menu plan saves money: Reducing trips to the supermarket, reduces impulse spending. Using leftovers efficiently cuts food waste, while planned buying in bulk makes it easy to stockpile freezer meals at reduced prices.
A menu plan saves time. No dash to the neighbors for a missing ingredient, no frantic searches through the freezer for something, anything to thaw for dinner.
A menu plan improves nutrition. Without the daily dash to the supermarket, there’s time to prepare side dishes and salads to complement the main dish, increasing the family’s consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Dinner together improves family relations.
Last week on Studio 5 they shared these statistics: If families consistently have 5-7 meals together per week their children are
42% less likely to drink alcohol
59% less likely to smoke cigarettes
66% less likely to smoke marijuana
They do better in school
Easier to catch eating disorders- I’ve had friends catch bluemia and anorexia quickly. And overeating.
We all want closeness in our family relationships, but some of us have difficulty creating that environment at dinnertime. Eating is a necessary biological function, but it's also an important social function that we do with loved ones. The following are some things parents can do to make dinners a time when the family wants to come to the table.
1. Prepare the Physical Environment
Turn off the TV. More than half of families have TV on during dinner.
Ban interrupters: I-pods, cell phones, newspapers, magazine (so family can focus on each other)
Get bills, mail, etc. off table, along with any games, toys, or other potential distractions.
Turn off telephone answering machines
Face each other when eating: avoid snack bar dinners.
Have soft music playing
Light a candle - it's hypnotic for the anxious toddler (afterward, let him blow it out)
Close door to rest of house if needed. Create physical boundary
2. Involve the Family ahead of time
Pick a set mealtime but don't be rigid about it.
Ring a dinner bell 5 minutes before dinner is ready to start
Don't start until everyone is there. "Here we sit like frogs on a Lilly pad" is what we sang until the last kid showed up for dinner.
Begin with a prayer or statement of appreciation for what has been prepared.
Let each person choose a favorite dish or meal, at least once each week.
Involve the family in the shopping and food preparation and table setting
3. Expand our comfort zones
Let the kids invite a favorite friend over once a week (promotes better behavior in the child; allows parents to evaluate and encourage good friendships)
Once a week serve an ethnic or international meal or dish. Talk about the country and its people
Insist that family members try each new food or recipe. Don't require that they eat it all, however Make it mandatory that there be no negative comments about the cook, or the dish (i.e. "This is gross!") They can simply say, "I didn't care for it. Thank you." Shows respect.
4. Make it Fun & memorable
Take advantage of the holidays, birthdays, and every possible celebration. For example, make everything green for St. Pat's day, rotate table centerpieces, use balloons, make signs, etc.
Develop your own rituals. For example "tacos on Sunday night" or "roasts every Monday"
Don't be predictable: pick up plates and move outside; or go on a picnic; or eat backwards one night (right to left handedness; start with dessert).
5. Engage the Family during dinner
Talk about fun things; keep it light; do planning for holidays, birthdays, vacations
One person should guide the discussion, and set a positive tone
Ask each person to mention at least one exciting thing that happened to them today.
Here are also some tips on teaching your children what needs to be taught without being too strict:
First of all we teach by example
Have an ending time to the meal. "May I be excused?"
Avoid the LAP routine at dinner: Lecture, Argue, Pry (so they don't feel dinner is an interrogation session).
Meal time is not a time to complain or discipline children; in fact, parents should save their own disagreements for later so kids aren't feeling the trauma and drama.
TABLE TALK JAR
The Rewards?
Small enhancements or changes can have big benefits. Don't make a big deal of it, just implement them one by one.
Women are generally the ones who bear the most responsibility for ritualization so they may have to initiate.
As family learns to focus on family, dinnertime will again become special.
Busy families seem to find it a chore to make decisions about what to eat every night. This often leads to catch-as-catch-can grazing, ordering in or eating out. Yet studies show over and over the positive impact of eating family dinners together as often as possible.
One woman has taken this as her mission in life The foodnanny.com she answers all excuses like, “I can’t cook” “My family won’t come”
"Nothing makes us happier than the smells coming from the kitchen enticing us with our favorite foods,"
She also suggests on soccer, baseball… nights, have sandwiches right after school. Then have a light dinner when everyone gets home. Remember it isn’t just the food, it is being together as a family.
Menu planning has been a challenge for me. I’ve tried a lot and have had a hard time sticking to it. I have a lot of good recipes that my family likes. But, it is the organizing that is a challenge for me.
This is the plan that works best for me. It is flexible, so if I get bored I can easily change it.
Another way to get your family together and ask them what they would like to have for dinner. A good time to do this is before dinner.
Another way is to write down everything your family eats for a month. From restaurants, at home, take out…everything. Then plan the next month around these preferences.
