Frugal Kitchens 101 - Back to School

The kids are back to school in our corner of beautiful Ontario, Canada.  Along with preparing the kids for their new academic year with school supplies and new clothes, parents everywhere are turning their attention to getting back into the school routine.  There's the hurry up and out the door breakfast, brown bag lunches, starvin' Marvin after school snacks and only 20 minutes to eat before soccer practice dinners.  Parents become busier themselves as organizations they are involved with resume activities after their summer hiatus.  For many families, Sunday is reserved for religious activities leaving only Saturday for a catch-up day which often ends up being a day to do something more enjoyable like a trip to the orchard.  Complicating the time restraints and heavy demands is the increasing number of parents who themselves are either starting or returning to their academic studies (been there, done that).  At any rate, September marks the beginning of an increasingly hectic time for many which in turn creates mealtime issues. 

September brings with it pack lunches, quick snacks and easy to prepare weekday meals.  The problem is as the days get busier many families resort to take-out or fast food because some days it is simply easier to eat en route in the car than to sit down and eat at home.  Unfortunately, this is the worst solution on many levels.  Here are a few ways to avoid the take-out or fast food rut in favour of delicious, healthy and lower cost meals during those busy time:

• be organized - Schedule in meal prep and perhaps one or two baking sessions for cookies or other baked goodies for lunches.  For best results, write it into your planner or put it on your kitchen reminder.
• plan ahead - I'm not a huge fan of menu planning but for busy families, menu planning can save a lot of headaches while keeping the cost of your grocery bill down.
• prepare ahead - Clean out your fridge before grocery shopping.  When you return from grocery shopping, set aside those items that can be easily prepared for the following week.  Wash fruits and put into a fruit bowl for easy self serve after school snacking.  Cut carrots and celery for lunch snacks.  This will only take a few minutes at the end of putting groceries away but save both time and money while encouraging healthy snacking habits.  Cooked beans, rice and pasta all keep well in the fridge.  Cook a larger batch of one or more depending on your family size then use as a basis for meals throughout the week. 
• bulk cooking - Once a month cooking or bulk cooking can easily put a month's worth of prepared meals in your freezer with only a day's worth of cooking AND only once a month.  I relied heavily on once a month cooking when the kids were at home and I was in university.  The method works well but should be modified to meet your family's needs.  Kids can help with the prep work and my husband has always been a huge help in the kitchen so helped with these sessions as well. 
• enlist help - Enlist the help of each member of the family.  Even a small child can help put together snack packets for the following week.  Kids as young as six can make a meal with guidance.  Older children can be given increasing more complex kitchen chores and are often able to make complete meals after school ready for a family sit down meal.  Make this easy by doing a bit of prep the night before so all they have to do is put the casserole in the oven, turn it to the correct temperature then set the table.
• the slow cooker -  The slow cooker can be a busy family's best friend.  It is truly amazing what can be cooked in a slow cooker including breads and cakes so think outside the box.  Using your menu plan, prep the ingredients for the next day's dinner the night before.  The next morning put the ingredients into the slow cooker, set to program or low and when you get home dinner is ready.  All you need is to add a side salad
• KISS - Keep it simple, silly!  You don't need to spend an elaborate amount of time in the kitchen to put good food on the table.  Many meals can be made in 30 minutes or less ; several 15 and 30 minutes meals are in this blog's archives.   Seriously, there is nothing wrong with having pancakes for dinner or an easy meal of soup and sandwich.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Butter

We are a family of butter users.  We don't buy or use margarine for various reasons.  Many folk use the useless fact floating around cyberspace that margarine is one molecule away from plastic.  Well it is but many other chemicals in the form of food we ingest are also one molecule away from a harmful chemical.  The issue with margarine is much broader than one molecule!   Margarine is full of preservatives, artificial colours, artificial flavours and now GMO oils.  It is not what I would call a frugal choice for our food dollars.  Butter, on the other hand is a natural by product of whole milk, packed full of natural flavour sans artificial anything.  If you are lucky enough to have your owing dairy cows, you can easily make your own fresh butter.  If not, you can make fresh butter from heavy whipping cream.  The easiest way to do this is with a blender but during our heavy camping days, our kids were often entertained by making butter in a mason jar.  I would pour in the cold whipping cream then cap tightly and pass it to one of the kids who would shake the jar until their arms were tired then pass it on to the next kid and so on until the cream separated into butter and whey.  Butter made this way can be used as a spread, topping for vegetables, baking and cooking.  I use the whey for baking and cooking.

Butter is available salted or unsalted, usually packaged in foil wrap or waxed paper inside a box.  Here in beautiful Ontario, Canada it is available in 454 g/1 lb or 227g/ half pound blocks.  At our vacation home in Florida, butter is also packaged into quarter pounds, 2 to 4 to a box, which is convenient for measuring.  I prefer the foil wrapped 1 lb sizes because there is less packaging (eco-friendly) and it is generally less expensive.  Commercially prepared butter is from the milk of a large mixture of cows so tends to taste the same but fresh butter from milking cows can taste slightly different depending on what they are eating.  We notice a slight taste difference between our Ontario butter and that bought in Florida which is likely due to what the cows were eating, northern verses southern.  Here are a few butter tips:

• Butter freezes nicely so stock up when it is on sale.
• Butter will keep on the counter without refrigeration for easy spreading unless it is too hot or humid.  
• Use a butter bell in hot, humid conditions to keep butter fresh.
• Use butter as a flavour enhancer rather than a spread.
• Use unsalted butter for baking because using salted butter may result in an over salted result.
• Butter burns easily.  To get the flavour of butter, add a little butter to olive oil when cooking.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - A Foodie Road Trip

The vast majority of our foodie road trips are within a 100 mile (160 km) radius of our home however, when we are in the GTA which is almost double that radius we tend to take advantage of any foodie finds.  I keep a list and have a couple of apps for finding the perfect foodie stops when traveling.  This past weekend we spent in Niagara Falls were one of our kids completed a half marathon of 22 km (13.1 miles).  That in itself was an amazing event to attend!  Prior to the marathon, the focus for her was on high protein intake but for the rest of us it was business as usual.  The marathon was in the morning so after resting for the afternoon, we enjoyed a 5 course gourmet dinner, chef's choice at Vineland Estates Winery.  That in itself will be the subject of a couple of blog posts!  My husband and I took our time coming home making several stops so we arrived home with purchases from Vineland, Dillon's Small Batch Distillery, Oak Manor, as well as rye whiskey (made with rye grain not corn), grape based vodka, grape based gin, strawberries, raspberries, peas, plain honey, blueberry honey and 92% raw cocoa with pure maple syrup.  All of our purchases were grown and produced in Canada. 

The Niagara area is rich in vineyards, producing some of the finest award winning wines there are.  The sad reality is on 20% of wines produced in Ontario are carried in the LCBO, the only place to buy wine for home use outside of the wineries.  As a Canadian I do feel this is wrong!  The LCBO owned by the provincial government and funded by our tax dollars should be supporting our locally produced wines considerably more than what they are.  The Niagara region is the place to go for superior quality grape juice as well as peaches, strawberries, and other Ontario produce.  It is a mecca of farm fresh produce stands, farm markets and wine market stores all set in the beautiful and picturesque landscape.  There are also microbreweries and distilleries in the Niagara region.

