Penny-wise Wednesday: Save money by using what's in your kitchen pantry

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Oh, how many times we go to the grocery store when our kitchen is actually full of enough goodies to make several meals. I know I'm not the only one who ever does this! :)

I get used to eating certain things, or want some ingredients to try something new and opportunities that are there kind of fall by the wayside.

New eyes
Saving money can be as simple as looking at what you have in your kitchen with new eyes. Do something not related to cooking or shopping- then once you are refreshed and have a more open mind- get a pen and paper and go through what you have on hand.

Be creative. Write down what you can make with what you have. Be open to trying new things. Some of the most flavorful dishes are a combination of things you wouldn't expect to find together, so be adventurous! :)


Watch for what is going bad
Just today I washed, cut up, and froze some fresh okra that we had bought from Whole Foods over the weekend. I knew that if I didn't, it would probably have gone bad by the time I got around to using it. Try to preserve your food from going bad as often as you can, and you will have more food to work with! :)

Also, simply storing food in ways that keep them fresh longer will keep your menu ideas broader as well. Chicobags make and sell bags that are reusable and cater to different produce needs. Green bags are an option as well, though I would try to be sure they are bpa free.


When all else fails, make soup
I adore soup. If it's cold outside or hot, it doesn't matter to me. Soup is always good! :) And the nice thing about soup is that you don't have to stick to a strict recipe for it to come out tasty. Use your imagination! Put a bunch of veggies together and make a nice plain veggie soup, or decide on a theme(like Italian, etc) and let the kitchen magic begin!

Do you have any ideas for making the food in your pantry go further? Please share in the comment section below! :)

Until next time.... God bless!

Penny-wise Wednesday: Save money with a windowsill herb garden!

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An indoor windowsill herb garden is just a pleasant thing. Not only does it allow you to add fresh, organic herbs to your food, but gardening and just being around plants is a stress reliever. Plus, plants add extra oxygen to your environment and purifies the air.

Using natural, non-toxic growing containers

You can use just about anything to grow your herbs in. You can use a container like the one to the left that has room for all of the herbs. (A homemade wooden box, or a rectangular recycled container would work well. Make sure the material is safe.) Or, you can use individual containers for each plant. BPA free cans would work really well, and I have always thought they look charming when they house elegant, fragrant herbs. :)

Practical growing tips

1. Choose a sunny windowsill that gets at least 5 hours of sun a day.
2. Buy herbs or seeds that are labeled organic. Trader Joe's often has plants, including herbs, at the front of their store. Whole Foods often has plants on the outside of their store, and seeds for sale inside. 
3. Blend indoor potting soil with sand to make it lighter and drain better. If you don't have a drainage system for your container, put a layer of rocks on the bottom so roots do not sit in excess water.
4. Feed soil with compost about once a month.
5. Water regularly. Don't let soil dry out, but don't water excessively. Remember those roots! :)
6.  If bugs attack, fight back with a little natural soap mixed in water, just a squirt of soap in a good sized spay bottle will do. Shake well, and spray plants. Watch plants for signs of too much soap exposure (turning brown, etc.) If this happens, use less soap.
7. Trim regularly. This encourages herbs to grow fuller. This part shouldn't be hard, since they are so tasty!

Have any tips you would like to share? Leave them in the comment section below! :)

Until next time.... God bless!

Sources:
http://gardening.about.com/od/herbsspecificplants1/a/Herb_Gardens_2.htm
http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetablepatch/ht/window_herbs.htm
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/indoor-herbs-growing-guide?page=0,2
And personal experience! :)

Penny-wise Wednesday: Save money at discount or salvage grocery stores

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Discount grocery stores, also called salvage grocery stores, are places you can save money on your grocery bill. These stores acquire dented canned items and slightly damaged items from regular grocery stores and sell them for 50-90% off of their original price.

If you are on a tight budget or are just interested in saving money, you may
like to check into this shopping option. To find a salvage store near you, see Extreme Bargain's Discount Grocery Store Directory.

Canned Food Safety
Most canned food containers are lined in BPA, so do be aware of that when buying canned foods. The International Food Safety Network states the following concerning dented canned food: "Avoid canned foods that are swollen or bulging, leaking, rusted or are dented at the seam or rim. Do not use cans with sharp dents. Products in cans that are only slightly dented can be consumed as long as there are no leaks and the product appears wholesome.".

Pesticides on Produce
Also be aware that produce is probably not organic unless stated. If you buy items that aren't organic, be sure to wash them thoroughly with a plant based soap or baking soda. Peeling non-organic food is a good idea as well.

Do you shop at discount grocery stores? If so, please share your thoughts and tips in the comment section below! :)

Until next time.... God bless!

Sources: http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/en/faq-details.php?a=3&fc=3&id=765

Woman's World, May 16, 2011

Penny-wise Wednesday: Dumpster Diving

Photo byRomuald Bokej / Stockholm, Sweden

The best way to save money is to get things for free. That is why some people have started dumpster diving. Dumpster diving is basically looking through commercial trash cans for any item of value or expired food that has been thrown away. The  picture to the left shows a lot of something that had been thrown away in its packaging. This type of find, as well as expired-but still good- produce seems to be somewhat common among dumpster diving discoveries.