Now if you are at a point in your life where there are 2 to cook for. Have fun. You can spend a little more on ingredients you didn’t use when raising a family. Try new recipes. Enjoy!
The foodnanny suggests giving each night a theme. This doesn’t make it a party, but it gives the menu some structure.
My challenge for myself is 5 dinners a week, at the table, with the family members who are home.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Spring Cannery Schedule for Lindon Wet Pack
The schedule is out for the wet pack cannery in Lindon, Utah. They will begin accepting forms on Monday, tomorrow 2/8/2010. I you would like a form, please call me and I'll email one to you today. The items being canned are; spaghetti sauce, raspberry and peach jam, salsa and pancake syrup. The slots fill up fast so if you are interested let me know ASAP.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Earthquake Preparedness
Preparing our homes and families for an earthquake is important!
Please take a few minutes to read this and make a list of what you need to do to be prepared for an earthquake or other emergency situation. Each family needs to be prepared to either shelter in place if our homes are safe or leave to a safer location with a 72 hour kit for each member of the family.
What to Do Before an Earthquake
*Earthquakes strike suddenly, violently and without warning.
*Identifying potential hazards ahead of time and advance planning can reduce the dangers of serious injury or loss of life from an earthquake.
*Repairing deep plaster cracks in ceilings and foundations, anchoring overhead lighting fixtures to the ceiling, and following local seismic building standards, will help reduce the impact of earthquakes.
Six Ways to Plan Ahead
*Check for Hazards in the Home
*Fasten shelves securely to walls.
*Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves.
*Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with latches.
*Hang heavy items such as pictures and mirrors away from beds, couches, and anywhere people sit.
*Brace overhead light fixtures.
*Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections. These are potential fire risks.
*Secure a water heater by strapping it to the wall studs and bolting it to the floor.
*Repair any deep cracks in ceilings or foundations. Get expert advice if there are signs of structural defects.
*Store weed killers, pesticides, and flammable products securely in closed cabinets with latches and on bottom shelves.
Identify Safe Places Indoors and Outdoors
*Under sturdy furniture such as a heavy desk or table.
*Against an inside wall.
*Away from where glass could shatter around windows, mirrors, pictures, or where heavy bookcases or other heavy furniture could fall over.
*In the open, away from buildings, trees, telephone and electrical lines, overpasses, or elevated expressways.
Educate Yourself and Family Members
*Contact your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter for more information on earthquakes. Also read the "How-To Series" for information on how to protect your property from earthquakes.
*Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1, police, or fire department and which radio station to tune to for emergency information.
*Teach all family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water.
Have Disaster Supplies on Hand in a PORTABLE 72 Hour Kit
Flashlight and extra batteries.
Portable battery-operated radio and extra batteries.
First aid kit and manual.
Emergency food and water.for each member of the family
Nonelectric can opener.
Essential medicines.
Cash and copies of important documents (birth certificates, bank accounts, copies of drivers license or identification)
Sturdy shoes.
Develop an Emergency Communication Plan
In case family members are separated from one another during an earthquake (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), develop a plan for reuniting after the disaster.
Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact."
After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance.
Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.
Please take a few minutes to read this and make a list of what you need to do to be prepared for an earthquake or other emergency situation. Each family needs to be prepared to either shelter in place if our homes are safe or leave to a safer location with a 72 hour kit for each member of the family.
What to Do Before an Earthquake
*Earthquakes strike suddenly, violently and without warning.
*Identifying potential hazards ahead of time and advance planning can reduce the dangers of serious injury or loss of life from an earthquake.
*Repairing deep plaster cracks in ceilings and foundations, anchoring overhead lighting fixtures to the ceiling, and following local seismic building standards, will help reduce the impact of earthquakes.
Six Ways to Plan Ahead
*Check for Hazards in the Home
*Fasten shelves securely to walls.
*Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves.
*Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with latches.
*Hang heavy items such as pictures and mirrors away from beds, couches, and anywhere people sit.
*Brace overhead light fixtures.
*Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections. These are potential fire risks.
*Secure a water heater by strapping it to the wall studs and bolting it to the floor.
*Repair any deep cracks in ceilings or foundations. Get expert advice if there are signs of structural defects.
*Store weed killers, pesticides, and flammable products securely in closed cabinets with latches and on bottom shelves.
Identify Safe Places Indoors and Outdoors
*Under sturdy furniture such as a heavy desk or table.
*Against an inside wall.
*Away from where glass could shatter around windows, mirrors, pictures, or where heavy bookcases or other heavy furniture could fall over.
*In the open, away from buildings, trees, telephone and electrical lines, overpasses, or elevated expressways.
Educate Yourself and Family Members
*Contact your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter for more information on earthquakes. Also read the "How-To Series" for information on how to protect your property from earthquakes.
*Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1, police, or fire department and which radio station to tune to for emergency information.
