Reining In The Grocery Budget (Part 2): Make Your Own Convenience Foods

First of all, let me just say that whoever said,"The lazy days of Summer", was A BIG, FAT, STINKIN' LAIR PANTS! Holy cow, summer break is going to KILL me! I cannot seem to be able to keep up with all the dear children's scheduled (and unscheduled) activities, last minute picnics and Barbecues. Not to mention I am drowning in an endless sea of laundry, dirty dishes; and the house is so dirty I'm pretty sure the Health Department is going to send a Haz Mat team over any day now! Whew! I feel much better now that I got that off my chest.

During times like these I like to rely heavily on convenience items to make meal time easier, but they can be a budget breaker if you buy them prepackaged at the store. In my never ending quest for frugality I have discovered that you can make of these items yourself. The hardest part is setting aside time out of your busy schedule to prepare them. Setting aside a few hours in the evening or on the weekends is worth it, though.

I have a good friend who clued me in to making your own french toast sticks. She makes a loaf or two of bread (check bread outlet stores for stale bread, it makes the best french toast and it's cheaper) into french toast, then slices them into four sections (horizontally) with a pizza cutter. She places them on wax paper lined cookies and freezes them. When frozen she stores them in gallon plastic freezer bags. To reheat just pop in the microwave for a minute. I like to save the plastic cups Crystal Light comes in to use as dipping cups (to keep my kids from using a ton of syrup). Double the recipe for a batch of waffles or pancakes, and freeze the extras the same way as the french toast. Pop in the toaster to reheat. It is also easy to make your own flavored cream cheese to spread on bagels or toast!

Making your own frozen burritos and bagel pizzas is fast and easy, too. To make burritos simply place a 1/3 cup of meat (or refried beans) down the center of a softened (microwave for 10 seconds) 12 in flour tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top fold the bottom end over the filling, fold in sides and roll up. Place seam side down on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet and freeze. Store in a gallon plastic freezer bag. Microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes to reheat.

When I find ground beef on sale I will buy a large amount. I will cook 5 or 10 pounds of it with onion and green peppers. Then I fill quart size plastic freezers bags (about 2 cups per bag) with the mixture and freeze it to use in soup, chili, spaghetti, or casserole. Sometimes I will add taco seasoning to some of it for variety. I do the same thing with chicken breasts ( I use bone in if I want to save the broth to make soup). When the chicken is done I shredded it and divide into freezer bags and freeze. We all know cooked chicken has endless possibilities!

Cutting up produce when you bring it home from the store is another way to save time later on.
Shred lettuce (store it in a gallon plastic freezer bag with two paper towels in the bottom. The paper towels wick the moisture away from the lettuce and keep it fresh for a week or longer.), chop or slice tomatoes, shred carrots and store in clear plastic containers in the fridge until you need them. Celery, onions, and peppers can be chopped and flash frozen (yes, you guessed it) on wax paper lined cookie sheets. Let the frozen cookie sheet sit on the counter for a few minutes before you try to remove the frozen veggies to make them easier to remove them. Store them in freezer bags. Melons can be peeled, cut up and stored in the fridge for up to a week. Apples can be sliced and stored in a plastic container in the fridge if you pour and can of Sprite or 7 Up over them (make sure they are completely submerged) for a day or two.

When I do have time to cook I double the recipe and put one in the freezer (uncooked) for later. Lasagna, soup, enchiladas, stuff shells, pulled pork, non cream based casseroles (sour cream and cream based sauces separate when they are frozen), stew, and spaghetti sauce all freeze well. If you are short of freezer space. Put entrees in gallon plastic freezer bags, and lay flat to freeze. Then you can stack them. Make sure what you write what the entree is and the date you put it in the freezer to save on surprises later!