Unless I am making a specific foodie road trip where the focus is only on food, most of our road trips involve some type of food, more often than not bring home one or more foodie finds.  What we generally look for is foods grown and produced in that particular area.  We have several resources for finding these great gems!  Here are a few:

• Foodland Ontario signs - Foodland Ontario is the long-established consumer promotional program of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.   Growers and producers as well as Ontario produce sold in grocery stores are identified by the familiar Foodland Ontario green and white logo.  This helps to distinguish farm markets selling Ontario produce from those that may be selling imported produce although generally that is not a big problem.  Farmland Ontario also has free publications located at various retail outlets and farm markets throughout Ontario as well as a wealth of consumer information on their website. 
• apps -  Apps for iPad, iPhone and Android are available for finding restaurants, wineries, food trucks and various food stops of interest in Ontario.  Some are free while other cost a small amount.  Street Food Toronto is a great free app for finding all types of food stands in the GTA complete with locations, hours of operation and contact information.  Ontario Natural Food Co-op is another great free app to help find natural and organic food growers and producers.  This is really a must have app for foodie road trips!
• social media - A lot of food vendors, growers and producers are turning to Twitter and Facebook.  I follow several on both.  The nice thing about using social media is you can easily contact them directly, often getting a response within minutes and all from the comforts of your smartphone or tablet.
• GPS - A GPS either stand alone or as a smartphone app is quite useful for finding those out of the way foodie gems that may be difficult to find using only a road map.  
• word of mouth - Honestly this can be one of the best ways to find a foodie gem.  Before leaving the Niagara region our daughter texted for us to check out Dillon's which is a new small batch brewery on a service road off of Highway 403.  The thing is from the road, it looks nothing more than a large storage building and really not all that large, something we certainly would not have been looking for.  We found it only because of her.  That is the way with a lot of foodie finds much the same way I will tell someone if you want great local honey go down this road, turn right at the white house with the green shutters, go down to fourth house on right and turn in their driveway then drive up to garage where you will see the honey for sale sign on the garage side door.  There's no signage on a regular basis at the road but rather it is available when they are there.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Shopping at Road Side Stands

This is the time in beautiful Ontario, Canada when road side stands selling produce, honey, baked goods, jams, jellies and even fish appear in abundance.  These road side stands generally will operate for the length of the season of whatever produce they are selling.  This means some will pop up for just the strawberry season (about 11 days) while others will run until late September adding produce as it becomes available.  Road side stand hours are hit and miss so it is common to come across one closed during the day or only open for a short period of time during the day and evening hours.  Most road side stands are family operated extensions of their larger home gardens or small farms so everything works around their life events.  Some of these stands are not manned but rather produce is sold on the honour system.  Of note, it is common for road side stands to specify 'so Sunday sales'. 

I normally make a circular route when making a road trip to stop at specific road side stands that usually involves stops at the mushroom farm and/or orchards and farm markets.  Other times I simply stop when en route to do other errands.  I never leave home with the expectation that any of my favourite road side stands will be open.  My experience has been that shopping the road side stands call for a different style of preparation.  Here are a few things I do to prep:

• pre-planning - Spur of the moment stops to buy a small quantity of a particular fruit or vegetable for dinner doesn't really require pre-planning but road trips with the specific goal of getting larger quantities of fruits or vegetables for preserving require a bit of pre-planning.  The reason being, foods being preserved need to be the freshest and highest quality possible.  Timing becomes critical in that the soon the produce is processed the better.  That means before buying larger quantities I need to have all the necessary supporting ingredients (eg. sugar, salt, other fruits or vegetables, vinegar, etc) and equipment (eg. canning jars, canning lids, freezer bags or containers, etc) on hand and ready to use as soon as I get back with the produce.  I also need to limit my purchases to what I can comfortably process within 24 hours or less.  Bringing home two hampers of green beans even if they are a bargain price is not a bargain if a good portion spoils because I can't comfortably process them.
• location - The vast majority of fruits and vegetables I purchase for processing comes from road side stands within a 25 km (16 mile) radius of our home or less.  If I know we will be in another location visiting (eg. in the GTA), I do a bit of research for planned foodie stops some of which include road side stands.  The stops are en route or short side trips from where we are visiting.
• timing - Produce allowed to sit in the hot sun will be lower quality than fresh picked.  In general, I prefer to stop at road side stands as early in the morning as possible which usually coincides with when the produce was picked. 
• bags/baskets/bins - Many road side stands are quite limited with respect to bags to cart your purchases home in.  I keep a good supply of reusable bags, a couple of larger baskets and a couple of plastic grocery totes in the trunk of the car as well as a similar set-up for the truck.  I often bring along a couple of empty produce hampers just in case I find a good deal on something I want to preserve.
• cold storage -  Some road side stand purchases can be sensitive to heat so I have cooler/thermal bags as part of my supplies.  I also bring a picnic cooler on those trips where I may be come across foods that need to be kept cold )eg. fish, cheeses, delicate berries). 

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Liquidation Stores

A frugal kitchen tends to be a very well equipped kitchen.  Acquiring that equipment takes time, money, effort and sometimes patience.   Regardless of how careful you with any of your kitchen equipment, ranging anywhere from decor and servingware to bakeware and cookware to small kitchen appliances, it will be necessary to replace or upgrade from time to time.  Things break or wear out, tastes change, family size and lifestyle change, and so forth so of all rooms in the house there is always something needed or wanted for the kitchen.  There there are the necessary kitchen items that are consumable (eg. dishwasher detergent, rinse agent, serviettes, paper towels, and etc.) that are ongoing purchases based on need.  There are many ways of acquiring anything needed for the kitchen without breaking the bank.  Aside of shopping the sales and box stores, discount stores like dollar stores can save a lot of money on kitchen essentials.  Liquidation stores can offer larger ticket savings!

Liquidation stores (closeout retailers) essentially sell off stock bought from other businesses going out of business or otherwise liquidating their current stock for a variety of reasons. What this means is the stock in any given liquidation store is limited, may be one of a kind, or even seconds.  This differs from dollar stores that tend to be fairly consistent with their stock that is replaced with similar when out.  We discovered Big Lots which is an American chain liquidation store and Liquidation World, a Canadian chain liquidation store that first opened in Calgary in 1986 and now owned by Big Lots (purchase completed July 19, 2011).  We have also shopped in liquidation stores that aren't part of a larger chain.

Our experience shopping in liquidation stores has been quite favourable.  Unlike dollar stores, the food section is quite small but they have larger items like furniture, small kitchen appliances, dinnerware and items perfect for entertaining as well as items for kitchen decor.  It is common to find brand names like Cuisinart, Chicago Cutlery, Oneida, George Foreman, T-fal and etc.  I found a four place setting of Sabatier Porcelain in Travertine Grey for $2, perfect for entertaining.  I bought my Cuisinart kitchen knife set at a liquidation store.  It was the only one there, marked down to a third of regular retail price.  I also found a Geneva pressure cooker at Liquidation World for $35 (retail $140).  The interesting part of shopping a liquidation store is you never know what you are going to find.  It is like going on a treasure hunt for bargains.  The only caveat is if you see something you want, buy it then because chances are very good you won't see another item the same again.

Liquidation stores are the place to look for the following kitchen items:

• small kitchen appliances
• dinnerware
• bakeware
• novelty kitchenware (eg. coasters, salt & pepper shakers, tea pots)
• servingware
• kitchen furniture
• limited kitchen decor

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Ten Benets of Eating Foods Grown and Produced Locally

A couple of weeks ago I discussed a few ways to be a locavore even if you don't have your own transportation other than walking or biking.  With a bit of ingenuity it is quite possible to eat foods grown and produced within a 100 mile radius of your home without necessarily traveling that distance.  One of the best reasons for becoming a locavore is getting a higher quality of food with a lower environmental impact that costs less. 

Ten benefits of eating foods grown organically and produced locally:

1. Focusing on locally grown and produced foods brings a greater awareness to what you are consuming.
2. Locally grown and produced foods tend to be less expensive than those foods that are imported.
3. Locally grown produce ripen naturally rather than being forced and is picked at the peak of freshness so it tastes better.
4. Produce grown close to home is fresher (aka taste better) with a higher nutritional content than imported produce that has traveled a considerable distance to reach your table.
5. Supporting local growers encourages sustainable growing practices that minimize the environmental impact of food production.
6. Buying from local growers promotes variety since local growers are more apt to grow heirloom varieties and other varieties not available in the grocery stores.
7. Buying from local growers strengthens the local economy as the money those growers earn in turn goes back into the local economy in the form of community support, taxes, and supporting other local businesses.
8. The risk of exposure to well-traveled pathogens and possibly antibiotic-resistant bacteria is minimized.
9. Buying from local growers is eco-friendly, reducing your total carbon footprint in food acquisition. 
10. Being a locavore promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Combating the Rising Cost of Food in Canada

The rising cost of food has become a major concern for many Canadians.  A recent survey by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC Canadian Consumer Outlook Index) found that 91% of those surveyed said belt-tightening and smarter decisions were the order of the day when buying food.   Of those surveyed, 84% said they believed the food they purchase has increased in price over the past year.  According to the survey, the average Canadian shopper spends $411 per month on groceries.  As a result, there is a growing concern on the impact of food prices on budgets and less deviance from those budgets.  Canadians are looking for cost-saving strategies that they can use to save on their next trip to the grocery store. 

