Frugal Grocery Storage that Saves Time and Money
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- Опубліковано 1 бер 2023
- Frugal grocery storage saves time and money! You just scored great deals at the grocery store! But… you may be wasting some of that hard-earned savings simply by what you do (or do not do) when you walk in the door.
Believe it or not, the WAY you process your grocery haul and put it away can either save you money - or cost you a great deal of it.
In this video, we’ll share the steps we take to process and put away food (and most importantly WHY each step can save you money).
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We're Hope and Larry and we love practical frugality. We raised our four sons, debt-free, including paying cash for our home when our income was well under the national average. For tips on saving money, budgeting, paying off debt, and setting goals (while living with a spirit of joy and abundance), subscribe to us here on UA-cam and visit us at our website and on social media.
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Great video! I have a “Never buy again” list. I was always throwing away expired, unopened tartar sauce, salad dressings, and other sauces. So I’ve stopped buying them altogether.
I didn't honestly learn anything new for our family in this video, but I really enjoy hearing like minded people are doing the same things and I just find that encouraging in general.
Yes it is encouraging to be part of a like minded group! Hope&Larry have been awesome leaders in sharing tips,tricks,and cost saving information with all of us! Maybe you have a trick or tip that would help out all of us as well,we are all in this together!
I too have been frugal for a long time so I too do most of the things mentioned in most of the videos but same as you I too enjoy listening to like minded people sharing their frugal tips and ideas.
Yes. It is like going over your check list. I add the ideal of prepping and storage to my shopping list. I shop as I feel able to work with when I get home. If I'm not feeling well, I'm not buying things that require a lot of prep.
@@patmartin9727 I'm not only learn a new hint of a way to use a food product that I didn't know I also find out how to best shop at stores that weren't even in business 30 years ago
I put the expiration date. Since 2020 the expiration dates have varied greatly, even on the same shelf.
Plastic milk cartons are made to expand when frozen. They have a built in area on the side. You don’t have to remove some of the milk before freezing.
Yep, I do this.
Mushroom storage - removing from the store packaging and placing them in a brown paper bag with the top folded down in the fridge helps greatly to extend the shelf life. Even 3 weeks to a month later the mushrooms are still fine - I was very surprised that this worked so well.
Celery - wrap a paper towel on the base root area of the celery and put back into the store bag - really helps extend the celery's shelf life also.
Really enjoy your videos - thank you for all of the helpful tips and info you both provide
I put the expiry date. Sometimes the expiry date can be far away and sometimes soon to expire.
I try to remember to write the date on certain things in my fridge after I open it - things like heavy cream, half n half, salad dressings, etc...
I have learned so much from you… cooked dinner tonight in the style of zero waste… highlights included fried potato skins (from potato salad made earlier this week), naan bread made from sourdough leftover, small amount of leftover potato salad, ginger rice and a kale salad. Salad dressing was made from leftover homemade dressing combined with mustard and leftover starch water from cooking the potatoes earlier this week.
Thank you, Pam. We love hearing that we've helped someone! Love how you're stretching your leftovers.
I learnt the hard way re not writing on the frozen food bag ! I happily defrosted what I thought was celery soup and at dinner time it turned out to be stewed apple……. Strange dinner that night. Great video Hope and Larry, many thanks Ann in the UK
Sounds familiar, Ann. I once took what I thought was soup to work - frozen. It turned out to be frozen green tomatoes. LOL!
😂😂 that made me laugh. Haven't done it but I'm sure it will
@@AWordofHope 😊
I warmed up what I thought was sausage gravy from the freezer today, and poured it over bread. When I tasted it, it was icing for a cake I had made. Better than when I put chili powder in with apple pie thinking it was cinnamon. Interesting combinations
😛
I freeze leftover coffee in my ice cube trays. Perfect for iced coffee. It doesn't get watered down. 😊
What a great idea!
Thank you! ❤😊
I’ve known about this tip for years. Actually remembering to do it is a different story. 🙄
Using the baking tray in the freezer is what we do freezing berries. I wash off the blueberries, black currants, etc. let them dry off, and then place them open on the tray to freeze. Afterwards I put them in ziplock bags and I can take out frozen berries, that are separate like marbles, rather than a solid chunk of frozen berries.
I began analyzing my receipts closely this year and realized that I was spending entirely too much on my cat food and supplies! I was feeding them too much of the same canned cat foods and they'd gotten bored and were wasting about half of it. So now I give them about half as much but jazz it up with broth or little pieces of fish or meat mixed in (from my table scraps). They love it and seem to digest it well.
