At first, though, I was at a loss as to how to cook all these vegetables. (The fruit is easy. The Boy eats fruit with almost every meal.) I shopped around and finally settled on From Asparagus to Zucchini; A Guide To Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce. This cookbook is amazing! It is organized by vegetable, with at least 4 recipes for each. Most of the recipes require other ingredients that are also currently in season. In addition to the recipes (we have yet to find one we really don’t like), each section has a brief history of that vegetable and cooking and storage tips.

Really, who knew there were so many delicious ways to prepare beets or how delicious a carrot almond cake could be? Pasta Pie with Fresh Greens anyone? How about Garlic Parsley Pesto or Penne alla Zucca (Roman Pasta with Pumpkin Sauce)?

f you are thinking of trying to cook more with seasonal produce or if you have a plethora of squash and need some ideas of how to use it, this is the book for you. If you want to introduce more vegetables (and not just the mainstream veggies you find at the supermarket) into your diet, this is the book for you. If you like to shop at Farmers’ Markets, but just don’t know how to fix that kohlrabi, this is the book for you. Happy Cooking and Happy Eating!

Luckily, there is a webpage that can help, imagine that? Here you can learn about how to keep fruits and vegetables fresh and prevent spoilage. It lists a bunch of common fruits and vegetables and where you can store them and for how long. For example, celery can go in the fridge but garlic should always be stored on the counter. A great resource for keeping your food fresh and not having to throw it in the compost pile.

Circles: Cheerios
Squares: Chex, Quaker Oat Squares
There are more shapes in some sugary cereals (Lucky Charms comes to mind). If you don’t want to buy an entire box, consider buying the little one-serving packs and letting your kids glue the shapes onto paper. Or just eating a small serving for a special treat.

And of course, there are other foods that come in basic shapes. Some crackers are triangle or rectangle shaped. When you start looking around your kitchen, you may find little teaching opportunities everywhere!

1. Hard-boil several eggs.
2. In a medium sauce pan, melt several Tablespoons of butter.
3. Add several Tablespoons of flour and stir to make a paste.
4. Add about a cup of milk and stir.
5. Stir in the hard-boiled eggs (chopped) and any extras (minced onion, garlic salt, salt, pepper).
6. Serve over toast and enjoy!

This recipe is great because it can be varied in so many ways. Throw in some left over chopped ham or ground turkey (in addition to or without the eggs). Stir in some chopped, cooked veggies. We generally have eggs and bread on hand, so this is a tasty, last minute, easy meal to prepare. If your eggs are already hard-boiled, the preparation takes ten minutes or less.

This is a great time of year to bake cookies, breads or other treats for gifts. The oven will help to heat your house and you won’t have to run the heater as much! Wrap up a nice loaf of bread or plate of cookies for your workplace, or your spouse’s. Give treats to your neighbors and friends. Wrap a paper plate with saran wrap, tie a festive bow around it and, voila!, you have a lovely homemade, inexpensive gift.

Break out those craft scissors and some tape to create homemade cards or other crafts. Use old magazines or calendars to do collages. Four greeting cards can be made from just 3 or 4 pieces of 8 1/2 by 11 paper. Visit websites or a local craft store for ideas.

Buy an inexpensive photo frame and paint it or embellish it in some way. Glue on beads or shells. This could be a lovely gift for a grandparent, especially if your kids helped with the frame.
Cross-stitch or embroider on fabric to make a bread cloth, table cloth or napkins. Knitted and crocheted gifts are treasured keepsakes in our home. Keep checking garage sales and rummage sales for unused cross-stitching sets.

Offer to babysit or pet-sit as a Christmas gift. Give another Mom a day to do her Christmas shopping by herself. You know I’d love a gift of time like that!

Your kids can help with most of these projects. This is a great time to teach them about creative giving. Maybe they will even have some gift ideas of their own.

Cherry tomatoes are a huge hit with The Boy. I will often find him out in the garden, eating juicy, red cherry tomatoes right off the vine. Of course, by the end of the summer, I am giving away bags of them to everyone in the neighborhood.

The regular tomatoes, though, I am a little more frugal with. What we don’t eat fresh (on pizza, sandwiches and just plain!), I like to freeze. I freeze tomatoes whole, without cooking them. I don’t know if this is the ‘right’ way to do it, but it works for me. I cut off the tops, put several in a freezer ziploc bag and ‘suck’ as much air out as I can before sealing it. I label the bag and pop it in the freezer. Freezer tomatoes are great to use in sauces and such later on. Take a bag out of the freezer and allow it to thaw a bit in the refrigerator. Empty the tomatoes into a microwave-safe bowl and finish thawing. The skins slip off quite easily and the tomatoes can go right into the pot or the pan.