In light of the rising food costs in Canada, it is important to realize that food is abundant and the Canadian population is affluent even though food insecurity is a growing concern.  The shameful side of this abundance is the amount of food that is wasted.  The Value Chain Management Centre (VCMC) estimates $27-billion worth of food produced for Canadian consumption never makes it to our bellies.  Statistics Canada actually calculated food waste per individual for 2009 to a total of 172 kg (379 lb)!  According to the VCMC, this food waste impacts the economy as well as the environment.  More importantly, the VCMC noted that in Canada, half of the food waste occurs in the home.

Combating the rising cost of food in Canada becomes a balance between frugal shopping and reducing food waste in the home.  It makes little sense to reduce what you are spending on food without reducing what food you are wasting. 

Ten ways to reduce the cost of food:

1. shop the outer aisle
2. read the labels
3. shop by unit price
4. comparison shop
5. shop the sales
6. eat more produce
7. focus on real/whole foods
8. cook from scratch
9. grow you own 
10. keep a well stocked pantry

Five ways to reduce food waste in your home:

1. reduce what you buy
2. store foods properly
3. make a conscious effort to use leftovers
4. don't peel fruits or vegetables unless necessary
5. reduce serving sizes 

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Eating Healthy By Not Dieting

It seems like everyone is on some type of diet these days.  Many of these diets are fad diets meaning they are in vogue for only a short time.  Most fad diets greatly restrict or eliminate a particular food group entirely (eg. Palo diet, low carb diet).  There are several problems with these types of diets.  Any diet of this type is destined for failure especially those that don't allow certain foods because folks tend to go back to eating what they are used to.  One of the biggest problems is, if followed for any length of time there is a risk of becoming deficient in one or more essential nutrients that in turn can cause health problems.  In some cases, the damage done may not be reversible.  The biggest problem with a lot of these diets is the focus is on the food rather than a lifestyle change.  As a result the diet really is only effective for a very short time before the person dieting gets bored or doesn't get the results they want so they move onto another fad diet or give up on dieting.  Finally, a lot of fat diets are expensive.  Many encourage you to buy special foods as a substitute for your regular snacks (eg. Atkins products) or meals (eg. Weight Watchers entrées).  Essentially what they are doing is diverting you away from regular processed foods to their higher priced processed foods.  The bottom line is a diet based on processed foods is not only expensive, it is not good for you.

A few days ago, one of my friends on Facebook shared a graphic that said "No I'm not dieting, I'm eating healthy.".  Obviously this was a result of someone commenting on her food choice and having been on that side of the coin on many occasions, I can so relate.  Why anyone feels the need to comment on my food choice is beyond me.  Seriously, I get so many comments when eating out over always ordering a salad of some kind yet the folks making the comments don't realize that my choice for including a salad with my meal has nothing to do with dieting.  I'm not and never have been a dieter nor am I a calorie counter but I am aware of the nutritional value of the foods I enjoy.  I eat what I want and that tends to be healthier foods.  Eating healthy does not have to break the budget and in most cases it is less expensive than not eating healthy or following a fad diet.  Here are some of our healthy food choices that are inexpensive while helping maintain a healthy weight:

• beverages - By far many beverages (eg. sodas) are filled with empty calories, HFCS, and additives (eg. artificial colours, flavours, preservatives) and they are expensive.  What many don't realize is that any beverage sold in a can has a low level of mold that can cause allergic reactions and asthma flares.  An average 355 ml (12 oz) can of soda has 120 calories and costs 75¢ or more.  My drink of choice is filtered water (0 calories, 0 cost) in reusable water bottles, not purchased bottled water.  I often add fresh squeezed lemon juice which adds flavor while adding Vitamin C and helping the body detoxify.  The juice of half a lemon costs about 10¢.  If I want a fizzy drink it is either club soda or Perrier neither of which have the problems of soda although the cost is about the same. Infused water using fresh herbs and fruits is another way to get flavour and vitamins at a lower cost than soda.  Tea, coffee and herbal teas are all 0 calorie unless a sweetener or cream is added.  I substitute milkshakes that are high in calories, sugars, fat and in my case lactose that my body doesn't like with homemade fruit smoothies.  There are a number of energy drinks on the market.  I use the juicer to make homemade energy drinks using fresh fruits and vegetables at a fraction of the cost of store bought.  We seldom drink milk as it is not a healthy choice for either of us, which is a considerable savings.
• snacks - Mass produced snacks can really add up in terms of calories, sugar, salt and fat even those snacks marketed as diet snacks.  The biggest problem with snacks is they are often consumed even though you aren't really hungry.  I'm not much of a snack person.  My healthy snack choices include: nuts, carrots, cucumber, broccoli, cheese, fruit and organic dark chocolate.  My husband likes saltier snacks so instead of store bought potato chips, I make kale chips, popcorn, and baked potato chips.  He also enjoys sunflower seeds and nuts. 
• produce - We choose locally grown, in season, usually organic produce wherever possible and directly from the grower.  We also grow whatever we can seasonally and year round.  This is less expensive than store bought, fresher and healthier because they are pesticide-free.  Herbs take no more time or effort to grow on a windowsill than a non-edible houseplant.  Sprouts, if you can find them in the store will cost about $2 for a small container.  I sprout beans and seeds at home.  The amount that will fill a 500 ml container when ready to use cost about 2¢ a considerable savings over store bought. 
• miscellaneous - We choose to cook mainly from scratch and do extensive home food preservation to avoid food additives, excess salts, excess sugar, HFCS and preservatives, all of which can cause health problems.  This lifestyle choice saves us a considerable amount of money.  We use unbleached flour, whole grain flours, ancient grain flours (eg. spelt, kamut), sea salt (additive free), organic sugar, local honey, and etc., all of which are the same price or slightly higher as well as being healthier than their regular counterparts.  Homemade versions of mass produced snacks, convenience foods, boxed foods, and baked goods are healthier and less expensive.  Our meats for the most part are organic, free range, grass fed and hormone free yet are less expensive per kilogram than farm factory raised meats.   We use portion control for meats, especially red meat which reduces the cost plus less is healthier.  We eat at least one meat free dinner a week which is also healthier and saves money. 

Frugal Kitchens 101 - The Cost of Organic Foods

A couple of days ago I had to make a trip to one of the nearby small cities and as always managed to make a few foodie stops.  One of those stops was at the Real Canadian Super Store (RCSS) which is owned by Loblaws as is No Frills, my regular grocery store.  RCSS is like a souped up No Frills with a lot of extras, more like a Walmart but less sundry and clothing.  There is a large selection of organic foods, a fresh deli and seafood counter and small coffee shop along with a wine store and bank.  I was interested in the organic section, specifically looking for Oak Manor organic flours, organic peanut butter and organic granulated sugar.  My gosh, talk about sticker shock!

No Frills is basic shopping with a few extras and limited organic foods.  Walmart's prices is about 5% higher than No Frills and they also carry a limited range of organic foods.  Sobey's that no longer is in town had a larger selection of food but their prices would drive the average grocery cart up by about 15%.  RCSS would be about 20% higher for the average cart but that price would significantly increase if buying organic.  For example, our Walmart has organic bananas at 10¢ per pound higher than non-organic bananas but RCSS regular priced non-organic bananas were the same price as Walmart's organic bananas and their organic bananas were 30¢ per pound more!  A 1 kg jar of Kraft peanut butter at No Frills goes on sale for $3.97.  A 500 g jar of PC organic peanut butter cost me $4.29 at RCSS.   On the flip side, local organic produce in season is the same price if not a bit less than non-organic in the grocery stores and usually lower priced at farm stands, farmers' markets and orchards.   Store pricing aside, the cost of organic food is higher than non-organic for many reasons. 

The home grower and hobby farmer can grow organically for less money than it would cost to use chemical pesticides and fertilizers, they don't incur any labour costs and for the most part the yield will be as good as if not better than using non-organic growing methods.  Farmers growing produce organically for commercial purposes and wanting to label their produce as such must meet stringent criteria (eg. land must be free of pesticide use for 10 years) and they must pay for certification.  In most cases for a viable organic farm operation, labour costs will be incurred and the yield will be less because the fields cannot be watched 24/7.  Manual pest removal practices that work well for the home grower and hobby farmer are not as easy for larger scale operations.  Seriously, it takes me about 10 minutes in the early morning to check my beans for Japanese Beetles and manually remove them but imagine the manpower it would take to do this type of manual removal daily in a ten acre field.  Essentially, the higher cost of organic farming and certification for organic growers is passed on to consumers.  Food manufactures are consumers of the organic produce.  The price of the raw product is more so that cost is passed on to consumers who buy their foods.  However, there is a myth surrounding organic foods.

