It has been really apparent in recent months that the cost of living has gone up exponentially.  With the cost of petrol/gasoline and heating fuel, and groceries, it is getting harder and harder to make our hard earned cash stretch to meet our needs.

There are certain costs that a person has no control over. I have read of people, especially those on fixed incomes, having to make some very difficult choices, such as heating their homes or eating.

One way a person can always save money is on their food budget.  This is something which is well within our control and something we can play with a bit. A small change here and a small change there can add up to big savings overall.    Today I am sharing my sure fire hints and tips for making my food budget go further.  

It may be things you already know how to do, but it never hurts to be reminded.  

1. Take an inventory of what you already have in your cupboards and refrigerator/freezer.  Write it down and keep it in a place that you can refer to before you go shopping. Determine to use what you have rather than go out and buy new.

2. Read the flyers and make up menus for your weekly meals.  Make a list of the things you need and buy only what is on the list. Try not to be tempted by two for one and other "false" deals. These deals are a false economy and are engineered to make money for the grocery shops and not you.   What is the point of saving 50 cents on something if you are going to pay more to buy two of them, and then one goes to waste before you can use it up anyways?  The only time these things are really bargains is if they are things you use often anyways and you know you will easily use them before the use by/sell by dates.  Remember, its not a bargain if it is going to end up in the tip.

3. Never shop when you are hungry.  Make sure you are well fed before you go. It is a well known fact that if you try to shop on an empty tummy you are more prone to impulse buying. 

4. Leave the husband and the children at home. It is too easy to give in to the demands of others.

5. Choose the time of day you go shopping carefully.  Early in the morning or late in the day are the best times.  I find that if I go first thing in the morning quite often I can take advantage of the shops Use today and get 30% off deals on fresh ingredients, like meat, that is right on it's sell by date.  

There is nothing wrong with this food. You can often wrap it up and pop it into the freezer when you get home, ready to use at a later date. Today, for instance, I bought a pound of bacon that was already on offer, but because this was its sell by date I got it for a cheaper price and then a further 30 % off of that.  Normally  it sells for $7.99 but was on offer for $5.99 and I got another $1.80 off. You often see meat reduced in this way.  You want to snap it up.

The end of the day is when baked goods like breads are marked down for a quick sale.  This is also when items that are near their sell by date are marked down. You can often snag a bargain. These can often be wrapped tightly, frozen and then refreshed in a low oven when you want to use them.

6.  Whenever possible buy store brand/own brand items. Quite often these are produced by the same companies that produce the more expensive brands.  Same product, different label. Remember the most expensive brands/products are usually placed at eye level, so that way we see them first and are more likely to pick them up.  I only pop for brand names when the article I am using is the main ingredient in something and the quality is more apt to show.

7.  Read the labels.  Grocery shops always place the freshest goods, or goods with the longest sell by date at the back, with the shortest sell by date at the front. Yes, I am one of those cheeky people who reach to the back and get the freshest goods, even cans, as I possible can. This is true for cheese, sliced meats, etc. I don't consider it cheating. It is my right to be able to purchase the freshest foods possible. Make sure you have given yourself enough time to use the article before the use by date as well.

8.  Read the flyers before you shop and take advantage of  the weekly bargains and offers. Try to plan your menus around the specials, and for use of leftovers.  Also, use coupons if possible. If a store has a loyalty card which allows you to save up points that you can use to reduce your grocery bill at a future date, use it. I like to save up my loyalty points until Christmas and then I use them when I know I am going to need to spend a bit more than I do on my weekly shop.

9.  Prepare as much food as you can from scratch, avoiding prepped and convenience foods as much as possible.  The more your food has been handled, the more money you are going to have to pay for it.  When whole chickens are on offer, buy several and cut them into smaller pieces at home. Wrap the pieces tightly and freeze, breasts with breasts, legs with legs, etc.  Don't throw away the backs either.  These are great for making stocks. 

I have noticed that premixed salads, fruit platters, etc. have gone up on average $2 per platter/salad. That might not seem like a lot, but it all adds up.

10. Eat seasonally and locally. Not only is this better for the environment, but it is cheaper as well.  Take advantage of You Pick farms during the growing season and pick your own fruits and vegetables, freezing and canning what you can for the future.  Not only is eating seasonally cheaper overall, but your carbon footprint is reduced and the stuff just tastes better!

