Some Basic Guidelines To Reduce Food Costs And Waste Including Recipes
This lens was created to share some of the small things I've discovered that lead to better meals with less cost and waste. I grew up in a post-depression family that took frugal to the extreme at times but did help me to make a few money saving tips a way of life. I hope to share some of them here.
A Few Tips To Reduce Food Costs And Waste
1. Save the liquid that you drain from vegetables and freeze to use in soup. Keep a larger plastic dish in the freezer and keep adding the veggie broth and small amounts of leftover veggies (raw or cooked) to the dish. This will be a great base to use when you make soup. Small amounts of rice and cooked pasta can also be added.
2. Freeze any one-serving leftovers to either use for your lunch or to add to a soup at a later date.
3. Shop the meat sales and don't be afraid to mix ground beef, ground pork or ground turkey in casseroles.
4. Keep some basic canned vegetables on hand for casseroles and quick soups. Some I always have on hand are whole kernel corn, cut green beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, Ranch Style Beans (this is actual brand and they are seasoned), mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, tomato soup.
5. Steam and puree veggies for soups if they are getting too old to use raw. You can use carrots, onions, zucchini, yellow squash and celery this way. Just pop them into the freezer in a labeled container and pull out when you are making soup or meatloaf and up the flavor and vitamin quotient.
6. You can wash and section green, red, yellow or orange peppers and freeze. They are easy to then chop and use in cooking later.
7. Most casseroles will taste great if you reduce the meat by half and/or increase the pasta or rice by 1/4 to 1/2. The decrease of meat and increase of pasta will greatly reduce your food budget.
2. Freeze any one-serving leftovers to either use for your lunch or to add to a soup at a later date.
3. Shop the meat sales and don't be afraid to mix ground beef, ground pork or ground turkey in casseroles.
4. Keep some basic canned vegetables on hand for casseroles and quick soups. Some I always have on hand are whole kernel corn, cut green beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, Ranch Style Beans (this is actual brand and they are seasoned), mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, tomato soup.
5. Steam and puree veggies for soups if they are getting too old to use raw. You can use carrots, onions, zucchini, yellow squash and celery this way. Just pop them into the freezer in a labeled container and pull out when you are making soup or meatloaf and up the flavor and vitamin quotient.
6. You can wash and section green, red, yellow or orange peppers and freeze. They are easy to then chop and use in cooking later.
7. Most casseroles will taste great if you reduce the meat by half and/or increase the pasta or rice by 1/4 to 1/2. The decrease of meat and increase of pasta will greatly reduce your food budget.
Great Tasting, Healthy, Budget Casseroles
Quick, healthy, filling and delicious - one-skillet meals make cleanup a breeze and a home cooked dinner keeps the family happy. I often start with frozen meat and keep onions or onion flakes on hand so this can be an emergency back-up plan when the kids bring extra friends home and I needed to feed a bunch of hungry people quickly. These recipes can easily be doubled; more meat can be added if desired. When macaroni is one of the ingredients, I've sometimes used the variegated spiral macaroni just for variety.
These recipes are great if you are camping for an easy meal with minimal clean up.
These recipes are great if you are camping for an easy meal with minimal clean up.
Italian Sausage Confetti Casserole
This is a quick, one-skillet dish that is filled with veggies. If you wish a stronger flavor add your favorite herbs.1 package (5 links) Jennie-O Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage
1 package - frozen - cheese filled tortellini
1 medium onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1/2 head cauliflower
3 - 4 celery ribs
4 sprigs Parsley - remove stems and chop - divide in half and hold half for garnish.
Salt & pepper to taste
Use large non-stick skillet with high sides.
1. Brown sausages on all sides until almost done. Remove from pan and slice into bite-sized rounds. Return to pan and continue browning.
2. Cook 1/2 of tortellini according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
3. Coarsely chop all vegetables into bite sized pieces
4. When sausage rounds are browned, add veggies in this order
a. Cauliflower - cook about 1 minute then add
b. Onion - add
c. Celery - add and cook onions and celery about 1/2 minute then add
rest of ingredients including tortellini and cook until peppers are tender
crisp and bright.
d. Peppers
e. Parsley
When ready to serve, sprinkle reserved chopped parsley on top for garnish.
6 - 8 servings.