Oh, they do get bored. You have to switch it up and bring back some of the old favorites later.
I feed my kitty high quality dry food. She's never been bored with it. She gets a few Greenies each morning which she loves.
I give my kitty half a small tin of sardines a few times a week she loves it (good for their coat and also helps with furball problems)😸❤️ cheaper than cat food!🇦🇺
Years ago, I was told a cat's meal should be a mouse worth. Think the size of a mouse. In my thinking, one cat eats half a 5.5 oz can. So my indoor cat gets half a can per day.
Expiration date, for sure. Why? I don't like to squint at tiny numbers when I'm arranging the pantry. Also, when our local food pantry asks for donations, that's helpful for the volunteers to sort boxes, bags, and cans quickly.
I use a black marker to put the date purchased and the amount paid. I like to be able to see how much it's gone up or down. I also like to be able to calculate how much a meal will cost, so it helps to have everything marked with the purchase price.
I never thought to write the price on the item. What a good (although potentially depressing) idea!
Great idea!
@@OhMaryJo love your sense of humor!
@@NuggetFarm2011 thanks!
I thought thus was starting off of how you used your black water - I really wondered how this was going to turn out 😆
I agree with Larry about the purchase date. If it's a bulk container, I also like to write an "opened on" date so I can see how quickly it takes for me to go through that particular item for future restocking of inventory.
Oh, yes. If if contains multi packs, I will mark it "open."
Yes!!!
Because of the bad storm that came through our area, I did not get the opportunity to see your video on Thursday night . My husband, the dogs and I went to our shelter BUT we are all safe. I am happy to report that I got up this morning and got to view your video. All your points are ones we have been doing for years, and it is always good to hear again. Black Marker: I write down the date I purchase the item and then write down the date I open it so I know how much time it has taken to use up the item. This is one way I prepare my shopping list. The best tip I like to share about food processing is "If you have ONE, you have none." This advice has come in handy when I write down my shopping list. If I am down to only one of an item, then I know to pick up another one, or if on sale, get more than one. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PROGRAM!
So sorry about your storm experience Katherine. So glad you are enjoying the videos. So true about having one being none! Thank you.
AFood Saver is a really worthwhile investment, especially if you eat meat! Vacuum sealing keeps meat from getting freezer burnt and keeps it useable for a *really* long time! I’ve kept items for 2-3 years and it came out just like fresh.
Me too!!!
I buy bulk meat, and repackage into 4 oz portions, each in a snack size ziplock, then fill a quart with 4-5 meals. take out one to cook for dinner. no more big blobs I won't defrost. the quart bags can be reused.
I'm with you, Hope! Expiration date!!
Ice cube trays - lemon and limes that I juice the whole bag once I get home (and if they are organic I freeze the zest in a jar), any other juice of fruits (like from canned etc) also, herbs that are in abundance in the non-winter (like oregano and basil and cilantro and parsley etc). If I have bought a bag of oranges and they aren’t particularly good or not getting eaten for some other reason, I blend the whole peeled orange and freeze. I use these fruit things in salad dressings, stir fry sauces and anything else that needs a bit of citrus or sweetness from fruit, bowl sauces and the herbs I use for soups and other things that will be cooked.
And I freeze just about everything else so that it doesn’t go bad. I intentionally make and freeze hummus, all kinds of beans, rice, quinoa etc to have meal starters ready to thaw. I have frozen portions of slaw (that was not made with mayo, but a peanut sauce) to add to stir fries, fruit salad that I couldn’t finish for smoothies or nice cream or baking, even some Mexican pasta salad (with a tomato type sauce) and used it in Mexican soup. I freeze ripe bananas for my oatmeal or smoothies or nice cream and greens for soup or stir-fry or smoothies before they go bad if I can’t finish them. Possibilities are endless!
I live alone so my grocery hauls don't need to be massive. I vacuum seal and freeze all my bulk buys of meat and fish. I divide them up into meal size portions as soon as I get them home. I cringe when I see folks freeze them in their Styrofoam trays!
Could you tell a little more about your vacuum sealing? I’m looking for more info ~ newbie here 😊
@@dianefiebelkorn2921 Of course! You can buy them in any department store.