Another way to save your excess tomatoes is to make spaghetti sauce and freeze that. If you live in an area that will support the growth of tomatoes all summer, try growing some yourself and save some $$ on fresh tomatoes all summer and sauces throughout the winter!

We have a variety of herbs growing, especially during the summer months. Parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme, and basil are wonderful to have on hand and fresh. I hate to buy an entire bunch of fresh herbs at the store when a recipe only calls for one teaspoon or some very small amount. This feels very wasteful to me and I haven’t had success with freezing or drying the leftovers yet. I love to just grab my scissors and step outside to clip what I need right off the plant! Herbs can easily be grown in pots and planters too, if space or temperature is an issue for you.

We have had huge success with basil and rosemary especially. The Man has to hack back the rosemary every fall and we still get a huge bush by the next summer. Basil thrives in our region during the summer months. We love to use it fresh in salads, on pizzas and in sandwiches. But my favorite thing about basil is pesto. Pesto is so easy to make and freezes really well. Throw some fresh basil in a food processor with some olive oil, pine nuts and garlic. Process until smooth. Use it fresh with pasta or in eggs or as a sandwich spread. Or freeze it to use throughout the winter months. I freeze it in ice cube trays, then pop it out and store it in a freezer ziploc bag. At the end of the basil growing season, I make a huge batch and freeze it to use throughout the cooler months.

I haven’t tried the generic brand of Rice Krispies (Crisp Rice?), but I assume it wouldn’t be that much different than the Kellogg’s brand. And I always just buy the cheapest brand of marshmallow, especially if I am making the treats within a few days. Other than that, all you need is butter or margarine and perhaps some food coloring or other little ‘extras.’

Melting the butter and marshmallows needs to be closely supervised. We don’t want burned fingers or hands. Make sure you use a large pot so that it is easy to stir in the cereal after everything is melted. Once you have stirred in the cereal, it is easy for a young child to help press the treats into the greased pan or shape them.

I’m sure the ideas are endless, but you could add some food coloring to the marshmallow/butter concoction as it is melting. Add red and shape the treats into hearts for Valentine’s Day. Add green and shape into shamrocks for St. Patty’s Day. Add orange and make ‘carrots’ for Easter. I could go on. Shaping the treats is fun. Just remember to butter/grease your hands really well. Or use greased saran wrap to shape the treats. Add M&Ms or other candies before they cool to decorate. My favorite has been the carrot-shaped treats with green sour worm ‘tops.’

The Boy is not a fan of chocolate. (He doesn’t get it from me!) So these are a fun treat for him to help make and eat. If you wrap each square or shape in saran, they do last a few days, but of course, I think they are best when eaten right out of the pan!

I’ll admit that I have a hard time eating leftovers for days. I often freeze a portion of our meals so that I can bring it out a week or two later and it seems like new. I label almost everything that goes into the freezer so that I can use things in a timely fashion. I also rotate leftovers in the fridge so that the first thing in there works out to be the first thing used up.

I am determined to be better about planning my meals for the week and only grocery shopping 1-2 times per week. For me, that is the key. If I go every day (and without a list), I tend to spend more and buy impulse items that we really don’t need.

Recently, The Man asked for some sort of snack to take to work that would be similar to a protein bar and I decided to resurrect the Logan Bread of my youth. Sadly, dad no longer has the recipe, but I managed to find a good one at Allrecipes.com.

You can substitute different types of dried fruit for the raisins and I generally use chopped walnuts instead of sunflower seeds. You can also substitute 1/2 to 1 cup of soy flour for some of the whole wheat and white flour to add protein. The Boy loves this bread, as do The Man and I. I bake it once every two weeks or so, cut it into bars and keep them in the fridge or freezer.

This has been a yummy, inexpensive substitute for protein bars for The Man and a tasty way to start the day for all of us!

1. Find a spot that is suitable to your needs. For example: sunny, away from animals, etc.

2. Check the pH balance of your soil and compare it to the needs of your proposed veggies. Most seed packets have the necessary pH information. Add compost or potting soil to your growing area if needed.

