Kitchen Hints - Stretch that Dollar

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Stretch that Dollar

Planning is the Number One Thing to do if you Want to Save at the Grocery Store!

Since the most important thing to remember about keeping your food bill reasonable is good planning, aren’t you glad there’s Everything but the Chef? Giving thought to meals and then making out a shopping list before going into the store will cut your spending by up to 50 percent. And just think—that part of meal prep is all done for you! Impulse-buying is an enemy to thrifty shopping. Avoid grabbing items that aren't on your list.

Don't Shop on an Empty Stomach
Strong evidence exists to show that going to the grocery store hungry can increases your food bill by up to 15 percent, due to impulse-buying. Often we leave work and stop in to pick up items for dinner. This can be a deadly practice to our frugal budgets. Play it safe-- fill your tummy before you fill up your grocery cart.

Avoid Darting Into Convenience Stores
Convenience stores thrive on the principle that your quick trip in for a cheap coke will result in you making a purchase of at least two other items. Those two items will most likely be marked up by 60 percent or higher over grocery store prices. If you do want a single item, bring in only the exact or near to exact change to help stifle the impulse to get that Twinkie!

Don't Buy Toiletries at Grocery Stores
Grocery stores generally markup toiletries 25 percent or more than discounted drug stores do. It is worth a quick trip into Walmart or your local discount drugstore to stock up on your toiletry needs.

Practice "Mixing It" Yourself
Food items that include added sugars, spices, and sauces are often up to 50 percent higher than buying the basics and doing it yourself. Sugar coated cereals and frozen seasoned dinner mixes are a good example. A bottle of teriyaki goes much further than that little mixing package can ever hope to go. Plan your meals in advance to avoid the temptation to buy the "all in one" solutions.

Concentrated Juice Offers Big Savings
Most cartons of juice offer the buyer the opportunity to spend up to 60 percent more than purchasing the frozen concentrated equivalent. That is quite a big difference for the same amount of product.

Don't Be Shy About Shopping the Discount Basket
Often times they contain food products that manufactures want to clear off the shelf to make room for their newly designed package of the same product. Browsing the sale baskets in the stores is an excellent way to stretch your spending.

Store Brand - Try it, You May Like it!
The days of generic type packaging and bland tasting food in store brand products is over. Companies have worked hard to improve their private-label brands and often the taste is equal to the national brands. Do not be afraid to experiment. If you find the product meets your standards, you can save an average of 40 percent off your annual grocery bill.

Beware of Marketing Strategies
Avoid marketing ploys designed to draw your attention to a particular product. Knowing some of the tricks of the trade will ultimately save you money. Beware of end-of-the-aisle dump bins, island displays, recipe related item placement, and "middle-shelf" items. This is typically, where higher priced and impulse products are placed.

Rice—Just as Good the Second Time
Reheating leftovers regularly is a huge money savings. You can even save the extra rice and use it in a cold rice dish, fry it, or reheat it by adding two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk, part butter) for each cup of rice. Cover it and heat it on the stovetop or in the microwave, about 1 minute per cup of rice. Cooked rice can be frozen and reheated from that state in the same way by simply doubling the reheat time.

Marinating Saves Money
Summertime often means more marinating than at other times of the year since barbecues in general are fired up more often, and many barbecue recipes call for using a marinade. Marinating allows you to use less expensive cuts of meat that aren’t as tender, since marinating tenderizes meat. Good to know that anything you barbecue can be broiled instead, so the savings by marinating can be realized all year long! When marinating beef use a marinade that contains an acid (such as lemon juice, vinegar, or wine). The acid acts as a tenderizer. I’ve heard of tenderizing chicken breasts by soaking them in buttermilk for up to four hours in the refrigerator: rinse and prepare as you desire.

Avoid Waste: Eat Food Within Two Hours—Less in the Summer!
You’ve heard it before, but with hot summer temperatures upon us it’s a good thing to be reminded of: The two hour rule states that foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Keep track of how long foods have been sitting out and discard anything sitting over two hours. Of course this two-hour rule is referring to “room” temperature. If you’re outside and food is sitting in the heat, the time the food will remain safe for consumption is dramatically reduced. Beware.