11.  Pasta, rice and potatoes are great meal extenders. Hard cheese if you are watching the carbs, but if you have a growing family, they are great ingredients to use that will help fill up the family and stretch your more expensive ingredients such as meats and cheeses.

These are only a few of the things you can do, but I guarantee that even if you implement only a few of them you will see a difference over all.  One thing I have always done is to make great use of things like a roasting chicken or a roast of beef, etc. I learned that from my mother.  

The cost of a good, nice sized, roasting chicken might seem overly high to begin with, but when you consider that you can often get at least three or four meals from it, it becomes quite an economical expense. 

Cooking something like GRANDMOTHER'S ROAST CHICKEN & GRAVY on the first day means that you have a lovely roast dinner for the family. With careful planning, you can feed the family a tasty dinner, using just half the chicken, along with a variety of tasty vegetables on the side.  

I would normally cook some roasted potatoes, carrots, peas and maybe even some swede (rutabaga) to enjoy with this and sometimes even a good homemade stuffing such as my recipe for MARY BERRY'S SAGE and ONION STUFFING.

Plenty of sides mean that the family will not be filling up on the meat. Make sure you cook plenty of vegetables, as well as extra gravy.  That way the next day you can make the family a nice Chicken Pot Pie to take advantage of the extras. Just chop everything up, including the potatoes, mix it into the gravy and pop it into a casserole dish popping a pastry crust on top, or even a scone/biscuit topping. I guarantee nobody will be complaining.

Hot chicken sandwiches (sliced chicken in gravy ladled over slices of bread) are also very nice, served with a vegetable and oven chips.

You could also use some of the leftover chicken to make your family some really delicious FRUITY CHICKEN SALAD  ready to pop into sandwiches, or to serve on its own on a bed of lettuce. I would make a nice potato salad to serve along side and maybe even some coleslaw. 

And then you can make a delicious soup for the family with the carcass and what meat is left on the bones.  CHICKEN AND STARS SOUP is a real favorite of mine. You don't need to use star shaped pasta if you don't have it, or even pasta. Just use any noodle or even rice. I promise you it will be delicious. Add a few homemade STIR AND ROLL BISCUITS and your family will be a nice group of very happy campers!

In any case, I hope I have given you some food for thought here this morning. Every little helps as they say!  If you are looking for additional ideas for how to use up your leftovers do check out this post I did on DELICIOUS LEFTOVERS.  There is no waste in my house if I can help it!

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

One thing I love about the warmer months is Salads!  We are no longer craving the hearty sustenance that we craved all winter but are longing for lighter, fresher flavors and ways to really incorporate as much of the fresh produce available at this time of year as we can! 

I am a person who enjoys salads any time of year, but in the summer months we can get a bit more inventive with them, and pasta salads are a wonderful way to do that. A tiny bit heartier than a bit of lettuce and cucumber they go really well with all of our BBQ's, Picnics, Pot Lucks and outdoor eating!

Today I am sharing some of my absolute favorite pasta salads, each one designed to bring some flavor and flair to all of your warm weather meals! Quick, easy and yes, delicious!

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to read all of my hints and tips for making this the best pasta salad season ever!

TURKEY, SOUR CHERRY, & ALMOND PASTA SALAD - This is a lovely main dish salad. I like to use farfalle (bowtie)pasta for this, whole wheat if I can get it It has  the perfect shape to use in a pasta salad. Nice and open, but with a few little pleats to hold in the dressing.  

And the dressing for this salad is delicious.  A homemade poppy seed dressing that is lovely and tangy from fresh lemon juice, with a bit of punch from Dijon mustard and sweetness from creamy honey. 

The salad itself boasts the inclusion of cubed cooked turkey breast.  You could also use chicken if you don't have any turkey.  Also in the mix are dried sour cherries for a bit of sweet tartness, sharp red onions, crunchy celery and salted almonds . . .  and creamy tangy Gorgonzola cheese.

ITALIAN PASTA SALAD - This fabulous salad is a small batch salad designed to feed only two people, but can be very easily multiplied to feed more!  Italian Pasta Salad is actually a pretty versatile salad. Basically you can add any Italian style ingredients you wish.  I used a hard Italian Salami in this version, but you could also use bite sized bits of pepperoni!

Bocconcini,  fresh peppers, basil, parsley, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, artichokes, salami and a punchy Italian dressing complete the picture. You will want to use a nice corkscrew type of pasta that helps to hug in all of that tasty dressing! 