The brand of mine is FoodSaver. You can seal most types of food in one. You buy the plastic bags along with them. Fill your bag up ONLY ABOUT A THIRD! . Select wet or dry mode. Insert the open end off the bag into the slit and press "seal" buttonl. It sucks the air out of the bag and heat seals the bag. (It's easier to use it for drier items like meat cuts or to use barriers for the wetter things like fruit. If moisture works it's way up to the opening, you may not get a complete vacuum seal. Just give yourself a lot of head space and don't let the moisture move up the bag. I rest my forearm on the edge of the machine to slow down the trickles moving upwards.
@@janetstonerook4552
Thanks 😊 I have a FoodSaver and experimented with some of the tips online for using other bags (no, didn’t work well, vacuum seals didn’t last). So I’m sticking with regular vacuum seal bags.
But ~ do you seal dry pastas with it?
Sharpie's are for Expiration date. You can buy 4 items at the same visit and one could have a sooner expiration date, so you want the freshest on the shelf the longest. Sorry Larry. LOL
No problem, S. Stewart.
Thank you for tips on dairy and meat even though you don’t eat them. It’s appreciated and you’re respectful about it.
You are very welcome.
To have from scratch items with the convenience of store bought packaging, I'll often spend a short time measuring the dry ingredients for a recipie batch into repurposed food containers or baggies. For example, I used to measure out 6 jars of double batch corn bread at a time, label them, and put them on the shelf for later use. I did similar for drop or rolled biscuits, waffle mix, taco seasoning packets with corn starch, and brown sugar cookie mix (or chocolate chip cookie type). I have had easy and inexpensive access to stores with bulk spices and herbs for decades and used to make a number of my blended seasing mixes like Italian Seasoning as well as my own Italian and ranch salad dressing mixes. If you have time to make 1, it is hardly any more time to make multiples.
I agree, I make hot cocoa mix in advance cause that Swiss miss stuff is way overpriced 😅 plus I don't do dairy
My mother in law gave me some life changing information a couple years ago. If you get an avocado just ripe on the counter and then refrigerate it, it will last for weeks. We are vegan and avocados are a high dollar item. I can get them at costco for a pretty good price, but it is a big amount for two people and now we never have them go bad. I label my canned goods as I can them. The few that I buy are so little an amount that I can cycle through them easily without any going bad but when you home can and cycle through what you are growing year after year you need to keep track of the canned date. Love your channel.
Actually, it works better to keep the avocados in the fridge until about 3 days before you need them. You can pop them in the fridge again, but I don't have much luck past a couple of days.
I am always confused when I see homecanners not put a detailed label on the jar when they finish canning it. How are you going to know the difference between applesauce that is plain (great in baked goods as a sub for oil and eggs) and one that has cinnamon and sugar added (great as a sidedish)? They look the same. What about if you used pears instead of apples? Then there are the people who only put the year. If I made five batches of applesauce on five different days but only put 2022, then what am I supposed to do when I realize that one of the batches went bad? When they have distinct dates then I immediately know which ones to pitch.
@America First that's good to know too! I don't meal plan per se so I enjoy having some in the fridge ready to go BUT I love that you could go straight in the fridge if you don't need them right away. It's so nice not cutting into a bad $1 plus avocado!
As I am watching I am adding comments:-
I love a full pantry I love seeing yours.
Yes organise those dates so you know what's cooking when.
BTW loving your hair today Hope
I love Mirepoix, the basis to so many meals, have a bag full in the freezer is a great idea.
In my ice cube trays I have done citrus, pesto, oil with herbs, eggs,
I love Hopes critical looking face.
Great video thanks for sharing.
Awe, thank you!
I use marker pen for expiry dates. I always write on an item date I open or if I made food and stored in fridge so that it's not sitting in fridge for a week going off. I believe chef's mark food this way too in restruants
The real message is the caring and love for people! Larry and Hope are such a contribution! Good stewards of their talents.
I'm using the sharpie to mark the Expiry Date - in my mind it doesn't matter when we bought it, it does matter when it's due to go past it's best (althpugh very likely still usable) xx
Sometimes putting avocado next to banana to ripen one or the other quicker could be beneficial 💚
Sorry Larry I'm with Hope sometimes the store does not rotate their product and you get in sooner expiration date then what you have in your pantry
Definitely write expiration date, as you’ll find a vast difference in expiration dates from one grocery haul, even years apart at times. I absolutely agree that the dates are a guideline, but if you’re going to take the time to write a buy date, why not a more accurate expiration date instead. Thank you both very much for your videos.