Buy Candy After Halloween
Just a reminder: leftover Halloween candy is really cheap the first week or two in November. As you shop keep your eyes opened for good deals. Don’t know what you’ll do with it? Then put it in the freezer and save it to use for something during the Holidays, as kids birthday party favors, or to “add to” a child’s gift, etc. It can be used when your child needs a treat for a school party, scouts, etc. When you gotta have that treat and you’re all outta time, you’ll be glad you stocked up on a little candy when it was cheap!

Watch the Scanner
Scanners are only as accurate as the data they’ve been programmed with. Keeping your eyes on the scanner has dual advantages. First, it will keep the cashier more alert, avoiding double charges and secondly, it will allow you to stop the checkout process if an item is showing the incorrect price. For many months while shopping in the same store, a certain bag of cookies consistently rang up 30 cents higher than what was posted on the aisle. Only after pointing out the error several times did they change the price tag on the shelf to reflect what the scanner kept ringing up. (Although whenever I remembered to point out the error they deducted the discrepancy in price).

Buy on Sale and Freeze
Freezing items that can be purchased at rock bottom prices can produce some extreme savings! What can you freeze? Just a few things include:

• Unprocessed meats. (Brown lots of ground beef at once and save it in recipe sized helpings to save time in future meal preparation)
• Blocks of cheese, or grated cheese
• Cooked pasta and rice
• Cookies (homemade or purchased), pies, cake
• Yeast bread, sweet quick breads (lots of items from bakery outlets)
• Chopped onions and peppers
• Nuts
• Ripe bananas (for use in shakes, smoothies, breads, muffins, etc. later)

Don’t Waste Money Freezing the Wrong Thing
Because of texture or composition, some food products do not freeze well. Freezing may keep food from spoiling, but quality after freezing and thawing may not be acceptable.

• Yogurt and cultured sour cream will break down and separate.
• Fruits or vegetables with high water content or delicate cell structure do not freeze well: lettuce, celery, tomatoes, watermelon, citrus fruit and cucumbers. You can freeze some of these foods, like tomatoes, for use in cooked dishes, but they are not like fresh tomatoes when you thaw them.
• Sauces and gravies thickened with flour or cornstarch frequently separate and break down when frozen. For best results, freeze the stock for gravy before it is thickened, and add thickener when you reheat it.
• Cooked egg whites can get rubbery when you freeze them. To freeze a mixture containing cooked egg white, be sure it is finely chopped. Do the same with celery.
• Mayonnaise breaks down when it is frozen. Use salad dressing instead of mayonnaise to make sandwiches or salad mixtures for freezing.
• Cakes frosted with butter frosting freeze well, but cooked frostings or fluffy egg-white frostings do not.
• If you want to freeze macaroni, spaghetti, or foods containing pasta, undercook the pasta since frozen well-done pastas may be too soft after reheating.
• Cooked chunks of potatoes become soggy or gritty, but mashed potatoes or twice-baked potatoes freeze well.

Freezer Burn Costs You Money
Freezer burn is caused by food coming into contact with air; it gets dehydrated on the surface of the frozen product and the food looks and tastes “off.” This can be avoided by properly wrapping things before you store them in your freezer. A heavy duty freezer wrap is something worth investing in especially if you only have the frost free type freezer. Food stored in these (frost free type freezers) need to be used up more quickly than in other freezers. I find that 2-3 layers of regular plastic wrap works great in a deep freeze, and food stores much longer there too. I have always owned a freezer that needs to be manually defrosted, even though it is a pain! It is worth it because food frozen in it does not get freezer burn or have that off-taste that the food stored in my refrigerator’s frost-free freezer does after only a few weeks.

Freezing is Good, but not Indefinite!
In your freezer you can store roasts and whole poultry for six to twelve months; steaks and chops for four to six months, and ground meats or stew meats for three to four months. Cured and processed meats lose quality more rapidly than fresh meats because of the presence of salts. Do not store luncheon meats, franks, ham or sausage longer than one or two months.

These are approximate storage times--if you keep meats solidly frozen and store them at 0 F, they will remain safe to eat well beyond the recommended time. I have found this to be the case with most items I freeze when I use a freezer that is not frost free—they’re the best for keeping food fresh tasting longer.

