Thrifty Tips to Stretch Your Food Dollars

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My best advice to anyone trying to save food $$$ is "cook it yourself".
My guys love pizza,burritos,hamburgers and chicken strips. After several try outs I can now make fast food style foods that are more nutritious and way cheaper. For instance, I can make 3 extra large pizzas with 3 toppings for what a medium pizza costs at a pizzeria. ( I use a sourdough crust, Randy)
Recently I stopped buying canned enchilada sauce. I found a quick sauce that I can make at home and control the "heat".
I buy meat in bulk and repackage. I buy store brands unless the sale price makes the major brand less per ounce. I buy staples in bulk (flour,sugar,beans,rice,oatmeal). I make my own seasoned salt and herb blends. I buy fully ripe bananas for cheap and throw them in the freezer for baking.
My biggest pet peeve at the moment is how companies are packaging their items in smaller sizes but they look like the bigger size I use to buy. I'm now checking package weight and price per ounce constantly!
 
Latebloomer you are absolutely right about cooking it yourself. Also when you cook yourself you know the fat that you are not adding to the meal. I am guilty of eating out far too much, but cooking it yourself is best.
 
I saw that, LB. LOL Wanna tell us how you make your pizza. I have a grandson here and a son-in-law that would be forever indebted to you. When we have pizza, it is normally because I have tied up the kitchen too long doing some canning. I know the "cook it yourself" is good advice. There are so many things that are put into processed foods that are really not good for anyone.
 
Oh, don't we know that , Randy. The sodium alone, wow. I do agree that there are times that you just can't get to cook but use coupons!!!!!
 
You got that right. When I make jam now though, I try not to make a day of it, but hold it down to four batches. That gets me out of the kitchen in time for the ladies to cook dinner. The exception to that is now when I can beans, I go out to the travel trailer and use the stove there. The beans take longer and I have to use the pressure canner.
 
I'll post it in recipes later today.
My four guys can eat three extra large with maybe two or three pieces left (which they eat cold for breakfast) so I usually double up on the dough making phase...I just make two batches tho as I couldn't knead that big of a glob of dough. If there's any dough left,I make a few crusty rolls.
 
Latebloomer can you post the receipt for enchilada sauce. I love Mexican food and like to make it at home.
 
richnkim said:
Hey Randy, I saw a recipe for "Dilly Beans" the other day. Have you ever made pickled beans?
Click to expand...

I have several jars in the pantry yet, 6 quarts, I think. My daughter really likes those. There is a recipe in the Ball Blue Book and I think it is called "Dilly Beans", but I have a recipe from my neighbor's deceased wife that he really likes and I have made several batches for him. He and his daughter have my permission to pilfer stuff out of my garden and he is especially fond of green beans.
 
I am going to try some this year! My husband is so excited about all of the things I'm going to make! He said today, "man that garden is going to slow". LOL
 
My daughter's very favorite thing in the world are dilly beans. Her Grandma made them and they are still her fav.
 
To me "Dilly Beans" you either like them or you don't. Me personally, have never liked them.
 
You know how you can buy the rice mixes in bags or boxes. They have veggies and such mixed in. I have started buying just white, yellow and brown rice. As I harvest from the garden, I freeze sandwich baggies with just a handful of what ever veggie I have. Like all the little floweretts that fall off the broccoli when you wash it, or if I have a few too many carrots,...anyway you get the picture. Then when I want a rice dish I have just the right amount to throw in the pot with the rice while it cooks. It's a little cheaper and in the long run actually better because it has not been "chemicalized" in processing and it's just as quick and easy as those box mixes, easy to make just the right amount too.
 
That is a great idea! I make up my sown seasoning mixes to add to rice when I make it. When you mix up your own you save money and can control the amount of sodium as well.
 
So true. Commercial mixes are horrible for you.
If you add 1/4 cup of salsa, some stock base or cook it in broth,a pinch of saffron and garlic to your rice it makes a mild Spanish rice.
 
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