Tips for Saving on Groceries and Food Leftovers Ideas
By Denny Lyon
Food prices soaring
Ideas of how to conserve your food. 2 videos.
When gas prices go up so do food prices. What used to be inexpensive to us suddenly becomes dear. Beans are quickly becoming the new steak. These days cooks are learning to be far more judicious with pushing things to the back of the refrigerator to live another day. Often they end up spoiling and get thrown out.
Coupon Queen: Buying bulk can save at the register, GREAT video!
The despair of leftovers in the fridge
Well, before it gets that desperate how about learning a few ideas of what to do with leftovers? It often puzzles us what to do with those small amounts of food too small for a full portion or too little to divide among several family members.
Here are a few suggestions to get your creative juices flowing to help solve your problem, save your wallet and most of all earn you status in your circle of family and friends!
The perils of being single and too much leftover turkey from Mom
The food dilemma
Dilemma:
1 serving of rice
½ can of tuna
Uncooked vegetables and fruit losing their freshness
1 or 2 graham crackers or gingersnaps
2 over ripe bananas
Grandma's food. Grandma is not your food! (Could have many interpretations.)
Problems solved
Problem Solved:
Leftover rice can be used in stuffings, quick breads, pancakes, casseroles and soups. In place of a potato side dish how about a Mexican styled one? Take the rice and sauté it in oil with some canned black beans, chopped onion, and garlic, maybe some leftover red or green bell pepper. Add to that some cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg and parsley to your taste.
Leftover rice can also be used combined with other vegetables and seasonings to stuff bell peppers, onions or even a winter squash like acorn squash.
What's in your fridge and what does it say about you?
Leftover food solutions abound
Leftover tuna? Not to worry. Put that little protein darling into a Caprese salad of mozzarella cheese (or other plain farmer’s cheese, a plain Mexican fresh cheese which you can’t keep for long), fresh tomatoes and fresh basil, a dash of extra-virgin olive oil, finished with some good balsamic vinegar. Tuna and basil are natural pairings.
Leftover graham crackers or gingersnap cookies? Some people enjoy poached warm fruit and sprinkle them over that dish. I’m not the biggest fan of that dish so I like to sprinkle gingersnap crumbs over curry and olive oil steamed cauliflower. What a pairing!
Dying bananas? I have friends who scoop them out, place them in a blender with vanilla nonfat yogurt until smooth as a baby’s bottom, chill it and serve as a dessert, dusted lightly with cinnamon or nutmeg. They might make me a fan of American yogurt. Once you have tasted Greek yogurt on the island of Santorini you just can’t go back to commercial versions.
According to the folks over at Suite101.com, there is a use for that potato water. They suggest it has many uses. It’s good in bread dough for giving it extra texture and taste, especially when seasoned with herbs like tarragon. Potato water is useful in baking, gravies, soups, and many sauces. It can be substituted for milk in most recipes; that’s a plus for anyone who is lacto intolerant. They supply recipes too!
Saving food dollars, make a twice baked potato
Pasta salad recipe & Coupon sites
I found this amusing title among my recipe files.
Use-Up-The-Leftovers Pasta Salad.
Ingredients:
½ cup cooked meat (chicken, turkey, fish, shrimp or whatever)
1 cup chopped raw vegetables (whatever you have on hand, give it a try)
1 to 1 ½ cups cooked pasta (make sure it is a bit under cooked)
½ to 1 cup cooked or canned beans (optional)
2 Tablespoons reduced fat vinaigrette dressing
1 Tablespoon plain low-fat yogurt mixed with a bit of orange juice or lemon flavored low-fat yogurt mixed with a bit of light mayonnaise
Directions: Toss all of the ingredients together. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper if desired.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate 1 hour or even overnight to allow flavors to blend.
Serves 1 person.
This dish can be expanded to create a main dish salad for more people. It also works well with previously cooked rice and bulgur.
***
Coupon sites used by the Coupon Queen from Washington state:
Feel free to add your ideas for grocery savings and leftovers in the comment section!
hub #23
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Comments
intersting :-) keep it up.
