Savings at the Grocery Store

We are always looking for ways to save on our groceries. I hope my ideas are a big help.

[1] Do not buy non-food items at the grocery store. Shampoos, diapers and over the counter medications are always higher at the grocery store. Save these items for your local dollar store.

[2] Ask for rain checks when a sale item is not there. If there is no limit to the amount, ask for double the amount you think you might need. You can always buy less but they will not let you buy more if your finances are better at the time of pick up.

[3] Don't buy everything at the same store. Go to 2-3 stores if their sale item are different and you need or use them. Some will say that is wasting money on gas but if you plan your travel, you might use an extra gallon of gas but save 20+ dollars. To me, spending three dollars on gas and saving twenty on food is a savings of $17.00 anyway you look at it.

[4] Do not buy things just because they are on sale or you have a coupon, to just sit in your pantry or for you to give away later. That is not a savings.

[5] While you are at the dollar store buying your non food items, check out their grocery items too. Most have a spice rack, canned vegetables and cereal. They may not be the brand you are used to but you can buy one and try it out before committing to a larger purchase. You might be pleasantly surprised.

I hope these ideas will help you on your way to savings at the grocery store.

Faylee

Did You Know?

Did you Know?
That you can use the same energy saving timer on your crock pot as you do for turning on your lights while you are away? If the recipes calls for a shorter cooking time and you are at work, it can start the crock pot. You will still get a great meal, ready for the table when you get home.

Did you Know?
That you can freeze a peeled ripe banana then eat it later like a Popsicle. You might even want to drizzle a little chocolate syrup or spread peanut butter over it. It's good tasting and good for you!

Did you Know?
If you use 1/2 a bag of the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips when making your Chocolate Chip Cookies, you will still get chocolate through out your cookies for half the price.

Did you Know?
You can also slice mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and small balls of cheese with your boiled egg slicer? Try it out when needing a garnish for your plates or adding them to a salad

A Good Basis Recipe will Lead to a Great Meal

Here's a fresh Mayonnaise recipe from Mary Hunt

1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons vinegar (or lemon juice)
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (or less, if mixture thickens quickly)

Put egg, salt, sugar, mustard, paprika and vinegar in blender. Cover and blend for a few seconds. With blender still running, add the oil very slowly. Blend until thick and smooth. Yield: about 2 cups.Note: Substitute pasteurized egg substitute for raw egg for pregnant women or elderly persons.

While this is a good basic recipe if you want to add some spice or sparkle choose one of these and blend in.

1/2 teaspoon of southwestern spices
1/4 teaspoon of Texas Pete
2 tablespoons of finely chopped spring onions
2 tablespoons of cucumber, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon of fresh coarse black pepper

When you have a good base, the rest is easy. By mixing in some of these ingredients you have a new flavor. By mixing two or more you can have a new dip or salad dressing to call your own.

Happy exploring,
Faylee

Your Dish

Learning cook at any age can be easy, if you stick to the things you like. It's when we go over our level of experience and taste that we get into trouble.

So choose your level. If you are 8, make it something simple like boxed Mac and Cheese. If you are 12, do the mac and cheese then add some hot dogs. By the time you are twenty you can do the Mac and Cheese from scratch, using it as a side dish to your favorite meatloaf and garlic green beans.

You want people to say "what a good cook" you are but it doesn't have to be something that took all day cooking and hours of shopping, to make it good.

Learn a few good recipes from a list of family favorites then stand back and listen to the applauds.

If you need any help with those recipes, just send me a note and I'll be happy to encourage you.

Faylee