*Teach all family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water.
Have Disaster Supplies on Hand in a PORTABLE 72 Hour Kit
Flashlight and extra batteries.
Portable battery-operated radio and extra batteries.
First aid kit and manual.
Emergency food and water.for each member of the family
Nonelectric can opener.
Essential medicines.
Cash and copies of important documents (birth certificates, bank accounts, copies of drivers license or identification)
Sturdy shoes.
Develop an Emergency Communication Plan
In case family members are separated from one another during an earthquake (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), develop a plan for reuniting after the disaster.
Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact."
After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance.
Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
101 Ways to Stretch Your Food Dollars
101 Ways To Stretch Your Food Dollars
By Valerie Phillips
Deseret News
From theideadoor.com
Food prices are going up. But here are lots of ways * 101 of them * to shave off pennies, dimes and dollars from your food costs.
Not every tip fits every situation. A vat-size container of salad dressing is cheaper per ounce, but not if it sits in a single person's fridge for months on end. Remember, the most expensive food you can buy is the food that goes to waste.
Before you go
1. For a week, track what your family actually spends on food. Don't forget to include work lunches, restaurant meals, vending-machine snacks and convenience store stops. These add up quickly.
2. Have a plan. Jot down simple dinner menus for the week, using the weekly grocery store ads so you can take advantage of what's on sale that week. Having a plan ends the 5 p.m. "what's for dinner?" plight.
3. Make a shopping list from your menu. Having the ingredients you need for the week eliminates extra trips to the supermarket, where more incidental items can end up in your grocery cart.
4. To save time, compile a basic shopping list of things you usually buy on a weekly basis, such as milk, lettuce, etc. Organize the list by the store layout and make lots of copies. Then each week it's just a matter of penciling in the extra ingredients from your menu.
5. Get out of the dinner rut. Check out cookbooks or magazines from the library or attend local cooking classes for new ideas.
6. For low-cost, nutritious recipe ideas, check the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection at recipefinder.nal.usda.gov. The recipes have cost-per-serving and nutrition data.
7. Consider making from scratch many of the things you usually buy in prepared form, such as brownies or salad dressing.
8. Time is a valuable resource. It's usually not worth the time (or gasoline) to hopscotch from store to store to save a few dollars.
9. Consider the advantages when you choose where to shop. Some stores offer credit cards with rebates, discounts on gasoline, special coupons and so on.
10. Club warehouses can save money, but be judicious. Can you use 18 cartons of yogurt at a time? Often you can find similar good buys and a better selection at a regular grocery store
11. Sometimes you're lured into buying things that lose their appeal and end up sitting on the shelf. To cure your self of impulse shopping, every so often force yourself to make a meal out of those items in the cupboard.
12. Consider group strategies. A neighborhood group or extended family might save by buying in bulk directly from wholesalers and farmers.
Shopping
13. Try shopping with cash, taking only an allotted amount to the store.
14. Statistics indicate that people buy more when they are hungry or accompanied by others, especially children. (However, grocery shopping can be a good learning experience for kids; let them find all the coupon foods and comparison shop with you.)
15. Don't dawdle. The longer you're wandering through the store, the more chance of impulse buys.
16. Avoid convenience stores. They have higher prices and very few specials.
17. Guard against nonfood impulse buys that could end up in your cart, such as the latest DVD, perfumes or toiletries. Do you really need them?
18. Limit trips to the store. Multiple trips usually mean more incidental items added to the cart.
19. Try "catch-and-release" shopping with high-end items. Put that bottle of name-brand, extra-virgin olive oil in the cart, and while you finish the rest of your purchases, ask if it's something you can live without. Then before you check out, put it back on the shelf. After all, dreaming is free. (However, if you end up convincing yourself to buy these things, or you forget to put them back, this method isn't for you!)
Coupons
20. Use the coupon inserts in your Sunday newspaper ads.
21. To maximize coupon savings, use resources such as Pinchingyourpennies.com, the Grocery Guru at www.gurusdeals.com, or Couponsense.com, which help you to coordinate coupons with sales at local grocery stores. By using the coupon with the sale price, you can get items for a fraction of the cost.
22. Multiply the savings. Some people take multiple Sunday newspaper subscriptions for the coupons, and you can also ask your neighbors or relatives for the coupons from their paper.
23. Check other sources for coupons: the "blinkies" in the red boxes on grocery store shelves, home mailers, "peelies" that are peeled off the product itself and printables off Web sites.
24. Be wise about coupons. Sometimes a brand name with a coupon is still more expensive than a generic brand. And resist buying things you may not use just because you have a coupon.
25. Some grocery stores match competitor coupons if you have the advertisement with you.
26. Organize your coupons so you can use them efficiently. A woman uses a three-ring binder with clear photo pages or baseball card pockets. Others use a filing box and take out the coupons they will be using and clip them to their shopping list on their way to the grocery store.
