Living on a working beef farm, we really need to make our dollars stretch. The work is aplenty, but the monetary return not as much compared to the work that is entailed. Hubby reminds me that we are rich in many ways. We have a full life and are not in need of anything. Recognizing the difference between needs and wants is important.
In order to ensure that I make our hard-earned dollars stretch (and save time for me!), I’ve devised a few strategies in the kitchen.
This is how I save time and make our hard-earned dollars stretch:
- Grow & Freeze! I start our seeds in our greenhouse in the Spring and then transplant the plants to the garden when the risk of frost is no longer there. I grow the produce we need to sustain us for the Summer and Fall, and make sure to process (freeze, can, preserve, pickle) for the Winter months.
- Organize! We own and operate a beef farm, so we have beef in our freezer on hand most of the year. Organizing our freezer has never been as easy as it is now that I have my Frigidaire® Classic Slate Freezer. It really is so easy to organize all our frozen food and because everything is easy to access, there’s no wasting anything. When I used our chest freezer, food items would get forgotten at the bottom where I couldn’t see or reach. That equals chance of freezer burn, and ultimately wasted food.
- Pack/Freeze accordingly! My Dad goes fishing and often drops off a fish for us. He cleans and fillets the fish, so they are easy for me to store in the freezer in individual portions or in handy family-sized portions. I lay all the frozen food in our Frigidaire Classic Slate freezer flat so I can save room. Being organized really does save time!
- Make a double batch! When making cookies, Shepherd’s Pie, Lasagna, chili, stews and soups, I always make a double batch. I make one for supper and one to freeze for another time. The extra “freezer meals” come in very handly when A) You need to have dinner on the table and don’t have time to cook, B) You’re out of town and the family is left to feed themselves, C) You have unexpected dinner guests. Huge time and money saver right there!
Next time you’re making chili, stew, cookies, or whatever your family’s favourite food is, make a BIG batch or a double batch and freeze some for later! - Reserve & Re-purpose! On the farm, we never waste anything. Even when I make my daughter’s bento lunches and use vegetable cutters, I reserve all the veggie “scraps” and either use it in stocks, soups or stir-fry dishes or feed them to our chickens, bunnies and cattle. Nothing gets wasted. If I use cutters to make Little One’s sandwiches, the bread scraps are kept and put in a freezer bag or container for me to make croutons or bread crumbs with.
Super fast fried rice is a time saver when you have produce in the freezer that you can use for a quick dish. The vegetables are from our garden. I harvested them and then froze them to use during the Winter months. - Stock up when on sale! When I purchase groceries and there is a sale on items like bread or cheese, I stock up and freeze for future use. When cheese is regularly $9.99 and goes down to $4.99, I always pick up a few blocks of cheese.
My husband wanted to keep our Frigidaire Classic Slate Freezer in the basement, but this freezer is far too beautiful to be relegated to the basement or mud room! It is in our kitchen because it complements the decor and I like it there for easy access. Who needs to go downstairs to get food out of the freezer? It saves time having the freezer where I cook and prep meals. Plus, I’m the one who cooks 99% of our meals, so location for me is a big help!
Proof that location matters? 47% of consumers prefer to put their freezer somewhere other than their garage or basement. The Frigidaire® Classic Slate Freezer is state-of-the art, contemporary, sophisticated and aesthetically fits any living space.
Did You Know?
The Frigidaire® Classic Slate Freezer has many time and cost saving benefits! With this secondary Frigidaire® freezer, you can save an average of 60 hours per year. That means fewer trips to the grocery store and more time at home with your family or perfecting your favourite meal.
With all that extra freezer space to store bulk purchases, you can save an average of $750 per year with a secondary Frigidaire® Freezer allowing you to take advantage of grocery sales and stock up!
Check out some of the great Frigidaire freezers and their features.
How does your family save time and money?
Disclosure: I am part of the Frigidaire® Canada Ambassador program with Mom Central and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
I always make double batches when cooking or baking something that can be frozen.
I do love Upright Freezers. It is so easy to see your contents instead of digging and missing something that should be used sooner than later.
I shop the sales and stock up on items that we use. I also bake and freeze for later. It is wonderful to be able to store food for later.
All great tips. I do a lot of these especially with how the cost of food has been going up. Definitely important to try and save a few $ when you can.
What a gorgeous freezer! If mine looked like that I’d want it in the kitchen, too. It looks so neat and tidy… and the cheese stash is like mine! (I, too, love the $4.99 cheese deals!)