Posted on October 20th, 09 by dailysavingsfromallyou
Clean out the freezer before frost sets in
When I visit the homes of friends and family, I like to peek in their freezers (as long as they don’t mind!). I’ve noticed that many people have hundreds of dollars of food stored away in that frozen vault, and it’s often earning only freezer burn rather than interest. So let’s look at how you can tap into that money (and maybe apply the savings to your holiday gift fund). Below are five suggestions for clearing space in your refrigerator and freezer:
1. Before you go grocery shopping, pull everything out of your refrigerator and see what can be incorporated into this week’s meals or just needs to be tossed. (I recommend making a weekly menu plan, so little if any food goes to waste. (My website, www.theScramble.com can help you with that).
2. Evaluate the items in your freezer that you haven’t used, or don’t consider tempting. Taking a realistic view of what you and your family will actually eat as leftovers will keep your freezer from filling up with items you will likely never enjoy (kind of like your closets!) In other words, you can throw away that piece of cake that’s years past its prime or that half casserole that nobody liked the first time around.
3. If you have frozen meats or casseroles that you aren’t saving for a specific reason, incorporate them into this month’s meals before they become too old. Use them as a nightly meal for the week paired with a fresh salad, or enhance one of the week’s lighter meals with your frozen finds.
4. If you have bags of frozen berries (unless they’re already long opened and need to be tossed), make a smoothie by blending the frozen fruit with orange juice and fresh fruit or yogurt.
5. Use packages of prepared appetizers as side dishes for your dinners.
I always feel better when can avoid buying something I already have or wasting something I purchased or made months ago. I love to save money and space by using up all the food I buy, but almost as important, I relish having a sense of control over at least one aspect of my busy life.
Posted by Aviva Goldfarb, www.TheScramble.com.
For an exclusive offer from The Six O’Clock Scramble, go to AllYou.com’s Exclusive Coupons page
SEE ALSO:
Best grocery store bargains
Easy appetizers under $1
Save money on grocery store staples