27. Send in rebates. One woman puts all the money she receives from rebates in a separate account, and she's now up to $200.
Cereals & baked goods
28. One reason people avoid buying cheaper bagged cereals is because they're hard to store and pour. Store them in a plastic pitcher with a pour spout.
29. Consider how much you can save by cooking whole grains for breakfast instead of cold breakfast cereal. Homer Cook of Layton said as a welfare volunteer, he helped a single mother of three cut her breakfast costs from $1,000 per year to $58 per year by cooking cracked wheat (based on Honeyville Grain prices).
30. Buy whole-grain cereals and breads. They're more filling, so you are satisfied with less. And they're better for you.
31. Go '90s retro and pull out your old bread machine. Besides bread, it can be used for rolls and pizza dough.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
39. If lettuce prices are up, vary your veggies. Consider cabbage, spinach, carrot or broccoli salads.
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.
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.
42. Yellow onions are often 40 cents to 50 cents less per pound than red (purple) onions.
43. When your favorite fresh vegetables are off season, look for canned and frozen versions. Do the math and figure out which offers the best price per serving.
44. Beans are an inexpensive protein. Add them to tacos, casseroles, salads, etc., so you can use less meat.
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.
46. Vegetables frozen in butter sauce usually cost more than plain frozen vegetables, and they have more fat and calories.
47. 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.
48. 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.
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.
Dairy
50. Unless you buy powdered milk in bulk for a price break, you won't save money over fresh milk. On a recent shopping trip, the Deseret News found that a box of generic-brand powdered milk that yields 31 cups of milk was $6.49. If you can buy fresh milk at $3 a gallon, you can get 32 cups for $6.
51. Buy a large container of yogurt and divide it into portions yourself. A 32-ounce container, at $2.79, yields four 8-ounce portions at 34 cents a serving. The same brand in single-serve containers was 50 cents each.
52. Milk fat costs. You can often save about 10 cents to 20 cents per gallon by dropping from 2 percent to 1 percent or skim.
53. If you use margarine instead of butter to cut costs, don't use anything less than 100 percent margarine for baking. The lower-fat spreads have water and fillers that bake up poorly (and when poured over popcorn turn it to mush). Real butter is approximately $4 per pound; 100 percent margarine (such as Nucoa) can be $1.50 to $2 per pound. Save the less-expensive spreads for your toast.
54. Consider home delivery of milk and bread. It costs more, but it might save on extra trips to the store.
55. There is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs; it has more to do with the color of the hen. White eggs usually cost less.
56. Freeze butter to keep its fresh flavor. Grate it, frozen, over toast, baked potatoes, etc. for portion control.
57. Finely shred cheese when topping pizzas, grilled ham and cheese, etc. You'll use less.
Meat
58. Unless they're on special, breasts are the most expensive part of the chicken. Boneless, skinless thighs offer the same convenience for less, and dark meat is more moist and flavorful anyway.
59. Take a cue from restaurant chefs who can make a small portion of meat or chicken look plentiful. They slice it thinly and fan out the slices on top of a mound of rice or potatoes.
60. Tough cuts of meat are usually cheaper. Place a beef brisket in your slow cooker in the morning and by dinner time you'll have tender beef (and a tantalizing aroma in your kitchen).
61. Don't throw out your bacon drippings. Some suggestions from Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine: Stir it into grits, use in place of oil when popping popcorn, saute bread cubes in it for croutons, add to cornbread batter, add to barbecue sauce and brush on ribs or chicken while they're cooking.
62. Compare meat costs by servings, not pounds. Bony meats are cheaper per pound, but they yield less edible meat per pound.
63. Likewise, a large store-cooked rotisserie chicken at $6 is cheaper than buying a raw, 5-pound whole raw chicken at $1.30 per pound and cooking it at home. As a bonus, you can use the carcass and bits of meat on the bones to make chicken broth.
64. Although the price of eggs has nearly doubled in the past year, a $2 carton of eggs can still supply a protein-rich meal for a family of six. Scramble them with leftovers such as chopped ham, crumbled bacon, chopped peppers, onions and so on.
65. Buy ground beef in bulk quantities to get a better price. When you get home, divide meal-size portions in zip-lock bags and freeze.
Canned goods
66. Big cans are often cheaper, but not always. Check the price per unit guide on the grocery shelf, which shows the cost per ounce. Also, consider how you use the product. If you buy a big can of tomato sauce, use a little and end up wasting the rest, you're better off buying the small can in the first place.
67. What to do with the last of the jam or jelly jar: Pour in some milk, refrigerate for a little while to loosen the jam stuck to the jar sides, and shake into a flavored drink.
