Seeing the potential in markdowns at the grocery store: the dairy case

Whether it's an item marked down to clear (about to reach the sell-by date), or a really great advertised sale, to really reap the benefits of a low, low price, I've found that I need to look way past those sell-by dates and my usual uses for the items.

Many dairy items keep long past the sell-by date, and I've had success freezing and using all dairy products, by knowing how best to freeze each type, and how to use the thawed item.

All dairy products can be frozen. However, freezing changes the texture (water separates from solids). But frozen, then thawed dairy items are still very useful in cooking and baking.

Dairy products will also "keep", unopened, from 7 days to several weeks past the sell-by date. This means the window for fresh use is much greater than one would think.

When I am shopping, and find one of these awesome deals, I run through my mind how many different ways I can use the item (will it solve a shortage dilemma somewhere in my current food supply), as well as how much freezer space I currently have. So, I've identified the "best features" for each item that I find in the dairy case, on markdown, as well as best uses for previously-frozen dairy items.

sour cream
best features

• creamy for soups, sauces and toppings
• adds moisture to baked goods

uses, fresh only

• mayo substitute in salad dressings, add vinegar, salt for flavor (I'm currently out of mayo. Best price on mayo, here, is $2.19/30 ounces. My find on sour cream was $1.58/32 ounces. The sour cream will fill the role of mayo substitute for the next month.)
• top soups
• strain to make a thickened sour cream for scones and topping desserts
• make guacamole or other dips for crackers or chips

uses, previously-frozen or fresh

• add to casseroles for creamy sauce
• make stuffed baked potatoes, to freeze
• add to coffee cake for moisture
• add to sugar cookie recipes

Freeze it to use in baking later. The texture changes, so it's best for baking or cooking purposes.

Fresh, use within 7-10 days past opening.
Any left over at end of the week- freeze in small portions to add to creamy soups and sauces, or amounts for adding to specific baking recipes.
With regards to that sell-by date, I've had unopened containers of sour cream remain good to eat for a couple of weeks past the sell-by date.
How to know if it's gone "bad"? Look for a pinkish tint, mold or an "off" smell.

cottage cheese 
best features

• it's creamy
• meltable as a cheese
• high in protein

how to use cottage cheese, besides the traditional "dieter's plate"

• protein boost to smoothies
• mixed into hot mashed potatoes, or making twice-baked potatoes (can be frozen for future meals)
• use a ricotta cheese substitute in lasagna and other Italian pasta dishes that call for ricotta
• as an open-face sandwich topping, spread on crackers or toast, add salt/pepper and sliced tomatoes
• a lo-cal/high protein/lo-carb "cheesecake" type dessert for Atkins dieters (this recipe was popular in the 70s, my mom ate this a lot) basically, it's eggs cottage cheese, vanilla extract, artificial sweetener -- baked in the oven until knife inserted comes out clean
• can also be substitute for cream cheese in the regular high fat cheesecake
• filling for blintzes and crepes
• a hi-protein/lo-fat ice cream substitute. Puree, add sweetener, a bit of liquid in the form of lemon juice, coconut milk or other milk (depending on flavor you want), flavorings, like lemon extract, vanilla extract, almond extract, cocoa powder, then put in an ice cream maker.
• add to homemade mac and cheese, to boost protein and cut amount of hard cheese needed
• filling pastry for cheese-filled danish or Greek spanakopita
• making a creamy/cheesy spinach casserole

Use within 7-10 days of opening.
Cottage cheese freezes well, but separates after thawing. Best if using in cooking.

whipping cream
best features

• it whips to fluffy consistency
• creamy texture

When I find this on markdown it has just a few days until expiry, so it's best if I plan on freezing it. I freeze it whipped and sweetened, in ready-to-use mounds.
I also freeze in ice cube trays, to add a bit of creaminess to cooked soups and sauces.

half and half creamers
best feature

• creaminess

I use half and half, fresh, within 7 days of sell-by date, kept refrigerated.
I freeze it in ice cube trays to stir into coffee to use in cooking in small amounts later

some ways to use extra half and half

• add to milk when making homemade yogurt, to add creaminess
• make eggnog
• make homemade ice cream (this is a great way to "keep" the half and half in the freezer for future use, IMO, already made up as ice cream!)
• use in baking, soups and sauces, for moisture and creaminess

milk
best features:

• great source of calcium, Vit D and protein
• adds creaminess and moisture to cooking and baked goods

My family has no problem drinking previously-frozen milk. When they were younger, and pickier, I sometimes put the thawed milk through the blender to reincorporate any separation, or would make chocolate milk either in the blender or just by stirring in chocolate syrup, or added to smoothies. But only when they complained loudly. It isn't every container that will have a separation issue, just FYI.

