How to Be A Frugal Cook

With the increasing possibility that food prices will skyrocket in the New Year, it�s more important than ever that you learn how to be a frugal cook. With some simple adjustments to your current habits you can save a lot on your food bill.

Two of the following recipes involve the use of a slow cooker. If you don�t already own one, I highly recommend it. Slow cookers are the ultimate tool for easy preparation. All you have to do is mix up the ingredients, start the cooker and return to a hot and ready meal later on.* 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken* 2 uncooked chicken breasts* 1 bag of frozen broccoli* 1 cup of uncooked riceGo through your cookbooks and choose recipes that use vegetables that are in season. Fall crops include all of the heartier vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips and potatoes. Stews are great fall and winter recipes because they use these fall crops and cheaper cuts of meat, like stewing beef. Make some nights meatless. Beans and rice or vegetarian chili are just two examples of classic meatless meals, but search your receipt books for more.* 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese* 1 box of penne pastaSixth on our list of ways to be a more frugal cook is to plan for convenience. If you know that a particular night during the week will be hectic, plan an easy meal for that night. When you are particularly tired you�ll need a meal that is easy to cook or one that has been frozen and just needs to be microwaved. Pre-planning for those difficult nights will save you from dashing off to the nearest fast food place just because you are hungry and too tired to cook. Those extra meals out can really add up.Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

So, there you have it - seven easy tips for becoming a more frugal cook. Let�s hope food prices don�t go up, but if they do you are now know seven ways to be a frugal cook

Author: Kerry Hook