tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post1201334342261680254..comments2024-03-28T18:58:47.880-07:00Comments on creative savv: Cutting the grocery bill: my plan (or part of it)Lilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-42731868798040470942013-08-13T20:42:14.388-07:002013-08-13T20:42:14.388-07:00Hi Alana,
Oh I know that blog! Thanks for giving u...Hi Alana,<br />Oh I know that blog! Thanks for giving us the name!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-76423714560248355642013-08-13T16:05:11.945-07:002013-08-13T16:05:11.945-07:00This is the blog about the lady who gets the free ...This is the blog about the lady who gets the free produce for her chickens http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/<br />She first takes out the still good produce for her family and gives the rest to her chickens.<br />Alana D.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-88817131426038122362013-08-13T13:47:00.054-07:002013-08-13T13:47:00.054-07:00Maybe, the women preparing the coffee are better a...Maybe, the women preparing the coffee are better at judging how much to make, than at ours! With cookies, and breads after coffee hour, it is often left with a tag for the youth group to have that evening. But with that church BBQs, in particular, they had dozens of hot dogs, still bundled in foil , and were begging the kitchen crew to take some home. So all of us who were working VBS that week took a dozen or two home. <br /><br />I do really like the idea of giving the leftovers to all of the parishioners. You never know which family or couple is struggling financially, or maybe just can't do the baking for themselves any longer, and for them to receive a small packet to take home is a real blessing, without the embarrassment of being singled out. I'm going to see if we could do that after coffee hour at our church. I know a few people who would likely appreciate that.<br /><br />Thanks for your inspiration!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-33314086677932792612013-08-13T13:21:48.677-07:002013-08-13T13:21:48.677-07:00Interesting...at our church coffee hour usually ev...Interesting...at our church coffee hour usually every last drop of coffee is drunk! Also, any extra food gets divvied up amongst the parishioners before everyone leaves. Or the food will be put in the freezer for another coffee hour.Sharonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08590296068071294106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-13605191985901992932013-08-13T12:28:58.447-07:002013-08-13T12:28:58.447-07:00Hi Sandy,
I had read about baking soda in fruit di...Hi Sandy,<br />I had read about baking soda in fruit dishes, and tried it a few times. Thanks for reminding me about it. I'm making rhubarb-blackberry sauce tonight, so I'll do that! I am trying to make our sugar last as long as possible, and this could really help, plus it's probably a lot better for our health, to not eat all that sugar (rhubarb sauce does take quite a lot of sugar). <br /><br />And you gave me a great idea with the broccoli stalk use. I've just been picking off the florets on our plants, but maybe I could cut further down and see how edible it could be, if peeled and shredded. I just hadn't thought to cut further down the stalk. Thank you for the idea! And the cauliflower leaves battered and fried sound yummy! I know my family would enjoy that. Have you ever fried parsley? I made that made years ago. I'll have to try that again this year.<br /><br />Thanks for your ideas! Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-65717023693657246392013-08-13T12:22:26.726-07:002013-08-13T12:22:26.726-07:00Hi Brandy,
I had no idea that pumpkin leaves would...Hi Brandy,<br />I had no idea that pumpkin leaves would be edible. I'll Google it and find out how to cook them. Thank you for that tip!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-12304602352862740022013-08-13T12:20:45.206-07:002013-08-13T12:20:45.206-07:00Hi Economies,
you are amazingly brave! To go from ...Hi Economies,<br />you are amazingly brave! To go from being a full-fledge vegetarian to trying some of the meats that you have. I will see if I have any courage to screw up to maybe, try to cook something from inside the turkey this November. Maybe I'll start with the neck. My mom always cooked the neck for broth. Maybe I could start there.<br /><br />Yeah, you and I both know first-hand about grains, and issues they can contribute to. The western diet is a bit too grain-heavy, leaving little room for the nutrient powerhouses of fruits and veggies. While some produce may be expensive for some areas of the world, there is always something that's relative bargain. For instance, with orangey fruits/veggies, mangoes and papayas are pricey in our area, but carrots and pumpkins are cheap to even free in the fall. Fresh tomatoes are expensive in winter, here, but canned tomato paste is a bargain for all the lycopene it provides.<br /><br />Thanks for your input!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-59370174497775457172013-08-13T12:13:12.572-07:002013-08-13T12:13:12.572-07:00This is an area that kind of bugs me. While I'...This is an area that kind of bugs me. While I'm glad to salvage whatever someone else wants to dispose of, it bothers me that we have so little regard for the work and effort that went into procuring or raising/growing the food. The first time I worked the coffee hour I could not believe that nearly a gallon of brewed coffee was going down the drain. I just don't like waste, I guess. Wow! That's an amazing amount of food you salvaged at the that college picnic! And to think they were just going to dump it. When my son was volunteering at the food bank, they had regulations that prohibited them from giving out past-date food items. he brought home something nearly every week. But in my readings on sell-by dates, in a lot of cases these dates just mean freshness, and not safety or even quality of nutrients. Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-34368485575912818842013-08-13T12:05:50.188-07:002013-08-13T12:05:50.188-07:00Hi Brandy,