I first heard about this concept on T.V years ago. It was fascinating to me to see these people who lived in a big city go around at night and pick through the garbage that businesses put by the curbs. These people were getting all kind of things, even doughnuts. Dumpster diving in a smaller city would be much different, since businesses tend to use dumpsters rather than curbs, and trash is probably not collected every night.

I personally find dumpster diving rather intriguing. I don't really have the time to do it and I don't feel that I live in a very good location for it, but if you want to give it a try I do suggest to find a buddy or a group to go with. Meetup.com has dumpster diving groups, or you can create your own group. Not only is it safer to go with others, but by collaborating with others you may find out about locations and times in your area that are best for dumpster diving.

Dumpster diving has pros and cons. If you have decided that you want to live as simply and on as low a budget as possible, the cons probably won't faze you. But do make sure it is legal in your area and/or get permission from business owners.

Pros- getting things for free, making use of what would otherwise be trash, can be entertaining, can stretch your budget, can make a profit (if you sell items)

Cons- don't know if produce is organic (unless labeled as such), may get dirty and items may be smelly until you clean them up, may get in trouble with the police.


Curb Shopping
Curb shopping can be done alone or with a buddy. It is simply riding around seeing if anything on the curbside put out as trash strikes your fancy. Craigslist.com sometimes has curb alerts for curb shoppers. Not only can this be an entertaining activity, but you can get something you can really use for free, or you can spruce it up or make art out of it and sell it for a profit.

Dumpster Diving Resources: 
http://dumpsterworld.org
http://trashwiki.org/en/Main_Page 

Like Yummy Vegetarian Delights? Why not leave a tip?

What do you think about dumpster diving? Do you dumpster dive and want to share some tips? Leave a comment below! :)


Source: http://www.suite101.com/content/dumpster-diving-for-recreation-profit-and-sustainable-living-a233604


Until next time.... God bless!

Penny-wise Wednesday: How to save money when buying organic food

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I really believe that organic food is so much healthier than the alternative. (Read the benefits here.)I certainly do not want to have food in my kitchen with pesticide residue, and I choose not to eat genetically modified foods. That being said, organic food does indeed tend to cost more. So here are some tips on how to save on organic foods! :)

1. For packaged organic foods, visit the company website. You will often find a coupon there. If not, signing up for the newsletter or liking them on Facebook or Twitter will almost surely get you a few coupons here or there. Alternately, you could email and ask them for coupons. 
2. Again for packaged organic foods, keep an eye out for coupons in the coupon section of your local newspaper. You can also browse online coupon sites, such as Cool Savings. Or you could simply type the brand name and the word coupon in your favorite search engine and see what comes up.
3. Plant your own fruits and vegetables. Click here for tips on natural pest control for your garden.
4. Buy organic fruits and veggies in season from your favorite grocery store or local farmer's market. Produce that is in season always costs less. Some farms will even let you come by and pick and buy from them personally.
5. Buy frozen organic produce. Frozen often costs less than fresh, especially when the item is not in season. And freezing locks in the nutrients, so the food is still nutritious.
6. And finally, if you have to buy some produce not organic, the following ones are likely to have the least amount of pesticide residue: asparagus, avocados, broccoli, cauliflower, bananas, kiwi, mangoes, papayas, onions, pineapples.

Leave your ideas on saving money on organic food in the comment section below! :)

Until next time.... God bless!

Source:
"Top 12 Fruits and Vegetables You Should Buy Organic - Least Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables." Gourmet Food - Fine Cooking, Recipes, Techniques, Reviews, Celebrity Chefs, and more. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.

Penny-wise Wednesday: Save money and eat healthier with dried beans!

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Dried beans really are a menu money saver. One 16 ounce bag of dried beans will yeild the same amount as 4 cans of prepared beans- not to mention cost you 1/4^th less!

The Many Ways to Use Beans

Beans can be used to add additional nutrition and a more substantial feeling to many meals. Some of my favorite recipes using beans are: black bean burgers, chili, black bean soup, baked bean 'burgers', vegetable soup, and lentil soup.

Beans can be added to salads, stir fries, and used as a base for sauces. Adzuki beans are cooked with brown sugar in Japan as a dessert, and there is an adzuki bean ice cream available there as well. And let's not forget the ever popular black bean brownies (which I am planning to make!:).

Preparation

Beans should be properly prepped to optimize the available nutrition in them and to reduce stomach upset. After going through the dried beans and picking out debris, soak in warm water for 18 hours. If you are in a hurry, boil for one hour, change the water, then prepare as desired.

To find out more about beans, see Beans, beans, wonderful beans: how to prepare your favorite legume.

To learn more about reducing phytic acid in food, see How and why to reduce phytic acid in foods for better health.

Until next time... God bless!