3. Consider building a grow box lined with chicken wire. Especially if you live in gopher-prone areas.

4. Purchase seeds from a reliable source. Try to buy heirloom or non-genetically-modified seeds.

5. Set your seeds out in seedling trays. Grow veggies that are appropriate for your current climate/season.

6. Water your seed faithfully.

7. Transplant to your garden area when seedlings have at least two sets of leaves. Maybe more.

8. Continue to water and check for troublesome weeds daily if you can.

9. Harvest when ripe and enjoy!

This book is chock-full of information on feeding infants and toddlers. There are recipes, food storage tips, health and safety tips and homemade craft ideas. There is a month-by-month guide to foods that could be introduced to your baby along with tips on how to prepare and store these foods at home. There are over 350 nutritious and delicious recipes for your baby and toddler. Who knew that I could whip up a batch of homemade crackers just like that?

I felt lost and confused when it came to feeding The Boy as he began to start on solids. This book really helped me plan out what foods to introduce and when. It also gave me some great ideas on how to store these foods. (In ice cube trays – you must read about that!) I highly recommend this book for any parent who wants to save money (and the environment – fewer plastic and glass containers) when it comes to feeding your baby. You will also know exactly what is going into your baby’s tummy. No extra preservatives or sugars.

The book is reasonably priced for the amount of information it contains. I was lucky enough to find it at a used book store for about half it’s new price. Remember to check out your library book sales, yard sales and online book trading/buying sites for cheaper books.

Since most food grown today has terminator genes in them or are patented you cannot use the seeds from one year to the next. So check out SeedSavers.org and see if planting heirloom crops is for you.

One way to do this is to buy and eat locally grown foods. Although this will exclude strawberries in December, it can be a great plus for your family’s health and the environment.

So what exactly does it mean to eat locally, and what are the benefits? I mean, we’ve all seen farmer’s markets, perused their offerings and even occasionally indulged in some of their maple syrup candy and apple cider but what does eating locally really translate to?

Read more about Why You Should Eat Locally.

1. Take the first sip. If you hand a full juice box to a toddler, chances are that they will squeeze it just a tad too hard and there will be juice all over the place. If you have a clean freak child like I do, then you know that juice all over the clothes does not go over very well.

2. Replace the tiny straw with a normal-sized straw. The tiny straws that come with most juice boxes don’t actually reach the bottom of the box. I find this to be very wasteful – why am I buying the darn things if the kids can’t access all the juice?!? Also, the bigger straws are more sturdy in the hole and are less likely to be pulled out “accidentally.”

3. Drink it outside or at the table. I don’t want juice all over my couch or carpet thank you!

Destination Dinners was established as a California company in 2005 by Lisa Diamond, a self proclaimed “culinary adventurer”. Each kit is designed to provide a delicious, authentic dish for four, coupled with fun and educational facts about the food, etiquette and culture of each destination.

Destination Dinners is perfect for travelers, foodies, and people curious about cultures from around the globe. Designed as a gift, yet affordable enough to buy for yourself, the kits are customizable to meet the needs of both consumer and corporate customers.

Of course I had to check out the website to see how pricey they are because I want to give them as gifts in the future. The current price is $20.00 per kit plus shipping. Each kit serves 4-6 people and comes with detailed instructions, the more unusual ingredients, a shopping list for the common/perishable ingredients, trivia and more. It seems like a great, reasonably priced item that would make an excellent gift.

Our single income family eating budget is $350/month in case you want to see where we fit in. I was surprised at how most of the families spend more than that in a month.

Let your kid experience all the different types of food out there and don’t limit them to the “normal” ones. You might be surprised by what your children like to eat once they are encouraged to diversify their eating habits.

Being prepared for a disaster is nothing to sneeze at. We’ve seen so much media coverage of major disasters in the past few years. It is time to think about being prepared for the possibility of losing water or electricity for several days. I am a worrier. Having a 5-day disaster supply kit eases my mind a bit. At least in the “being prepared for a disaster” area.

There are many emergency preparedness websites out there. The Red Cross has an emergency supply list and there are dozens of 72-hour kit websites. My favorite, though, is from the East Bay Municipal Utility District. With this guide, you can assemble a 3-7 day disaster supply kit over a period of 6 months without going bankrupt.

The guide is broken down into 24 weeks; you collect all of your supplies and them rotate them over a six-month period. Each week there is a short shopping list for the grocery store, hardware store or first-aid supplies. You purchase and gather your supplies little by little and at the end of 6 months, you should have a comprehensive collection of food, tools, water and other emergency supplies.