68. Generic brands can save money. But try one can first before you invest in a whole case to make sure it appeals to your family.
69. Stockpile pantry items you normally use, such as spaghetti sauce or pasta, when they're on sale. Keep a list of quick-fix possibilities on the inside of your cupboard door, such as spaghetti, meatball sub sandwiches, baked tortellini, etc.
Snacks
70. Invest in a popcorn popper. You can make 10 times as much popcorn for the same price as microwave popcorn. A three-pack box of microwave popcorn yields about 10 1/2 cups of popcorn for $2 to $3, depending on the brand. A $1.99 bag of regular popcorn yields 113 cups. You'll have to add you own butter and salt, but you have more control over the amounts.
71. When making s'mores, instead of buying chocolate bars and graham crackers, place the marshmallow between two chocolate-striped cookies. A package of Keebler Fudge Shoppe cookies is approximately $3 and makes 15 s'mores. You'd spend at least that much money on chocolate bars alone.
72. Break the soda pop habit. If you normally drink a can per day, at 50 cents per can, you could pocket more than $180 a year.
73. Every time you have a few leftover strawberries, peach slices, etc., store them in the same zip-lock bag in the freezer. Then every so often, whir them all together in the blender for a smoothie snack.
74. If you like the look of designer bottled water, buy it once and keep refilling with tap water, which is free. Many bottled waters cost more per gallon than gasoline.
75. Use food as a reward sparingly. Make treats more significant by using them only for special occasions. With obesity on the rise, most people don't need them on a regular basis.
76. Nip nighttime snacks. Go to bed a half-hour early and keep yourself from wanting a handful of chips while watching David Letterman. Your waistline will thank you.
Storage
77. Keep an eye on your pantry inventory so you use up all the pancake mix or corn syrup before buying more.
78. Oil goes rancid fairly quickly. Unless you use it often, buy in small quantities or refrigerate after using.
79. Post a "must use" list on the fridge to remind yourself of the half-empty can of pineapple, three hot dogs, etc. that will go bad quickly.
80. Label leftovers with date and contents before putting them in the freezer. You'll actually use these things instead of having mystery containers stuck in the back of the freezer.
81. Use and rotate your food storage. If you aren't using it, it is basically a waste of space and money. Rule of thumb: Store what you use and use what you store.
In the kitchen
82. Use smaller plates. Studies show that when people are served on larger plates, they take larger servings, whether they're really hungry or not.
83. One night a week have leftover night. Pull out all the leftovers from other meals * the half-cup of spaghetti sauce, the slices of ham or stray chicken breast, the chunk of cheese, the corn or peas. Bake some potatoes and let everyone pick the leftovers for toppings.
84. Pack a lunch for the next day from dinner leftovers instead of eating out.
85. Use meals to stretch your entertainment dollars. Go on a picnic in a park or get out the Dutch oven pots, have a hot dog roast or go fishing and then cook your catch.
86. When serving buffet-style, put the low-cost items, such as salad or rolls, at the beginning of the line and the most expensive item * meat * near the end.
87. Have meatless Monday meals.
88. Homemade soups are a good way to use leftover meat and vegetables. Their liquid content also makes them more satisfying.
89. Pasta or rice can also stretch small amounts of food into a meal. Throw in chopped pepper, ribbons of spinach or basil, chopped tomatoes or chicken or ham.
90. Instead of serving fruit punch or juice at meals, use a pitcher of ice water with a few lemon or lime slices floating on top.
91. Use small appliances, such as the microwave, slow-cooker and electric frying pan; they use less energy than a stovetop.
92. Use the dishwasher only when completely full. Washing dishes by hand can cost more than one load in the dishwasher. Let the dishes air-dry rather than using the "dry" cycle.
93. Don't open the oven door to preview baking food. Each time you open it, the temperature drops by 25-50 degrees. It takes longer to cook your food and adds to your energy bill.
Dining out
94. Use your gift certificates soon after getting them. Many have expiration dates.
95. Use frequent-diners' cards. Some restaurants offer punch cards * if you buy 10 meals, the next one is free. For a family of six, it takes only two visits to earn a free meal.
96. Go out to lunch when entree prices are often a dollar or two less than dinner.
97. If a full-course dinner comes with soup, salad, drink and dessert, it's only a great buy if you really want (or need) all that. You may be satisfied ordering an a la carte entree without the extras. Ditto combo meals in fast-food restaurants.
98. Guard against up-sell, when you're asked if you want guacamole with your taco or extra cheese for the fondue. If it costs extra, you might not want it that much.
99. At fast-food restaurants, order a kids' meal for yourself (if there's no age limit). Most of the time, you're getting a more appropriate portion of food (and a toy to boot!).
