Budget Stretchers: Use it Or Lose it 2012 - Join the fun!

[Roxanne]

Hi Heather, glad you are doing so well. I'm moving along slowly but surely here. I found a use for my vanilla ice cream. Happened by mistake really. I was trying to make ice cream balls out of it but the dipping turned into a mess so it got converted it into a soft serve ice cream using peanut butter and chocolate. It really hid the taste of the vanilla powder drink I used in the base so this is what I am going to do with the remainder of the ice cream.

The cherry pie filling I listed, when I looked at the best by date on the container I decided I won't open it yet cause then I may have to use it up real quick if it is opened rather than when it's sealed. So that one is off my list.

Pudding cups - I came up with an interesting idea to make a fake mousse with it. I whipped up some cream and folded in a container of the pudding and added a bit of baileys. I have it in the fridge and haven't tasted yet cause I want the bailey's to meld into the mixture nicely before I dig in. I will report back on how this turned out.

[racrgal]

I've been plugging away on my freezer/pantry/holiday stash. Nothing wonderful to report but I am making progress. Last night it was freezer spaghetti and a tube of crescent rolls that was used. I had purchased the crescent rolls to make a vegetarian holiday wreath for my stepdaughter and had a tube leftover. They weren't even close to expiration but I wanted them out of the fridge. Has anyone looked at the expiration date on those things???

[Roxanne]

racr, a little progress is better than no progress. I got to say, not only exp. on those things but a lot of things have some really long shelf life, even things like cookies! It's a bit unbelievable when you think about it and I only recently started paying more attention to those things because of these budget stretching challenges.

[racrgal]

Roxanne, those expiration dates have been motivating me lately. Not so much to use up "old" food but to focus more on not even using that "kind" of foods. (Overly processed and preserved.) I'm tired of eating preservatives I can't spell or pronounce. I can tell that my taste buds are noticing the difference. I used to love those crescent rolls in the tubes. Last night they tasted "off" to me. As I said, they were FAR from their expiration date but I swear I could taste the preservatives. The last time I was at Costco the expiration date on the romaine lettuce was over three weeks away. WHATEVER can they do to lettuce to make it last three weeks AFTER it hits the store shelf. I'll be thrilled when I get moved back to a climate that will allow me to grow at least a little of our food.

[Roxanne]

It seems we are jumping on the same wagon, by looking at the dates on these things I started to think to myself "I should cut down on eating this sort of stuff" or make it at home if I can. I will admit I can't just stop eating or buying certain things but cutting down is a good way to start. I got to say for lettuce to last 3 weeks is wow! The lettuce I buy here is locally grown and probably doesn't have any preservatives cause it starts to break down in a week in my fridge draw if it doesn't get eaten up. But I found to preserve the lettuce longer you can wash the leaves, dry them thoroughly and then wrap them securely in dry paper towels and bag them up in ziploc so they wouldn't decompose as fast - gives them about 3 extra days of life. That said, if they stay too long like that they do start to develop an off odour. Your comment also reminds me of a program I saw a few months back about a doctor who specializes in herbs talk about preservatives in fruits and veggies. He used apples as an example. He said have you ever noticed that if you leave an apple on the counter ants will just walk by it instead of taking it with them and then he elaborates his point that it can sit on that counter for weeks and still look great on the outside and it "decomposes" on the inside in a different way than is natural. So it just goes to show, everything has preservatives nowadays, can't really get away from it unless you go organic I guess.

[racrgal]

I know we won't be able to get away from all preservatives but I'm still making the effort to cut back. I'm not a big fan of processed foods but Sweetie sure is. I do have a few guilty pleasures but try to limit those. If I am grocery shopping alone I don't even go down the aisles with the processed, prepackaged foods. Eating organic is outrageously expensive here. Organic apples are about a dollar each instead of under a dollar a pound for supermarket apples. I'm always on the look out for roadside stands and Farmer's Markets. I'd need to mortgage the house, car and pets if I was going to try to eat fully organic.

[HeatherFeather]

I have really been converting to organic on so many things - or at least buy things from my farmer's market. If I have a choice between a locally made/grown product and something imported, I usually will select the locally grown version, even if the price is a little less with the import.

I can't always afford organic items, but I pay attention to the sales and I can often get organic items at great discounts around here.

I try to always buy organic milk and eggs, since I eat so much of both and I have seen so much bad press about contaminated eggs and hormones in milk/meat. Both cost me $1 more per package than the regular kind, but for me I feel it is a $ well spent. I have a super strict grocery budget, but I can still fit in certain organic items each week.

[Ninner]

I purchase lot of organic as I am fortunate to live a farm area which allows me to deal directly with the farmer. Meat is expensive so I often pick what is on sale when there.

One of the best buys are carrots at the grocery store. The are not much more expensive & the organic tastes so much better.

[KareninMass]

Hi everyone,

I haven't had much time to post - but you are inspiring me to use up my stash. I made quesidillias for the teens with the tortillas.

I have a few other items that needs used

1) Mascarpone cheese - I'd really prefer something none sweet.
2) Chicken thighs - boneless skinless - so I think maybe soup or something.


Also - heather - I would donate the canned peas - I like any veg ... but canned peas are something I just cannot think of a use for

[Kchurchill5]

KareninMa

This is an easy recipe
http://frenchcookingfordummies.com/2009 ... d-chicken/

I use a few different herbs like basil and parsley and I add a little shallot to mine, but basically just switch out which herbs you have.

I use thighs and just lightly pound them and secure with a tooth pic or you can wrap with a little twine too
I bake with the white wine, but chicken broth works too, I have used both
And if you have proscuitto, add some to the cheese filling.
I like to season the top with a plenty of salt and pepper.

They come out wonderful and easy to prepare.