I noticed that this last year too. I started putting a best by date also if there is a vast difference in dates
Frozen fruit make excellent ice cubes that add flavor to water, tea, cocktails and mocktails. Some other ideas for the ice cube trays... Before citrus goes bad I will juice the lemon or oranges and depending on how much juice I have, add water and freeze that. The ice cube trays I have will take 2 cups of liquid. I will on occasion buy ginger. Orange and ginger go wonderful together and I will freeze that combo as well. I like sticking it in my water if my stomach is upset. Also, when making your own stock or you opened a carton or can and have some left over...put that in an ice cube tray and freeze as well. It will be a great flavor addition to a soup, stew or stir fry later.
Sounds good, Shawn!
I would put both the purchase date and the expiration or best-before date. Also, I write where I bought the item. Example: If I bought it at Whole Foods, I just write WF; for Healthy Planet I write HP. That will tell me where to look when it's time to replenish the supply of the item.
I use black marker to put expiration date and sometimes put price I paid for the item😊
Ice cube trays can be purchased new at Goodwill for less money. Can buy different sizes. Add your fresh herbs to a bit of water.. Mark on outside as to use so you don't have something that will taste weird in the future.
It depends for food I put the expiration day.For detergent I put the day a bring it home because this way I now how long they last
I’m TEAM HOPE with writing the expiration date on the package.
Sharpie: purchase date/price/expiration because I like to know when I bought it and for what price to calculate the cost of my meal( yes, I like to track things like that). Expiration for obvious reasons; I’ll use according to best by date. Ice cube trays: all homemade broths or if I opened a carton of store bought, coffee, tea, sauces, juices, milk that I may not use before it goes bad, basically anything I think that can be frozen in small amounts that I can use later.
definitely expiration date..... you should be rotating your products according to what needs to be used 1st .... I'm with HOPE!!! 😁😉
I'm with Hope on writing the expiration dates on food items, but I'm with Larry on writing the date of purchase on non-perishables like dish soap, toothpaste, etc. so I can see approximately how many I'll need in a year--I think I saw that in the Tightwad Gazette.
Always enjoy seeing references to Amy D and The Tightwad Gazette. She was a game changer for me about 30 years ago when I found the books of her newsletters in the library.
@@suzboeh633I loved the Tightwad Gazette! Her books were a revelation, and validated that I was not crazy when it came to being frugal.
That's such a great idea!
Past their prime bananas - mash and mix with a little dog safe peanut butter - fill ice cube tray - add a frozen red raspberry on top of each cube - freeze - healthy dog treats!
How common is dog unsafe peanut butter? I hear people mention it online all the time, but I have never seen it in the store. I only buy peanut+salt peanut butter which is why I don’t look at the brands with additives. Plus we’re a cat household not a dog one.
@@amyschmelzer6445 most peanut butters are unsafe for dogs. If any salt or sugar (either real or fake sugar) and preservatives/additives are from dangerous to poisonous to dogs. Better do your own one.
Ice cube trays..can find new at Goodwill often for much less and mark them with a marker. Great for herbs in a bit of water.
@@amyschmelzer6445 We're also cat people, but added salt is unsafe for cats, too. There are lots of websites and probably some youtube videos outlining foods and plants that are dangerous to cats. Do check it out if you're sharing your food with your fur babies.
I use that Sharpie for something else. I use it to mark the price paid for the item. It’s like a price book without the book.
I agree with Hope that you should write the expiration date on the can. I love reading everyone's comments. Read a few ideas that are new to me that I am going to try.
Sharpie: I’m with Hope - I add expiration month/year
We have a homestead with a 10'x12' green house. During the winter I have my plants in the green house during the day, while the sun is heating it for free. I then bring them into the house at night and place them on a wire 5-shelf unit with LED grow lights through the night. These lights (with 2 bulbs each) use so little electricity it is barely calculable. We heat our house with a wood stove, so it is plenty warm. I see no need to heat the green house at night when I can just bring the plants inside. We have greens all year round! The extra are given to others plus used as a food supplement for the chickens, which they love. The greens, mixed with some chicken feed, create healthy chickens and amazing eggs!
Awesome!
I line up the pantry items by expiration date, but see no need to write it on the item. I mean the date is tight there on the package. I will have to think about writing the purchase date on the item. That might be an eye opening experience to see how long things sit in my pantry. Nice video. Thank you for all the ideas.