100. Watch beverage costs. Alcoholic drinks can double your tab, but even soft drinks can add $10 to $15 to the bill for a family of six. Water is a healthier choice anyway. Be sure to specify "tap" water, some restaurants may bring you bottled water at $3 or $4 per bottle.
101. If you feel you can't afford to tip, choose a fast-food or fast-casual eatery where tipping isn't expected. In sit-down restaurants, servers' salaries are less than minimum wage. Tips make up the difference.
By Valerie Phillips
Deseret News
From theideadoor.com
Food prices are going up. But here are lots of ways * 101 of them * to shave off pennies, dimes and dollars from your food costs.
Not every tip fits every situation. A vat-size container of salad dressing is cheaper per ounce, but not if it sits in a single person's fridge for months on end. Remember, the most expensive food you can buy is the food that goes to waste.
Before you go
1. For a week, track what your family actually spends on food. Don't forget to include work lunches, restaurant meals, vending-machine snacks and convenience store stops. These add up quickly.
2. Have a plan. Jot down simple dinner menus for the week, using the weekly grocery store ads so you can take advantage of what's on sale that week. Having a plan ends the 5 p.m. "what's for dinner?" plight.
3. Make a shopping list from your menu. Having the ingredients you need for the week eliminates extra trips to the supermarket, where more incidental items can end up in your grocery cart.
4. To save time, compile a basic shopping list of things you usually buy on a weekly basis, such as milk, lettuce, etc. Organize the list by the store layout and make lots of copies. Then each week it's just a matter of penciling in the extra ingredients from your menu.
5. Get out of the dinner rut. Check out cookbooks or magazines from the library or attend local cooking classes for new ideas.
6. For low-cost, nutritious recipe ideas, check the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection at recipefinder.nal.usda.gov. The recipes have cost-per-serving and nutrition data.
7. Consider making from scratch many of the things you usually buy in prepared form, such as brownies or salad dressing.
8. Time is a valuable resource. It's usually not worth the time (or gasoline) to hopscotch from store to store to save a few dollars.
9. Consider the advantages when you choose where to shop. Some stores offer credit cards with rebates, discounts on gasoline, special coupons and so on.
10. Club warehouses can save money, but be judicious. Can you use 18 cartons of yogurt at a time? Often you can find similar good buys and a better selection at a regular grocery store
11. Sometimes you're lured into buying things that lose their appeal and end up sitting on the shelf. To cure your self of impulse shopping, every so often force yourself to make a meal out of those items in the cupboard.
12. Consider group strategies. A neighborhood group or extended family might save by buying in bulk directly from wholesalers and farmers.
Shopping
13. Try shopping with cash, taking only an allotted amount to the store.
14. Statistics indicate that people buy more when they are hungry or accompanied by others, especially children. (However, grocery shopping can be a good learning experience for kids; let them find all the coupon foods and comparison shop with you.)
15. Don't dawdle. The longer you're wandering through the store, the more chance of impulse buys.
16. Avoid convenience stores. They have higher prices and very few specials.
17. Guard against nonfood impulse buys that could end up in your cart, such as the latest DVD, perfumes or toiletries. Do you really need them?
18. Limit trips to the store. Multiple trips usually mean more incidental items added to the cart.
19. Try "catch-and-release" shopping with high-end items. Put that bottle of name-brand, extra-virgin olive oil in the cart, and while you finish the rest of your purchases, ask if it's something you can live without. Then before you check out, put it back on the shelf. After all, dreaming is free. (However, if you end up convincing yourself to buy these things, or you forget to put them back, this method isn't for you!)
Coupons
20. Use the coupon inserts in your Sunday newspaper ads.
21. To maximize coupon savings, use resources such as Pinchingyourpennies.com, the Grocery Guru at www.gurusdeals.com, or Couponsense.com, which help you to coordinate coupons with sales at local grocery stores. By using the coupon with the sale price, you can get items for a fraction of the cost.
22. Multiply the savings. Some people take multiple Sunday newspaper subscriptions for the coupons, and you can also ask your neighbors or relatives for the coupons from their paper.
23. Check other sources for coupons: the "blinkies" in the red boxes on grocery store shelves, home mailers, "peelies" that are peeled off the product itself and printables off Web sites.
24. Be wise about coupons. Sometimes a brand name with a coupon is still more expensive than a generic brand. And resist buying things you may not use just because you have a coupon.
25. Some grocery stores match competitor coupons if you have the advertisement with you.
26. Organize your coupons so you can use them efficiently. A woman uses a three-ring binder with clear photo pages or baseball card pockets. Others use a filing box and take out the coupons they will be using and clip them to their shopping list on their way to the grocery store.
27. Send in rebates. One woman puts all the money she receives from rebates in a separate account, and she's now up to $200.
Cereals & baked goods
28. One reason people avoid buying cheaper bagged cereals is because they're hard to store and pour. Store them in a plastic pitcher with a pour spout.