I have your blog on my reader. I try to...Hi Brandy,<br />I have your blog on my reader. I try to keep up with several blogs, but don't often have time to comment. What you've been able to do is an inspiration. Blogs like yours keep me motivated, knowing that if someone else can make it, so can we.<br /><br />Have you heard anything about pork prices this year? I was reading about a pork virus which could cause bacon and ham prices to soar this fall. One never knows.<br /><br />$100 a month is an astoundingly low budget for your sized family. I'll make sure to read each post thoroughly.<br /><br />Thanks for commenting!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-17739247248890932622013-08-13T12:05:49.554-07:002013-08-13T12:05:49.554-07:00Oh, I'm totally on board with salvaging food f...Oh, I'm totally on board with salvaging food from group functions. My senior year in college I was a head resident. At the beginning of the year we had a big welcome picnic and when it was over there was a TON of food that they were just gonna toss. I salvaged a freezer full of cheese, cold cuts and hamburger patties, and fed myself quite nicely for a good chunk of the school year off of that haul! And when I worked at the music school there were plenty of opportunities to save food from various potlucks etc. I can't believe what people throw out!EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-65104022625460806652013-08-13T11:58:50.316-07:002013-08-13T11:58:50.316-07:00Hi Jayne,
Wow! Another devastating storm! I'm ...Hi Jayne,<br />Wow! Another devastating storm! I'm sorry to hear about that. It gets so frustrating, doesn't it?<br /><br />I think your plan to cook things and freeze them right away is an excellent one. So many times we have good intentions, but then life gets in the way, and intentions are pushed aside. And now you'll have that broccoli ready for a quick to prepare meal.Even just knowing that you have broccoli ready to use will inspire you to cook something at home, instead of picking up take out on one of your long days running errands/appointments.<br /><br />I will be asking neighbors who don't pick their tree fruit. So many have apple trees, but they don't bother with them, for whatever reason. Sometimes it's difficult work for them, sometimes they have more than enough income that the time spent harvesting their fruit doesn't seem worthwhile. Who knows, but I'll be asking this year.Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-54417127949006324942013-08-13T11:50:03.729-07:002013-08-13T11:50:03.729-07:00Hi live and learn,
I was just talking with a frien...Hi live and learn,<br />I was just talking with a friend about what my price points used to be, 39 cents/pound for veggies, 40 cents/pound for fruit, 99 cents/pound for beef. Gone are the days. . .But of course, salaries have also risen. So hopefully it's a wash.<br /><br />For your son, we've been in a similar position. I was writing for a local newspaper. I didn't have office space, but worked from home. Then, our one and only computer died. I did all my work at the local library, a couple of hours at a time, for almost a year. At least, nowadays, you can get free Wi-Fi in a variety of places, if you have a laptop.<br /><br />It does astound me just how much is still in the pantry and freezer. We haven't had to touch much in the freezer this summer, due to the garden in production. Thanks for the good wishes! Much appreciated!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-56647823760731924932013-08-13T11:40:46.165-07:002013-08-13T11:40:46.165-07:00Hi Carol,
Freecycle -- what a great idea! I hadn&#...Hi Carol,<br />Freecycle -- what a great idea! I hadn't thought of that, and maybe I could substantially add to our stashed produce for winter. We have neighbors that don't pick their apples. In the past I've offered to pick, in exchange for baking them a couple of cobblers or pies. And that has been a very good arrangement. <br /><br />I am trying harder to remake favorite recipes, using less sugar and fat. I made zucchini bread yesterday with half the amount of fat and sugar, and it was still sweet and moist. And my granola recipe -- it's from Jane Brody's Good Food Book, already low-fat/low-sugar, I made it with even less sugar and butter/oil, and added extra oats, yesterday. One of my daughters is very interested in eating less sugar, so this works very well for her. And i think we can all do with less sugar and fat.<br /><br />Thanks for all your suggestions! Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-78118069582954126132013-08-13T11:33:23.024-07:002013-08-13T11:33:23.024-07:00Hi Cat,
