How do you save money in the kitchen?

[lulu]

I do not disagree lulu, but not all of those things are always choices. We live where we live because it is what we can afford. We took the jobs we took because they enable us to afford what we have.

We do not have the option of living somewhere else. We need to live where we are. There were no jobs available to us in areas that would allow us to go down to one car. We did not choose to have two cars. It was a necessity.

I'm glad e don't disagree

But, there are always choices, its just that some of them are/seem truely unpleasant and therefore don't seem like choices. One of my favourite sayings is that there is always a choice.

 

[LEFSElover]

How do I save money in the kitchen? I don't.
But I am very good at spending money in the kitchen

 

[GB]

But, there are always choices, its just that some of them are/seem truely unpleasant and therefore don't seem like choices. One of my favourite sayings is that there is always a choice.

That part I can not agree with. We need to live where we do as my wifes brother and father are very sick. We need to live close enough to them to be able to help out when we can go get to the hospital in a timely manner. We also need to live where we can afford. That means that we need to live where we do. We both looked for jobs closer to home, but those opportunities were not there. I do not see how we have any choices in the matter. We need jobs. We need a place to live. We have constraints and conditions that must be met.

These are not choices. We could live in a different less expensive state, but we do not have that choice. We absolutely must live close to her family. We could get rid of a car, but we would not both be able to keep our jobs so that as well is not a choice.

 

[TanyaK]

I cook a lot more with lentils and beans. I mainly buy chicken and pork instead of beef or lamb - can't remember the last time I bought lamb. I'm also cooking more in bulk and we're eating or freezing left overs as South Africa's in an energy crisis and electricity has just gone up another 30% :-(

 

[lulu]

That part I can not agree with. We need to live where we do as my wifes brother and father are very sick. We need to live close enough to them to be able to help out when we can go get to the hospital in a timely manner. We also need to live where we can afford. That means that we need to live where we do. We both looked for jobs closer to home, but those opportunities were not there. I do not see how we have any choices in the matter. We need jobs. We need a place to live. We have constraints and conditions that must be met.

These are not choices. We could live in a different less expensive state, but we do not have that choice. We absolutely must live close to her family. We could get rid of a car, but we would not both be able to keep our jobs so that as well is not a choice.

GB, I'm not prpared to make this personal, so I'm going to decline to comment, but you have not change my opinion that there are always choices. VB has posted a great thread on cars so we get get the garage out of the kitchen anyhow!

 

[simplicity]

One thing I haven't seen is to stop buying junk food. It is expensive and we are already an overweight society. Your downfall might be Oreos while mine are Doritos. Both are overpriced and lacking nutrition.

 

[GB]

One thing I haven't seen is to stop buying junk food. It is expensive and we are already an overweight society. Your downfall might be Oreos while mine are Doritos. Both are overpriced and lacking nutrition.

This is actually what we have started doing (or not doing as the case may be). Actually I shouldn't say we, I should say my wife. I have been saving in other ways like only buying meat when it is on sale. Looking for the meat that is close the the exp date so it is 50% off and cooking it that night. Buying generic instead of name brands. DW has stopped buying the junk though.

 

[buckytom]

i save money by trying to use up the stuff that dw buys. that is, she tends to overbuy (remind you of anyone, lefse? lol, kitchen store), and often buys things at full price because she had a hankerin' for it.

i don't remember the last time i bought meat unless it was on sale.

but, rather than let things go to waste, even part or portion of a package, i will cook/prepare them and take them in as "leftovers" for lunch. (is it a leftover if you made it the night before, but none of it was eaten?)

i don't buy lunch out much anymore, but i surely eat well at work.

 

[sattie]

One thing I haven't seen is to stop buying junk food. It is expensive and we are already an overweight society. Your downfall might be Oreos while mine are Doritos. Both are overpriced and lacking nutrition.

Yea, that is a big one. Chips and cookies are off the wall!!! DH has to have a chip selection for his lunches. Don't know why, but he has to pair the perfect chip (pretzel sticks, corn chips, potato chips) with his lunch. Until I start making me own chips, I'm afraid I will be stuck buying them. (I like my tortilla chips and home made salsa!) As for cookies and stuff like that, I don't buy it, prefer to make it when I get the sweet tooth.

