Cooking and recipes

Make Homemade Vanilla Extract for Savings — and Great Flavor

One great gift to give (and keep for yourself) is homemade vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract can be expensive to buy in the grocery store or often has water added, and imitation vanilla is gross chemical flavors. Homemade vanilla extract has a richer vanilla flavor and scent because you can control the amount and type of vanilla […]

Soup’s an Inexpensive Supper

Easy, healthy soup recipes for cold days

Cabbage Is a Bargain Any Time

Cabbage, that underappreciated and underused relative of broccoli and cauliflower, is a bargain any time of year, but especially in the fall and winter. When guying, choose cabbages that are heavy for their size and have heads with compact leaves. Cabbage is very low in calories, sodium and an excellent source of Vitamin C. It’s […]

Make Your Own ‘Convenience’ Foods Cheaper

They’re called convenience foods for a reason. But take a little time to make these items and enjoy the convenience of ready-to-eat foods with a cheaper price tag — and, sometimes, a healthier result. Some prepackaged foods (such as frozen pizzas) can be expensive, available seasonally (Girl Scout cookies), or perhaps filled with artificial ingredients (fruit rolls). […]

Fix Healthy School Lunches for Kids

If your child regularly brings their lunch to school, you’ve faced the “what to pack” dilemma. You want to pack something nutritious, but you also need to be sure your kids will eat it. A thrown-out lunch does nothing for your child’s health or your wallet; it’s basically cash in the trash. In addition to […]

Freezer Meal Planning Saves the Day

Back to school activities can mean cramming more and more stuff into less and less time. Family dinner tends to pay the price. Years of dealing with the stress of getting home from work late and scrambling to thaw something out that is nutritious and delicious for the family prompted me to try something new. […]

Save Money with Healthful, Homemade Dog Treats

Dog treats can be expensive. And they’re not always healthy for your pet. You can save on treats by introducing your dog to the joys of vegetables. Lots of dogs love carrots almost as much as they like bones. We’ve even known dogsd to go for a slice of grapefruit or a chunk of ripe […]

Diet Books Can Guide Weight Loss

If you’re striving to lose weight or just eat healthier this year, you need to know that eating a wide variety of foods throughout the day is your key. We’ve researched some books and have come up with some recommendations on our sister site, Living on the Cheap.

Eggs Are a Culinary Bargain

Eggs and Easter go hand in hand, but there’s more to these tiny bundles of protein-packed goodness than you might think. According to the Colorado Department of Agriculture, “The incredible edible egg packs a lot of nutrition in a small package. One egg has 13 essential vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein and antioxidants, all for […]

Green Beans Can Be Star of the Table

Most of us think of vegetables as just an accompaniment to meat loaf, a broiled steak, grilled fish or roast chicken. But green beans – cheap and bountiful this time of year in both supermarkets and at farmer’s markets – can be the star of the meal. Green beans, also called string beans or snap […]