so now I have to make a confession -- our ...Hi Cat,<br />so now I have to make a confession -- our family is not totally adverse to dumpster diving, and has eaten food that others discarded. Now we don't do the whole, space suit, long stick to poke away rats, in the dumpster behind the grocery store, sort of dumpster diving. What we do is salvage what others are about (and in my husband's case, what has already been thrown out--we tease him about this one, this guy has an iron stomach and will eat anything) to throw out. For instance, when I work coffee hour at activities at our church, I bring a large bottle/jar to take home any coffee that will be tossed. Last summer, I worked at the church BBQ. They had a ton of leftover cooked hotdogs in the buns that never made it out to the people, but stayed in the kitchen. They were going to throw these out. I took home several dozen, took the dogs out of the buns and froze the buns and dogs separately, to cook with later. Once a month, at my husband's office, the fridge gets cleaned out. Stuff that's left at the end of the day will get tosses. My husband will eat some of this, and bring a couple of things home (he knows I'm a bit squeamish, so he only brings me things in original packages). My kids were given the leftover communion bread to bring home one week, which was already cubed and became strata. My daughters volunteer at a monthly tea and bring home sandwiches, cakes, pies and cookies. So not the in-the-dumpster sort of diving, but more salvage. No, I never did see dive. But I'll see if I can find it somewhere online.<br /><br />That's funny about the lady who arranged for produce to "feed her chickens". Even if this was her original purpose, it does seem easier to tell someone that you intend to feed animals (birds is another good one, for bread products), rather than yourself, when you see acceptable food is about to be just thrown away. Americans can be both too squeamish and proud at times.<br /><br />We go back and forth on chickens. If eggs were more expensive here, then I definitely think chickens would be well-worth the expense to raise them. There's also the question of what do you do when the hens stop laying. I'm not sure I could eat a "friend" that I had raised. I get very attached to pets, and chickens would become pets to me. Now my husband, the guy who will and does eat anything, would most definitely eat our own chickens. In fact, I'd probably have to keep a keen eye on him around the coop! If a hen missed laying one day, he may take that to mean "chicken dinner tonight!" But this is exactly the kind of guy you want to have around when there's a spider invasion in the house, or some wasps have set up a nest just outside the door, or the rat trap in the attic needs emptying. <br /><br />I will ask at our local stores when they do their markdowns. I have a good idea on milk markdowns at one store, but I'll ask about other store's markdowns. Thanks for your suggestions.Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-84576594149595243412013-08-13T09:08:38.223-07:002013-08-13T09:08:38.223-07:00I have discovered that 1/4 tsp. of baking soda add...I have discovered that 1/4 tsp. of baking soda added to items such as rhubarb sauce or other dishes with fruit can cut the amount of sugar needed dramatically since it neutralizes the acid. Also, adding a bit of vanilla and/ or cinnamon will make something taste sweeter without the need to add anymore sugar.<br />The "woodier" broccoli stalks, the "heart" of cauliflower, etc. can be shredded and added to slaw or soup.<br />Also, the outer leaves of broccoli and cauliflower can be dipped in batter and fried and eaten or cut very fine and added to soups, omelettes, etc.<br /><br />I also keep the vegetable peelings, water drained off canned veggies or from cooking frozen, from rinsing out tomato based cans, etc in my freezer and when there is enough I put it all in my crockpot and use to make a vegetable broth for soup.sandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-70081446640661012372013-08-13T07:14:43.425-07:002013-08-13T07:14:43.425-07:00Pumpkin leaves are also edible and feature in Afri...Pumpkin leaves are also edible and feature in African cuisine. I would think they would have to be cooked well because of any spininess.The Prudent Homemakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13229771550830911638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-65840921408066794932013-08-13T01:15:13.540-07:002013-08-13T01:15:13.540-07:00There are some great tips there :) I'm really ...There are some great tips there :) I'm really glad you're not compromising on fruit and veggies - it's often cheaper to just fill up on grains, but fruit and veggies are so much better for you! <br /><br />The only suggestion I can make is to try eating less fashionable meat like offal or offcuts (maybe to make soup). This saves me quite a lot of money. Economies of Kalehttp://www.economiesofkale.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-73327375430912000722013-08-12T21:05:36.643-07:002013-08-12T21:05:36.643-07:00One of my readers mentioned your blog today. It so...One of my readers mentioned your blog today. It sounds like you and I have a very similar approach to feeding our families! I am not buying any food this month. I don't know if I'll shop in the next few months until November, either, unless our circumstances change and that coincides with a great deal on pasta. If I find it possible to shop, I will buy oil.