When our children were growing up we had very little extra money. We got clothes and shoes from the thrift shop and only bought groceries that were on sale. We had barely enough each month to pay our bills. We hardly ever ate at fast food restaurants. All meals were cooked from scratch.
I got a call one day from a man that was in a wholesale food business in Richmond. He told me he could save me money on food every month. I was entering all my checking data into the computer and I told him when I finished I'd be glad to compare with him so I could save money on food.
He called back 2 days later and I had my information written out. He wanted to know how many meatless meals we had and I told him they ate meat every meal. The discussion continued and he finally got around to asking me how much per person I was spending each month. The total came out to $65.00 a month per person. He quickly said "I'm sorry ma'am I can't beat that."
I was a bit bewildered and yet happy that I was among the very few who made food from scratch and saved money.
By gem from Gordonsville, VA
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This page contains the following solutions.
Never even finish reading a recipe that lists a "box" or "package" of anything. Be a basic cook. Learn the recipes for meat, rice, and vegetable combinations that don't rely on high salt "packaged" soup mixes for their flavor.
If you are tired of running out of kitchen staples, buy two and instead of putting it on your grocery list when you run out, put it on your list when the first one is gone.
Cooking from scratch can save you a lot of money. Here are some tips to help you learn to cook from scratch. Post your ideas.
My mother-in-law gave me this tip when my husband and I first got married and moved into our first home. I tried it and it's true, and it's also healthier and earth friendly.
The key to cooking from scratch is making sure that you have staples on hand. Potatoes are one of the best and most versatile staples. Potatoes are cheap, can be stored for a long time, and can be used in a variety of dishes.
It is really not that hard or inconvenient. Once you do it for a while, it will seem like you've done it forever.
It is very quick and easy to put together recipes using boxes of cake mix, prepared breakfast cereals and tins of soup or vegetables, etc. But, please, for the health of your family, do this as little as possible.
