Cooking on a Budget Ideas Tips
Read these 31 Cooking on a Budget Ideas Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Cooking tips and hundreds of other topics.
Leftover Pancakes or Waffles?
I make large batches of pancakes and waffles. That way when I have leftovers, I put a piece of aluminum foil between them, place in a freezer bag, then freeze. For a quick breakfast, remove what you want from the bag, microwave for 1-2 minutes. No more buying the expensive frozen pancakes and waffles!
Hard Brown Sugar
Don't throw away brown sugar that's hardened. Put a slice of bread in the container. In a few hours, it will be soft again.
More Meat for Less
Watch for sales on meat when bought in larger quantities. Separate into family serving sizes, put in freezer bags, then freeze.
Leftover Pie Dough
Roll left over pie dough out to about 1/4" thick. Place on jelly roll pan, sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar mixture, then bake in 375 degree oven until lightly browned. Delicious sweet treat.
Veggi Stock
Store vegetable scraps and cuttings (even peels work) in the freezer until you have enough to make a pot of vegetable stock.
Leftover Gravy
Put leftover gravy in a baking dish. Add mixed vegetables,(these could be leftovers also), and a can of tuna. Bake until bubbly. You could top this with refrigerator biscuits and pop back in the oven until browned.
Leftover Noodles, Rice or Potatoes
If you have leftover noodles, rice, or potatoes, just add them to soup. You'll have a hearty meal.
Leftover Mashed Potatoes
When you have leftover mashed potatoes, use them as a pie crust for a meat casserole. Grease the pie plate first, then add your casserole and cover with the potatoes before you bake.
Keeping Marshmallows Soft
To prevent marshmallows from drying out, simply store them in the freezer.
Marshmallows won't dry out when frozen.
Cooked Oatmeal
Add your leftover cooked oatmeal to your meatloaf recipe instead of bread crumbs.
Quicker Browned Hamburger
When I brown hamburger, I brown enough for a couple of meals. Place leftovers in fridge or freezer and you're one step ahead for your next recipe.
Wine Cubes
Using leftover wine is a snap if you freeze it into ice cubes and use them as part of the liquid for casseroles and sauces.
Leftover Roast
Dice up leftover roast (food processor works well, but don't over process). Add diced onions, peppers, hardboiled eggs, mayo, and seasonings to taste. Makes for a delicious sandwich spread.
Brown Sugar Revival
If your brown sugar has turned to rock, you can easily soften it by putting it in a glass bowl, sprinkling with a little bit of water and placing in the microwave. Try high power for about 10-15 seconds. Zap it again if necessary, until fully softened.
Leftover Ham
Ham is great leftover. You can cut it up and mix it with scrambled eggs, or scalloped potatoes. Or grind it up, add some pickle relish and mayo. What a great sandwich spread.
Leftover Rice
Don't throw away your leftover rice. You can freeze it in a covered freezer container for up to six months.
Leftover Taco Salad
Not sure what to do with your leftover taco meat? How about sprinkling it over some lettuce. Add a few shredded carrots, cheese cubes, and olive slices. Now you need to make a dressing for your salad. You can do this in three simple steps. First, you measure out 1/2 a cup of sour cream and place it in a bowl. Second, you measure out 1/2 a cup of your favorite salsa and add it to the bowl. Finally, you mix the two ingredients together and spoon it over the taco salad. You are sure to love this budget friendly meal for either lunch or dinner.
Homemade Instant Oatmeal
Make your own "instant" oatmeal by running regular oatmeal in a blender. Blending makes the oatmeal the same as "instant."
Meatloaf Meal - Take 2
There's usually leftovers when I make meatloaf, mashed potatoes and veggies. For another meal, I crumble meatloaf in a pot of beef broth. (canned works well) Add the potatoes and veggies, simmer for about 1 hour and you have a second meal.
More Juice from Lemons
Here are more cooking on a budget ideas: To get the most juice from lemons, microwave on high for 30 seconds, let stand a couple of minutes before cutting and squeezing them. Rolling it between your counter and hand also does the trick. This also will work for limes and oranges.
Making Extra
Make more than what you can eat at one meal. Leftovers are great for a second meal.
Stew Saver
Put leftover stew in a casserole dish. Top with refrigerator biscuits, then bake until biscuits are golden brown.
Fresh Lemon Zest
Before you squeeze juice from a lemon, grate off the rind into a freezer bag and freeze. Then when a recipe calls for lemon zest or rind, just pull it from the freezer.
Buy Ahead of Season
If you have the space, stock up on turkeys and hams during the holidays seasons, when the grocery stores are running ridiculously low priced specials. It's usually inexpensive to buy a turkey at Thanksgiving.
Sandwich Meat
When deli sandwich meats are on sale, buy extra. Put enough meat for a few days in a freezer bag, then freeze. To unthaw, put in the refrigerator a day before you want to use it. Will taste as fresh as the day you bought it.
Another Brown Sugar Saver.
Never worry about finding your brown sugar hard again. Store brown sugar in it's original box inside your refrigerator. It will remain soft and easy to mix with other dry ingredients.
Butter on Sale
When butter or oleo is on sale buy extra and put in the freezer. Unthaw before use. This works great for products in the card board cartons or in the tubs.
Tortilla Revival
The folks at the Reynolds Kitchens sent in this handy tip for reviving day old tortillas. Place tortillas on a large piece of waxed paper, fold the open edges to make a packet and microwave on high for 15 - 35 seconds. They'll be almost as good as fresh made.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Alicia Bodine |