<br /><br />However, eating down the pantry and freezer in preparation for November and December's sales is a great thing. We've been counting how many turkeys and hams we have left and figuring out what I need to cook before the beginning of November to make room for new turkeys.<br /><br />I'm running a series of posts on my blog right now called Eat for 40 Cents a Day (which is what we had for the last two years: $100 a month for 9 people). I still have several posts left to write, but there are 6 up so far. Perhaps you can glean a few ideas there.The Prudent Homemakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13229771550830911638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-88027437730821007392013-08-12T18:24:46.361-07:002013-08-12T18:24:46.361-07:00others have already provided many good possibiliti...others have already provided many good possibilities in their comments, so I don't have much to add, except use to the max any possibilities you have with your most prolific garden plants. If its zucchini or rhubarb, for example, you can substitute it for so many things, especially in baking. I'm planning to make rhubarb jelly this year, because that's my most prolific item (despite a major hail storm a couple of weeks ago and a super destructive thunderstorm last night.) I'm also trying to use things up better -- I'm not great and remembering to use up as I go, so I'm cooking items now and then freezing them. Case in point -- great deal on broccoli at the store so I cooked it all up, rather than continue to use it bit by bit from the fridge. I now don't have to worry about using it up before it goes bad and I have ready cooked items for quiches, etc. Just an idea that might help. And talk to your neighbours and friends -- if they have fruit they don't want to deal with, grab the family and pick their trees bare!Jaynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08627803031033137170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-16000267131507383502013-08-12T17:49:54.920-07:002013-08-12T17:49:54.920-07:00I'm not sure if you would get any new ideas, b...I'm not sure if you would get any new ideas, but when my son first starting cooking for himself and living without much money he found many websites with good suggestions. Such as which cookbooks use simple cheap but healthy ingredients. Too bad that he doesn't have enough money for internet now to look up ideas. He is getting quite creative with his cooking.<br /><br />A couple of other comments. I too have price points that I won't go above for most things. However, I have had to adjust them sometimes because of an overall rise in prices. And I love taking just a little of a brownie at a time. That way I get to have the wonderful taste in my mouth more times than if I ate a big piece at once. Let's face it. Brownies are good no matter how you eat them.<br /><br />I know you will do well with this challenge. My sense is even though you tried to eat down some of your stock, you still have a lot of food in store to use until you buy your specials in the fall. Good luck.<br /><br />Live and Learnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13493777474885053903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-46231815979807103342013-08-12T17:32:40.095-07:002013-08-12T17:32:40.095-07:00Lili
You already have some great ideas going into ...Lili<br />You already have some great ideas going into this quest to reduce your grocery bill, usually the one area that most* can pinch back on. Some thoughts:<br />-max out your garden now and as long into the Fall as possible. Can/freeze/dry whatever you can get your hands on. Check Freecycle of all places, people often will post "we've got zucchini, come and get it!". Foraging and taking advantage of your home grown fruit is such a blessing.<br />-menu plan-I am a strong believer in this. Even if it's just a list of meal options for the week or month, it's a place to start. Plan your menus with what is already on hand: in the garden, in the fridge/pantry. <br />-reduce meat consumption<br />-serve home made soup, made for pennies! 2 x's a week<br />-plan one meal to be a "big meat meal" such as a roast chicken,and serve a few slices/person but reserve the rest for other meals this week or freeze for future meals (2 cups is a good basis, if not 1 cup)<br />-start making a framework outline of what your family usually has for bfst/lunch/dinner. Ask yourself: <br />-can you acquire these ingredients in alternative shops/venue? <br />-you substitute some of these?<br />-can you reduce amounts in recipes without noticing?<br />-can you make it yourself for less?<br />-are there alternatives that you enjoy just as much?<br />-seek out low budget recipes on blogs, state extension service websites, "google"<br /><br />HTH!<br />Carol in CT<br />-be a good steward to your leftoversCTMOMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04825780992878036362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-6354173457273233272013-08-12T14:55:58.048-07:002013-08-12T14:55:58.048-07:00Holy Moly! Well, I'll be curious to see how mu...Holy Moly! Well, I'll be curious to see how much more blood you can manage to squeeze out of this particular turnip! I seriously think you should write a book on this stuff because you are AMAZING!