Increase Your Income for 2012 by Decreasing Your Food Bill

It's time to merge the past with the present. How can we maximize the food bill in order to increase incoming revenue?

1. Make large batches of Cookie Dough and freeze in separate containers.

• Save margarine and other food tubs.
• Purchase inexpensive, no-brand freezer tubs.
• Thaw one tub in the refrigerator at a time, and cook in batches;

for example: bake enough for everyone in the family to have 2-4 cookies. Each tub should keep for up to a week in the refrigerator as long as you don't let it sit at room temperature for prolonged periods of time.

• Firm cookie dough recipes will freeze well in freezer baggies.

2. Save those Ham Bones and boil in a stock pot for a soup base. Then freeze in large tub containers.

• Use the base for potato, leek soup.
• Do not add potatoes. They become grainy after freezing. Instead, add the potatoes (if desired) after thawing and cooking.
• Do add onions and leeks ahead of time. Optional: add mustard seed and dill weed
• Or, use the base for bean and ham soup.

3. Buy large cans of Tomato Sauce , on sale, and make tomato-based sauces and soups..

• Add ground beef, venison or small chunks of lean beef, plus onions, garlic, oregano or marjoram and finely chopped green peppers while cooking, then freeze
• Use some of the base to make minestrone soup which freezes well. Just add a little water, garbanzo beans and chopped zucchini and tomatoes.
• You can also use this base for chili. Just add some beans, such as: black beans and/or chili beans.
• You can certainly apply this process to turkey bones as well.

4. If you have a Bread Machine , start making whole-grain loaves, then wrap snuggly in plastic wrap or freezer paper and freeze for later use.

These are just a few of MANY options for saving money and time on food.

• Get together with friends and have a freezer food exchange.
• Pool your money with friends and go in on bulk food items.
• Look for bumped and bruised deals on fruit that can be used for freezer jam. Just cut the bruising out and use the good part.
• Shop the day-old bread cart and look for bread items that are suitable for freezing.
• Start a garden.

Some of the large, bulk stores have good prices on large bags of unbleached sugar and flour.