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!!!
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BONUS RECIPE * * *
Here's my recipe for making great Chicken Stock:
Ingredients
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1 Boiler/Fryer Chicken,
rinsed and inside giblets removed
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1 chicken bouillon cube, or
1 tsp.
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1-2 large celery stalks,
rinsed
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1-2 whole carrots, tops
removed
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1/2 - 1 onion, peeled and
quartered
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Salt and pepper, as desired
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1 bay leaf
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Directions
Fill a large pot with water and add all the above
ingredients. Bring water to a boil over high heat, cover, lower heat
to a simmer and continue to cook until chicken is done. About 1
- 2 hours.
Remove chicken and use in any desired recipe, or cut
up and store in the fridge for later use. To make stock: Remove
vegetables from the pot. Strain liquid if a clear broth is
desired. Divide stock into freezer containers and store in the
freezer until needed for future recipes.
Enjoy! :o)
Copyright 2003 by
Michelle Jones. All rights reserved.
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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.
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Readers'
Tips...
Contact
Michelle to Submit a Tip
"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
"When I
buy canned vegetables, I go to Aldi. They taste just as good
as the name brands but they are only 45 cents compared to 80 to
$1. Most store brands around the Indianapolis area are
around 55 - 60 cents each. So, I go to Aldi and buy 12 cans
of each vegetable we like which saves a lot of money over the
course of a year." - Julena
"Stock-Chicken,
beef or turkey, can also be made up in the Crock Pot as well
as simmered on the store. I prefer to use the Crock Pot
or sometimes the tabletop oven roaster, cooking on low.
I just let the bones, water and veggies simmer all night
in the Crock Pot. I purchase the bouillon base at Sam's
club or grocery stores also carry it, and add it instead of
salt. I get flavor and salt at the same
time. Remove the veggies, and refrigerate the stock to
bring the fat to the top for easy removal. At that point
you can freeze it, or now use it as a soup base." -
Patricia
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