I started writing “opened” dates on things like salsa, barbecue sauce and sour cream so I have an idea of how long they have been open.
1. if I buy salad bags I perforate the plastic bags to keep them fresher longer
2. I put coffee cream in ice cube trays then once frozen into ziplock freezer bags.
3. Mushrooms I immediately remove the plastic top, if I have a paper bag they would go in that, but paper bags are not plentiful here, the mushrooms just over time dry out
4. meat immediately in the ziplock bag into serving size
5. shredded cheese in several ziplock bags flat into freezer, later into one larger freezer bag so it is easy to remove as needed
6. we have three small freezer drawers so labeling is not necessary, nothing is very old as I don’t have room, just organize by food type into each drawer, if possible
7. If I have time I chop some veggies and store in serving size in ziplock bags in the drawer, like slice peppers or cut brussel sprout in half but these are used up first and some are left whole to last longer
I try to store sweet potatoes and white potatoes in a room temperature area of my kitchen because putting them in my cold refrigerator the vegetables develop higher sugar content that I would like to avoid
I didn't know that potatoes develop higher sugar content...Learn something every day. Thanks.
I had not been writing the dates on my purchased canned items but I do go through my pantry shelves every month or two and rotate the oldest ones to the front. I need to do better about creating more organized pantry space for them. I am super organized with my home canning and carefully label them but just didn't think to do that with my purchased items! Both Hope and Larry's plan of labeling have merit!
Ice cube trays are used for freezing excess herbs from the garden, such as basil, around here. I’ve never considered preparing and freezing mirepoix - thanks for the idea, Hope!
It’s great canned as well and keeps longer, I do it both ways and use the frozen first !
Blessings
I always put the expiration date on the packages but that doesn’t mean I follow it so I’m half with Larry and half with hope
Thank you guys. I ran home at lunch and separated those fruits and veggies that are waiting to be chopped up and frozen for later use. Also, if you buy greens for smoothies, they can be frozen in bags. They turn into green ice chips. Perfect for smoothies, not great for cooking.
Excellent, DeAna!
Thanks for all your great tips! I like the tip about everyone in the family write down if they are using the next to last item. That way I do not have to make an extra trip to the store but have extra time. Take care and God bless you!
God bless you, too, Mary. Thank you.
I use a red marker and put the expiration date on the front of the can. But it is really just for rotation. If canned goods are kept at a steady temperature, ideally around 60 degrees, they will never go "bad" they will just loose nutritional value over time. As long as there are no sharp dents in the can or damage to the sealed rims.
I feel like the texture suffers if they're at the expiration date, but that seldom happens as I do rotate also.
P.S. I do actually have OCD, and have to inspect them at the store for ages to make sure there is NO dent or damage at all. Then I have to ask the cashier to be careful even though they're not glass. Thank goodness cashiers are pretty understanding in my country. They'd probably think I was giving them a really hard time if I did that in the US.
We grow our own basil every summer, and I make pesto to preserve it and we freeze cubes to use through the winter. I also freeze the remainder of tomato paste or tomato sauce into cubes once I open the can -- it makes it easy to toss a 2 tbsp chunk into soups, stews and sauces and ensures the paste or sauce does not go to waste. I've also had some luck with helping parsley or cilantro to last longer. I clean the parsley, separate the smaller leaves and stems from the bunch and use that first. Then I arrange the bunch, cut the stems like you would do for flowers, and put the bunch in a glass of water with the plastic bag over the bunch and store in the fridge -- the parsley lasts so much longer than leaving in the crisper drawer. Once I use the leaves I wash and save the stems in a freezer bag with other clean veg scraps and use those for broth when I need them. Helps you get the most from your herbs. Thanks for the video!
expiration date as some items recently purchased may have expiration before other items you already have !!!! also on stock rotation and idea of recent items goes to the back; surly place in order of expiration if you're taking time to mark them with sharpie ?????
That's so funny. I've been doing this since 2007. Lol
Good job you all..
Thani you, Christina
Looking forward to a future video on how to use your ice cube trays to save money! ;)
The summer before covid I got about 10 pounds of strawberries to freeze and use in smoothies. The strawberries were $2 per pound. At the time I thought that I would never be able to buy them for that price again and I think I was right. I also bought several bunches of bananas to freeze. I was pregnant at the time so it was great to have ready made baggies of fruit to make into smoothies.