I use fresh milk up to 7 days past the sell-by date.
I freeze it in the gallon jugs, with a it removed for expansion when freezing.
Milk that is souring, I freeze in 1 cup containers, to use for pancakes, waffles and coffeecakes.

yogurt
best features

• protein
• calcium
• creamy

For eating yogurt as is, yogurt is best fresh. It separates when frozen. However, there are many ways to use frozen yogurt.

• substitute for sour cream in baking (either sweetened or plain)
• adds creaminess to sauces/soups
• add to smoothies for protein/calcium
• strain plain yogurt for a soft cream cheese substitute to spread on crackers, or, use in lasagna or other pasta dishes calling for ricotta, or, top desserts, or, make cheesecake-like dessert
• with plain yogurt, use as a starter for homemade yogurt
• make dips for veggies, chips or crackers
• substitute for mayo in salad dressings (makes a great dressing for fruit salad, with a little honey or jelly added)

Yogurt will keep a couple of weeks past sell-by date, if unopened. It may have separated. You can either pour off the whey for baking liquid, or stir it back in. Not an issue for most folks, and separation does NOT indicate that it has gone bad (or has a plethora of bad bacteria).
You can freeze yogurt, but the texture changes. So it's best used in cooking or pureeing like in smoothies, when thawed.

hard cheese
best features

• meltable
• high protein

Hard cheese, still unopened will keep a long time in the fridge.
But also, it freezes well. It becomes a bit drier/more crumbly. To use as you would not-frozen cheese, in sandwiches, you would need to pre-slice loaf cheese before freezing.

soft cheese
best feature

• creamy
• protein source

If freezing, try doing so in cooking or serving portions. Some of the water will separate upon freezing.
Cream cheese has kept, unopened, for months past sell-by date, in my refrigerator.

uses

• use in frostings
• spreads and cheese balls
• creamy soups and sauces
• add to mac and cheese

butter

If keeping in the fridge, try to use within 2 months of sell-by date.
Otherwise, just pop it into the freezer. It will keep frozen for 9 months past the sell-by date. No special wrapping or packaging, just toss the butter in the carton, right into the freezer. If you by your butter in just a waxed paper wrap (restaurant supply stores carry butter this way), then toss it into a freezer bag, just to keep off-flavors out.

margarine

You can freeze margarine, and it will stay fresh-tasting for up to 8 or 9 months past that sell-by date. It may pick up off-flavors past 9 months.
But even kept in the fridge, margarine will be fresh-tasting and safe to eat, up to 5 months past the sell-by date. That was a shocker to me when I read that!


So, by looking past that sell-by date, and thinking of new ways to use the items, I can take real advantage of these unexpected deals. If I had a smart phone while shopping, I'd be tempted to quickly google uses for an item that I found on markdown, to give me an idea of how much I should buy.

Perhaps you live in an area where marked-down dairy is unheard of. These same ideas also work for that about-to-turn last cup of milk in the jug, or that half container of cottage cheese that you don't know what to do with. Or maybe you're an empty-nester and you want to still reap the benefits of buying the most economical size of sour cream, milk or yogurt. It's not a bargain if you have to throw half of it away. Knowing how to use and freeze each item saves me money, month after month.



Input? I'd love to hear what you have to say on this. And if you find this post helpful, please share, as that's what I'm trying to do, here, share what I've learned so that we all can meet our financial goals. Google+, FB, pinterest, all have the potential to reach more folks who could use this information.

Just call me queen of the markdowns?

Running errands on Wednesday --

I hit the jackpot at Fred Meyer. I always make a pass by the packaged produce section, dairy case, and the marked down meat bin when I stop in a store. I was tired and had a head cold on Wednesday, s nearly didn't make these usual stops. Am I ever glad that I did!

I was only going in for eggs ($1.25/dozen), but halfway through shopping, I had to upscale my shopping cart from the small one, to the large!

I found eleven 8-oz cartons of sliced white mushrooms for 79 cents each. I'm cooking some of them in butter, to freeze for future use.

four 10-oz clamshells of broccoli crowns for 99 cents each

three 5.5-oz clamshells of 50/50 baby spinach and spring leafy greens for 99 cent each

nine gallons of 2% milk for $1.50 each (I could have bought more, but that's the limit of my freezer storage

four 16-oz containers of sour cream for 79 cent each

two 16-oz containers of cottage cheese for $1.09 each

and two 1-lb packages of 93% lean ground beef ($3.89 each) and one 1-lb package of 93% lean ground turkey ($2.49)

I left with a large shopping cart filled to the brim, and spent about $50. Not bad!

