Frugal Food - 5 Ways to Get Cheaper Produce

5 Ways to Get Cheaper - Frugal! - Produce

We all know that even on a frugal budget, we still need to eat healthy foods. Of course, that means that we need to include as many fruits and veggies as we possibly can. But, what is a frugalite to do? It seems that fruit and vegetables are becoming more and more expensive all the time (along with...um...everything else!) So, here are five new frugal tips on how to buy fruit and veg for less.

1. Grow it. For some of us, this isn't an option. But, for most of us we can grow at least a few fruits and veggies to supplement our food supplies. I'm a (happy!) apartment dweller, and some years I've had some success with growing veggies in containers. If you have a yard of your own, then a garden is the obvious way to grow your produce. Aim to produce the veggies and fruits that you can easily freeze, can, or otherwise keep on hand for longer.
2. Check for markdowns. Get familiar with when your local supermarket marks down their produce. (This is not the time to be shy, frugalites! Ask the workers in the produce department when the produce gets reduced.) Certain items - like bananas - are marked down often, since they go off quickly. Bananas can easily be frozen in chunks for smoothies. Or, mash those nasty bananas in 1-cup portions in freezer bags and you're prepared at any time to whip up some fresh and yummy banana bread or muffins. Other overripe fruits like pears or peaches can similarly be mashed and are excellent for baking.
3. Get stuff from friends and family. No, I'm not exactly suggesting that you become a big moocher. (hardy har har.) But, when your pals have extras, don't be embarrassed to take it, and gladly. Or, you could do a swap.
4. Farmers markets - sometimes. It just depends on where you live. Sometimes, farmers markets are a fantastic way to save money on your fresh produce. Other times, farmers markets are actually far more expensive than the grocery store. This is where knowing your prices really helps - you'll know quickly if you can find true bargains at local markets.
5. Stock up on sales items. Fresh berries, peaches, and other fruits are great when frozen. Again - these make for quick and handy options for smoothies. (Minus the $5 price tag that most smoothie joints charge!) Ditto for veggies on sale...if the price is fantastic, then stock up and freeze or can those little vitamin-packed babies up! (I'll be totally honest -- I'm not a canner by any means, but even I can freeze with some finesse.)

There you have it! Five ways to inspire you to save on the healthiest ingredients in our diets - fruits and veggies. Have some more ideas? Post a comment!

Frugal Meal Ideas: Pancakes for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

Pancakes are a Frugalite's Friend - Pancakes are a Fantastic Frugal meal

What could become a simpler meal than a delicious, steaming plate of pancakes? Basically just a batter created from flour, eggs, milk and maybe sugar and some leavening (baking powder or baking soda) can create a meal for any time of the day - breakfast, lunch or supper. Pancakes are not just for breakfast anymore! (Although, I sometimes crave pancakes for breakfast, I cannot deny this...)

Pancakes for Breakfast
Pancakes for breakfast are delicious when topped with fresh or thawed frozen fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries or a mixed fruit blend. Make a plate of pancakes delicious with a pat of butter and some real maple syrup. (Sure, the frugalite's choice of syrup might be those corn syrup laced concoctions, but try to buy a larger jug of real maple syrup when it's on sale or in big box stores like Costco...I think it's one of those ingredients that it's worth splurging on.)

Pancakes for Lunch or Dinner
Pancakes of any sort - the typical fluffy type, or buckwheat pancakes - make a great starchy choice for lunch or dinner too. Top with savoury fillings you would use to fill crepes, or use thin pancakes to make alternative tacos or burritos.

Freezing Pancakes
Whenever you make pancakes, make a large batch with the intention of freezing extras. Freeze with sheets of waxed paper in between so that you can just pull out as many flapjacks as you need. You can quickly re-heat frozen pancakes for a quick and delicious meal anytime!

Frugal Food - 10 Food Basics Every Kitchen Must Have

Food costs are up - even on the basics we all rely on to prepare good, basic meals for our families. What can we do? Instead of relying on too many processed foods, rely on these good basic meal makers to create delicious and nutritious meals - that won't break the bank.

1. Rice - in all its forms! Brown rice, white rice, short grain rice. I love the nutritional value of brown rice, even though it does cost more per serving. You can use rice to create countless main dishes, including casseroles, or use plain rice as a base and different sauces - think sweet and sour chicken, or mushroom meatballs - over top. Also, rice is a handy substitute hot cereal, or can be made into deliciously creamy rice pudding.