Now the big thing I just discovered is popcorn!!!! I know, sounds nuts... but I have always been pre-disposed to buying the microwave popcorn bags with heavy butter. That stuff is not cheap either! So I bought a bag of pop corn and have been popping corn everynight for a week! So much cheaper per ounce and alot easier to make than I realized and oh my!!! It is sooooooooooo goooooooooooooooooooooooood! Where have I been all this time?

 

[Captain.Sassy]

I'm curious to see where this whole food crisis/skyrocketing oil price thing puts the food market in the future.

If I had to make a guess, I'd say that in coming years locally produced food will become cheaper relative to shipped food (as fuel prices rise) and that organics will also become relatively cheaper (as the ingredients for pesticides and fertilizers become more expensive).

Right now eating local and organic is trendy as a symbol of your commitment to the environment- in the future, it might be more economical too.

 

[Mama]

I'm curious to see where this whole food crisis/skyrocketing oil price thing puts the food market in the future.

If I had to make a guess, I'd say that in coming years locally produced food will become cheaper relative to shipped food (as fuel prices rise) and that organics will also become relatively cheaper (as the ingredients for pesticides and fertilizers become more expensive).

Right now eating local and organic is trendy as a symbol of your commitment to the environment- in the future, it might be more economical too.

I think we're going to see A LOT more home vegetable gardens!

 

[Jeff G.]

How I save money on food.
DO NOT BUY lunchmeat. Roast something thats on sale. Ham, pork loin, beef, chicken, turkey..etc. roast it on a rack, slice thin and vacuum pack to use as sandwich meat for lunches.

Drink tea, water etc. Don't buy sodas.

Vacuum pack everything left over you can. I kept half an onion in the refrigerator for 3 weeks. It was good as new when I opened it back up. I use the Reynolds hand held.

Look for sales, BUT don't buy something you might use just because its on sale. Buy only what you know you will eat or cook.

Shop at discount grocery stores. Their brands are usually as good as the top of the line brands. Truth be known, it's probably a re-label from a top maker.

 

[pacanis]

I've been meaning to ask about buying roasts, hams and such and slicing for lunchmeat. My darn sister gave away her meat slicer years ago. I wish I had known about that. I would have taken it and packed it away. I am dying for a hot ham and cheese sandwich, but I refuse to buy even cheap sliced ham for 5 something/lb.
Do you use a slicer or are you good with a knife?

BTW, FIVE cases of Pepsi product on sale this week for 20 bucks . Couldn't pass that up. I love my Dr P.

 

[sattie]

Ok, who has the little head eating popcorn? I need that!!!

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Ok, who has the little head eating popcorn? I need that!!!

I think Jeekinz has it.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Now the big thing I just discovered is popcorn!!!! I know, sounds nuts... but I have always been pre-disposed to buying the microwave popcorn bags with heavy butter. That stuff is not cheap either! So I bought a bag of pop corn and have been popping corn everynight for a week! So much cheaper per ounce and alot easier to make than I realized and oh my!!! It is sooooooooooo goooooooooooooooooooooooood! Where have I been all this time?

This is too funny - I just discovered "real" popcorn, too! It's great. I'm using an airpopper cuz I'm not allowed to have oil or butter but it's still yummy and really cheap!

 

[B'sgirl]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but I plan out 7 meals at a time and make a list from them. Or I should say, 7 days worth of food. (I don't plan which day I will eat what because who knows what I'll be in the mood to cook on any given day). Then I stick to my list and that way food doesn't rot in my fridge ever. I also watch for sales and buy canned food in bulk. It saves me trips to the store so I can avoid impulse buys.

 

[MexicoKaren]

Oh, I am so proud of you people that plan out meals in advance. I usually plan a few days ahead, but that's about it. We have kind of a spontaneous life here...we invite people for dinner on the spur of the moment, or someone calls and says "let's go out for dinner; meet you at 7 at so-and-so". So too much planning would create a fair amount of frustration for me, I think.

 

[luvs]

i get stuff like a container of cookies with a dysfunctional cookie & get a manager discount.

 

[janetGood]

I use my rice cooker allot i have an expensive one that keeps the rice warm all night, if you like white rice it's a good thing, i have had mine for a very long time at least 7 years and use it almost everyday.
I don't use allot of boxed potoatoes or rice dishes we get our rice in bulk and potatoes also and use that allot for side dishes.
Costco also has case prices on meat for the freezer, i think the prices are posted on the wall in the meat dept.
I am always looking for money saving ideas our biggest thing now is trying not to throw anything out and making my husbands lunches.