Search Results for: blog freezer cooking how do i store my meals in the freezer 2

Inexpensive (and Easy) Summer Meals

For my family, summer is not all about cooking, unlike during the winter holidays. Instead, it is about spending time outdoors, going on summer adventures, visiting with friends and family, days at the park or pool, and nights on the grass watching a movie or music concert under the stars.  It is about inviting the neighbors over for a campfire and smores, catching lighting bugs, trying to get all of the ice cream drips before they run down your arm, and re-experiencing the feel of a light breeze coming off of the ocean. Still, we all have to eat, so … Continue reading →

End of Month Spending Check

Tomorrow is the last day of the month, and it is time to do an end-of-month spending check. In January, I have been focusing on groceries and food, keeping track of our spending in those areas and saving as much as I can. Writing down what I spend on each trip to the grocery store has helped. While I still don’t have a lot of coupon use, I’m paying more attention to the sales and not buying things that we don’t need, purchasing more fruit and less snacks for example. This has made a difference. I’ve also been more conscious … Continue reading →

9 Meal Ideas for Leftover Chicken

The prices on whole roasting chicken has been pretty good lately, so I have been finding myself buying quite a few chickens for our meals. My family likes roast chicken, so it isn’t usually a problem, except for the leftovers. They can get a little boring after a while. That is why we usually have one meal of roast chicken (I vary the seasonings), and then use the leftover chicken in new dishes, some of which I can freeze.   Here are my favorite ways to use leftover chicken.   Chicken Pot Pie: You can use a butter crust, shortening … Continue reading →

Money Saving Meals for Busy Families

Busy families shouldn’t miss out on the savings just because they have little time to cook. Home cooked meals are one of the best ways to save on the food bill. With a little knowledge, you can spend very little to cook at home, no matter how hectic your life is. Here is how. Crockpot Recipes I’m convinced that the crockpot must have been invented by a busy mom. If you don’t have this little appliance, run out right now and get one. Don’t worry about the expense. You can pick your first one up for a few dollars at … Continue reading →

Help! I Need Motivation to Cook

Cook from scratch to save money. It is automatic. Unless you are springing for prime cuts of steak or exotic mushrooms (in which case, feel free to cook a meal for me some time), you will always spend more money eating out than you will cooking from scratch, especially when you factor in nutrition. Heating up a frozen pizza you picked up from the grocery store doesn’t count. Those things are expensive, too (and tiny; they are very tiny). Still knowing something is good for you and your budget and actually doing it are too different things, as most of … Continue reading →

Creamy Baked Ziti

I’ve been trying to do much better at meal planning this month, including a variety of inexpensive meals that are also packed with nutrition. I like to include a pasta dish during the week, and I selected this one because it is packed with extra tomatoes. Since my kids won’t generally eat tomatoes on their own, I though this would be a great way of getting some of this healthy vegetable (fruit) in to their tummies. Normally when I make baked ziti, I use ricotta cheese. It is part of my Italian heritage, and it is hard to image it … Continue reading →

Freezing My … Off

This week, I am making it one of my frugal goals to freeze a little something each and every day. Today it is mashed potatoes and also banana chocolate chip muffins. Yesterday, it was sour cream corn muffins, and the day before it was regular chocolate chip muffins. I’ve been doing this by making extra and then packing up some aspect of our regular meals, such as the leftover muffins from breakfast or preparing a whole six pounds of mashed potatoes (before the butter and milk). By doing this, I really don’t have to do much additional preparation. I measure … Continue reading →

Stock up on Freezer Food This Month

The month of March is an excellent time to get your freezer stocked. This is because it is National Frozen Foods month, which means more savings for you. Frozen food manufacturers are issuing more coupons, and the stores are having more sales. Stock your freezer as cheaply as possible now, and reap the benefits in your family meals for the months to come. In order to have a successfully stocked freezer, you’ll first need the freezer space. You can often gain more space by taking items out of their original packaging and freezing them flat. If you have a larger … Continue reading →

Once A Month Cooking

I don’t really like cooking, I mean, I don’t hate it but it’s not at the top of my list of things I want to do after working all day. I’m always looking for shortcuts and ways to make dinner easier without resorting to packaged foods or fast food. Once a month cooking takes care of all of those things. The idea behind once a month cooking is that you do all your cooking in one day, package your meals for the freezer and then you have dinner with minimal prep work. There are many websites that will do most … Continue reading →

How to Use Holiday Food to Save Money

Many holiday foods are starting to go on sale in anticipation of the holidays. The grocery stores want you to shop with the, so they will deeply discount the items that you need for your holiday table. To be frugal, take advantage of these sales and use the items in your cooking throughout the year, making the cost per serving of your regular meals go way down in price. Here are some of the common holiday foods that you will find on sale and how to use them to save money. Turkey and Ham The bigger the better with these … Continue reading →