I think on the top is the date I bought it. On the bottom I am putting the expiration or BB date. I also remember seeing a movie with a boat that they wrote the what was in the can. I forget what it was but it was like an after school movie. I like this if you live in a flood prone or wet area. I enjoy watching your videos. Keep up the good work :)
Thank you, Shawn!
Absolutely write the expiration or best buy list. That's what I do. I also have a list on the fridge to write when we take the last item out from storage.
I freeze a lot of portions in muffin trays(perfect size)...and once frozen i put it in a ziplock back together...so i can use the trays again...ice cube containers i use for fresh herbs..and also i put them in bck once frozen
I have been able to get wide-mouth glass jars at the Dollar Tree so that I can store leftovers in glass containers that are a little more vertical in in shape than most plastic...avoiding plastic for health reasons.
I use glass jars in the same way! I love reading the comments because I learn new ideas as well as learn that other people do similar activities too. Thanks for sharing.
I am all with you about avoiding plastic for health reasons, and this works well as long as you have both hands and both feet. On crutches or with a broken hand, it gets a bit tricky with the weight of glass (or ceramics) and the risk of dropping them. Age and shaking hands might be another one, looming ahead...sadly.
I put the best before date on, as I've sometimes brought the same thing from a different supermarket some weeks later and it has a shorter date on it.
We use ice cube trays for celery,green pepper onion mix, we freeze extra eggs in them, garlic butter, pesto, oil infused herbs
We date absolutely everything with date the item comes into the house. Helps me track how long the purchase lasted us, and how frequent the promo cycles are. Because I'm faithful about rotating we've never had an issue with expiration dates. I use my ice cube trays to make day old coffee cubes for my afternoon iced coffee while the fresh morning brew is still percolating. Ice cold, but not diluted; and it keeps me going through one more webinar! Waste not, want not! Washable, reusable freezer bags, three sizes, have already paid for themselves in not paying for wasteful plastic bags and insurance against freezer burn.
@@pennynickels5216 Hello Penny
@@pennynickels5216Hello Penny! From Amazon, SPLF is the brand. Really good quality, multiple sizes, and much more affordable than what I could source locally.
@@pennynickels5216 you are more than welcome. Share the news, and we will all save money and the planet.
If you haven’t done a video on what items you freeze in the ice cube trays that might be one to consider. 😊
I usually put the best by date, but the purchase date would come in handy too. It let's you know how long it takes you to go through the item.
Expiration date or Best before date on the box or carton. My Mum was doing this some 50 years ago. Everything organised from what should be used up first. Alas I’m not nearly as organised as Mum was. I can at least claim to not leaving groceries sitting on the table for hours. It goes where it should asap.
I remember The Blob! 😂
That was the movie that we went to after prom..oops dating myself
LOL!
I use black marker to write the expiration date/best by date. Thank you for the tips!
Thank you, Laura!
I always mix 3 raw eggs mixed up at a time. Most cake mixes etc call for 3 eggs.
Beef and pork roast can also be cut up into chunky pieces for Stew and soup
We do expiration date and opened on dates (this helps us determine resupply and if we are going through too much of something)
Hahaha I get startled every time you smack Larry...he must be used to it by now...because there's no reaction lol
Oh yes, LOL!
I would say by expiration date because just because you purchased an item earlier it may have a Later expiration date than something you purchased later. While you don't have to go totally by expiration date, it does indicate when it was packaged.
I'm definitely interested in your potato salad recipe😀
We buy resealable baggies in snack, sandwich, quart, and gallon baggies at an area restaurant supply store. Meat is portioned out as needed and placed in the freezer the day it is bought. If we can get by without repackaging items, like meat, they go straight to the freezer in their original packaging; often the original packaging takes more room than plastic baggiexmor repuroksed bread bags. Frozen items in boxes may come out of thier boxes. Because of the way we are purchasing, we have only the refrigerator freezer (its a smaller fridge but bigger than an apartment fridge), and a small chest freezer we are not labeling things with dates. When we had a big refrigerator freezer and a full sized upright, everything was dated using a permanent marker. Now we are pretty much eating down what we own or own of a particular purchase before re-buying.
Expiration date for me out of necessity because sometimes it’s printed in such small font, I can barely read it. You mention serving sizes. I bought prepared beef burgers that were on a super sale but each patty was a half pound. I brought home the packages and partially froze each burger then sliced it through the middle. I ended up with twice as many burgers that were plenty thick enough after cooking to be satisfying.