Many view organic foods as expensive food only yuppies or back-to-the-land folks who hang out in health food stores eat, and because of that view the food producers and manufacturers can price organic foods higher.  Think about it, free range chickens eat a normal diet of insects and vegetation rather than being grain fed.  In other words, it costs the farmer less money to raise free range chickens that produce the same number of eggs in the same amount of time (about 1 egg every 14 hours) than it does to gain feed the chickens and yet, both free range chickens and eggs are sold at a higher price than the mass produced factory grain fed chickens.  The food manufacturers can really take advantage of this.  Yes, the raw product may cost them more (eg. organic peanuts) but the end product (eg. organic peanut butter contains only peanuts) contains no preservatives or other additives so the cost of production is lower yet they sell in smaller quantities at a higher price.  Another thing to consider, it is now common for organic producers to also use Fair Trade, Ethical Trade as well as promote sustainable farming and support eco-friendly causes (eg. endangered species, wildlife habitats) by donating part of their proceeds from the product to the cause.  Food manufacturers using the Fair Trade, Ethical Trade and Dolphin Friendly pay to use that logo and must ensure they are buying from growers meeting those specifications.  Other organic food manufacturers are co-ops owned, operated and supporting local growers which helps to build a stronger local economy.  They are smaller operations that produce outstanding quality in the foods produced so that is reflected in their price.

Organic growers, food producers and manufacturers as a whole are not only concerned about healthier, safer foods.  They are concerned about social responsibility and being good stewards of the earth.  More so, the consumer holds these same concerns and in fact are demanding that the food industry make changes.  Currently, the divide continues to grow between the organic and non-organic with many now preferring to buy organic.  Organic foods need not break your wallet.  They can be every bit as frugal as non-organic foods.  In some cases organic is less expensive than non-organic especially whatever you grow yourself.  In general, organic whole foods (eg. produce, meats, flours, sugars) like their non-organic counterparts are less expensive than organic convenience foods.  I kid you not, RCSS even had organic boxed mac & cheese!  Sorry, but even paying a bit more for the organic whole foods, the price is still less expensive per gram than buying the organic mix.  However, that does show that the popularity of organic foods is growing.  I did find the price or the organic pastas a bit high which could be off set by making your own using organic flour and free range eggs or buying on sale.  I know the Bulk Barn sells organic dry pastas that are considerably less expensive than the packaged organic dry pastas at RCSS so it pays to shop around.  The one caveat when buying packaged organic foods (eg. coffees, chocolate, pastas, cereals, flours, sugars) is to look for the Canada Organic/Biologique Canada certification logo or the USDA Organic certification logo on the package.   Legally to be labelled as organic the grower must be certified and the manufacturer can only used foods produced by organic growers to label their product as organic.  Buzz words like farm fresh, home grown, organically grown are not proof of an organic product, only the certification logo is.  Be leery of buying any produce labeled as organic at farmers' markets and farm stands as unless you know the farmer, you have no idea whether they are practicing organic growing methods or not.  If in doubt, always assume they aren't.  Not that you can't buy the produce if it not organic, just be sure it is organic before paying a higher price.  When it comes to organic foods especially meats and produce, it is very much buyer beware!

Frugal Kitchens 101 - The Refrigerator and Food Waste

Refrigeration is one of the most common methods of food storage in North America.  In fact, like many families we have two refrigerators, one dedicated to beverages and extra space for refrigeration needed when entertaining larger gatherings.  Unlike most though, both of our refrigerators are fairly new, just barely over five years old and both are Energy Star certified.  I spent most of January and February sick.  March was up and down.  What this translated into was what many folk face on a fairly regular basis.  Food spoilage increase because I was not following my normal routine.  I have my refrigerator fairly organized, usually have a left-over shelf and always go through the refrigerator before shopping to make sure I buy only what I need.  The bottom line is foods put in the refrigerator require attention and monitoring combined with regular rotation to prevent food spoilage. 

The refrigerator in improperly named!  It should be called the food  morgue, the science lab, Sir Waste-a-Lot, and the I don't know if I will use it so will put it in here just in case box.  Refrigerators should come with a built-in waste disposal.  At any rate, without following some type of refrigerator routine and organization, there is going to be food spoilage.

Foods spoil under refrigeration for the following reasons but there are ways to prevent this from happening:

1. improper compartment temperature - The ideal refrigerator temperature zone is 32°F to 40°F, ideally within that zone not right at either end.  Too cold of a temperature will cause delicate foods (eg. eggs, celery, lettuces, some meats) to start freezing reducing their quality.  Too warm of refrigerator temperatures will cause foods to spoil quickly.  Do not rely on your refrigerator settings.  Use a refrigerator thermometer to monitor the inside compartment temperature and adjust your refrigerator settings accordingly to maintain the inside compartment withing the safe temperature zone.
2. open door syndrome -  Every time the refrigerator door is open, the refrigerator loses cold air costing you money and leading to food spoilage.   The refrigerator door should be opened only when necessary and then for the briefest time possible. 
3. improper food placement - Delicate foods that spoil quickly (eg. milk, eggs) should not be stored in the refrigerator door compartments as that is the warmest zone in the refrigerator.  Store these items on shelves in the interior of the refrigerator.  Cheeses should be stored in the cheese compartment or on shelves if you don't have a cheese compartment.  Meats should be stored in the meat keeper and produce in the vegetable keeper where humidity is controlled.
4. air exposure - The air in the refrigerator is dry so it will dry out foods that are improperly stored. 
5. trapped moisture - Some foods (eg. mushrooms, certain vegetables) are very susceptible to trapped moisture that will cause them to spoil quickly.  Always store these foods with paper towels to absorb excess moisture and in the case of mushrooms, store in a paper bag.  Place paper towels on the bottom of the crisper to absorb excess moisture
6. contamination - Foods that are placed in the refrigerator without a lid, unwashed fruits and vegetables, spoiled foods, leaking meat package and food packaging all can contaminate other foods stored in the refrigerator.  Any foods that can spill should be securely sealed in spill proof containers.  Place meats thawing on a plate to prevent any leakage.  Fresh bought meats should be place in containers to prevent leakage.  Molds produce spores which are very, very difficult to destroy and the presence of spores can contaminate other foods causing them to spoil as well.  If you want to see what spores look like, take a mushroom and place it gill side down on a piece of white paper.  Leave like that for 24 hours then lift the mushroom off the paper.  You will see the gill pattern from what looks like tan coloured dust.  This is the spores and each very tiny spore has the ability to contaminate other foods producing more mold which produces more spores.  Wash all fruits and vegetables with a vinegar and water solution to kill nasties on the surface.  Jars and other containers should be wiped down with a vinegar and water solution before putting into the refrigerator as well.  Of special note, all cans including soda cans should be washed as it is common for them to have been contaminated by rodents during warehouse storage prior to distribution.
7. food storage containers - Food storage containers should be transparent or semi-transparent so you can see what is in them at a quick glance.  While plastic dairy containers may seem like a frugal choice of refrigerator container, foods stored in them often get pushed to the back or forgotten because you can't see what is in them.  Sliced deli meats or cheeses, and meats package in plastic wrapped foam trays should be removed from that packaging and be re-packaged in see through containers for use within a few days or in the case of meats, re-packaged for the freezer if longer term storage is desired.
8. overcrowding - Refrigerators are notoriously overcrowded which reduces the air circulation necessary to keep foods from spoiling.  There are only two ways to deal with this problem.  First, clean out the refrigerator.  Remove everything past its expiry date, any spoiled food and any food aside of condiments and pickles that will not be used within a week.  Of the food not to be used within a week, freeze what you can then if at all possible use the remainder first.  Set it aside on a shelf by itself to serve as a reminder to use it up immediately.  Do not add any new food to the refrigerator during this purging phase.  Once the refrigerator has been purged, remove everything and give it a good cleaning.  Replace the food, organizing as you replace it.  Keep one shelf reserved for left-overs.  The food turnover on this shelf should be no more than two or three days so incorporate the left-overs into each meal.  Avoid overstocking the refrigerator when doing your groceries and buy only what you can use within a reasonable amount of time. 