2. Beans - beans, beans, a musical fruit...does anyone else remember that silly little bean song? :) Beans may make your belly more 'musical', but they're downright healthy and good for you! Combine rice and beans for an ultra frugal meal, or try using cooked black beans in brownies - no kidding! Search the 'net for black bean brownies recipes -- they're healthier, and they taste amazingly good.


3. Oats - I love oatmeal for breakfast, and I even whir up some oats in the blender to create oat flour, which has more nutrition than plain white flour. Add oats to ground meats to make them go farther, without alterting the taste, but meanwhile upping the nutritional value and the fiber.


4. Frozen fruit - Sometimes buying bags of pre-frozen fruit can be expensive, so buy when on sale or freeze your own fruit. Bananas gone bad? Cut into thick chunks and store in a plastic baggie and freeze - it's perfect to go into a smoothie! Or, when berries are on sale, freeze strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or whatever type you found and use in cakes, muffins, pancakes or more smoothies. (Can you TELL that I enjoy a smoothie or two? :) )


5. Frozen veggies - again, stock up when they're on sale. I love that they won't go bad, unlike the fresh vegetables that will go funny if you don't use them quickly enough. Good in stirfries, or in soups, or on the side of any dinner entree.


6. Buckwheat flour - I can't eat regular wheat flour, but did you know that buckwheat flour is gluten free? It's delicious, regardless, and if you buy it in a big sack you can get a much better bargain. It is absolutely scrumptious in homemade pancakes, and works well in just about any cake or muffin recipe - there's fiber and protein in it, so it's good for you.


7. Eggs - oh, how I love a dozen eggs! They're one food, however, that I don't mind paying a little more for to get a nicer quality. For instance - you can get free range or free run eggs, or the type enriched with Omega 3 oils - usually that just means that the chickens were fed flax seeds. Eggs are delicious whipped up into fluffy omelets filled with fresh veggies and cheese, or as a dip for French Toast- a wonderful Sunday morning breakfast.


8. Ground beef, or veggie 'ground beef' - either way, this is a great way to make your meat (or 'meat' in the case of veggie ground round) stretch further. Terriffic in pasta sauces, casseroles, soups and stews. Again, buy on sale and freeze. Also, obviously wonderful as burgers. Veggie ground round, if you haven't tried it, is surprisingly yummy - oh, and a good substitute for vegetarians in Mexican foods like tacos. Yummm...now I'm craving a good taco.


9. Chicken - but only if you aren't hooked on skinless, boneless chicken breasts alone! Nothing wrong with stocking up on those when they're on sale and freezing (since they are quick and easy to add to stir fries and other quick meals) but...in general chicken parts with the skin and bone are much cheaper. Chicken legs, for instance, tend to be a very good deal - a chicken leg includes the thigh and drumstick.


10. Breakfast for Supper - Pancakes, homemade waffles (or frozen), scrambled eggs and toast, bacon and eggs - all of these are not exactly a specific food, but rather a type of food we think of for breakfast. This makes a far cheaper dinner than usual, since the emphasis isn't on meat.

There, with a little creativity you can make your food budget stretch a little further, while eating like (frugalite) kings and queens. Good on you!

Frugal Food Tips - Use Smaller Plates

Not only will your budget thank you, but your belly (size) will thank you too! Invest in some smaller plates - even if it's just from your neighborhood dollar store, so that the investment isn't too hefty! Smaller sized dinner plates, side plates, dessert plates and even ice cream bowls will really reduce how much you eat.

Think it's crazy? Just try it...I'll bet you'll prove yourself wrong, by having more leftovers remaining. Don't waste them - leftovers are a frugalite's best friend! Just freeze them if you can't use them up in the next day or two.

Try it: use smaller plates to cut down on how much you consume.

A Beverage that's good for you AND Your Budget - Tea - Frugal Food

A delicious cup of tea makes you feel like all is right with the world, AND it's easy on your budget. It can even be good for your health: studies have shown that both black and green tea (which are, after all the same tea plant, just picked at different stages of maturity) are very good sources of antioxidants.

Make a delicious cup of regular orange pekoe tea and serve with milk, sugar and/or honey. Or, chill that same tea for a yummy - and oh yes, cheap! - glass of refreshing iced tea. Add a wedge of lemon and you have a delicious drink on a warm day.