Storing these supplies does take up room. Consider your storage area before beginning the buying process. Our supplies take up a 32-gallon garbage can (with wheels) and a cupboard that is about 3 feet wide by 3 feet tall by 18 inches deep. The water is, in my opinion, the most important supply to have on hand and it definitely takes up the most room. We also don’t keep many of the suggested tools and clothing in our specific emergency supply area. I keep a text document with the supplies that notes where certain tools and clothing can be found in the garage and the house.

Some of these supplies can be stored indefinitely (toilet paper, deodorant, toothbrush, etc.), while others should be used and replaced every 6-12 months. At the bottom of the above plan, there is a handy chart noting the typical shelf-life of your supplies. I have another handy word document that lists when I need to replace food items in my supply cupboard. I also label each box or can with the month and year that it was purchased.

Along with your ‘shopping list,’ there is a short ‘to do’ list for each week. This has suggestions
such as “Have a fire drill at home” and “Make photocopies of important papers and store safely.” There are also reminders such as checking and changing smoke alarm batteries.

In our emergency supply bin (e.s.b. as I like to call it), we have also placed copies of the kids’ immunization records and birth certificates and a list of phone numbers, out-of-state contacts, pet information, and some financial numbers (phone number of credit card companies, bank phone number, etc.) These documents are handy and could easily be tossed in the car if the emergency was such that we needed to leave the house and property immediately. The e.s.b. is on wheels and could (probably in a burst of adrenaline) be lifted into the trunk of the car.

I rest a little easier at night, knowing that our family has taken steps toward emergency preparedness.

We buy almost all our meat in bulk. 6 pounds of ground beef, 10 pounds of chicken breasts, tilapia (fish) fillets, pork tenderloin, pork chops, ground turkey, spiral sliced ham, bacon, salami, and lunch meat are the most common purchases (not all at once of course!). All of these items, when brought home, are repackaged into smaller components and stored away in the freezer. I love having certain meats on hand – particularly ground turkey or beef and chicken breasts. When I get ready to prepare dinner, I can pop out to the garage and take out one pound of ground beef for the spaghetti sauce or two chicken breasts for the grill. The key is having a defrost setting on your microwave or planning tomorrow”s dinner today so that you can begin your meat defrosting in the fridge. *Remember to defrost meats in the fridge, not on the counter!

Other food items that are easy to purchase in bulk and have on hand: tortillas, bagels, english muffins (repackage all of these bread products into smaller units and store in your freezer), soda, pasta, canned fruits and vegetables, some common spices (I only buy my frequently used cinnamon and vanilla in bulk), cold cereal, instant oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, pasta sauce, chicken broth, and sliced, shredded or string cheese (as with other perishable items, repackage these into smaller parts and freeze). I am an avid baker and I go through quite a bit of flour, so I buy 25 pounds of flour at a time. I divide it into gallon ziploc bags and store it in the freezer as well. Other frozen items, such as instant waffles can usually be found in bulk.

I only buy perishable items like milk, eggs, fresh vegetables and fresh fruits if I know that I am going to use them in the immediate future. Personally, I don’t usually purchase those items at the bulk store. Also, keep in mind that a giant bag of chips might look delicious, but do you really want to be eating the same thing for seven nights in a row? Giant bags of chips, once opened, go stale at the same rate as regular sized bags. Because you are buying in bulk, be sure that what you are buying is something that you do enjoy eating. Some bulk stores, like Costco, often have tasting stations where you can try out what you might buy.

Because I repackage so many things into smaller parts, I use Ziploc bags like crazy. So, to begin my list of household items to buy in bulk: Gallon, Quart and Sandwich sized Ziploc bags. Other household items: toilet paper, paper towels, paper goods (if you use them, like plates, napkins, etc.), cleaning supplies (such as lysol spray, lysol wipes, swiffer refills, etc.), sanitary supplies, garbage bags, Advil or other frequently used medications (Tylenol, Claritin), and vitamins. We also buy shaving cream, toothpaste, bar soap and lotion in bulk if they carry our brand. When the kids were babies, we purchased formula in bulk. Diapers and wipes are available at most of the bulk stores as well.

Remember to go shopping (any shopping – not just bulk) armed with a list and a full belly. It is far easier to stick to your list when you are not hungry. If you”re taking the kids, go at a time when they are most likely to be cheerful. The great thing about buying in bulk is that you won”t have to make those twice-weekly trips to the store. You can go once a week or maybe less!

I am a huge fan of Costco, so that is where we buy (and save) on most of these items. We use an American Express card so we do get cash back at the end of every year, based on our purchases. Other things we save on at Costco that are not listed above are tires, printer ink. Check for when these items go on sale, or have rebates or coupons attached.