Pasta Delight One Skillet Dinner
1/2 pound ground beef (may substitute pork or turkey)
1/2 medium onion
1 can (15oz) cut green beans
1 can (15 oz) original stewed tomatoes
1 to 1 1/2 cups macaroni (uncooked)
1 Tablespoon dry basil (Rub basil in palm of hands to release fragrance before adding to casserole).
Cook macaroni as directed until al dente.
While macaroni is cooking, brown ground meat in large skillet then add onions and cook onions until clear. Drain thoroughly. Drain green beans but save the liquid. Put drained green beans and stewed tomatoes into meat mixture. Add hot, drained macaroni, basil and salt to taste. Heat through but don't overcook as macaroni will become mushy.
Serve with green salad or veggie platter.
Serves 6.
NOTE: If you want a different flavor use one of the seasoned stewed tomatoes and have a more Italian or Mexican dish. To make it even healthier, use whole wheat pasta.
1/2 medium onion
1 can (15oz) cut green beans
1 can (15 oz) original stewed tomatoes
1 to 1 1/2 cups macaroni (uncooked)
1 Tablespoon dry basil (Rub basil in palm of hands to release fragrance before adding to casserole).
Cook macaroni as directed until al dente.
While macaroni is cooking, brown ground meat in large skillet then add onions and cook onions until clear. Drain thoroughly. Drain green beans but save the liquid. Put drained green beans and stewed tomatoes into meat mixture. Add hot, drained macaroni, basil and salt to taste. Heat through but don't overcook as macaroni will become mushy.
Serve with green salad or veggie platter.
Serves 6.
NOTE: If you want a different flavor use one of the seasoned stewed tomatoes and have a more Italian or Mexican dish. To make it even healthier, use whole wheat pasta.
Beans, Rice And Sausage Skillet Meal
1 can Ranch Style Original Beans (this is a brand of seasoned beans).
1 can Stewed tomatoes - original flavor
1 Cup Instant Rice
1/2 Kielbasa sausage - chopped
Put beans, stewed tomatoes (chop larger pieces) and their juice and chopped sausage into a large skillet with a lid. Bring to boil, stir in instant rice and cook as directed on box of rice until rice is done.
NOTE: I use instant brown rice to increase the nutritional value. You could also use leftover cooked rice rather than instant.
Good served with corn bread or rolls and tossed salad.
Serves 4.
1 can Stewed tomatoes - original flavor
1 Cup Instant Rice
1/2 Kielbasa sausage - chopped
Put beans, stewed tomatoes (chop larger pieces) and their juice and chopped sausage into a large skillet with a lid. Bring to boil, stir in instant rice and cook as directed on box of rice until rice is done.
NOTE: I use instant brown rice to increase the nutritional value. You could also use leftover cooked rice rather than instant.
Good served with corn bread or rolls and tossed salad.
Serves 4.
Quick Fiesta Chicken Fajitas
2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless and sliced crosswise into thin slices)1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 large onion
1 package fajita seasoning mix
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons cooking oil - divided
NOTE: Do all chopping before you start to cook as these cook very rapidly.
1. Heat large skillet (I prefer a non-stick) with one tablespoon of the oil until drop of water sizzles.
2. Add thin sliced chicken strips and cook until almost done through.
3. Push chicken to edges of skillet and add second tablespoon of oil, onions and peppers. Continue cooking and be sure to stir frequently so peppers and onions don't burn.
4. After cooking vegetables a couple of minutes sprinkle 1/2 to all of seasoning packet over meat mixture.
5. Add 1/4 cup of water and stir.
6. Cover pan and let steam for a minute and stir. Continue cooking and stirring until vegetables are tender crisp but still bright in color.
Serve with wheat tortillas, salsa, sour cream and guacamole. A tossed salad and hot pinto beans are good accompaniments.
Serves 4 - 6.
More Inspiration
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- Sarah Sarah Jun 24, 2009 @ 9:47 am
- Great lens! Welcome to the frugal cooking group.
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- Pat Pat Jun 5, 2009 @ 1:06 am
- Great idea and how wonderful to be able to share your ideas in this economical climate! I am sure we could all learn some valuable lessons, thank you!
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- salzanos salzanos Jun 4, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
- great tips here!! Thanks!
Frugal Cooking the Del.icio.us Way
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One Dish Meals and More
by TalesTrailsAndTips2
I am a wife, mother of two and grandmother of four (2 boys and 2 girls). In other words, I'm an old wrinkley as my sister-in-law would say. LOL... (more)
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