29. Consider how much you can save by cooking whole grains for breakfast instead of cold breakfast cereal. Homer Cook of Layton said as a welfare volunteer, he helped a single mother of three cut her breakfast costs from $1,000 per year to $58 per year by cooking cracked wheat (based on Honeyville Grain prices).
30. Buy whole-grain cereals and breads. They're more filling, so you are satisfied with less. And they're better for you.
31. Go '90s retro and pull out your old bread machine. Besides bread, it can be used for rolls and pizza dough.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
39. If lettuce prices are up, vary your veggies. Consider cabbage, spinach, carrot or broccoli salads.
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.
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.
42. Yellow onions are often 40 cents to 50 cents less per pound than red (purple) onions.
43. When your favorite fresh vegetables are off season, look for canned and frozen versions. Do the math and figure out which offers the best price per serving.
44. Beans are an inexpensive protein. Add them to tacos, casseroles, salads, etc., so you can use less meat.
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.
46. Vegetables frozen in butter sauce usually cost more than plain frozen vegetables, and they have more fat and calories.
47. 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.
48. 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.
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.
Dairy
50. Unless you buy powdered milk in bulk for a price break, you won't save money over fresh milk. On a recent shopping trip, the Deseret News found that a box of generic-brand powdered milk that yields 31 cups of milk was $6.49. If you can buy fresh milk at $3 a gallon, you can get 32 cups for $6.
51. Buy a large container of yogurt and divide it into portions yourself. A 32-ounce container, at $2.79, yields four 8-ounce portions at 34 cents a serving. The same brand in single-serve containers was 50 cents each.
52. Milk fat costs. You can often save about 10 cents to 20 cents per gallon by dropping from 2 percent to 1 percent or skim.
53. If you use margarine instead of butter to cut costs, don't use anything less than 100 percent margarine for baking. The lower-fat spreads have water and fillers that bake up poorly (and when poured over popcorn turn it to mush). Real butter is approximately $4 per pound; 100 percent margarine (such as Nucoa) can be $1.50 to $2 per pound. Save the less-expensive spreads for your toast.
54. Consider home delivery of milk and bread. It costs more, but it might save on extra trips to the store.
55. There is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs; it has more to do with the color of the hen. White eggs usually cost less.
56. Freeze butter to keep its fresh flavor. Grate it, frozen, over toast, baked potatoes, etc. for portion control.
57. Finely shred cheese when topping pizzas, grilled ham and cheese, etc. You'll use less.
Meat
58. Unless they're on special, breasts are the most expensive part of the chicken. Boneless, skinless thighs offer the same convenience for less, and dark meat is more moist and flavorful anyway.
59. Take a cue from restaurant chefs who can make a small portion of meat or chicken look plentiful. They slice it thinly and fan out the slices on top of a mound of rice or potatoes.
60. Tough cuts of meat are usually cheaper. Place a beef brisket in your slow cooker in the morning and by dinner time you'll have tender beef (and a tantalizing aroma in your kitchen).
61. Don't throw out your bacon drippings. Some suggestions from Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine: Stir it into grits, use in place of oil when popping popcorn, saute bread cubes in it for croutons, add to cornbread batter, add to barbecue sauce and brush on ribs or chicken while they're cooking.
62. Compare meat costs by servings, not pounds. Bony meats are cheaper per pound, but they yield less edible meat per pound.
63. Likewise, a large store-cooked rotisserie chicken at $6 is cheaper than buying a raw, 5-pound whole raw chicken at $1.30 per pound and cooking it at home. As a bonus, you can use the carcass and bits of meat on the bones to make chicken broth.
64. Although the price of eggs has nearly doubled in the past year, a $2 carton of eggs can still supply a protein-rich meal for a family of six. Scramble them with leftovers such as chopped ham, crumbled bacon, chopped peppers, onions and so on.
65. Buy ground beef in bulk quantities to get a better price. When you get home, divide meal-size portions in zip-lock bags and freeze.
Canned goods
66. Big cans are often cheaper, but not always. Check the price per unit guide on the grocery shelf, which shows the cost per ounce. Also, consider how you use the product. If you buy a big can of tomato sauce, use a little and end up wasting the rest, you're better off buying the small can in the first place.
67. What to do with the last of the jam or jelly jar: Pour in some milk, refrigerate for a little while to loosen the jam stuck to the jar sides, and shake into a flavored drink.
68. Generic brands can save money. But try one can first before you invest in a whole case to make sure it appeals to your family.
69. Stockpile pantry items you normally use, such as spaghetti sauce or pasta, when they're on sale. Keep a list of quick-fix possibilities on the inside of your cupboard door, such as spaghetti, meatball sub sandwiches, baked tortellini, etc.