Frugal Kitchens 101 - The Food Shopper vs The Food Industry

The informed yet frugal shopper has a lot more to consider when food shopping and believe me the cards are stacked against them.  The multi-billion dollar food industry does everything in its power to keep the cards stacked against the consumer.  They even have consumer psychologists who are experts in profiling exactly how consumers make the choices they do.  All this is done to keep the consumer buying their products which in turn makes them richer and more powerful.  Trust me, the food industry does not want you to know there is pink slime in your lunch meat, that animals in factory farms are over crowded and  treated inhumanely or that they import foods from poor countries relying on child labour or with such low income from the farm the farmer can barely afford to feed his family.  They do not want to admit that young girls are maturing faster due to the high levels of growth hormones in the meats they are eating.  They don't want to admit to the environmental damage caused by clear cutting especially of the rain forests so they can fill the land with more animals for the ever growing food demand.  They would rather you not know that while genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that were once viewed as a way to solve world hunger are not only not working as expected but are presenting health issues for those who consume them.  The food industry would not put nutritional labeling or even the list of ingredients on their packaging if they had not been forced to do so by various governments.  The food industry does not care about the health and well being of the consumers who keep it in business and the fact that some consumers are harmed by their products is merely a bit of collateral damage. 

The frugal food shopper buys local produce in season from local farmers as well as growing whatever they can themselves.  They also buy locally raised meats and locally caught fish.  They buy directly from local cheese factories, flour mills, orchards, and any other local food producer (eg. beekeepers, sugar bushes, wineries) that they can because the food is fresher, higher quality and supporting local growers and food producers keeps the local economy strong and thriving.  However, at some point the frugal shopper will shop in the now standard supermarket.  Supermarkets are considerably larger and more complex than the old fashioned mom & pop grocery stores.  Once in the supermarket, the frugal shopper will be bombarded with bright lights, mood music, a horrific number of various odours some of which may trigger allergies and/or asthma, other irate shoppers, and quite often one or more upset children.  Then the effects of those consumer psychologists take over!

Next time you are in the grocery store, take a good look at the food labels.  The dominant colour is red with a large portion of food packaging having red on the label.  The next dominant colour is yellow.  Now red, is to get your attention and yellow is to make you feel happy, yet both colours are energizing.  However, studies have shown that a dining room painted red is better received than any other colour.  It makes you want to linger and enjoy.  What the food industry is subconciously saying to you is 'stop, this product will make you feel happy and energized while you are enjoying it'.  The dominant colour for any food packaging where there is an environment aspect is green.  Green signifies growth and a healthy environment so that product must be good for you.  Once past the colours of the packaging, the food industry really turns up the heat.  This is where the frugal shopper must do their own homework before falling for the half-truths of the food industry.  I've broke the buzz words and phrases into seven categories.  There may be other buzz words I've overlooked and some can actually fit into a couple of categories but for the most part you will get the idea.

• convenience - The buzz words are: heat & serve, quick cooking, instant.  To a frugal shopper, these words should mean: expensive, over processed, and poor nutritional value.
• consumer health and lifestyle - The buzz words are: all natural, no trans fats, no saturated fats, source of fibre, multigrain, multifibre, whole grain, low fat (less fat), fat free, gluten free, sunflower oil, low sodium, low carb, unbleached, gelatin free, no preservatives and hormone free.  Many of these buzz words are a direct result of current societal trends with respect to healthy eating and fad diets, meant by the food industry to convey to the consumer this is a good product that is good for you, so buy it.  With the exception of some dairy products most of these buzz words apply to expensive, over processed foods.  In addition to this if you read the list of ingredients, these foods while they may have the buzz words of the day, may contain HFCS (likely GMO), modified corn starch (likely GMO), canola oil (GMO), artificial flavour, artificial colour and preservatives all of which can cause considerable health problems.
• quality - The buzz words are: original, award winning, new & improved, gourmet, cold extracted,  mountain grown, wild, farm fresh, fresh never frozen, cold filtered and date established.  Gourmet in particular implies a product higher in quality than other comparable products as does award winning.  Wild (eg. wild salmon, wild rice) implies all natural, not farm raised or fed grain products but rather little interference from man.  The word 'cold' implies the product has not been subjected to heat so the natural enzymes have not been destroyed nor has there been a flavour change due to heat.  Fresh, never frozen generally applies to meats and is usually an indicator of freshness giving a better flavour.  Farm fresh is rather misleading with no real merit regarding quality.  The product can be 'fresh' from the farm but buy the time it gets to the grocery store it is anything but fresh and 'farm' does not necessarily mean and in most cases it doesn't mean that quaint little family run farm.  Date of company establishment is used to convey both trust and quality.  After all, a company that has been in business since 1892 could not have done so without producing a quality product.  In reality, the date just means the business has been in operation for a considerable length of time but is no indication of actually quality of the product.
• environmental - The buzz words are: organic, all natural, carbon free, recycle number, post recycled packaging and dolphin safe.  In most cases, post recycled packaging is just a consumer touchy, feeling thing because even though the packaging has been made from recycled material there is no reduction in the amount of packaging.  Recycle numbers on the bottoms of plastic containers are of use if you have a choice between a product in a plastic container that can be recycled and one that can't, so the frugal shopper would choose the one that can be recycled.  Certified organic is better than a product labeled as all natural because certified organic must meet certain criteria whereas all natural doesn't.  In general, the frugal food shopper tends to buy those products that endorse his or her environmental philosophy.
• social and ethical responsibility - The buzz words are: ethical trade, fair trade, locally grown, greenhouse (hot house), free range, sustainable farming practices.  Most of these buzz words relate to labour and fair compensation for food products produced.  Some designations (eg. fair trade, ethical trade) require a paid membership for the food manufacturer to use the logo so frugal food shoppers will keep that in mind and perhaps research the company prior to buying their products.  Locally grown is usually a store label but some food producers will add a label as to origin (eg. Foodland Ontario, grown in Ontario).  Some origin labels are food co-ops or associations that the food producer may pay a membership fee.  Frugal food shoppers will specifically seek out locally grown and produced foods.  Many frugal food shoppers choose those foods produced within a 100 mile radius of their home.  This keeps the local economy strong while supporting the local work force.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Thrift Stores

I have been a thrift store shopper ever since my childhood days.  It's like a treasure hunt, never knowing when you are going to find that perfect whatever you need at a fraction of the cost of new.  Thrift stores aka  resale shops aka Sally Ann aka Goodwill or simply the name of the shop itself are a mecca for those wanting to equip their kitchens (and rest of the home) frugally.  There are three types of thrift stores.  The first is privately owned with the proceeds going to the owner.  The second type is owned and operated by a charitable organization with the proceeds going to charity and helping those in need in the community.  We did have a third type in town  that was privately owned but all the proceeds went to charity.  It has since changed hands and I haven't stopped in to see if that is still the case.  Of the three types of thrift stores, I tend to support those with proceeds going to charity.

