1. Label and freeze leftover food for later use: super ripe bananas, stale bread, soups, stews, pastas, sauces, meat ...
I recently made a bread and butter pudding for my parents and it was a great way to use up some bread that was a little dry and I have modified the Edna Staebler (Food that Really Schmecks) recipe by reducing the milk to include a half cup of honey (my parents' Honey Shack honey of course!) and adding extra eggs to boost its caloric value for my wee Mum. I find that I sometimes get into a food rut and make the same recipes, but sometimes by recombining ingredients, only slightly tweaking recipes can make a big difference. My modified Edna recipe improves the nutritional value:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a round casserole dish.
11/2 cups milk
2-6 eggs (depends on you and if this is intended as a nutritious snack!)
1/2 cup honey
1/2-3/4 loaf whole wheat bread
butter for the bread
marmalade for the bread
cinnamon for sprinkling
1/2 cup Thompson raisins if you have them
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Slice about 6 pieces of bread, butter them, spread marmalade and then cube. Arrange cubes with the butter and marmalade sides up in layers with the raisins and cinnamon in the casserole dish. Mix eggs, milk, honey and vanilla. Pour over the bread and allow to soak in for a few minutes before popping in the oven with a lid or tinfoil to prevent the top from getting too dark. Bake for a minimum of 25 minutes and longer if you have used up to 6 eggs - just keep checking to see that the egg has set. Mine puffs up like a souffle when it's nearly done, so you may need to remove the cover toward the end!
2. Make a grocery list and avoid impulse purchases - look at the flyers ahead of time to help plan.
3. Grocery shop on a full stomach to avoid impulse purchases - my grocery store preys on the "hunger-induced-shopping-fugue" with huuuuge bins of reduced cookies, chips, etc. at the entrance near the carts!
4. Buy generic products or sale items, whichever is less expensive.
5. Buy bulk ingredients - check the unit cost per grams to ensure your savings.
6. Take hot lunches, snacks and drinks to work/school in flasks and containers that can be re-used rather than buying lunch out.
7. Refill a good stainless water bottle with water rather than buying disposable, bottled water.
8. Make coffee by the pot at home and take to work/school in a travel mug.
9. Buy second hand clothes, boots, shoes that are well made - they will last as long as your kids fit them and outlast brand new, poorly manufactured items. Of course, socks and underwear, etc., should be brand new! Ha!
10. Use your local library to borrow books, DVD's, Cd's, journals - the list is endless - and while you are there, why not plug in your laptop and use their Internet for free...!
Happy money saving!
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