Posts
....Puddin', that is. I'm staying at home these days, no eating out for me.
But I don't want to feel deprived by that restriction in my budget, so I'm on the lookout for small treats. Remember that old seventies stand-by mom used to make? Green food, kids' favorite food group, as long as it contains no vegetable source. Today I made myself some Pistachio Pudding.
This to me is a rare treat, as I don't commonly keep milk in my home. You see, no matter how small the container I buy it in, milk seems to do nothing but spoil inside my refrigerator. But this week I bought some milk for a special recipe, so I also treated myself with a couple packages of pudding mix.
Okay, it wasn't even Jell-o, as I found a store brand that was cheaper. But it was pudding nonetheless. And right now it's sitting in my fridge. The time it takes me to write this post should be just long enough for it to set.
This brings me to the subject of food waste. There are lots of other things besides milk that I don't normally stock in my home. I tend to rely as much as possible on frozen fruits and veggies, because I know that my good intentions are bigger than my time schedule. This works great for any dish where the veggies would be cooked anyway.
I love bean sprouts on sandwiches when I'm eating out, but I don't keep them at home. Right now I have my bunny Jessie staying with me, and his new mom was kind enough to drop off a sack of lettuce, sprouts, and carrots along with him. But watching those veggies wither in my fridge has reminded me why I don't stock much fresh food--even when they're right in front of me, I tend to forget about them, leaving them in the fridge to spoil. So, when I return to my normal mode of grocery shopping on my next trip out, I won't feel so deprived by my own habits, but will instead think of all the rotting stuff I'm keeping out of the landfill or compost by being realistic.
Take a look at my friend Angela's blog, My Year Without Spending, for her Food Waste Fridays posts. She's inspirational.
What suggestions do you have for reducing food waste and controlling your food budget? Leave me a comment below.
But I don't want to feel deprived by that restriction in my budget, so I'm on the lookout for small treats. Remember that old seventies stand-by mom used to make? Green food, kids' favorite food group, as long as it contains no vegetable source. Today I made myself some Pistachio Pudding.
This to me is a rare treat, as I don't commonly keep milk in my home. You see, no matter how small the container I buy it in, milk seems to do nothing but spoil inside my refrigerator. But this week I bought some milk for a special recipe, so I also treated myself with a couple packages of pudding mix.
Okay, it wasn't even Jell-o, as I found a store brand that was cheaper. But it was pudding nonetheless. And right now it's sitting in my fridge. The time it takes me to write this post should be just long enough for it to set.
This brings me to the subject of food waste. There are lots of other things besides milk that I don't normally stock in my home. I tend to rely as much as possible on frozen fruits and veggies, because I know that my good intentions are bigger than my time schedule. This works great for any dish where the veggies would be cooked anyway.
I love bean sprouts on sandwiches when I'm eating out, but I don't keep them at home. Right now I have my bunny Jessie staying with me, and his new mom was kind enough to drop off a sack of lettuce, sprouts, and carrots along with him. But watching those veggies wither in my fridge has reminded me why I don't stock much fresh food--even when they're right in front of me, I tend to forget about them, leaving them in the fridge to spoil. So, when I return to my normal mode of grocery shopping on my next trip out, I won't feel so deprived by my own habits, but will instead think of all the rotting stuff I'm keeping out of the landfill or compost by being realistic.
Take a look at my friend Angela's blog, My Year Without Spending, for her Food Waste Fridays posts. She's inspirational.
What suggestions do you have for reducing food waste and controlling your food budget? Leave me a comment below.
From Sheila Dodd via email:
ReplyDeleteEllen - just wanted to drop you a quick note to tell you how much I am enjoying your blog! I teach a budget class and will definitely use some of your ideas in my class.