Thrift stores are the ultimate in recycling.  Items no longer wanted or needed are donated to the thrift store where they are cleaned up and sold well under their original value even if the item is brand new.  You end up with something you need for next to nothing.  At the same time proceeds from your purchase goes back into the community.  It's a win:win all the way a round.  This is the time of year to be checking out the thrift shops.  Folks are starting to do their spring cleaning so there is an influx of lots of different items.  Those unwanted small kitchen appliances gifted at Christmas are also making their way to the thrift stores this time of year.  Of note, even if the thrift store is for profit and not charity the prices tend to be about the same.  Here's a few items to look out for:

• platters - If you do a lot of entertaining, platters usually go for 50¢ to $1.  With a bit of looking you can find some fairly nice vintage platters as well for the same price.
• serving bowls - Serving bowls usually go for 25¢ to $1 depending on the size.  I tend to look for vintage rather than plastic but some nice plastic ones show up in the thrift stores as well.
• wicker baskets - Wicker baskets can be had for as low as 10¢.  Wicker can be washed and dried thoroughly then dyed with fabric dye or painted.  These are ideal for home made gift baskets!
• metal tins -  Decorative metal tins with lids in all shapes and sizes can usually be found for under $1.  They can be used to store just about anything and are perfect for gifting cookies and sweets. [watch for an up coming post on metal tins]
• glassware - Glassware is usually priced at 25¢ each but may be sold in sets.  Commemorative glassware may go as high as $2
• mugs - Mugs are generally priced about the same as glassware.
• specialty beverage - Cappuccino, espresso and wine glasses are often sold in sets for $2 to $4.  Punch bowl sets are usually $5 to $7.
• vintage glass bakeware -  Older glass bakeware is wonderful.  It doesn't have the problem of shattering when heated as some newer glass bakeware has done.  If you are lucky, the glass lid is still with the piece so there is no concern over leaching from plastic lids.  I use my vintage pieces for storing foods in the refrigerator as well as baking in the oven or warming in the microwave oven.  Vintage pieces with no chips, top and bottom are usually priced at $5 to $7 but are worth every penny.
• mason jars -  Mason jars are often over priced at 50¢ to $1 and they have no lid or ring.  New 500 ml (pint) jars cost 55¢ and 1 L (quart) jars cost 66¢ new, on sale and they come with the lid and ring.  Unless you can get a box of mason jars for $2 to $3 or jars at less than the new price, they are not a bargain.
• miscellaneous items -  Items like table cloths, placemats, cloth napkins, aprons, gadgets and decorative kitchen items can all be found at thrift stores for a fraction of the price of new.  It's even possible to find homemade and custom made items. 
• small kitchen appliances - Pricing of small kitchen appliances depends on what it is.  I've seen new bread machines as low as $5.  The gimmicky type small appliances tend to be rather inexpensive too yet basics like an electric can opener are over priced.  Unless you know how to repair broken small kitchen appliances, never buy a damaged one or one with any problems with the cord.  
• cookbooks -  My gosh, you can create quite the cooking library for a pittance just by buying cookbooks at the thrift stores.  It doesn't matter if the cookbook is by a celebrity chef or not, all are priced at under a dollar.  Sometimes they put all books including cookbooks on 5/$1.  Thrift stores are a great place to find older and vintage cookbooks.  One of my favourite cookbooks is Kate Aitken's Canadian Cook Book (1965) bought for 10¢ several years ago.  Older and vintage cookbooks are one of the most valuable resources in a frugal kitchen.
• large kitchen appliances - Some thrift stores do not carry refrigerators, ranges or microwave ovens but others do.  It is possible to get a refrigerator or range in good condition for under $100 which can be a real help if your's can't be repaired and you don't have the funds for a replacement.  It's great for those setting up their first apartment on limited funds and if you like vintage, with any luck you may be able to find vintage large appliances.  New microwave ovens can be found for as low as $50 but thrift stores seldom get microwave ovens and when they do, the price is close to new.  
• furniture - Thrift stores that have furniture are often great places to find kitchen tables and chairs that are rather inexpensive.  Folding tv tables, shelf units and bakers stands are sometimes available. 

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Going Digital in the Kitchen

When personal computers first came out they promised to reduce the paper clutter but we all know that didn't happen especially for those of us eager to print out new recipes.  Fast forward to 2013, and going digital without all the paper clutter has never been so easy.  There really is no longer a need to buy food magazines, clip recipes from magazines or newspapers, photocopy recipes from borrowed books or write out shopping lists.  All you need is a digital camera, a computer and/or laptop and/or tablet.  But don't let this scare you as all are very inexpensive these days.  You can easily set yourself up with all three for under $500 which sounds like a lot of money but given the relatively low payback period combined with the continued savings over the lifetime of that equipment, going digital is the way to go.

I, like many, have gone almost entirely digital for recipes and food related information.  Not only am I reducing the paper clutter, I'm saving money while doing so.  Before I go into details, as with all digital, make sure you back-up your data.  You can use a USB flash drives, an external hard drive or iCloud (allows all your registered equipment to access the data online).  Following are some of the ways to save money in the kitchen by going digital that I use:

• food magazine subscriptions - I gave up buying magazines in favour of the digital versions.  Like the hard copies, you can buy one copy or a subscription and back copies are usually available.  They are set up identical to viewing the paper copy.  I subscribe to Cook's Illustrated (33% off single issue price) and just bought a subscription to Taste of Home (62% off single issue price) as well as a single special issue of Chatelaine ($4.99) and single issue of Food Network Magazine ($3.99).  In addition to the reduced subscription costs, many of the magazines offer extras like videos.  The beauty of electronic subscriptions is less to carry when traveling.  The magazines are safely tucked away on my iPad ready to enjoy anywhere.  I can buy single issues of magazines including back issues anywhere I have online access.  The magazines can be archived for later access as well.  
• recipes - I use a variety of apps on the iPad to store my own recipes (My Recipe Book), quickly search/view online recipes and store my favourites (Epicurious, FoodNetwork) as well as recipe collections and cookbooks (iBooks).  Some of these also create shopping lists from the recipes.  I don't use recipe software on the desktop or laptop although I did at one time.  I do have a collection of recipes on both though.  I use the laptop and iPad in much the same way others would use a recipe book, right in the kitchen when cooking.  There is a holder for the iPad so you can put it at eye level on your refrigerator, out of harms way but still convenient for recipes and grocery lists.  I use my digital camera to take pictures of recipes I want to try from borrowed recipe books and magazines.  The results are rather impressive and they are free!
• grocery lists - As mentioned some of the recipe organizing apps have a grocery list feature and there are several apps for generating shopping lists.  I like the Buy Me a Pie! app for making my shopping lists. There is a free version and a paid version ($2.99); I liked it enough to buy the app. 

Frugal Kitchens 101 - St. Patrick's Day

In Canada we have statutory holidays (eg. Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Labour Day, Family Day, Heritage Day, Good Friday, Thanksgiving, Victoria and Canada Day).  These are the days government buildings will be closed, businesses may be closed or have reduced hours and employers pay their employees for the day even though they have the day off.    We also have special days (eg. Valantine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Remembrance Day, Decoration Day, Secretary's Day, Oktoberfest and St. Patrick's Day) where there are various events and gatherings but folks don't get an actual day off of work.  St. Patrick's Day (March 17) is quickly approaching.  This is just a fun day where folks can kick back a little, have a couple of green beers while enjoy Irish stew or a corned beef with cabbage dinner accompanied with Irish soda bread and a healthy dose of music by the Irish Rovers. 

St. Patrick's Day is one of the more frugal special days to celebrate.  The emphasis is on good, old fashioned home style cooking using low cost ingredients, socializing and simply enjoying.  A corned beef with cabbage dinner will cost about $10 to $12 for a family of four including the Irish soda bread which works out to $2.50 to $3 per serving with left-overs.  Irish stew is a real money saver coming in at about $6 for a family of four or $1.50 per serving.  The trick is of course getting ingredients on sale.  It is less expensive to cure your own corned beef but this is the time of year where commercially cured corned beef goes on sale.  Cabbage is always cheap!  Here, No Frills has a 20 lb bag of potatoes on sale for $2 this week, perfect timing for the St. Paddy's celebrations. 

Green is the colour of the day which really brightens up an otherwise grey day in an month of constantly changing and fickle weather.  It signifies wealth and the promise of spring.  Five dollars spent at the dollar store will get you enough St. Paddy's themed decorations that can be saved for using the following year.  Green food colouring is almost a must if you want to make themed cookies or green up the beer or milkshake.  However, you can get a lot of green without the food colouring.  Green juice or smoothies are a healthy, inexpensive and kid friendly alternative to green beer or milkshakes AND they are naturally green!  Both pasta and tortilla shells are available in spinach (green) to bring a little luck of the Irish as a school lunch.  Pack green tortillas with more greens, chopped tomatoes, onions, cheese and meat for a festive green  lunch. 

While green is on your mind for St. Patrick's Day, make school or office lunches green garbage-free.  You will be saving a bit of green on St. Paddy's Day while helping the environment!  Just have fun with this fabulously fun and frugal special day!