Or, herbal teas are a great alternative to other types of less healthy (and costlier) drinks, such as soda. Try combining a few of your favorite herbal teas together, or trying them iced as well. Some of the fruit 'teas' are so flavorful it's almost like drinking fruit punch!

And the best part of all for us frugalites is knowing that tea is a very affordable treat - a box of tea can cost $2.00 or more, but usually provides 16-24 tea bags at a time. Watch for sales and then stock up on tea - so that you can have a comforting hot or cold drink whenever your thirst strikes.

Frugal Food - Snacks - Popcorn to the Rescue

If you've got a bag of popcorn in the pantry, you're set for snacks. Pop up some popcorn (an air popper or simple microwave popcorn popper makes this easy and cheap - no need to buy overpriced and ickier tasting pre-bagged stuff) and drizzle some olive oil or melted butter over top. A sprinkle of salt, or even parmesan cheese and you're set! It literally only costs pennies a bowl. Stock up on popcorn when it's on sale. Freeze it in a tightly sealed container to keep large bags fresh longer.

Enjoy your frugal snack!

Grocery Budgeting - Save Money on Groceries - Make Meat Stretch Farther

Meat is one of the priciest items on your weekly grocery shopping list. So, make it stretch farther by using smaller amounts of it - or having at least a few meals a week without meat at all! You can substitute lentils or beans instead, which are a healthy source of protein without saturated fats.

To stretch your meat further, try these options:

• Buy one piece of meat, and cut it into small pieces for use in casserole, stir fries or other dishes
• Have smaller portions of meat, and make sure to fill your plate up with healthy veggies and whole grains such as whole grain pastas or brown rice
• Ground meats such as chicken or beef are excellent in soups, stews, casseroles and other main dishes.
• Add substance to a smaller amount of ground meat by adding cooked lentils. They're really tasty, and when added to beef they just seem 'meaty'!

Frugal Food of the Day - Oatmeal - Rolled Oats

I love a good, steaming bowl of homemade oatmeal. And I'm not talking about those silly (and pricey!) little packets of oats that have been stripped of much of their natural nutrional value. No, I love old fashioned oatmeal - with some milk, drippings of honey, sprinles of cinnamon and raisins - it tastes like dessert for breakfast!

Oatmeal is a fantastic staple food to keep always on hand in your Frugal Pantry. Here are just a few ways to use it:

1. As a hot cereal. Delicious, nutritious.
2. As a replacement for bread crumbs in recipes like meatloaf. I far prefer uncooked oats in my meatloaf.
3. Ground up and added as a delicious, nutty-tasting flour for muffins, quick breads, pancakes, etc.
4. As a foundation for homemade granola, which is basically just oats, a bit of oil, honey, cinnamon (or other spices) dried fruit, and nuts. SO much healthier and cheaper to make it yourself than buy it pre-made!

Do you have other favorite uses for this fabulous, frugal food? Please post your ideas!

Frugal Food - You Can Eat Rice for Breakfast, Lunch and Supper

Rice is a natural, delicious and of course - frugal - food that you'll want to stock in your pantry regularly! I like whole grain brown rice - it's a bit more expensive, but far better for you nutritionally. Here are a few ways to incorporate rice into every meal of the day - even dessert at the end of your dinner!

1. Rice for Breakfast - Rice is a delicious breakfast cereal. Reheat leftover rice and serve with milk or cream, and additions such as raisins (or other dried fruit such as dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots), spices such as nutmeg or cinnamon and of course brown sugar or a drizzle of honey! It's absolutely delicious.

2. Rice for Lunch - Rice is a great base for any lunch - you can reheat leftover rice and serve with a bit of butter, parmesan cheese and steamed veggies. Add a little protein and lunch is complete.

3. Rice for Dinner - Search online for rice casseroles for an easy and frugal meal. Or, fried rice is a great way to use up leftover rice - waste not, want not after all!

Rice is delicious for dessert - as rice pudding! Again, do a basic search online for rice pudding recipes and you'll find (literally) thousands of them! Enjoy, rice lovers. Your wallet will appreciate your efforts too.

Frugal Shopping - Find Great Bargains in Bargain Bins

An even BETTER way to save money shopping than using coupons? Keep an eye open in your local supermarkets for bargain bins! They might be items stacked in a grocery cart, or maybe there's a clearance section. Some of these items can have their prices slashed by up to 80% or even more! Definitely worth the effort to find these goodies...

And as always, remember: It's only a bargain if you really NEEDED the item in the first place!