<br /><br />Anyhow, I have to say that I totally LOVE the "brownie shaving" analogy, and I think it can be applied toward many things in life. It sorta reminds me of that diet strategy that people always talk about - how you should have 5-6 small meals throughout the day. Every few years I fall into this trap and decide to give it a try, but for me it always just completely backfires. I end up in a situation where I feel hungry all the time, even after I eat, so I end up eating more than I otherwise would! <br /><br />I'm struggling to think if I have any ideas to share on saving further on food costs. My Ex was into fishing big time, so we always had free fish to eat, and I imagine in your neck of the woods you might also be able to dig clams and stuff like that. Oh wait, I seem to remember that you don't like fish. Well hmmm... have you considered raising chickens? It seems like WAY more of a commitment than I'm willing to make, but people who have them seem to love it.<br /><br />The only other thing I can think of is something I discovered last month in my "ethical eating" challenge when looking for salvage foods. I discovered that my local grocery store does much of its stocking on Sundays, so if I went shopping on Sunday evening there was a plethora of produce and dairy in the markdown bin. Anyhow, you might try scouting out when your local stores stock their produce, dairy and meat sections, because I was able to score some great deals that way.<br /><br />There's always freeganism! I fear the idea of dumpster diving for my food was a tad bit too much for me, but in my travels I did stumble upon a blog (the name of which I can't now remember) written by a woman who got amazing amounts of food for free. She had struck a deal with the produce manager at her local store where he'd save all of the throwaway stuff for her each week so she could use it "to feed her chickens." Now she really did have chickens and she did actually use some of the food to feed her chickens, but she discovered that a huge amount of the produce that got tossed each week was perfectly fine, it just wasn't terribly pretty, so she used more than half of her weekly haul to feed her family. It struck me as a very interesting idea.<br /><br />Have you seen the movie, "Dive"? It's a documentary about a young couple who feed their family completely for free with salvage foods. I'm still not sure I could "go there" but it was a fun film and quite inspiring. If you have Netflix, you can stream it.<br /><br />I'm eagerly awaiting the rest of your plan. You're such an inspiration!EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-54338721616822701472013-08-12T10:45:06.247-07:002013-08-12T10:45:06.247-07:00Hi Sharon,
Very timely advice! Today is baking day...Hi Sharon,<br />Very timely advice! Today is baking day, here. I cut back on some of the butter (and subbed half oil) and a lot of sugar in the sandwich bread dough. But where I think it really amounted to a big cut was in the zucchini bread. I was following a recipe in a cookbook and it called for 1/2 cup of oil and 1 cup of sugar per loaf! I like to reduce both sugar and fat in baking, so that amount of sugar jumped out at me. I'll be cutting the oil to 1/4 cup (the shredded zucchini should make it moist), and the sugar to 1/2 cup. I'm just serving this along with soup, so thought it didn't need to be all that sweet.<br /><br />Some years, I use applesauce as a substitute for some of the butter in recipes. I don't have as many apples as usual, but I may try cooking and pureeing zucchini to use in muffins, to sub for some of the oil. As you can probably guess, I'm approaching baseball bat-sized zucchini these days!<br /><br />Thanks for your advice, very timely for me today!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-41758253545216633612013-08-12T10:39:02.554-07:002013-08-12T10:39:02.554-07:00Hi Cheapchick,
You may be right, that cutting in o...Hi Cheapchick,<br />You may be right, that cutting in other areas may be more achieveable, I am working on non-food household items, too. And I found a good deal (with coupon) on shampoo this weekend -- 69 cents for an 18 oz. bottle. I bought the limit, which was 4. I think I just need to look more for those deals.<br /><br />The blackberries are looking very promising this year. We had some on our oatmeal Saturday and Sunday mornings. Very yummy! I can understand your hubby and not liking the actual picking of the berries. I find picking blueberries and huckleberries to be tedious. They're so small, that it takes a lot of picking to amount to much.<br /><br />Thanks for your suggestion. I'll be doing a bit more looking for coupons and deals.Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-50363712155731081762013-08-12T10:32:21.807-07:002013-08-12T10:32:21.807-07:00Hi Shara,
Thank you for your ideas! They're ve...Hi Shara,<br />Thank you for your ideas! They're very helpful. We (by we, I think I mean me and one daughter) love our salads here. I do make a lot of cole slaw in winter, but I may be the only one who really enjoys my slaw so often. I think I need to change it up a bit. Maybe ad some other veggies to the slaw, or vary the dressing.<br /><br />I've started menu planning once again. Being on such a tight budget, now, I am finding it very helpful to spend some time each Monday thinking of different ways to serve inexpensive meals, while keeping the garden in mind. And I can plan baking days and microwave days this way, too.<br /><br />I do dehydrate fruit. I will keep your suggestions in mind. That reminds me, I need to do some dehydrated rhubarb again soon.<br /><br />Thanks for your input.Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.com