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Homemade vs Store Bought

If you have followed this blog, you will know that I put a strong emphasis on homemade and cooking from scratch.  The reason is not quite as simple as saving money.  True I save a substantial amount of money by home canning, making homemade convenience foods and cooking from scratch but one primary reason for doing so is healthier food not laden with excess salt, sugar, HFCS, as well as artificial food additives and preservatives.  I like being able to put unique foods (eg. vegetable powders, fire roasted sauces, jams, chutneys, and etc) on the table that can't be bought in the grocery stores.  There's also that sense of pride at becoming more self-sufficient with less dependence on the grocery stores.  So the big question is, 'Do you save money by doing all of this?' because most folks are seeking to reduce their foods costs.  The second big question is, 'Doesn't it take a lot of time?' because the food industry has so engrained the concept that cooking from scratch takes a lot of time in order to push their instant, heat & serve and convenience foods on consumers. 

The Economics:

I'm a numbers cruncher so I do know what our home canned, homemade convenience foods and cooking from scratch costs.  The costs include everything that went into making that product for the pantry or freezer as well as the cost per serving for meals.  For example, a 4 L bag of corn for the freezer costs: the gas to drive to the farm, the zipper style bag, the cooking fuel for blanching and the water for blanching and cooling PLUS the hydro from the moment that bag of corn goes into the freezer until it is used to keep the corn frozen.  This is one reason why I prefer home canned foods over home frozen because once canned, there is no hydro used for storage.  Actually, there is a cost for storage that most do not consider.  If you convert a bedroom into a pantry and that bedroom is one eighth the size of your house, then one eighth of all expenses related to running your house (eg. heating, utilities, maintenance, taxes, mortgage, etc) are being used to maintain that space for storage.  The same applies if all you are using is a closet. 

The main way to save on preserving and stocking a pantry is to get the raw ingredients for the least amount of money possible.  There are ways to save on the produce, meats, poultry and fish being put up for the pantry and freezers as well as for fresh cooking from scratch.  Home grown produce will save you money.  If you garden, consider trading your excess with friends or neighbours for something you need.  I trade produce from my garden for perch from a friend who loves to fish.  He doesn't garden and I don't always get as much fishing in as I would like to so it is a win:win for both of us.  Another of my friends makes amazing banana cake that is sure to come our way for a jar of my home canned salsa.  If you know a farmer who raises livestock, they may consider raising a cow or pig for you if you pay for the feed.  Many municipalities are now allowing backyard chickens that when producing will lay an egg about ever 14 hours so four chickens can give you a lot of eggs!  If you have access to a water supply, locally caught fish is yours for the time it takes to fish.  Wild game can be another money saver if you have access.  Beef and pork are best bought in bulk where the price over all cuts of meat per pound is greatly reduced.  It is also wise to take advantage of good sales on produce and meats.  Produce in particular should be bought locally and in season.  I put up enough to get from one growing season to the next and then some just in case the next growing season isn't very good.  Supporting ingredients like flours, pastas, sugars, rices and beans are best bought in bulk as they have long shelf lives.  Other ingredients like pectins and ClearGel are best bought online if there is no local source.  I always watch for free shipping!

Many food suppliers are making their products available online as well.  I can order Digby scallops delivered to my door, next day service at half the price they are going for in the grocery stores.  Cheeses and spices can also be found cheaper when ordered online.  Now, some specify that you have to order a certain amount to get free shipping so if I don't want to spend that much, I go in with someone else just to be able to get free shipping.  Just as in brick and mortar stores, online stores offer customer loyalty discounts and promotions so I always watch for those as well.  If ordering fresh foods like scallops, they do want you home for the delivery to protect against spoilage but it can be a real cost savings ordering foods this way.

Bulk food stores can save you a lot of money as long as you stick to the basics and avoid impulse buying.  We have two bulk food stores in our area that I only shop at once I have a list of needed ingredients.  These stores save considerably on basic spices, salts, sugars, teas, coffee and so much more.  The reason being, is you can buy just what you want so you don't have to pay $4 for a spice that you only need a teaspoon of.  Just buy a couple of teaspoons of it knowing you can always buy more if it is something you end up liking. 

When it comes to cooking from scratch, there are many ways to keep the costs down to $1 to $2 per serving which is well within the range of frugal eating.  Cooking from scratch even if you don't do any home food preservation is the number one way to save your food dollars.  You don't need expensive ingredients to cook low cost, healthy and tasty meals.  If you are really trying to save on your food dollars focus on homemade soups, stews and casseroles.  Waffles, pancakes and eggs are great money savers as well especially if using a basic batter.  Sandwiches and salads are usually inexpensive as well.

Timing:

Cooking from scratch is not as time consuming as the food industry would have us believe.  A basic cake made from scratch or a homemade cake mix takes no more time than one made using a store bought mix.  Cookies from homemade refrigerator dough take the same time to bake and are just as easy as store bought but they are considerably less expensive.  A homemade version of any of the 'Helper' boxed store bought versions is just as quick to make as the store bought.  For the most part, many meals can easily be made at home without consuming a lot of time.  In addition to that, there are time saving appliances (eg. slow cooker, microwave) and cookware (eg. pressure cooker) to reduce the time needed for cooking.  Some foods by default take more time to prepare than others.  These include fermented foods (eg. sauerkraut, fermented pickles), yogurt, cured and/or smoked meats, dehydrated foods (eg. fruit roll-ups, dried fruit snacks, jerky)  but the cost and flavour savings more than offset the timing of which you can be doing something else while the food is in process. 

A surprising number of meals can easily be made in 15 to 30 minutes, completely from scratch simply from ingredients from your pantry and/or freezer.  Longer cook methods can still take low prep then cooking in the oven or stove top but quite often you can be doing something else while the meal is cooking.   Consider, if you order a pizza that takes 40 minutes for delivery, you can actually make homemade pizza using homemade frozen pizza dough in about 20 minutes.  Going through the drive-tru can tie up 20 to 30 minutes of your time plus the extra driving and you still have to set the meal up at home but in that total time of an hour or less, you can easily put a healthy, homemade, cooked from scratch meal on the table. 

Frugal Kitchens 101 - K-Cup Coffee Shops

Single-brew coffee systems have become quite popular because they are convenient and save money.  Like many, I saw the immediate benefits of the single-brew systems especially for entertaining.  We bought a Melitta One:One single brew system that use pods quite similar to round tea bags only coffee.  We were quite happy with it even though it was difficult to find the pods in town but since we were in the US on a fairly regular basis, that wasn't a concern.  Then in early 2011 the Melitta started leaking sporadically gradually getting worse.  Compounding the problem, the pods for the Melitta were getting hard to find in the US as well, or at least where we shopped.  Finally, I had enough and replaced the Melitta with a Keurig single-brew coffee system.  Unlike the propriety pods for the Melitta with no option for using your own coffee, the Keurig had the My K-cup reusable filter system which would allow us to brew coffee using any ground coffee we wanted not just their K-cups.  In the event K-cups were no longer available, the system would still work until the appliance itself died.

I immediately started the cost analysis of the K-cups.  Each K-cup makes one 5.25 oz, 7.25 oz or 9.25 oz cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate or other speciality drinks.  Depending on where you buy them, K-cups range in price from 35¢ to 79¢ which is a savings on $1.25 for a small take-out coffee and a considerable savings on speciality or gourmet coffees at coffee shops.  There's less waste produced with a K-cup and a lower carbon footprint as you don't have to drive to the coffee shop.  It's an added bonus to grab a favourite gourmet coffee and have it brewed into a travel mug just in time for heading out the door.  By far at 8¢ per cup, the My K-Cup filter with regular ground coffee bought on sale is the cheapest but it doesn't hurt to enjoy a favourite gourmet brew either.  The problem with some of the flavoured and gourmet coffees is you might not like them which has led to K-cup coffee shops which are becoming very popular because you get to sample the flavour of choice before buying a full package.

I just discovered one close enough to stop in when in that community.  The premise is you can pick a K-cup of your choice then have it brewed while sitting and enjoying the coffee shop or you can buy 6 or 30 mix-and-match K-cups or you can buy full boxes of one flavour of K-cups.  The one I went to charges $1.50 for a brewed coffee of your choice, $5 for a mix-and-match 6 K-cups (73¢ each), $22 for 30 mix-and match (73¢ each) and $16 for single flavour K-cups (66 ¢).  Be warned that they don't carry all variety of K-cups as the one we went to did not have any Folger's K-cups but they did have Starbucks.  Of note, if it is important to you, there was one K-cup (pink blend) with proceeds going to breast cancer research and several varieties that were Fair Trade.