Hi, Kelly and abeerer! Thanks for stopping by so soon after the hub was up! Definitely watch the 1st video as it's of great quality. It's a news clip, really astouding how this lady in Washington state has figured out the food system in this country and how to make 80% off in most cases. She is really something!
Denny,
I loved this hub! Now that there are just 2 of us here in the house, we eat lots of leftovers. We both don't mind this; I could eat the same thing night after night as long as it's the right thing!
I noticed your yogurt comment. You can get Greek Yogurt here, the good kind, FAGE is the brand and it's available at Trader Joes and Whole foods. Even Costco carries the big size here. I don't eat the other crap; it has so much sugar in it and no live cultures. You'll love the FAGE if you loved yogurt in Greece. I also have found it in Paris so I know it is the authentic thing.
The Caprese salad sounds yummy; I love fresh mozarrela with basil...(you're making me hungry!)
Pasta salad sounds really good too. Potato water, now there is an idea! I can see using it in gravies; it makes perfect sense but I hadn't ever thought of it.
I always keep flour tortillas on hand because you can steam them and shove just about anything inside and it tastes good!
Really good hub with lots of usable info! Loved it.
Madison
Hi, Madison, thanks for the heads up on where to find authentic Greek yogurt in America; I've really missed it! I can't wait to go looking for it and try it out.
Glad you came by for a visit! While some folks at these social sites get annoyed with long chatty comments I actually LIKE them! So, much appreciated! Long comments are sociable and help us get to know others better in my book. Thanks!
Denny,
I sort of think that the reason HP is so friendly and supportive a site is that people get to know each other. On other channels, as you pointed out about Triond, no one responds to anything. Why have a comment area when no one ever comments?
Madison
Very good my dear...and I have used potato water now for years..especially in bread making and gravies...my mom taught me to boil the spuds with onion slices for added flavor and then we always used the water for the gravy...way better then that pre-packed stuff...and i too have learned how to make a different meal out of leftovers...one good one is with leftover basmati rice...about a cup of rice (or less) and mix it with a raw egg...place in a hot pan with butter and you have a great Rice Pancake...Just sprinkle with cinnamon and or jam or syrup...serve with OJ and bacon, ham whatever...Love it..Thanks for all the good hints and Loved the video...she is something...G-Ma Hugs & Peace
Thanks, G-Ma, love the breakfast rice pancake idea as it's new to me! Will definitely try your idea, what a good one! That or maybe I should just drop in at your house for breakfast some day with the excuse of getting you to demo it for me. (big grin) Good cooks like yourself do make a lot of friends, don't you think? Thanks again for the visit!
Really liked your cooking tips, Denny. Left-over-pasta-salad is evergreen!
Thumbs up!
Hi, Tatjana, thanks for stopping by for a visit - all the way from Croatia! :)
Denny - Great thoughts on ways to "waste not, want not". Very timely for many in these challenging times.
Loved your hub. Many great ideas.
We use left overs for everything. Left over whatever I use for soup we make lots of soup in this cold country. Left over bananas for cakes and breads. Potato water for just about everything. Left over bread for bread pudding. Left overs to feed our adult single son. He often stops by to see what we have.
Left over potato peels we feed to the deer and anything stale. When they stand by our back patio waiting for something to eat we have to give them something.
Hi, akidk01, thanks for stopping by, much appreciated!
Everyone: This guy writes some great hubs and has a wonderfully balanced attitude and is a martial arts master. cool videos at his place too.
Hi, moonlake, you are wonderful at how you take care of the animals as much as you take care to be mindful. Lucky well-fed son too! :) Thanks for the visit!
Great hub and layed out nicely. Extremely informative and easy to read.
Thanks for visiting!
Kellys Writing 3 years ago
Hey Denny,
Great hub. I love some of your recipes and tips. I am going to have to implement some of them. My two children are bottomless pits so I have to make things stretch as much as possible.
Best Wishes to you my friend,
Kelly