Just curious who else is living super frugal

[Arielle]

Happy April FOols Day!!!

We are trying for a garden AGAIN this year. Each attempt has an unwanted learning curve!! lol Seems that the mice are all gone OR just cant reach the seedlings. Hoping it is the former.

Picked up 50% off seed at Ocean State Job Lot. NEeded basil and peas. I learned to freeze the fresh basil and it keeps well. So hoping for a bumper crop to keep me in basil for a year. ( PRaying for a bumper crop. )

Trying to line up a couple customers to sell fresh vegies for. Just a couple not a lot. Concerned about the drought in CA. As a primary source of fresh veg for the US I'm nearly paniced that the prices will be skyrocketing. Need to figure how to feed my family good vegies. . . .. .

Spring is coming late. So . . . bough black garbage bags to sue to heat up the garden space . . .then use bags as bags before they rot in the UV light.

 

[erinszoo]

Happy April FOols Day!!!  

We are trying for a garden AGAIN this year.  Each attempt has an unwanted learning curve!! lol  Seems that the mice are all gone OR just cant reach the seedlings. Hoping it is the former.

Picked up 50% off seed at Ocean State Job Lot.  NEeded basil and peas. I learned to freeze the fresh basil and it keeps well. So hoping for a bumper crop to keep me in basil for a year. ( PRaying for a bumper crop. )

Trying to line up a couple customers to sell fresh vegies for. Just a couple not a lot. Concerned about the drought in CA. As a primary source of fresh veg for the US I'm nearly paniced that the prices will be skyrocketing.  Need to figure how to feed my family good vegies. . . .. .

Spring is coming late. So . . . bough black garbage bags to sue to heat up the garden space . . .then use bags as bags before they rot in the UV light.

I've been gardening for 30 years. The one thing you can count on is that no two years will be the same. Its kind of like fishing. If gardening was easy it would be called shopping. Lol.

Our garden is producing finally, bits and pieces. A little lettuce, some kale, a few spears of asparagus, some spring wild garlic. I made a frittata today from them. Eggs, goat cheese, onion, garlic, kale, and asparagus all from our yard. Peas are putting out tendrils, beans are up, broccoli is heading out, kholrabi is forming, and today ... I planted my first tomato seedlings outside. Squeal. I'm pushing it, I know, but one year I planted them in march on a hunch and had tomatoes by memorial day.

My frugal tip of the day: if you wait to go to walmart after 9:00 pm, they put all of their rotisserie and fried chicken that didn't sell in the refrigerator case for half price. $2.50 for a whole cooked chicken that I can then use for two meals is pretty cheap meat.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
We dont have the big Walmarts here... But I do the same thing at Vons.... our local big grocery chain. Go in on friday at about 9 or 10 Not only do they have 5 dollar Fridays but about that time is when they put out the discounted meat. 40-50 percent off what ever has begun looking a bit dark. I wont buy things that have broken celopane but if its just gone dark its actually just started the aging process... Perfectly good meat.

and their clearance bins are awesome too... things ranging from shampoo all the way to slightly dented cans. For What its worth the dented cans are just fine as long as the seals havent broken. Out dated foods as well. Because the date says Best sold by.... is a suggestion. The food is actually good much longer than that.

deb

 

[wyoDreamer]

Be a little careful with the outdated food. It may say BEST BY but I have had some canned goods that were only a week past the best by date and they were spoiled. That said, I have had some that are almost a year past and they were still good. I regularly end up using sour cream that is past the best by date, but I mainly use it for baking. Yogurt too.
I always open the food up and check it out pretty good before using if it is even near the best buy date.

 

[perchie.girl]

Be a little careful with the outdated food. It may say BEST BY but I have had some canned goods that were only a week past the best by date and they were spoiled. That said, I have had some that are almost a year past and they were still good. I regularly end up using sour cream that is past the best by date, but I mainly use it for baking. Yogurt too.
I always open the food up and check it out pretty good before using if it is even near the best buy date.

It depends on how its stored.... too. And definately do NOT buy cans that have a bowed up top. If they are in the store take them to a clerk and let them know.

Also Best Buy receommendaion also has to do with nutritional content. It starts falling off gradually after that time. But in a pinch...

The fellow that started Trader Joes has done extensive research on the subject and has actually opened a pilot store to sell products close to "expiration"

One thing to be aware of is foods that contain lots of acid like saeurkrout and anything with tomatoes in it have the highest probability of spoiling in the can... if the can liner has a defect in it the acid from the product will eat through the can...

All good reasons to learn how to can if you are able... Even if you cant grow your own.

Glass jars let you see your food and You know the processing date. as well as contents.

edited to add Trader Joes Article on Best sell by

deb

 

[Arielle]

I use my best judgement to know when something should not be eat. Definitely if the rim is dented it SHOULD NOT BE EATEN. Yesterday I opened a container of salad greens and could already smell the off odors, yet it had 3 days left. Greens do not hold well once cut IMO. I doused the greens with salad dressing and ate it up-- not GI problems at all. I no longer trust the food labeling system for best by. I use my own best judgement.



Erinzoo-- you are brave to put in that little tomato plants.

Do you use a hot cap to protect it??? My mother used plastic 1 gal milk jugs and I have a slew hanging in the basement like onions on a string for WHEN my tomatos can get into the ground.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I forgot about using milk jugs for cloches. Hmm, I think I need to ask my mom to save me some for when I put those little transplants out. I didn't bring the milk jugs with on the move from Wyoming and I now buy milk in returnable 1/2 gallon glass bottles at the store.

 

[erinszoo]

Be a little careful with the outdated food. It may say BEST BY but I have had some canned goods that were only a week past the best by date and they were spoiled. That said, I have had some that are almost a year past and they were still good. I regularly end up using sour cream that is past the best by date, but I mainly use it for baking. Yogurt too.
I always open the food up and check it out pretty good before using if it is even near the best buy date.

The only thing I've found with outdated yogurt is that it becomes really really really tart after a while. I was taking a med that was giving me heart burn and I was in so much pain one night after taking it I called the on call nurse. They told me to eat some yogurt. But it was late at night and all I had was some that had outdated 6 months earlier. I ate it but it was sour sour sour.

Best by dates on sour cream crack me up because it's sour cream. I mean, it's already soured so what more could go wrong with it?

 

[wyoDreamer]

...
Best by dates on sour cream crack me up because it's sour cream. I mean, it's already soured so what more could go wrong with it?

I always find a sour cream container (or 2) that got shoved to the back of the refrigerator and it ends up with a nasty yellow color and mold growing on it.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I scrape that all off and with a clean spoon stir whats left.... still tastes good. I do the same with cottege cheese...

done it for years and mom did it too. Same for yogurt... I buy plain yogurt by the HUGE tubs.

deb