Published by Scott
Dec 29, 2008
photo credit: skye820
Last year a large percentage of our household budget went towards food and groceries. I jotted down a list of frugal food ideas that can help our family control food expenses in 2009. If you have an idea that has worked for your family, please let me know and leave a comment.
1. Stop throwing out food and wasting money. In 2008, I seemed to throw a lot of food away that had spoiled or the kids just didn’t like to eat. I would try a new yogurt or cracker and if the kids didn’t like them, it would just sit in the cupboard until it got tossed. I threw out a lot of pasta as well. I would make a lot of pasta for lunch and try and reheat for dinner or lunch the next day. The kids hate reheated pasta and it never worked to try and get them to eat it for leftovers. At least pasta is cheap.
2. Homemade pizza. We make a great homemade pizza using dough purchased from Trader Joe’s for under $2.00 and use fresh vegetables or pepperoni and cheese for a few extra dollars. It sure tastes better than a Dominoes pizza or Round Table Pizza and is a lot less greasy.
3. Crockpot chili. I’m not a fan of the crockpot and have only enjoyed one recipe which is homemade chili. I love it spicy, or sweet, or mild. Any kind of chili with cornbread is heaven. Chili is not a favorite of our kids, but a pot will last my wife and I for a week.
4. Brew your own coffee. In 2008, I would guess I spent less than $25 on Starbucks for the entire year. It beats my previous year by over $2,000. Making coffee at home is a frugal food idea that can really help your family budget. I would love to get an espresso machine in 2009, but our counter space is filling up.
5. Homemade Ice Cream. My wife bought me an ice cream machine for my birthday and I was a bit skeptical about the quality of homemade ice cream. I remember eating it as a kid and it didn’t taste as good as Dreyers or Baskin Robbins ice cream. Well, it could have been the ingredients, but my wife made a coffee ice cream that could put Dreyers out of business. It uses cream, milk, sugar, Ghirardelli chocolate powder, and decaf Folgers crystals. Yep, Folgers crystals taste great in ice cream. Ice cream tastes great all year long and can be a wonderful frugal food treat.
What were your favorite frugal food ideas in 2008? Do you have any money saving food ideas for 2009?
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