Stock–up, Divide, and Save Money
When you find a great sale on meat, why not stock up? Simply divide the meat into the amount you will use at one time (e.g. break large packages of ground beef into 1# chunks, or whatever you prefer, and cut large roasts in half or in thirds). Dividing before the meat is frozen is important. If you don’t have time to divide right when you get home from the store, put meat in the refrigerator for up to a day or two, until you can get to it.

If you’re lucky enough to find a good sale on packages of meat that are just the right size, either remove the store over-wrap, which is designed to let oxygen in to keep the color bright, or wrap tightly around the store’s packaging with plastic wrap, or put in a freezer bag.

Getting the Biggest Bang for your Buck When Choosing Veggies
Vegetables with the brightest and richest color will be the best value when it comes to paying for nutrition. Carrots that are pale are not as nutritious as the bright orange ones. Produce allowed to sit unrefrigerated or that shows visible bruising will have lower vitamin levels. Chopping and peeling exposes more surface area and more nutrients will be lost when these veggies are cooked, so use young, small vegetables instead when possible. They are usually tastier anyway and don’t need as much chopping or peeling.

That Cheese is Expensive!
The time involved in ripening, as well as the flavor of it are what determine the cost of a hunk of cheese. The higher priced cheeses are not necessarily of higher food value. Buying blocks of cheese and shredding them yourself (most food processors work great for this) is less expensive than buying pre-shredded. Buying large bags of pre-shredded is less expensive than the smaller. I often buy big, divide shredded cheese into double layered sandwich bags and freeze. Saves money and is convenient since you have cheese (without the mold) always on hand.

Buy New Appliance if Old One is Half Used
Trying to determine whether to fix that appliance or buy a new one? One thing to consider is how much of your appliance’s life has already been used. Estimates for appliance life vary, but the average life of a washer is about 11 years, a dryer is 10 years, an oven is 14 years, a refrigerator is 10 years, and a dishwasher is 8 years. If half of that time has already elapsed you could be wasting your time repairing it. (www.RepairClinic.com )

Using Your Dishwasher Wisely
Making it a habit to use your appliances efficiently can save energy and money. For instance running your dishwasher only when it is full is a good start. You can also skip the drying cycle and let the dishes air dry by simply opening the dishwasher once the wash/rinse cycles are over. I like to rinse my dishes well before placing them in the dishwasher and then the shorter light wash cycle can often be used, which also saves.

Make Shift Things—Colander/Cracker Crusher/Drain Cleaner
If you can’t find that colander, punch small holes in an aluminum pie plate and use it to drain spaghetti, vegetables, etc. Use good quality zip-lock bags-closed with air squeezed out--to crush graham crackers, cookies, ice, cereal or other items. Use a heavy rolling pin to beat and roll them with, or a hammer. Protect surface underneath! Homemade drain cleaner consists of pouring 2/3cup of salt followed by 2 quarts of boiling water down the drain. Repeat if necessary.

Tips for Saving Money at the Grocery Store

• Shop for items BEFORE you run out of them. If you run out of an item you'll have to pay whatever the store is charging that week. If a product you use is on sale, buy as much as you can afford and store to last you until the next sale. This is a BIG money saver.
• Learn the sales cycles of your grocery store so you know when to expect certain items to go on sale. “On sale” cycle for grocery retailers is usually 13 weeks.
• Avoid trips to the "corner store".
• Shopping alone can save you money.
• Said before; worth repeating... don't shop for groceries on an empty stomach!
• Due to volume discounts, larger stores are generally cheaper than smaller ones.
• Most bargains are found on the higher and lower shelves. Most expensive brands are at eye level (to get your attention).
• Watch for unadvertised specials.
• More often than not, the best sales are on the front and back of your supermarket flyer.
• Don't be afraid to try the less expensive generic or store brands. Most stores will refund your money if you are not satisfied.
• Pretty packaging costs you money. You are not only paying for the product, but for the packaging (and advertising) as well.
• Buy and use in season veggies and fruit. This is when they are least expensive.
• Always check the expiration date on dairy products.
• Always check the day old bread basket, and the reduced merchandise cart.
• Always ask for a raincheck if an advertised special is out of stock. While you are waiting for the product to come back in, look for more coupons for that product.
• Shop at bakery outlets. Breads and rolls freeze very well.
• Remember that no particular store has the lowest price on all items so create a "shopping pool". Agree with family and friends to shop sales for each other.
• Always return a product that is spoiled. Call the store immediately and tell them you plan to bring it back the next time you come in.
• Send off for rebates to get items free, or nearly free.

