Dollar Stretchers

Here are a few of my favorites foods that gives a lot of bang for the buck. The list could go on and on, but here is the start.

• White or Brown Rice - There's a lot of rice in that bag. I make a big batch and then morph the rice into the next meal or use it to freeze leftovers for a later time. Beef & Broccoli with rice one night becomes beef friend rice the next...


• Pasta - Oh how I love thee, let me count the ways... orzo, linguine, cavitappi, rotini, bow tie, rigatoni, lasagna, spaghetti, etc. There are limitless combos for salads, side dishes, and meals.


• Pork Loin - a fairly healthy meat. 1/2 a loin can be cooked and used for 2-3 meals - chops, bbq, sweet, savory, or spicy. Frequently on sale.


• Applesauce - I can my own, so it's a better deal/taste than store bought. Either way it's great for replacing oil in baking, marinading/topping pork, waffle/pancake/french toast topping, or as a healthy side dish.


• Broccoli - Little bit can go a long way in soups, pasta dishes, salads, etc.


• Frozen Spinach - using spinach to make purees for tomato based sauces adds an incredible depth of flavor, much more economical than fresh


• Won Ton or Egg Roll Wrappers - There are a lot of those pastry wrappers for the amount you are paying. Baked in a muffin tin they are great appetizer cups, can stuff them with anything that you can imagine, do freeze pretty well.


• Parmesan Cheese - a lot of flavor for a small amount of cheese. Love it as a simple topping for Italian dishes, pizzas, breads, etc.


• Cinnamon - naturally sweet taste when added to baked goods or breakfast foods without all the calories. a little bit goes a very long ways. great marinade.


• Oregano - my all time favorite herb. grows at an astronomical rate and easy to dry/use. Love it in spice rubs, meat marinades, topping pizza or breads, mixes into sauces for many ethnic foods


• Tomato Sauce & Paste - the base for so many sauces and marinades. easy to transform into pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce/marinara, soups, etc. very inexpensive

Coming soon... chocolate chip cookies, casseroles, and creative uses for leftovers.