Healthy Frugal-ness

Our home school group has started a Mom's Workshop that has an emphasis on "healthy frugal-ness" There is a lot to be learned from this army of moms. Here are the notes from the first meeting.


Workshop 1 – 9/15/09
KITCHEN & HOME:

-serve homemade soup 1 day/week; gives your G.I. track and your budget a break.
-casseroles help stretch the food
-shop loss leaders at grocery store -stock up -freeze all you can
-freeze in a square pan – uniform size helps save space in the freezer, allowing more to fit
-buy blocks of cheese; cut or grate and freeze
-when cooking big meals; cook 2 – serve 1, freeze 1 -saves eating out when you’re in a pinch for time
-buy meat in bulk; -put in portion size bags & freeze -cook ground meat and put in smaller (snack size) bags for quick meals on the run -can also use in soups & sauces for quicker preparation
-onions at a great price; chop, bag, put in container & freeze -use in soups & sauces
-avocados on sale – make guacamole, place in snack size bags & freeze. Slightly thaw and break up to eat. Great in burritos
-overripe bananas in freezer – when enough for bread, thaw and make bread. Freeze extra loaves
-tomatoes can be frozen whole – thaw slightly remove the skin and make into a sauce
-keep spices in freezer to preserve them longer
-buy spices in bulk at Vitamin Cottage
-save jars & lids for storing & freezing things
-make soups, sauces, salad dressings from scratch. www.recipezaar.com
-save broth from roast and veggies – freeze and use for soup starters later
-make 1 loaf of bread a week (save a minimum of $100)
-learn to cut a whole chicken – 1/3 the cost of pre-cut chicken

-buy whole carrots vs. cocktail carrots; peel and cut them for your family to eat
-Sunflower, Sprouts & Liborio’s are great places to get produce inexpensive
-learn to can produce; you can control the amount of sugar & they are chemical free
-make your own jam & jelly from juice and/or fruit seconds
-get canning jars from the thrift stores or grandmothers that don’t feel they can can anymore
-plant a garden – use rain water drainage to irrigate -use herbs to control bugs, at end of season dry those herbs -can and/or freeze produce
-when planning meals; figure maximum of $2/person for dinner. Then each smaller meal cost should diminish accordingly.
-baking soda & vinegar are inexpensive and work well for several things – bath cleaner, sink scrub, spot remover and drain cleaner….

HEALTH & BEAUTY:
-be willing to try homemade facial care products
-use baking soda vs. Alka Seltzer
-vinegar & honey drink for flu
-sage tea for sore throats
-hairspray removes ballpoint ink
-cayenne pepper bath sweats out the lung & flu – wrap about 1T of cayenne in a rag, tie a knot and put under warm water while filling tub. Soak in this as long as you can stand.
-ginger tea with honey soothes the stomach
-almonds for migraines
-honey helps w/: allergies, acne/face blemishes, and energy boost
-garlic is a great anti-fungal & anti bacterial. Rub directly on warts. Garlic oil on feet of someone not feeling well. Eaten in foods.
-thyme for sinusitis, flu and as a facial toner
-mint & lavender for migraines
-chamomile tea is a great anti-inflammatory
-lavender tea – great for migraines, sun burn soak and muscle relaxant
-elderberry “tonic” – better than Echinacea because you don’t have to take a break from using it. Builds the immune system and promotes heart health.