Search Results for: blog saving food the ice cube method

Ways to Avoid Food Waste

One sure way to reduce the amount of money you spend on food is to avoid wasting any of it. The average American wastes up to 50 percent of the food that they buy. From half-eaten sandwiches and chicken nuggets left by the kids to lettuce that wilts and leftovers that turn into science experiments, chances are that you throw some food away every day. Think about your food bill and halve it or even quarter it if you are better than average. That is how much money you are throwing away. A $200 food bill could be reduced to … Continue reading →

Saving Food: The Ice Cube Method

I have spoken a little bit about food waste before. Among the strategies to curb food waste (and money in the rash) are having a leftover or clean out the fridge night, using leftovers in savory muffins and keeping a container to make freezer soup. Now here is one more strategy: Using ice cub trays. We now have our water hooked up to our refrigerator and have automatic ice. I won’t get rid of the ice cube trays, though. They come in handy for saving leftover food, especially when you need small amounts of something. A good example for using … Continue reading →

Sneaking the Leftovers

Using up your leftovers or having planned leftovers for meals is a great way to save money. You can use up all of the food you have through leftovers, especailly getting free meals. Also, cooking in bulk can save money and time. But not everyone is big on leftovers. Before I became frugal, I wouldn’t touch a leftover for my life. People who don’t like leftovers either avoid them because of some pre-determined idea that they won’t taste as good as the original or a feeling of being deprived, or a worry about being too cheap. Kids especially don’t like … Continue reading →

Care of Product Manuals

If the ice maker on your refrigerator suddenly starts making a weird noise because someone under three was pressing all of the door buttons would you know what to do? Or, more likely, would you know where your refrigerator manual is located so you can find out what to do? If your home is anything like ours after our move last year, manuals are the least of your worries, until you actually need them. This week, I decided to get all of our product manuals organized and filed, so they would be on hand when needed. This was inspired by … Continue reading →

Three Ideas for Cooking What We Have

Are you throwing away valuable food that can be put to good use? Even the smallest of leftovers, the most overripe of fruit and the remains of a meal can be used deliciously for meal prep. If you make it a habit to use everything you have, you will shave your food budget by at least 25 percent (the amount of food that generally goes to waste in American households). Here are three ideas for cooking what we have, based on my adventures in the kitchen this morning. I find that weekends are a good time to take stock of … Continue reading →

Getting Your Family to Enjoy Powdered Milk

There is no debate right now about powdered milk being a great bargain, especially when regular milk is passing $4 a gallon. But, getting your family to actually enjoy powdered milk can be a challenge. It definitely doesn’t taste or smell like fresh milk, and there are a number of associations that people have with powdered milk that make it a negative thing even before it is tasted. Here are some ways to get your family to open up about powdered milk, or at least consume some if it. The don’t ask don’t tell policy Many people associate powdered milk … Continue reading →

Make Your Own Sweetened Condensed Milk

Want a frugal substitute for a can of sweetened, condensed milk. This home made version will save you some pennies and prevent you from having to run to the store to stock up. As an added bonus, you can make only the amount that you need so that there is no waste. This is another savings right there. I have fallen out of using sweetened condensed milk, mostly because of the expense and the waste. I used to use it all of the time to make yummy graham cracker crumb cookies. With this frugal substitute, I may just have to … Continue reading →

Flattening Your Freezer Cooking

While I am by no means an expert on freezer cooking, I do like to practice it whenever I can. I stock up on ingredients and freeze them, such as shredded cheese, make freezer soup and double or triple my meals so that we have some portions to freeze for next time. One issue that kept coming up for me is having an efficient use of freezer space, so I can get the most items in that I can. Using glass canisters is great because they stack easily, but having enough of them can get expensive. Plus, the canisters generally … Continue reading →

Even More Frugal Kitchen Tips

Have you been following our frugal kitchen tips? They are great ideas for saving money in the busiest room in the house. I like to concentrate on this room, because I find that establishing good frugal habits in the kitchen can take me a long way to saving money. Plus, it is always fun for me to save in the kitchen. My mom was practicing this next idea for as long as I can remember, far longer than the frugal lifestyle got to be so popular (See Nicole’s blog). If you need a really cheap way to keep those potato … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: October 1st Through October 7th

This has been a weird week here in Pennsylvania. The weather can’t seem to make up its mind whether it wants to be summer or fall. Still, everyone seems to be gearing up for Halloween and the crisp fall leaves. With that in mind, we’ve shared some frugal ideas for both Halloween and outdoor yard work. Food seems to always be a big budget buster, so we have some tips for you in that subject, too. And now, here is the Frugal Living Frugal Living Week in Review for October 1st through October 7th. October 1st My Frugal Weekend Report: … Continue reading →