Category — Money Saving Tips

It’s the weekly produce aisle dilemma for me…do I spend more to fill my refrigerator with organic fruits and veggies or just stick with the old standbys?  Have you ever wondered if buying organic food is really worth the money?  According to the green living gurus at Ideal Bite, there are times when organic is definitely better. Here are the top ten picks for food you should always try to buy in organic varieties:

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Lettuce
9. Pears
10. Imported Grapes

In addition to reducing the risks associated with consuming pesticides and other chemicals,  organic foodies claim that organic produce tastes better, and is more nutritious. Here’s an interesting article on the benefits of eating organic foods.

If you’re trying to make room in your grocery budget for organic foods, consider slashing bottled water from your grocery list. A recent California study showed that bottled water isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Ever just want one quick cup of coffee with out all the trouble of making a whole new fresh pot?  When I was in the mood for just that, I remembered these plastic gadgets from a trip I took to a cabin run on solar power in St. John’s.  Two weeks of morning coffees made from what I now know to be called, the aptly named, “coffee filter holder” and I’m a believer.

These are great because they’re so easy to use and clean up is a sinch.  All you have to do is put a cone coffee filter in the holder, boil water, put coffee in the filter and pour the hot water through over a coffee cup.  Then you just toss the filter out, give the holder a quick rinse and you’re done.  Hot coffee, no mess.  And compared to the prices I saw online for single cup coffee maker machines from $40-100, this beauty above definitely beats the pack at $2.99.  For less than the cost of one coffee at Starbucks, you could have a kitchen supply that will perk you up for a life time.

If you’re feeling like a taste of Asia but you’re vegetarian (which would be the only reason you didn’t try my superb cashew chicken recipe) try this goody inspired by Thai cuisine.  It’s simple, healthy, cheap and flavorful.  The recipe serves two so double it if you’re cooking for a family or you want to have some yummy leftovers.  Serve with rice.  You will need:

• 1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (optional or could use sweet chili sauce if you prefer)
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons fresh, grated ginger root
• 3 tablespoons flaked coconut
• sesame seeds

Slice tofu longways through the middle then cut into 3/4 inch cubes.  Set aside on paper towels to soak out excess water.  Heat both oils together in a skillet or wok over medium high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and cook green onions for one minute.  Add tofu and continue cooking for about five minutes, sprinkling with the sauces and carrots halfway through and turning carefully so it heats thoroughly.  Gently stir in peanut butter and ginger, being careful not to break the tofu, until well incorporated.

Remove from heat and toss in coconut.  Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

If you have an high-yielding herb garden or even if you’ve bought some beautiful fresh herbs but can’t use them all, don’t let them go to waste! Here’s some tips on how to savor the flavor through winter!

1. DRY METHOD for oregano, sage, marjoram, bay, rosemary, lemon verbena, mints, lavender, dill and thyme. Gather a small bunch and tightly tie a piece of twine an inch from the bottom. Hang the bunches upside down in a well-ventilated area out of the sun. When the leaves are dry enough to crackle, strip the leaves from the stem and store them in glass jars. They’ll stay fresh for up to 18 months.
2. ICE CUBE SYSTEM for basil, parsley and chervil. While these herbs are at their freshest, wash and dry the leaves. You can leave them whole or I suggest chopping them by hand or using a herb chopper. Mix the herbs with water or olive oil. Pour the mixture into and ice tray to freeze. Pop out the ice cubes and pop in the fresh flavor!

Special thanks to Organic Gardening magazine for these herb saving tips.

Do you like the idea of coupons but don’t have time to be bothered with them?
(Me too)

Let’s try the grocery game. From what I can see, it’s a fun way to save real money on your groceries. A woman in Southern California came up with it when she turned her hobby for collecting coupons into a nationwide company.

The way it works is you punch in all the items you typically buy at the grocery. Then, each week they send you a guide of all the things you ticked that are on sale at your local grocery store. You strategize by buy stocking up on the things on sale. The next week it will be something different that’s on sale so your grocery buying will look different, you’ll have stockpiles of stuff at home. But eventually you’ll have everything you need and you will have saved potentially hundreds of dollars.

Interesting… wanna try it with me? It’s one dollar for a four-week trial.

If you want a more sophisticated lunchbox than a brown bag or a plastic “snack pack”, think about investing in an Indian lunch pale.

I first found out about these from my friend John Joseph. He studies yoga philosophy and, just like many of their spiritual beliefs, these food containers make a lot of sense. Made of stainless steel, it’s a three-tier container, designed to keep food dishes separated but hot. Since heat rises, they stack one upon another to keep all the food warm. Of course, you can wash and reuse it so there’s nothing to throw away. And, the best part is you don’t see them around that often, so you get to be the cool cat with hottest lunchbox on the block!

One of the best inventions my husband and I came up with we endearingly call the “snack pack”.

While on vacation in the US Virgin Islands, we needed a system to take our lunch to the beach so we didn’t have to move our butts for eights hours after we parked ‘em. We had a kitchen in our place and I was cooking dinner every night. I began to make more then we could finish so I had leftovers for the next day. It ended up making a healthy lunch because instead of a sandwich and chips, we had brown rice, steamed vegetables and some kind of protein. I bought some really cheap reusable plastic containers at the grocery store, put the food in there, brought forks and we were set. A cheap, healthy, tasty lunch with nothing to throw away! We saved so much money and it was so good that we’ve continued doing this now that we’re back in the city. It’s so easy and you save on trash since the containers are washable. It’s all ready to go in the morning so there’s no extra job to do when you’re running off to work. Plus, it’s kind of exciting to have the snack pack waiting for you at lunch. You get to relive the fun and relaxation of the previous night’s dinner.

Okay, so maybe this is just what people call “packing your lunch” but it’s new to me so let me feel like I invented it, please!

Do you know how much you spend on your monthly grocery bill?

If you don’t you are twenty times as likely to be in debt according to bcsalliance. Check out their site for money saving tips on food. You’ll be surprised how much you can save with these simple concepts.

Another idea is shop at a co-op. This will not only keep your costs down but also, here it is again, buying locally grown produce is better for you and for the environment. To find out if there’s a co-op in your area go to localharvest.org.

“This is the world’s big story,” said Jeffrey Sachs, director of Columbia University’s Earth Institute in April. Food prices are up, folks, and it’s not just us Yanks who are being hit. It’s everywhere.

Recently, the demand for biofuels in Europe and the United States is to blame for the 75 % increase in food prices around the world. But wait a minute, biofuels means ethanol. Ethanol means corn. I thought I’d check with an authority on the matter. I called my dad in Indiana.

He just read an article in the Hoosier Farmer in which Don Villwock, president of the Indiana Farm Bureau, states that it’s time the public be informed. This argument that corn used for the production of ethanol is stealing food from people’s mouths is a myth proselytized by a hired gun, the GMA, The Grocery Manufacturers Association. This could stand to reason since many farmers like to point out that the price of corn often goes down but the price of a box of corn flakes continually rises.

My solution (and my parents) is to cook at home. It’s better for you and it’s cheaper. Make your own cereal. At least you’ll know what’s in it and you won’t be lining the pockets of massive corporations.