Save Money on Groceries

I know it might sound a bit odd, but my favorite room in my grandma's house has always been what she calls her "fruitroom."  It is in the corner of her basement and summer or winter, the temperature is always quite cool in that particular room.  From a child's perspective, walking into the fruitroom didn't seem all that different from walking into the grocery store.  But how fun that the grocery store was in my grandma's basement!  Even now, I still have to visit the fruitroom every time I am back, there is just something about the space that beckons me in.

Whether canning her own jams and veggies or stocking up on a good sale, my grandma truly understands the value of being prepared and "living green."  Most of our grandparents grew up remembering a time when they went without during the Depression.  They lived in an era prior to the mega-grocery store where every imaginable convenience food stock the many aisles.  Growing up in a disposable generation, I believe far too many of us take for granted that food comes from the grocery store and that it will always be available when we want it.  The art of canning and storing food is nearly lost.

I began subscribing to Mother Earth News a few years ago.  While I disagree with much of their political leaning and environmental theories, most of the magazine contains such helpful or interesting articles that I choose to overlook that with which I do not agree.  I was thrilled to receive my new issue yesterday and see that it contained articles on canning and living on less.  The thing I appreciate most about the magazine is how many articles they provide free on their website.

My first recommended article is a great primer on learning to live like our grandparents did.  In this time of uncertain economy, I believe it is something we could all benefit from learning to do a bit better.  So with no further ado, I recommend that you click on over and read the article "Save Money on Groceries: Buying in bulk and freezing or canning fruits and veggies are great ways to enjoy better food and cut your costs by up to 85 percent!"

Don't worry, you don't have to have a garden to benefit from reading the article.  Here is how it begins:

"Not everyone has the time or resources to tend a big garden, so we wondered: What if you bought your produce in season at a farmers market and preserved some of it for winter use?"

Comments

[Derek]

I do this at my home with tomatoes I grow in my garden and with green peppers I buy at the farmer's market. The peppers are very cheap when in season, and so I buy a ton of them, chop them up and freeze them. All winter long I have the best tasting fresh salsa that I can grill up right on my cast iron.