The word convenience starts with $.

I just read an article on how we waste 40 percent of our food in the us. Just because something has a sell by and use my date, doesn't mean that you need to use it my that date, it means to is not at it's peak of freshness.

Mid week should be use it up day. Maybe have a leftover night. Incorporate any bits of things that need to be used up in the next couple of dinners. Check pull dates and use oldest things first.

There are some things where it doesn't make real sense not to make it from scratch. Oatmeal is one. It takes seconds more time and energy to make it from scratch. One cup water , 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1-1/2 minutes on the microwave. It does help to either ise a larger bowl, or cook it for 1 minute and then cook it for the 1/2 to prevent boil overs.

Pudding , the cooked one, is another one, a little measuring is all.

Another way to look at waste is of you are paying full price at the most costly store in town, you are wasting money.
What else could you do with that money? if you are on a tight budget, convenience is a dirty word!

Sometimes, of you use a good coupon and sale, a cake or brownie mix can be as cheap as scratch.

Many recipes that have been circulating on the Internet call for comvoence or ready made foods and many times you can substitute for scratch without much trouble.

Pasta sauce on sale is cheaper than making it from scratch. You pay dearly many times for the use of a glass jar. Both can be recycled. I can get pasta sauce for as little as .50.

We are working on providing a list of foods for children's packs. The perimeters are set for us. Thos is for children that get free breakfast and lunch at school, but don't have food for the weekend. Beef ravioli that is on separate containers was eight for five dollars. There is about a half cup of product in each container. The kids can make it themselves. But, I could make two whole 9x13 pans for five dollars or less.

on the cheap is set to help people on SNAP. When working on a three hundred dollars a month budget, you need five dollar dinners. With the savings of buying low and eating high and adding any coupons for real food or cheaper than scratch food, it is very doable. you can eat a wide variety of foods that are nutritious and tasty.

I am not going to say that some little elf is going to magically make food appear cooked in your kitchen every night.
It takes some effort and organization. One step at a time, it is doable.

1-2 price shopping can put almost four thousand dollars in your pocket a year, provided you have the full grocery money in the first place. When I was a single parent, it wasn't a matter of saving momey, it was a matter of survival. LOL.


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Jane