You can even make your own seasoning, pancake, muffin, quick bread, and cake mixes. The are a ton of make your own mix cookbooks (and most can be found at your local library. They can also be purchased used on Amazon.com or thrift stores). A few of my favorites are:

• Make A Mix Cookery (by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, and Madeline Westover)
• More Make A Mix Cookery ( by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, and Madeline Westover)
• Food Storage For The Clueless (by Clark L. and Kathryn H. Kidd)
• Family Feasts For $75.00 A Week (by Mary Ostyn)

If you decide to make your own mixes. Buy the ingredients in the bulk section at the grocery store or at a bulk warehouse store to cut down on cost.

Alas, I hear the clamoring of hungry little (and not so little children)! They are telling my it is way past dinner time, and they will starve to death in the next five minutes if I don't feed them right now, but I will be back soon with more budget saving ideas!

Reining In The Grocery Budget (Part 1)

Last night I was meandering around our local High School track with my neighbor (one of the perks of our neighborhood is that we live two blocks from the school). We were discussing how the economy has been affecting our friends and neighbors. In the course of our discussion we were lamenting how difficult it has been to make ends meet for everyone. My friend mentioned that she didn't know how anyone could live on less than XXX amount of dollars per year. Her comment caught me off guard because we live similar lifestyles, but Dear Hubby and I make less than the amount she had randomly thrown out. That made me stop and think..... how have I been keeping it together all these years!

The first thought that came to mind was the grocery budget. For most of us it is one of the only flexible areas in the budget. I will admit that mine does fluctuate. Summer time is death on my grocery budget. I have four children (and assorted friends) that are constantly grazing at my house. If I had a nickel for every time I heard (and I quote) " There is NOTHING good to eat in this house", I would probably be able to afford to buy groceries! I know they are referring to the fact that I do not buy fruit snacks, pudding cups, fishy crackers, potato chips, or kid soda (as they refer to it) for snacking. I try to keep the kitchen stocked with fresh fruit and veggies, yogurt, granola bars, cheese, chocolate milk mix (bought in bulk), homemade muffins, quick breads, or cookies instead. If I do buy prepackaged snack items it's on sale with coupons, and then they have to be dirt cheap or FREE. I have a dual agenda here; it is cheaper to buy the least packaged option and it is also healthier.

When the budget gets tight at our house (a.k.a. unexpected medical bills, or toilet repairs) I suck up the grocery budget to pay other bills. When that happens I rely on my "stash" of food storage in the basement. Then I only have to buy perishables like milk, cheese, and fresh vegetables. I read several books on frugal lifestyles, and all referred to the pantry principle. Basically, the pantry principle is that you write out a list of basic food and non food items that your family uses regularly. You then set aside XX amount of money each month to stock up on those items when they are on sale or during caselot sales (they suggest anywhere from 3 months to 1 years supply depending on storage space available. This took my a year to do, so PLEASE don't second mortgage the house to buy it all at once). As you use the items out of your "stash" you place that item on the grocery list and replace them when they are on sale. The theory behind this is that you have enough back stock that you can wait to buy items when they are a great deal rather than purchasing them because you are out. Most products go on sale at least every three months!

I also cook from scratch as much as possible. It really is easier than it sounds. There are tons of cookbooks at the library on every aspect and level of cooking. I have checked out numerous cookbooks and photocopied recipes that I knew my family would eat. Food blogs (and there are links to several fabulous ones right here on this blog!) are another great resource. I compiled all of my photocopied recipes in a three ring binder inside page protectors (bought cheap during back to school sales. The protectors also make my recipes spill proof and easily wipeable). They are categorized by main dishes, desserts, side dishes, etc. That way all the recipes that I use frequently are in one easy location. If I am making casserole, lasagna, soup, or stew I will double the recipe and freeze half of it for a busy night.

I could go on and on and on (can you tell I might be a little obsessed with the subject?)! By now I am sure your eyes have glazed over, or you are passed out cold on the floor so I will be back soon to continue my little tirade......um, I mean educational prose, with more ideas and suggestions ( I know you can hardly wait!!).