I'm slowly adopting some of your ideas, and it's REALLY helping me a lot! This video! WOW ! Your pantry! Yeah, my pantry is a jumbled mess! I LOVE how your's is like a little "store" as you said! So many great tips here for me learn and implement in my life! Thank you!!
I never thought of freezing milk or eggs. Thank you
I put the expiration date on my food items with a black permanent marker.
I don't have a sharpie, but I do arrange stuff strictly in expiration date order. (since you asked. I doubt anyone else is really interested in what I do.) I'll use a regular pen to write "open" if it's something like a multi pack.
Loved the video..one thing I hate about my refrigerator is its really small..when I go shopping I can't purchase things that are on sale because I don't have room in the freezer..I don't even have room for ice cube trays..really sucks!!
I get it. Every night putting leftovers away is a game of Tetris.
My fridge is also very small. It came with mini ice cube trays. I also got a few heart shaped minis at a thrift shop, new! Use the hearts for red juices; it's really cool. And the only other things I have room for in the freezer is two loaves of bread and a leftover half a can of beans or similar which I've frozen. It is possible to have an even smaller fridge though, like a college dorm. I've done it before. It contained a block of cheddar and one canteloupe in the fridge, and nothing in the tiny freezer section. But we can still do sales on the non perishable pantry items.
@Verreal you hit the nail right on the head..I purchase canned fruits and vegetables for the pantry..I'm glad I'm not in this alone..lol
I sort by "use by" date, so I vote expiration date. Ice cube trays are great for pesto! I make my own and always end up with way more than you would use in a recipe. Great to toss one or two cubes into pasta or use instead of pizza sauce.
Most foods have a Best By date but the food is still ok to eat past that date. I write the best by date on my cans. I just ate a can of soup dated 11/ 2021 and it was fine. I always check for dents and bulging .
I agree with Larry on dating the cans. I do home canning and date when I've processed. Same logic applies to store bought.
I, literally, never thought of that. The home canning concept of dating when it was bought does make sense.
That does work for homemade products. But not for store bought.
Can you discuss sale cycles of products and when they happen.
Hi Hope and Larry 👋🏻😊 new subscriber here - been watching all your videos - love them ❤!!!! Please add in more bloopers - I have such a good laugh with you both!!! ALSO - Hope please add in more recipe idea videos! Love you both 🧡♥️🧡♥️🧡♥️🧡
When I discovered your channel, I was impressed by your knowledge and commitment to your lifestyle.
You have inspired me by educating me. You have shown by example how you financially live your life. I have learned from your experiences.
However, I have never been attached as a viewer/student to how much you live on. A thousand dollars a month is a number you have devised as your goal. The fact that you have lived on an extremely low income and attained your financial goals is impressive.
Now, though, I am glad to hear you are rethinking, revising your budget. You can not disappoint us, the viewers, by increasing your dollar numbers. It is your spirit, enthusiasm, and wisdom, I look forward to watching. I gain hope and ideas on how to improve my life.
Frugality should not be punishing. Being cold and not having medical insurance is a brutally dangerous way to live .
What I have learned from you is to look at my life differently. To be flexible about change if it is a change for the better. For me to succeed I have had to accept I can't do what I did the way I did because it either at the least doesn't work for me any longer or at the most it is hurting me.
So congratulations on looking after yourself. Building a future with heat and medical. You have nothing to apologize for.
By the way, I am on my own also. I agree with your points about doing it alone. It's tough to see others receiving financial gains while I qualify for nothing. It's even tougher to manage by myself.
You have beaten the odds over the last twenty years. Achieved a financial goal few ever attain.
Now you have an opportunity to finish your beautiful little house and live a little more gently, knowing you will be financially secure, warm, and safe.
Toodles
That is one thing i do not buy is pancake mix,i make my own and you are correct it makes much more mix than what a person gets from the boxed! Same thing with cake mix,cornbread mix,baking mix,muffin mix,brownie mix! Stretches a lot farther!
Mary’s nest has a blog post on this. She has 6 make ahead mixes with the recipe. She has a UA-cam channel too. I use her recipe for my make ahead brownies, corn bread, and pancakes. Once it’s on the shelf it’s just as easy as making box mix pancakes!
I usually bake from scratch, but I prefer Krusteaz pancake mix. I can't get my scratch pancakes that fluffy. We don't eat a lot of pancakes, so I don't mind paying for a mix.