Get to Know the Stores in Your Area
Different grocery stores get known for their “best buys.” For example some consistently offer the best price, or best sale price on meat. Others might have the best prices on produce. Some have “double-coupons.” As you shop in your area, or when you talk to neighbors, try to discover which stores are best for what. Then, don’t run all over town every week, but don’t always stick to just one store either, if you want to get the biggest bang for your buck. You’ll eat up the savings in gas if you aren’t careful, so make “best buys” trips when you’re out on other errands, and in the area of a particular store.

Coupons—Good for Some Purchases, Not for Others
You don't have to be a coupon junky to enjoy thrifty savings. Just thumb through magazines and newspapers and clip out the coupons for products you always buy. Your savings can add up fast with little effort on your part.

If you want to enhance the sale price of an item, use a manufacturer’s coupon. If you’re “into it” you can create an organized system for sorting them. One way to do it is to separate coupons according to the aisles at the grocery store. For example: dairy, canned goods, baking items, frozen foods.

Don’t use a coupon simply to save the face amount on the coupon. Wait for the item to go on sale and then use the coupon to enhance the sale price. Don’t use the coupon at all if you don’t need the item.

It’s better to wait for an item to go on sale than use the coupon right now. Sale prices are almost always better than the price using the coupon. Maximize your coupons by holding on to them until a “double coupon” day is advertised.

Coupon Basics
Some people don’t regularly use coupons because it’s one more thing to do, and they don’t feel that the time spent searching and clipping justifies the savings. If you aren’t one to take time to clip coupons, at least take a moment to glance at the items in the store flyer when you walk in the door. Look at it while you’re shopping, noticing special buys that week. This small effort adds up to some big savings over time.

If you don’t read grocery ads, be aware of messages as you shop—i.e. the mention of special sales going on. For instance some common ones at national chains include 10/$1 or 10/$10, a $.25 sale, or food items marked down regularly on a certain day of the week.

As you shop, watch for unadvertised specials also, and remember most bargains are found on the higher and lower shelves. Most expensive brands are at eye level where they get your attention.

Not a coupon clipper? Then as you shop the aisles take a store flyer with you (usually at the door as you walk in), and if you don’t have time to get through the entire ad, pay special attention to what’s advertised on the front and back of the store ad. These are almost always the best specials the store is offering that week.

You CAN Return Items and Correct Errors From the Grocery Store
Always return products that are spoiled before their expiration date, or fruit that you find is bad when you get it home. Granted this can be a pain so what I’ve done in the past is call the grocery store and let them know the problem and ask them to make a note of it so that the next time I’m in they can credit me for the spoiled food. Ask them if they’d like you to return the food, bring in the receipt when you shop again, or just how you should handle it. Get the person’s name that helps you. And then, don’t forget to replace the item the next time you’re in the store.

Once you’ve done much grocery shopping there will also be times that you get home and don’t have everything you purchased: something gets left at the check-out counter, or put in a bag that doesn’t make it into your cart. When I’m missing an item I check my receipt to make sure I’ve paid for it, and if so then I call the store and explain the situation. They’ve always allowed me to pick up the item the next time I’m in at no charge.

Go Through Your Refrigerator and Pantry Before you Shop
According to Timothy W. Jones, Ph.D. University of Arizona, an average family of four currently tosses out an estimated $590 worth of food per year, just in meat, fruits, vegetables and grain products! To really cut down on needless buying of items that you won’t be able to use before they go old, get in the habit of cleaning out your refrigerator (especially) and pantry just BEFORE you go to the store, so you know what you have, and what you don’t need to buy. Plus, this habit makes it much easier to put away the groceries.

Case Lot Sales Aren’t the Best
Be careful with case lot sales. Yes, you get a lot all at once, but most of the time, this is not when these items are the lowest price. Often you can find them at other times of the year cheaper, and why not buy a case then?