Because we love cooking but hate paying so much at the grocery store, we love little tricks to save money. Be it by proper storage, preparations before cooking, efficient prep time, or repurposing of ingredients, you can save while still eating tasty, wholesome snacks.
Blow Into Your Bag Of Salad Greens
Wilting of greens, especially ones that are more delicate, can really ruin your salad. To prevent oxidation, the cause of wilting, breathe out into your bag of greens. After sealing the bag, you’ve done what many food transporters do to their products: placing a layer of carbon dioxide to keep oxygen away. Your greens may look silly in inflated bags, but their longer shelf life will pay itself back.
Store Foods For the Correct Time
Some of the best advice is the simplest. Store your food for as long as it’ll last, but no longer. Delicate proteins like fish and ground meat can last for 3-4 months if frozen, while steaks and poultry can last up to a year. Buying fruits and other ingredients when they’re inexpensive, then freezing them for later use can help keep a stocked kitchen on the cheap.
Be Efficient in the Kitchen
One of the best effort-savers is to be efficient when you’re prepping and cooking. Keeping knives sharp to easily cut through a bunch of veggies, knowing when a fine chop is really needed, and avoiding wasted time can help cut down on the effort it takes to cook at home, saving money.
Is That Recipe Really Worth It?
But all that efficiency can be brought down by a recipe that just won’t do you any favors. Avoid difficult or expensive ingredients like unusual spices and specialty meats. And while you’re thinking about the recipe, ask yourself if it can be doubled for making a meal for later in the week.
Regrow Common Ingredients
One of the most fascinating uses of kitchen scraps is to regrow vegetables and herbs from the parts you wouldn’t use anyway. Garlic, onions and herbs are just the beginning of what you can grow in your kitchen to make the freshest and freest ingredients come to your kitchen.
Take a Twist on Pantry Staples
Repurposing specific ingredients into other recipes gives new legs to the extra odds and ends that may be gathering dust in your pantry. Try this recipe for decadent cake batter cookies, using that old box of cake mix.
We hope these little tips help you in your never-ending quest for inexpensive and good eats. Share your favorite trick in the comments!