- Rice, dried pasta, and dried beans cost next to nothing. Even canned
beans are very cheap Always have some in the house and you won't starve.
- Fresh veggies in season are very cheap; some are cheap year-round (onions,
potatoes, carrots, etc.)
- Canned tomatoes and frozen veggies are pretty cheap
- Whole chickens are pretty cheap; learn to cut one up
- Stew meat is relatively cheap
- Watch the grocery store ads and buy on sales. Be aware that sometimes
generics and house brands are cheaper than fancy brands on sale
- Make lots of stews/braised dishes with cheap, tough meat (including chili,
meat balls and meat sauces, etc.); serve with rice or pasta.
- Fresh garlic, salt, and pepper are cheap; look for specials on dried (or
fresh) herbs and spices
- Canned salmon can be cheap and can be very good.
- Pure olive oil (not first cold pressed EVOO) is just fine; make your own
salad dressing with oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Eggs are pretty cheap - make scrambles or omelettes or frittatas with
onions, potatoes, and bell peppers (if they're on sale)

If you have a family and a tight budget, you're probably working a lot of
hours and may not feel much like cooking. Or waiting for dinner to be
ready. But maybe try cooking a several meals on the weekend, or even just
the night before - lots of stews improve overnight. If you have a crockpot,
you can load it in the AM with cheap meat and veggies and come home to a
very nice stew or soup.

With a little cooking effort, you can make a variety of very tasty, classy
food (like linguine with clam sauce, or beef stew, or a roast chicken) that
are very good for you and cost very little.

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Louis Cohen
Living la vida loca at N37° 43' 7.9" W122° 8' 42.8"


"Pat" > wrote in message
om...
> What are the best tips you've ever read and been recommended so far
> and also regularly practice, relating to how your family has made and
> regularly makes it's money go a lot further than it ever used to, when
> it comes to all your weekly food - drink purchases / expenses, if you
> have a family to look after, or when you did.