BACON & TOMATO PASTA SALAD  -  All the flavors of your favorite toasted sandwich in a delicious salad!  With fresh cherry tomatoes, crisp bacon, spring onions and celery.

Mix that with some fusilli and a punchy creamy dressing and you have a salad combination that goes with just about anything! 

GREEK PASTA SALAD - This delicious salad embodies all of the elements of a good Greek Salad with fresh crisp cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, red onions, kalamata olives, plenty of parsley and a delicious red wine herbed dressing.  

Oh, and pasta twists, which while not exactly traditional, make this a fabulously tasty and hearty salad! Don't have pasta twists?  Use any other pasta that will work to hug all of that fabulous red wine herby dressing and hold it close!! 

I love to use Farfalle for this one. Add some cubed cooked meat or cheese and you can easily turn this fabulous salad into a delicious main dish salad!

 

PASTA SALAD WITH ROASTED ASPARAGUS & TOMATOES - This is a beautiful salad which I like to make each year which showcases this lovely vegetable beautifully.   I quite simply adore roasted asparagus, and it shines in this simple and quick salad, which also contains roasted cherry tomatoes, and al dente farfalle pasta.  

I make a simple dressing for it by mixing some lemon mayonnaise, ranch dressing and a bit of  fresh basil pesto.  Tossed together and garnished with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese you would be hard pressed to find a tastier salad! 

CREAMY MACARONI SALAD - this simple salad which dresses up well with a bit of crunch and colour, which you get from the liberal use of fresh vegetables here . . . celery, carrots, radishes, onion and peppers . . . 

The dressing for this tasty salad is not overly mayonnaise-y . . . it's lightened a bit with the use of salad cream, and some fresh and tangy lemon juice, with just a hint of sugar to counteract the tartness of the lemon so that it doesn't smack you in the face and make your jaws ache. 

 

BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA SALAD - This really is an excellent chicken salad.   It does pack a bit of a punch.  I only add the smaller amount of hot pepper sauce.  (I used Chiloula)  It is plenty hot with that, but if you are a lover of really hot and spicy, do add more!

In addition there is plenty of crunch from the use of celery & carrot and some sharpness from chopped spring onions. An added creaminess comes from a hint of blue cheese. This is a great way to showcase leftover cooked chicken in a most delicious way! 

 

PASTA SALAD PRIMAVERA - An old weight watchers favorite salad with plenty of fresh vegetables . . .  cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and red onions  . . . chopped fresh basil.  

There are as many vegetables in this tasty salad as there is pasta but you won't miss it. Its fabulously tasty with a beautiful punchy homemade Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese!

MACARONI COLESLAW - A delicious mash-up of two summer classics, this Macaroni Coleslaw is loaded with plenty of texture and great flavors!

Not to mention crunch!  I do love crunch in a salad, don't you?  I also love color!  This tasty combination can be as colorful as you like, depending on the coleslaw mix that you use.  

FIVE RULES TO FOLLOW WHEN MAKING PASTA SALADS

1. Always make sure to use the right type of pasta shape for your particular salad. This depends on the dressing you are using. A vinaigrette dressing is suited to almost any shape, but if you are using a creamy dressing you will want to use a pasta which will hug onto and hold the dressing. 

2. Take care not to over cook the pasta, or under cook the pasta.  Remember your pasta will absorb some of the dressing and soften a bit upon standing, so you want your pasta to be cooked just to al dente.  Crunchy under-cooked pasta is never good any time.  Follow the  directions included on your package of pasta to get it right! 

3. Make sure you season your pasta right, which means cooking it in salted boiling water, and then tasting it when its done. If you think it needs a bit more salt or pepper then add it. Just be careful not to add too much. You cannot remove what is already done.

4. Unless otherwise directed do not dress your pasta salads while the pasta is still warm.  Warm pasta will soak up all of your dressing and leave you with a dry pasta salad. You can add half of the dressing while it is still warm, but hold off on adding the remainder until the salad is completely cold.

5.  Take care not to make your salad too far in advance or you will end up with a bowl of soggy pasta. Making it on the day you are actually going to serve it is a great rule of thumb to follow.

If you follow these five rules there is no reason why your pasta salads can not all be delicious and popular at any gathering!

One final rule, less is more!  Don't be tempted to go overboard with either the dressing or the add ins!

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

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