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Save Money on Canned Foods Tip # 1 - My number one tip for canned goods... buy the store brands and stock up when they're on sale! Prices for name brand canned goods have really increased over the years so don't buy them unless they are on sale or a store brand is unavailable (see Tip # 3). Tip # 2 - Most store brands are very high quality and offer a money-back guarantee, don't be afraid to ask for your money back if you're not happy with the product. You may even be helping the company take measures to improve the product! Tip # 3 - Some canned food items do not have a store brand and in this case (if you just can't live without the item), at least buy it when it goes on sale and/or make good use of coupons! Tip # 4 - Don't waste money on dented cans, but if you drop one and dent it yourself, don't put it back on the shelf. Dented cans are safe if used right away, so go ahead and purchase the can and just use it up soon. Really, the only time dented cans are not safe is when the seal at the top or bottom is broken, and in that case, the store will have to throw them away. Tip # 5 - Many canned foods such as green beans, carrots, corn and peas are also available frozen, keep an eye on sales and pack that freezer full when you find a good one! (Use frozen produce within 3-6 months for the best flavor.) Tip # 6 - Wow, soups have really gotten expensive! So as with many products, the best thing to do is buy them only when they're on sale, or save even more by making your own at home. And forget paying 99¢ for a can of chicken stock, every time you boil a chicken you've got free chicken stock!!!
Tip # 7 - Spaghetti Sauce, ditto! Just like the chicken stock, make a large pot of sauce and divide it into airtight freezer storage containers. If your budget is really tight just use a little sauce with each meal so the batch will last longer. Example: Instead of dividing a batch of homemade sauce into two portions, divide it into three or four. Tip # 8 - Buy FRESH grocery items instead of canned, when in season! Tip # 9 - Many canned vegetables, like green beans, baked beans and yams, come in large family-size containers. And often, they are cheaper to buy this way. (Especially when they are on sale!) If you do not have a large family and are unable to use up all the food within a couple of days just pop the leftovers in the freezer. You don't have to have a large family to benefit from large "family size" sales. Tip # 10 - Since I was a young child, my mom always saved small amounts of leftover vegetables in her freezer to make all kinds of delicious (and frugal!) soups. You could also do the same with small leftover amounts of cooked beef, poultry or ham (for added protein), and add pasta or rice for heartier soups. Readers' Tips... "I've gone through countless amounts of tomato paste because my recipe calls for 1 or 2 T. of tomato paste and the rest ends up getting thrown away because I can't use it fast enough. Now I take the unused portion in the can and plastic wrap into 1-2 T. dollops and freeze them. Then when a recipe calls for a tablespoon, I just pop one tablespoon out of the freezer straight into the skillet. I can't say it's saved me a ton of money, but at least I'm not wasting tomato paste!" - Debbi |
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