Effie thinks we should grow food in a garden and can, freeze or dehydrate the harvest. She mentions that plants and seeds can even be purchased with Bridge Cards. Gardening is great physical activity, so you can grow healthy food while getting some exercise.
Shirley likes to go through the Sunday ads to see what is on sale. Then she makes a list of what she needs and goes to a local store that price matches. She saves gas money by not having to go to more than one grocer and gets the sale price too.
Danica makes out a menu for the week using the store ads. She also tends to only shop the outer parameter of the store which doesn’t hold as much processed and expensive foods unless she needs some specific aisle items.
Winnie believes that more food in your refrigerator or pantry does not necessarily mean more meals. She gathers recipes and has a goal of trying new ones. Sometimes she manages to try a new recipe each week, and other times she tries about two each month.
Sue likes to save money, time and stress by buying in bulk when meat is on sale. She cooks three to four meals at one time for the week and freezes them. She also likes to cook with a slow-cooker.
Jennie goes through her cupboards, refrigerator and freezer before shopping to see what she has on hand that isn’t expired. Then she writes what she needs in a shopping list. The key to her success is sticking to the list!
Marian tenderizes cheaper cuts of meat by cooking them in her pressure cooker. She also has one to two meatless meals per week to save dollars using beans and other healthy protein sources.
Inger makes sure to use a shopping list and doesn’t spend extra money on things she doesn’t need. She also has signed up for coupons to be sent to her email address from the stores she frequents, and uses their rewards cards.
These tips came from nutrition educators who specialize in helping Michigan citizens eat healthy and stretch their food dollars. If you have questions about how to freeze, dry, or can your produce and help save money, please contact me, Jeannie Nichols at (517) 439-9301.
Article by Jane Hart published on MSU Extension News.
