Search Results for: blog how to cook from the pantry

Cooking for a Family in Need

This week we are faced with the desire to do some cooking for a family in need. I did a quick meal plan for a few meals plus snacks and quick items. When I added it all up and included disposable packaging, the total cost was more than $125, which is higher than our weekly grocery bill. That would be a blow to our budget, so I made a few changes to allow us to provide hearty, nutritious meals that could be prepared and delivered the same day. I got up very early this morning and got to work putting … Continue reading →

My Bulk Cooking Section –Organized Pantry

Yesterday’s project of organizing the pantry yielded some food that needed to be used up soon. Time to do some bulk cooking. These are items that were nearing the expiration dates or had just over stayed their welcome in the pantry. What I didn’t mention in yesterday’s post is that I actually cleaned out two pantries, plus a smaller three-section bin that usually holds produce. In the latter, was a five-pound bag of organic potatoes that were just threatening to grow eyes. I hate potatoes with eyes. Ew. I mean, really ew. So, this afternoon I decided to attack the isolated … Continue reading →

The Easy Way to Cook from Scratch

Cooking from scratch is a great way to reduce your overall food bill. Eating out can cost three or four times as much as cooking at home, on average. Faced with the reality of the savings, why don’t we all cook more and eat out less? Well, one of the main reasons is that the idea of cooking every meal at home when our lives are so busy can seem daunting. Guess what, though? Eating at home can actually be less time consuming than going out in many cases. Plus, if you follow the following advice, you will see that … Continue reading →

Coupons for Market Pantry and Archer Farms

Frugal shoppers know that buying the generic brand is a great way to save money at the grocery store. The generic versions are often almost identical to the more expensive name brand products. Save even more money by shopping at Target and using coupons on their “generic” brands! Every grocery store has its own “house brand” of generic products. They often have the exact same ingredients as the more expensive name brand versions of the products. Target has two “house brands”: Market Pantry, and Archer Farms. Buying those should save you some money. Save more money by using Target coupons … Continue reading →

5 Italian Staples You Should Have in Your Pantry

Stock the following five ingredient staples of Italian cooking, and you will be all set to go with cooking Italian or adding a bit of Italian flavor to any dish. I’ve listed them in the order of my favorite ingredients. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil I used extra virgin olive oil in almost everything, from sauteing to baking! It has a wonderfully fruity taste that makes even boxed brownies taste rich. It is the purest form of olive oil and the healthiest, full of good fat. Fresh Mozzarella There are very few Italian dishes that wouldn’t benefit from fresh mozzarella cheese. Put … Continue reading →

How to Cook from the Pantry

Cooking from the pantry can save you time and money. Don’t know what to cook for dinner tonight? Need some dinner ideas when you don’t want to go to the store? Have to stretch the budget for a few more days? Use the following advice and resources to help you cook from your own pantry. Taking an Inventory First, figure out what ingredients you have to work with. Sometimes it is helpful to start with the more substantial items such as the type of protein (chicken, beef, beans, eggs) and go from there. Eyeball your shelves, fridge and freeze and … Continue reading →

Fill Your Pantry Now for the Leaner Months

Right now, stores are overflowing with food stock and great food bargains. If you fill your freezer and pantry now, you’ll be able to get through the leaner months that are coming soon. Why Should You Fill Your Pantry Now? There are a couple of reasons why filling your pantry and freezer now will help you to be prepared for later. The first is availability. Stores anticipate selling more food in December and less in January when the perceived demand is not there. This means that some of your favorite foods, especially holiday-related foods may not be available later. If … Continue reading →

Gluten-Free Resources : Blogs

It is not unusual for people who have to eat gluten-free to feel very alone in this world. Very few restaurants serve food in a way that is safe for us to eat. You might not know anyone else who has to avoid gluten. In reality, you are not alone! There are some excellent gluten-free blogs to explore. There are days when I feel as though there is nothing in this world that is safe for me to eat. It is easy to feel quite alone as you look over a menu at a new restaurant, only to discover that … Continue reading →

Stocking the Pantry on a Budget

Stocking your pantry with basic food can really pay off. Not only will it save you money, but it will leave you prepared in the case of some crisis that prevents you from purchasing food right away. Having a stockpile of food is always a good idea. We are currently in the process of trying to build our stockpile back up. We’ve had a number of things happen that have reduced our stockpile to very little, such as cooking from the pantry, losing storage space and giving away about half of our stash to a family that needed it more … Continue reading →

Ebook Cooking for the Allergy Sufferers

When you have a child who has food allergies, everyday cooking can become a nightmare. You must adapt favorite recipes and read every label of every package to make sure you don’t give your child a meal that will make them ill. You have a cabinet full of cookbooks, but you’ve used up all the recipes you child will eat and hate to dig through the mess. Welcome yourself to the world of technology with downloadable allergen-free eBook cookbooks. Now the newest recipes can be at your fingertips in a moment’s time (no storage space needed). The Food Allergy Cookbook: … Continue reading →