The date you purchase and brought the item home.. 👍👍👍👍
I use ice cube trays to freeze homemade cat food. One cube is a perfect portion for my kitty!
Would you mind sharing your recipe if it's for CHICKEN cat food.... My girl is finicky . Thanks
@@yanomo2988 Chicken and rice cat food: about 3oz. plain baked chicken, 1/4 cup cooked plain white rice, 1/4 cup mashed sweet potato, 1tsp olive oil. Puree in food processor or blender with a little water. Do not add any seasonings.
My cat still eats commercial dry food so she gets the vitamins and minerals she needs, especially taurine.
There are several recipes online for you to try, also.
@@mjrdedhed Very simple! Thanks for your response & taking the time to type this up for me.
@@yanomo2988 you're welcome
Expiration date. But canned will last long after that. The expiration date is best because stores have employees that do not practice FIFO and because items sit on the shelf varying times from store to store.
When we buy perishables we have a plan in the back of our minds for prepping, preserving, and using them while we are still in the store. Often meal plans aren't written until we come home and included in them are the chopping, slicing, dicing, and mincing of produce. Unless there is a need for a super marathon session, I try to deal with one produce item (maybe 2) produce item per day. For example, I'll dice an onion or two all at once and maybe even make some onion slices then storecin reusable, glass food containers. Once I break into a bunch of celery, I cut or dice for more than one meal. The same for the other produce. If it seems like something might not last, its taking up too much refrigerator space, or I have some extra time then ill prep for the refrigerator freezer then freeze.
Hi Hope and Larry, I pray that everyone is well. These are such great tips.Your sharing them is so appreciated. I use a permanent marker for different things for different foods. My pantry shelves are set up like a grocery store shelf. Each item in one column from back to front. Going from left to right starting with the ones I use most. Like corn , green beans, carrots and so on. I keep them in one column, from back to front, so inventorying my pantry is much easier. On the front of the can, I just write the year it is "best if used by". I do this because I really don't pay attention to the exact month and day. The dates are really more of a guideline and guarantee by the company concerning the quality that you expect from that company that produced the item.They're still edible long after that date, the quality may just not be the same. My goal is to try and use the items by the end of the year that they are dated. If I don't use them by the end of that year, depending on what it is, I just open the can and examine the liquid inside first, then the smell, then the texture in my hand. If the liquid is usually clear, and now it's cloudy or milky, not normal, I get rid of it. If it has an off smell, it goes. If I take some out (a couple of green beans, kernels of corn, etc.) and they don't feel right to me, it goes.
I also use the marker in my dry stock pantry for marking the year that I bought them. I transfer practically everything in this pantry to glass jars. So I put what it is, and the "expiration year" on the jar. By the way, you can get the permanent marker off of your jars and jar lids with a towel and some rubbing alcohol. I also rotate my pantries. The night before shopping, if say corn is on my list, I remove all of the corn from my pantry and put it on the counter. That way when I get home, exhausted from shopping and my day's activities, it's not so hard and tiring to rotate and restock, because half of the job is already done for me.
In the fridge, I usually only buy what I'm going to use that week as far as produce. If I have a little leftover from the week before I simply move it to the front so I use it first. For my jarred sauces and condiments, in the fridge, I mark it on top with the year. Most of the time, this stuff doesn't last long enough to "expire", in my house. I also make a lot of my condiments, like tartar sauce, "wing"sauce, bbq sauce, etc. What I do buy, we use up pretty quickly.
My freezer items like meat, I buy in bulk most of the time. Chicken breast, hamburger, sausage etc. , then I pack it in smaller quantities in food storage bags. The marker always comes off of the bags, in my freezer, so I generally pack it up, freeze it enough so that I can slip a small piece of paper inside the bag with what it is, and the date that I bought it, month and year on this stuff, without having it freeze to the meat item, then I close up the bag, and put it back in the freezer, done. Thanks again, for all that you do to help us to be more frugal. 🙏🤗
I'm with Hope, the item might have been sitting on grocery store shelf some time. Maybe even longer than some of your own stores, so your expiration date might even be earlier than other items in your Pantry. Write the expiration date on the item.
I went through my bookcase of canned vegetables , and the storage unit of soups and wrote the expiration date on each can in marker. When I get something new I do the same. I have yet to do it with other packaged items hopefully sometime soon as I need to redo my pantry.
I also recommend having a basket or shelf for things that are close to expiring.
That way I know what I need to use up.