Now, clearly the K-cup coffee shops are not cheaper per cup of coffee than Country Style or Tim Hortons BUT they are offering you a chance to taste test before buying a full box of that K-cup and they are giving you an opportunity to buy a wide variety of K-cups to taste test at home at a slightly lower price than you would pay for a full box of K-cups, single flavour, regular price.  The one we went to had sample K-cups of three of the brands that Sam's Club sells.  Sam's Club K-cups range in price from 43¢ to 56¢ but you have to buy a 80 pk which would really be annoying if you found you didn't like the taste of the coffee.  So if you have a chance to test out the coffee first, pay the extra at a K-cup coffee shop then if you like it buy it by the package on sale or at Sam's Club.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Small Kitchen Appliances

Like many modern homemakers, I have a plethora of small kitchen appliances.  Unlike some, I tend not to get small kitchen appliances that are single purpose.  This is actually interesting as I was gifted with a waffle maker for Christmas and just bought a high power juice extractor, both single purpose small kitchen appliances.  However, these are specialized single use appliances for specific tasks that I know of no other way to get the same results without the appliance.  Ok, I do know how to make juice manually with a reamer but that is limited to juicing citrus fruits.  At some point I would love to buy a steam juicer for home canning juices but for the most part, the only way to make a wide varieties of juices at home is using a juicer.  There are manual waffle makers available, closer to what you would use for camping although they could be used on a regular stove top, I think.  At any rate, small kitchen appliances come at a cost.

Small kitchen appliance use electricity and while it might not be much because they are seldom in use for more than a few minutes, they still use electricity.  The second problem is small kitchen appliances take space, either on the counter or in storage.  I now have 20 small kitchen appliances of which only two have earned their place on the counter.  Surprisingly, I do not have a breadmaker, cotton candy machine, chocolate fountain or any of the other gimmicky small kitchen appliances.  Most of them help immensely with entertaining and bulk cooking.  They are not fancy but they are high quality.  Of those 20 small kitchen appliances, only three would be an immediate, not even blink an eyelash, this minute replacement.  All are invaluable small kitchen appliances that save me both time and money while giving me consistent good results.  They are:

• Kitchen Aid stand mixer - We raised four kids and I can't tell you how many times I wished for a Kitchen Aid stand mixer but funds were tight when the kids were young.  I splurged on a KA stand mixer about 10 years ago.  It is my kitchen work-horse!  I use the KA pretty much daily, often multiple times in a day.  Additional KA attachments let me use the KA for grinding meats, making pasta, shredding, slicing and straining foods.  This save us a considerable amount of money by not having purchase pre-made, store bought versions and it also us to avoid the food additives in store bought versions.
• Keurig single brew system - This is one small kitchen appliance that earns its keep on our counter.  It is used daily and often multiple times.  It is a God send when entertaining!  The Keurig K-cups range in price from 35¢ to 79¢ depending on where they are bought.  While this sounds expensive, we can easily offer our guests gourmet coffee without having to slip to the coffee shop where the price of a cup of coffee ranges between $1.25 to $3.50 but I've been told some specialty coffee shops charge more.  We have the re-usable My K-cup filtering system so can use regular ground coffee at a current cost of 8¢ per cup.  This is a nice extra that insulates you from not being able to find K-cups as what happened with the Melitta One:One single brew system.  Since we bought the Keurig, we don't get take-out coffee on a regular basis so we are saving right there.  We are further saving because we only brew what we need so there is less brewed coffee wasted.  It is especially convenient being able to make only one cup without having to make a whole pot of coffee.
• FoodSaver vacuum sealer - This appliance, despite the low cost, saves me so much money I wouldn't think twice about replacing it!  It has saved us countless dollars by eliminating freezer burn as well as keeping home dried foods at their peak of flavour without moisture or insect damage.  It protects our valuables and important documents from possible water damage when boating and I use it to seal original genealogy documents in acid-free holders.  I've used it to make home made ice packs, protect skeins of wool from silver worms, make boil-in-the-bag ready meals, as well as in many crafting projects.  

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Year Round Preserving

Here in the beautiful wintery wonderland of Ontario, we are hunkered down for the cold and chill the reality of winter brings.  We spent a total of six weeks spanning two trips of the last quarter of 2012 at our vacation home in Florida so really had four days to do any prep when we arrived home.  Between prep, family, friends and gatherings it was a very busy and tiring end to 2012!  The holidays are over and being mid-January, things are pretty much back to normal.  Quite often the days are cold, damp, and dreary so I don't want to be outdoors.  This is the time of year my attention turns to doing a bit of home preserving that doesn't have to be done during the busy canning season (mid-May through mid-October).  I don't mind so much running the dehydrator, canner or even the oven to do extra baking for a bit of homemade convenience for those times I don't want the heat in the house.  It's also a wonderful time to take a half hour to assemble a few cake, cookie and dry soup mixes as well as add a few casseroles and other goodies to the freezer.  I personally like to can a few soups, stews, stocks and beans during this time as well but if you don't can, you can still make all these homemade convenience products and freeze them.  It is just a great way to help stock the pantry and feezers that in most cases takes me about a half hour a week for making dry mixes or doughs for the freezer.  The canner usually runs once a week but anything I am canning is very low prep and I can work on other things while the canner is running.  A mini bulk cooking session for the freezer depends on the complexity of the dish with some casseroles taking more prep but things like waffles and pancakes less than a half hour.  Here's a few of the things I will be doing over the next few weeks with a few tips.

• waffles/pancakes/French toast - All of these have become rather popular sellers in the freezer section of the grocery store but did you know you can save a lot of money making your own and freezing them for later use?  'Tis true.  Store bought freezer waffles cost about $4 for 12 but home-made costs between 40¢ - 70¢ for 16 to 20 waffles and takes only about 15 minutes of time if that.  Not only that, my home-made versions are healthier for you with no preservatives, HFCS or artificial anything AND they are every bit as convenient as store bought so a quick hot breakfast is only as far as the toaster.
• beans - This is the time of year I love canning dried beans for easy and convenient ready to use beans (eg. brown beans, kidney, navy, black).  The beans are soaked overnight then home canned without cooking however, if you cook them they can also be frozen.  Now one thing I haven't tried but am planning on trying is cooking the beans then seasoning and mashing.  The mash is spread out on a drying sheet then dried and powdered to be used for instant refried beans.  It sounds interesting.
• stocks - I save bones throughout the year to be made into stock when I have time aside of the busiest of the canning year.  Once I have enough bones accumulated, I make stock that in my case is home canned but can easily be frozen.
• soups/stews - I make a lot of soups and stews from scratch but I also like to stock the pantry and freezers with home made versions to be used when it is too hot to cook.  During this time, the soups and stews are more meat and root vegetable based, depending on when the organic meat and poultry is available.
• bread crumbs/croutons - I do a lot more bread making during the winter months so tend to make a lot more bread crumbs and croutons for use through-out the year.  Both use up the last bits of home made bread.  They can be stored in the pantry for short term storage or in the freezer for longer term storage.
• casseroles - By far the two favourite casseroles that I make in bulk for the freezer are lasagna and quiche followed as a close runner up by cottage pies.  The amount I make in one bulk cooking session is very much dependent on available freezer space.
• jams/jellies - If I have more fruit than can be processed during the busiest of the canning year, I often freeze it to make into jams when it isn't as busy.  This is also the perfect time to make jellies from wine or organic juices as well as herbed jellies from herbs grown indoors.
• dehydrating - This is the prime time for me making beef jerky, powdered citrus peel, as well as citrus slices and coconut.
• mixes - I make up several mixes (eg. baking, cake, pasta starts, hamburger helpers etc) usually over a period a week focusing only on mixes.  This takes a bit more planning.  Day 1, I make a list of the mixes I want to make and the number of jars, then make a shopping list for the bulk food store, pick-up my supplies then organize into ingredients per mix.  Day 2 through 4 or 5, I work assembly line style to quickly fill the jars with the desired mixes.  Each mix takes me anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to jar ready for vacuum sealing and labelling.  Set-up is minimal requiring the recipes, measuring cups/spoons, ingredients and jars with lids.  Clean-up is minimal as well since several of the ingredients are completely used in the mixes with no left-overs.  In total, I spend about 30 minutes per mix session, usually one session per day during that week.