It varies from one store to the next, but each store usually has several markdown (reduced to clear) spots.

• bulk produce, where you'd find pieces of fruit or veggies, especially bananas
• packaged produce, where you'd find ready-to-eat, preached items in plastic clamshells or bags such as lettuce, fresh spinach, mushrooms, cut melons, fresh broccoli tops, and sometimes tofu
• the dairy case, where you'd find containers of yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, canned biscuit dough, packaged cookie dough
• the milk cooler, where you'd find cartons and jugs of milk, whipping cream, some non-dairy creamers, some non-dairy beverages like some cartons soy milk, and sometimes "fresh" orange juice
• the egg cooler (I've only once found eggs on mark down)
• the fresh meat department -- meat may be in a special section of the meat dept, or it may have markdown labels on the packages in it's regular spot
• the packaged deli/meat dept, for items like fresh sausage, bacon, hot dogs, lunch meat, cheese, sometimes tofu
• a dry goods clearance section, where discontinued, post-holiday, and about to expire items that do not need refrigeration, often at the back of the store

A few of these marked-down-to-clear items, such as fresh melon cubes and lettuce, need immediate consumption. But for most of them, they can be easily frozen, with minimal preparation.

Cartons of liquids (like "fresh" orange juice, milk) will need room in the carton for expansion while freezing, and I'll need to pour a small amount off and use it right away. Some items may need a small amount of preparation, such as pre-cooking the mushrooms before freezing, or blanching fresh broccoli crowns, or whipping the whipping cream, spooning into mounds on waxed paper, then freezing. But many of the items, like the tofu, whole bananas, lunch meat, bacon, hot dogs and fresh meat can go in the freezer in the package that it was purchased in.

And then, a few items store in the fridge for many weeks past the expiry date, such as fresh eggs, canned biscuit dough, refrigerated cookie dough, cottage cheese, sour cream, and chunk or loaf cheese.

Of course, those pantry items, like boxed pasta, that are merely discontinued or post-holiday, will keep on the shelf for many weeks beyond your purchase, if unopened. I buy our holiday candy (such as Valentine's, Easter and Christmas candy) each year, immediately after each holiday, on clearance, then save until the next year.

Some great deals to had. But it is hit or miss!

Do you look for clearance markdowns? What have you found marked down to clear at the grocery store? Tell me what your stores will mark down. Are you in an area that only marks down very old bananas? Or do you find meat on mark down, too? What's been your *best* deal, ever?

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Lessons from my art class

I'm taking an art class this quarter and my instructor has given me a couple of pieces of wisdom that could really apply to other areas of my life.

After I've been working on a piece for a while, she'll come around to me and remind me to stand back a bit, and look at my work from a distance. She can see that I've become entranced with the details of my work, and overlook my progress with the "big picture".

If you like to craft or do needlework of any sort, then you've likely experienced this over-focus on the details. You see the flaws, because you are close to your work, but nobody else even notices what you perceive to be monumental errors. It isn't until I step back and try to see my work through fresh eyes that I can think to myself, "yeah, this looks pretty good!"

And I tend towards this narrow vision, in life itself. I focus on specific areas, those with which I feel I'm most failing. With my role in our family's finances, I sometimes feel I should be doing better -- more exacting, more precise, more perfect. I pretty much know that I'm doing great with our grocery budget. And I feel comfortable with how much we spend on utilities. But I do feel I could do better with other areas, like shopping around for a better rate for our car/home owner insurance. Or taking more economical vacations.

Then I'm reminded to step back, and look at our financial "big picture". We're on track with our goals. We are comfortable with our giving. And even when I'm critical with my spending choices, overall, we are quite sensible with our spending. While details do matter, fussing too much with the details detracts from my overall satisfaction with our finances.

There are no grades in my art class. I either show up and do the work to learn new skills, or I miss out. It's the process and not the final piece that matters. When I'm sewing a pair of pj pants for one of my daughters, I know I won't be graded on the final product. I could very easily buy a pair of pj pants of similar or even better quality than I sew. But that's not the point. The love is in the "making". And fortunately, there won't be a financial report card issued at the end of this life. If I don't manage every aspect of our finances perfectly, we'll still be okay. The big picture looks good.