Snacks
70. Invest in a popcorn popper. You can make 10 times as much popcorn for the same price as microwave popcorn. A three-pack box of microwave popcorn yields about 10 1/2 cups of popcorn for $2 to $3, depending on the brand. A $1.99 bag of regular popcorn yields 113 cups. You'll have to add you own butter and salt, but you have more control over the amounts.
71. When making s'mores, instead of buying chocolate bars and graham crackers, place the marshmallow between two chocolate-striped cookies. A package of Keebler Fudge Shoppe cookies is approximately $3 and makes 15 s'mores. You'd spend at least that much money on chocolate bars alone.
72. Break the soda pop habit. If you normally drink a can per day, at 50 cents per can, you could pocket more than $180 a year.
73. Every time you have a few leftover strawberries, peach slices, etc., store them in the same zip-lock bag in the freezer. Then every so often, whir them all together in the blender for a smoothie snack.
74. If you like the look of designer bottled water, buy it once and keep refilling with tap water, which is free. Many bottled waters cost more per gallon than gasoline.
75. Use food as a reward sparingly. Make treats more significant by using them only for special occasions. With obesity on the rise, most people don't need them on a regular basis.
76. Nip nighttime snacks. Go to bed a half-hour early and keep yourself from wanting a handful of chips while watching David Letterman. Your waistline will thank you.
Storage
77. Keep an eye on your pantry inventory so you use up all the pancake mix or corn syrup before buying more.
78. Oil goes rancid fairly quickly. Unless you use it often, buy in small quantities or refrigerate after using.
79. Post a "must use" list on the fridge to remind yourself of the half-empty can of pineapple, three hot dogs, etc. that will go bad quickly.
80. Label leftovers with date and contents before putting them in the freezer. You'll actually use these things instead of having mystery containers stuck in the back of the freezer.
81. Use and rotate your food storage. If you aren't using it, it is basically a waste of space and money. Rule of thumb: Store what you use and use what you store.
In the kitchen
82. Use smaller plates. Studies show that when people are served on larger plates, they take larger servings, whether they're really hungry or not.
83. One night a week have leftover night. Pull out all the leftovers from other meals * the half-cup of spaghetti sauce, the slices of ham or stray chicken breast, the chunk of cheese, the corn or peas. Bake some potatoes and let everyone pick the leftovers for toppings.
84. Pack a lunch for the next day from dinner leftovers instead of eating out.
85. Use meals to stretch your entertainment dollars. Go on a picnic in a park or get out the Dutch oven pots, have a hot dog roast or go fishing and then cook your catch.
86. When serving buffet-style, put the low-cost items, such as salad or rolls, at the beginning of the line and the most expensive item * meat * near the end.
87. Have meatless Monday meals.
88. Homemade soups are a good way to use leftover meat and vegetables. Their liquid content also makes them more satisfying.
89. Pasta or rice can also stretch small amounts of food into a meal. Throw in chopped pepper, ribbons of spinach or basil, chopped tomatoes or chicken or ham.
90. Instead of serving fruit punch or juice at meals, use a pitcher of ice water with a few lemon or lime slices floating on top.
91. Use small appliances, such as the microwave, slow-cooker and electric frying pan; they use less energy than a stovetop.
92. Use the dishwasher only when completely full. Washing dishes by hand can cost more than one load in the dishwasher. Let the dishes air-dry rather than using the "dry" cycle.
93. Don't open the oven door to preview baking food. Each time you open it, the temperature drops by 25-50 degrees. It takes longer to cook your food and adds to your energy bill.
Dining out
94. Use your gift certificates soon after getting them. Many have expiration dates.
95. Use frequent-diners' cards. Some restaurants offer punch cards * if you buy 10 meals, the next one is free. For a family of six, it takes only two visits to earn a free meal.
96. Go out to lunch when entree prices are often a dollar or two less than dinner.
97. If a full-course dinner comes with soup, salad, drink and dessert, it's only a great buy if you really want (or need) all that. You may be satisfied ordering an a la carte entree without the extras. Ditto combo meals in fast-food restaurants.
98. Guard against up-sell, when you're asked if you want guacamole with your taco or extra cheese for the fondue. If it costs extra, you might not want it that much.
99. At fast-food restaurants, order a kids' meal for yourself (if there's no age limit). Most of the time, you're getting a more appropriate portion of food (and a toy to boot!).
100. Watch beverage costs. Alcoholic drinks can double your tab, but even soft drinks can add $10 to $15 to the bill for a family of six. Water is a healthier choice anyway. Be sure to specify "tap" water, some restaurants may bring you bottled water at $3 or $4 per bottle.
101. If you feel you can't afford to tip, choose a fast-food or fast-casual eatery where tipping isn't expected. In sit-down restaurants, servers' salaries are less than minimum wage. Tips make up the difference.
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