20 Ways to Save Money in the Kitchen

There are so many things you can do to save money around the house, especially in the kitchen. I have listed several ways to help you save in your kitchen. I hope you will find some of them useful.

1. Never boil water in a pot without a lid. Water boils much faster when it's covered. This saves energy.

2. Cut your vegetables smaller to boil or steam. This will cook them up to 50% faster. This also saves  energy.

3. Never defrost meat in the microwave. It is completely free to defrost it in the refrigerator. Of course this does takes a little planning ahead.

4. Bake with glass dishes and decrease the cooking temperature by 25 degrees.

5. Reheat leftovers in the microwave rather than in the oven.

6. Cook bacon in the microwave between two paper towels. Costs less to cook and cuts back on dirty dishes.

7. Rewash and reuse ziplock bags (or don't buy at all). Then hang upside down to dry thoroughly. I rarely use them because I do not like the plastic waste, but when I do, I reuse them as many times as I can. However, if meat has been stored in it, toss it.

8. You can freeze bananas for use later in baking breads or muffins. Just leave the peel on and put in a freezer bag in the freezer until ready to use. Allow to thaw for 5 minutes prior to use and use as normal in baking.

9. Use your leftovers! Soups, omelets, pizzas and stir fries are some great ways to use up leftovers. If you are consistently throwing away leftover food, start cooking less.

10. Batch cook. If you make chili (or anything for that matter), make a double or triple batch and freeze half for a future dinner. This saves tons of time and energy costs in the kitchen and helps for those days when there isn't enough time to prepare a meal.

11. Freeze homemade soups and chili in 8 oz bowls with lids. These make easy after school snacks or pack in your work lunch with a sandwich. MUCH cheaper and better for you than processed canned foods.

12. Don't let eggs go to waste when you can freeze them. If you catch a great sale, stock up and freeze for later. Go HERE to see how. It's simple and they turn out great for cooking. Just keep in mind you can never freeze them in their shell.

13. Bake your own breads. Obviously sandwich bread is cheap enough to buy at the store, but you can make everything else (rolls, french bread, raisin bread) for pennies on the dollar yourself.

14. Buy smaller fresh fruits when sold by the pound.  Most fruits are larger than one serving, so choosing smaller will save a lot.

15. Drink water with your meals. Baby steps....start with one meal a day. You can save $500 or more a year just by each person in the family (of 4) replacing just 1 glass of juice a day with water. (Plus water is better for you!)

16. Use a crock pot! This saves tons of energy as well as your time. I have learned that almost anything can be prepared in a crock pot.

17. Use old bread to make your own bread crumbs or croutons.  I haven't bought bread crumbs from the store in a long time. I am able to make them with little cost and effort.

18. Buy whole chickens and cut them up yourself. This saves TONS of money.

19. Throw your sponges in the dishwasher with your dishes to wash. They will last a long time and you don't have the cost of replacing them as often.

20. Turn the heated dry off on your dishwasher. Letting your dishes air dry will save a lot of energy.

 *Bonus*

I have recently learned you can always have fresh green onions for free. After you chop them, leave about 2-3 inches at the bottom. Stick in a glass of water on the counter and another green onion will grow.