Are you looking for more time during the week? Maybe spending more time with your family is high on your to-do list or you'd like to take up a new hobby but never seem to find the time. There is a solution to your time dilemma that you may never have considered before: freezer cooking.When … [Read more...] about Freezer cooking 101: Healthy family dinners without the hassle
Food
Free guide and recipes for delicious cheap, healthy meals
More than 41 million people today depend on food stamps (formally, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP). The average benefit? Around $256 a month, or about $8.50 a day, for food.Many of the rest of us struggle with food prices, too. So who doesn’t want ideas for cheap but … [Read more...] about Free guide and recipes for delicious cheap, healthy meals
Restaurant deals by day
Looking for food deals near you? On the hunt for a cheap lunch deal today? Or are you searching for the best restaurant deals in the coming week?Look no further. Here we've rounded up the current food specials at Living on the Cheap, including free food, Monday night specials (and other weekday … [Read more...] about Restaurant deals by day
Bake an easy jack-o’-lantern cake for Halloween
When my sons were teenagers, they wanted to have a Halloween party at home. I made this cake that looks like a jack-o’-lantern but is pretty delicious to cut up and eat. The best part: You don't have to contend with seeds or pumpkin pulp!Start with the cake. You can do a pumpkin cake from … [Read more...] about Bake an easy jack-o’-lantern cake for Halloween
Get $25 rebate for buying 10 General Mills products
Get your shopping list ready! General Mills is giving customers cash back on many products from its wide variety of popular brands, including Betty Crocker, Nature Valley, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Progresso and many more. Through Oct. 31, 2023, purchase five participating General Mills … [Read more...] about Get $25 rebate for buying 10 General Mills products
How to keep fall fruits and vegetables fresh longer
This article is part of a Don't Throw It Out! series on how to preserve fresh foods and avoid food waste.Food waste is estimated at 31% of the average American family's grocery shopping dollars — about $1,800 a year. Fresh fruits and vegetables top the list, because many are wasted in the trash … [Read more...] about How to keep fall fruits and vegetables fresh longer
Make your own pop tarts and other DIY convenience foods
No one can argue that convenience foods are a huge time-saver. But some prepackaged foods can be expensive (frozen pizzas), available seasonally (Girl Scout cookies) or filled with artificial ingredients (fruit rolls and pop tarts).If you take a little time to make these items in advance, you … [Read more...] about Make your own pop tarts and other DIY convenience foods
Fall apple and pumpkin recipes + DIY pumpkin puree
Fall is here, and it's time for hot cider, hearty stews and, naturally, pumpkins and apples. They’re everywhere – piled in front of grocery stores and farmers markets, decorating the classroom and even gracing the front desk at the gym. And why not? They’re colorful, festive, have a long shelf life … [Read more...] about Fall apple and pumpkin recipes + DIY pumpkin puree
How to save money on food without using coupons
Groceries for a family of four with young children cost an average of about $1,000 a month in the summer of 2023, not including takeout and restaurant meals, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s a big chunk of change.But there are ways to spend less on food and still eat a … [Read more...] about How to save money on food without using coupons
Cheap, simple and elegant charcuterie board ideas
Those elaborate charcuterie boards on social media might have you convinced that you need to spend hundreds of dollars on cheese and crackers to have a barely presentable spread. But as the author of three books on cheese and one on sausage, I’m here to tell you that that is false advertising. With … [Read more...] about Cheap, simple and elegant charcuterie board ideas
Where to get the lowest price on Thanksgiving turkey in 2023
Food prices are higher than they've been for a while, and that means we're going to be on the hunt for the cheapest turkey prices in an effort to make the annual Thanksgiving celebration as abundant (and delicious) as ever. To help with this, we've compiled some of our best tips for saving … [Read more...] about Where to get the lowest price on Thanksgiving turkey in 2023
Make your own 100-calorie snack packs to save cash — and your diet
As a registered dietitian, I believe a 100- to 200-calorie snack between meals is great way to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. Clearly, others agree as grocery stores, gas stations and convenience stores sell countless numbers of 100-calorie packs of crackers, cookies, candy and … [Read more...] about Make your own 100-calorie snack packs to save cash — and your diet
Pick your own produce: Deal or no deal?
There seems to be a prevailing idea that pick-your-own fruit and vegetable farms are far less expensive than the grocery store. After all, you're doing all the work, cutting out the middle man, it should be less, right? But, is it really?Before you start thinking I'm going to pooh-pooh U-Pick … [Read more...] about Pick your own produce: Deal or no deal?
Slow cooker meals for busy families
There’s nothing like getting to the end of an exhausting day and wondering what you’re going to do for dinner. Add hunger and evening activities to that scenario and you usually end up in a drive-through. Enter every busy parent’s best kitchen friend, the slow cooker (or good old CP as most of us … [Read more...] about Slow cooker meals for busy families
Cheap recipes for your backyard barbecue
Backyard barbecues are a great way to entertain, but even when you host a potluck, they can be a pricey way to party. Whether you are entertaining a small or large crowd at your backyard barbecue, you can still stay on budget. Here is our guide to cooking on the cheap for a crowd at your next … [Read more...] about Cheap recipes for your backyard barbecue