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Take advantage of those 2-for-1deals, the brown bag stuffer sales, the day old bakery steals, and the great prices on seasonal produce. Don't let those great coupons go to waste because you won't be able to use everything before it spoils!
Never be without an ingredient again. Plan meals and recipies
ahead of time and be prepared for times when funds are short.Save Space in the Freezer
Freezer Space is Precious When Saving on Groceries!
Use these great tips from Shelley Elmblad to save space in your freezer and take advantage of those great grocery deals.One great way to save space in your freezer is to freeze food flat in freezer bags and then stack them. Try freezing fruits and veggies on Large Sheet Pans
or Cookie Sheets
and then placing them in freezer bags to keep them from sticking together.Always make sure the freezer bags are as flat as possible by removing excess air. This can be done with a food saver or by using a straw to suck out as much air as possible.
Get rid of any excess packaging that foods may come in.
Make sure the freezer is always at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, use a Refrigerator Freezer Thermometer
if you need to and make sure there is enough room for the cold air to circulate around the items.Make sure you know what is in there! Always label your items with a sharpie or label maker
, listing the contents and date. You could always have an inventory list as well for reference when planning meals and recipes.Get another freezer if you have too. Chest freezers
can be small and compact while offering a large amount of extra space for freezing your grocery store finds. 
Freezing Meat, Poultry and FishLet's face it, meat is expensive these days! A major place to save money is on the cost of meat considering that most meat, poultry, and fish will be good for up to three months in the freezer. Avoid freezer burn by wrapping meat, poultry, and fish in freezer paper or plastic wrap or use a freezer bag. If you choose to freeze foods in the store wrapping, make sure to wrap them again with plastic wrap as the store wrapping may be compromised in route to your freezer.
Freezing Bakery Items
Breads, cookies and cakes all freeze well. Always use a freezer bag or container that keeps out air to prevent bakery items from tasting dry and stale when thawed. Most breads and unfrosted cakes freeze well for two months, while cookies and frosted cakes stay fresh for up to a year in the freezer.
Freezing Milk and Cheese
Freezing milk can take up a lot of room in your freezer; if you've got that second freezer mentioned earlier you can easily freeze a gallon of your favorite Milk product. Empty out a cap full of the milk to allow the container to expand when frozen. A gallon of milk will keep for up to three months in the freezer. When thawed, shake well and enjoy!
Cheese may become crumbly after freezing, but freezing does not affect the taste. Freeze most cheese for up to three months, but do not freeze cottage cheese. Butter and margarine both freeze well for six to nine months.
Freezing Fresh Fruits and VeggiesFreeze fresh fruit when it is fully ripened so it is not bitter. Always wash the fruit thoroughly before freezing in freezer bags. Fruit becomes mushy when thawed; it is great for smoothies, shakes, and cooking.
Fresh veggies can be frozen, they key is to blanch them first. Fresh, blanched veggies will keep up to eight months in the freezer.
Freezing Fresh Herbs
The best place to save money
when freezing is with fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, and parsley. Fresh leafy herbs like basil, cilantro, and parsley freeze well for up to three months. Place the herbs in freezer bags and freeze. Freezing allows for easy chopping for cooking.
Get Shopping!
Make sure to look for coupons for your favorite foods and scope out the grocery ads weekly. Grocery stores often offer the same sales on a revolving basis and don't forget the seasonal sales on produce!
Amazon
The Busy Person's Guide to Preserving Food: Easy Step-by-Step Instructions for Freezing, Drying, and Canning
With this indispensable guide readers will discover the fastest, easiest way to stockpile and preserve the season's best fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Included are step-by-step instructions for storing today's most popular produce quickly and easily. Food-by-food suggestions for the best preservation methods (including microwave) save the reader lots of time.
Fix, Freeze, Feast: Prepare in Bulk and Enjoy by the Serving - More than 125 Recipes
Millions of shoppers save money buying groceries in bulk - trays of boneless chicken breasts, pairs of flank steaks, and flats of ripe tomatoes. But savings can quickly become losses if those bulk quantities spoil in the refrigerator or lie forgotten - unlabeled and unrecognizable under layers of ice crystals - in the back of the freezer.
Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik have built businesses teaching home cooks how to take advantage of bulk savings by shopping wisely; converting food purchases into delicious, healthful family dinners; and labeling and storing the meals for easy access on busy days. They share all their best recipes and organizational wisdom in Fix, Freeze, Feast, a cookbook every price-conscious shopper will love, and warehouse club members shouldn't be without. With their help, home cooks will have freezers stocked with easy-to-prepare entrées, ready to be defrosted and cooked for weeknight family dinners. Imagine the comfort of knowing a homecooked meal is always available.
Each recipe includes instructions for dividing, preparing, and storing the raw ingredients, and a second set of simple directions for thawing, cooking, and enjoying the food. Designed for the way people cook today, Fix, Freeze, Feast meals are lighter and fresher than traditional bulk-cooking recipes, with a focus on simple stews and stir-fries, quick grilled or broiled main courses, and popular ethnic meals such as Beef Fajitas and Cashew Chicken Stir-fry.
Add to the entrées ready-to-bake cookie doughs, warming soups and side dishes, fruit smoothies, and portable kids' snacks, and those warehouse club shopping trips begin to look more valuable than ever. This is a system that saves time, saves money, and saves families from the empty calories of takeout food. Make room in the freezer for next week's dinner!
More Money Saving Tips at DoughDefender.com!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byHow are you saving money on groceries?
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- only1bub only1bub Mar 6, 2009 @ 12:07 pm
- I'm likin' your page!!!
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Reply
- NightSquid NightSquid Mar 4, 2009 @ 11:51 pm
- Hi Linear Chaos,
You have some great money saving tips and information on this lens!
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