Budgeting Tips For Frugal Celiacs

[GlutenFreeManna]

I am using standard lids (separate lid and band) when I freeze my jars. I try to let them cool a bit on the counter and/or fridge before popping it into the freezer. I had some cracking issues when I was using the jars to make ice blocks last year, but it was more of a problem when I pulled them out of the freezer and thawed them too quickly. I try not to give the jars big temp changes over a short time now. The pint and half pint jars that I have used in the freezer have all been new ones, and most are Ball.

Thanks, I was letting them cool but maybe not enough or maybe they are just too old. I will have to get some new ones this year and try with those.

[GlutenFreeManna]

Another tip--when cutting veggies (carrots, onions, celery, etc) I save the end pieces/stems in a large ziploc bag in the freezer. When the bag gets full I fill a crock pot with water and make broth from the pieces.

Eventually I hope to have a compost pile so even the leftover pulp that gets strained out wouldgo toward making compost for my veggie garden. Bananna peels, egg shells, and coffee grounds all go right out to the garden right now.

[Jestgar]

Right now my veggie bits go to the chickens.

My local grocery has a 'day of expiration mark down - 30% for most things, 50% for fish. It's usually gone by 11am so I do my shopping early on the weekend. I do all my cooking on the weekend and put it all into plastic ware for meals. Occasionally during the week I'll cook something (fish for breakfast this morning) but any leftovers from that I'll eat the next meal.

Is there a substantial savings on the bulk beans/rice? Worth the trouble of trying to figure out where to store it?

[weluvgators]

Is there a substantial savings on the bulk beans/rice? Worth the trouble of trying to figure out where to store it?

I think that depends on many things - what foods your would eat otherwise, how many people you may be feeding, what access you have to stores, what kinds of sales your stores have, how specific your food sourcing requirements are, etc. It works out very well for us. We store our unwashed bulk foods in large, clear tupperwares, and it also makes up our emergency food supply.

[sariesue]

I store perishable foods in tupperware, instead of sandwich bags. That way when the food is gone I can wash and reuse the container for something else. Using tupperware also means that dry goods stay fresh longer, so I get a longer shelf life out of them.

I tend to make one dinner than reuse the leftovers for other meals in the week. The other day I made breaded chicken and that night used it for chicken parmesean. The next night I used the leftover breaded chicken as chicken tenders and made some rice and veggies. Side note, I know someone was looking for a way to make chicken nuggets at home, To make the breaded chicken I dipped the chicken into raw scrambled egg, then into kinnicinick's gluten-free bread crumbs. Then baked in the oven. If you cut the chicken breasts into little peices you'd have chicken nuggets.

I go through the grocery stores circular with my husband and we plan out our meal starters based on that. We don't plan out exact meals because of my work schedule does not really allow that since when I get home can vary by an hour or more.

I also stay away from the prepackaged gluten-free stuff like cookies and crackers.

[mommida]

OOOOPS!

This thread is so old.

Some cost saving advice from the past now longer are options. The co-op I was in doesn't operate anymore. Angel Food Ministries allergen food boxes aren't available anymore. (Do to the Federal investigation and such.)

But I still order in bulk for good deals and double recipes and freeze. Save time, save money. Coupons! More stores are carrying gluten free foods, and the prices are lower than the health food specialty stores.

I also have heard about "salvaged grocery" stores. None are close to me, so I can't speak from experience. Stores sell dented and "damaged" (possible old stlye) packaged products.

Good luck with school!

[Jestgar]

I think one of those type stores just opened in a nearby town, but I haven't gone in yet. I don't buy a lot of processed stuff so I'm not sure if it'll be useful or not, but worth checking out.

Sad about AFM, seemed like a good idea.

[mushroom]

Jess, I have solved your budgetary problems, courtesy of an English taxidermist -- roadkill!!! He has been doing it since he was 14 (eating roadkill) but took up the diet full time to save money while at uni He claims never to feel squeamish while sinking his teeth into dead rats, owls, foxes, seagulls, hedgehogs because he grew up in the countryside. "I used to cut up dead animals to see their insides and when I did all I could see was fresh, organic meat, better than the kind I had seen in the supermarkets. So I never saw a problem with cooking and eating it." He claims his owl curries and rat stir fries were a big hit with friends. He also makes a salad with panfried spiders, celery and raisins - a bit like Waldorf, only with daddy long-legs. "I don't eat the legs though, that would be weird", he said.

Now I don't know what is readily available on BI roads, maybe seagulls, possums, skunks , rabbits, snakes, and it could be a bit of a problem on the bike, going uphill and all, but it's a thought ...

[Jestgar]

:ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r:

Racoons and possums mostly

Maybe you can dig up some recipes for me.....

[kareng]

:ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r:

Racoons and possums mostly

Maybe you can dig up some recipes for me.....

That's Ozarks food! Really safest if it's fresh roadkill. I imagine the possibility of cc is small unless it was involved in an accident with the Bud Light or Hostess Snack Cakes trucks.

Open Original Shared Link

These recipes appear to be for corn- fed, farm raised possum so you might want to marinate first?

[mushroom]

You might try these on for size:

Open Original Shared Link

[T.H.]

It might even work in a soup? Has anyone tried this?

-- Alexandra

I haven't, but I bet it would work, based on what I HAVE tried. I've been meaning to, as well!

If you get zucchini and peel it over and over, until there is no more zucchini, you can use it like noodles. Especially if you peel it with a specialty peeler that makes smaller strips. Then let it sit a few hours, uncovered in the fridge, until it's a little soft. same with carrots. I've done this with a tomato/italian kind of soup, that had zucchini in it, and it turned out great. I imagine the spaghetti squash would work well, too.

When we've used it, we tend to make more tart tomato sauce, so the sweetness of the spaghetti squash blends well.

[Jestgar]

You learn something every day! :o

Open Original Shared Link

[kareng]

You learn something every day! :o

Open Original Shared Link

There is something about that website that keeps shutting my iPad down!

I was able to read a bit. I do have lots of old tshirts that could be recycled.

[mushroom]

There is something about that website that keeps shutting my iPad down!

Your iPad is not keen on the concept?