How to make your own convenience foods

Updated: September 23, 2019 Lisa Leake 50 Comments

Some people call it freezer cooking, some call it batch cooking. I call it making your own convenience food! Let’s face it, it IS convenient to pull out a pre-made frozen pizza and pop it into the oven for dinner. Now is it healthy for you? Not so much. But with a little upfront work you can have the best of both worlds!

According to the interwebs this is how convenience food is defined…

con·ven·ience food
noun
a food, typically a complete meal, that has been pre-prepared commercially and so requires little cooking by the consumer.

If we allow food companies to do the preparing for us they’re going to use unwanted additives and other highly processed ingredients we would not cook with at home. Not to mention they’ll likely add way too much salt, sugar and fat as well. So today I want to share some ideas on how to easily eliminate the commercial aspect of all this so you can still have the convenience!

How to Make & Freeze Your Own Homemade Convenience Food

Step 1: Prepare It.

Either double a recipe you’re making for breakfast or dinner (soups, waffles, chicken, etc.) or multi-task by cooking an extra recipe when you’re already in the kitchen preparing a meal. For example, start a batch (or better yet, a double batch) of muffins for the freezer while you’re making or cleaning up after dinner.

Step 2: Freeze It.

• Soups:Chili, Stews and a Variety of Soups
  Freeze the finished dish in individual portions using small jelly jars*, small Tupperware containers, or even freezer-safe bags (once the food has cooled). Larger portions could also be frozen in larger containers, but it will take longer to defrost, and you’ll need to eat it all within a few days. *Note: If using glass jars leave room at the top for the soup to expand!
  –
• Breads:Waffles, Pancakes, Sandwich Bread and Muffins
  Either freeze in one layer on a baking sheet and then transfer to a freezer-safe bag/container or freeze right in a bag/container by separating the layers of food with pieces of wax paper to prevent sticking. With certain foods (like muffins and scones) I find that I don’t even need the wax paper, but it is helpful when it comes to waffles and pancakes.
  –
• Sauces:Spaghetti, Applesauce, Pesto and More
  Freeze in small jars or bags (similar to the soups above) or in ice cube trays, then transfer frozen cubes to a bigger bag. This helps if you want to defrost small portions at a time, and usually with sauces like pesto a little bit goes a long way!
  –
• Cooked Meats:Whole Chicken, Pulled Pork and Ground Beef
  Freeze either plain cooked meat that you can season when defrosted or freeze it already seasoned in a large freezer-safe bag/container. Freezing something like plain cooked ground beef would give you a lot of options when it comes time to defrost.
  –
• Other Meals:Casseroles, Refried Beans, Etc.
  For large casseroles (such as lasagna or enchiladas, before baking) I prepare and freeze them in disposable baking pans with a lid so I don’t tie up my regular baking dishes. I freeze refried beans the same way I freeze soups (in small jelly jars with room at the top to expand).

Some General Freezing Tips:
– Air is the enemy! Especially when using bags try to squeeze out as much of the air as possible.
– When freezing soups and other “liquidy” things in freezer bags it’s helpful to lay them flat on a baking tray during freezing so they don’t take up as much room and are easier to store once frozen.
– *Since it’s important I want to repeat that when freezing in jars, they must be labeled as freezer-safe (i.e. no shoulders) and you MUST leave room at the top for the liquid to expand (otherwise it could crack)! We fill to the line at the top in these jelly jars.

Step 3: Label it!

I cannot stress enough the importance of clearly labeling (with a description AND date) every single item in your freezer. You can write directly on disposable bags with a sharpie, or for jars I love to use the labels that dissolve in the dishwasher so I’m not stuck scrubbing them off.

Food Storage Guide

The government’s food safety website is a good resource when it comes to understanding safe food storage. Here are some general guidelines when considering the items above:

Storage Times for Freezer

• Cooked Meats: Up to 6 months
• Prepared Soups, Sauces and Casseroles: 3 to 4 months
• Bread Items: 3 to 4 months

These are the ideal timeframes – I’ve definitely had soups and breads in my freezer for even longer. When it comes time to defrost it’s best to pull the item out the night before and let it defrost overnight in the fridge. Otherwise you could always put it in the microwave on half power to help things along.

Please share your freezer tips in the comments below!

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As a stay-at-home mama to a highly active 2 year-old daughter, and our “coming into his own” and very mobile 9 month-old son, Jonathan, I know how tempting it can be to reach for the convenience foods while grocery shopping. However, I’ve found that with a little planning I can make many convenience foods from scratch at home. We’ve found this to be a great way to streamline our time in the kitchen.

One of our favorite quick fix breakfast recipes is this Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancake Mix. The flavor of these pancakes is delicious, but I think my favorite part is that one large batch of the mix lasts our family about a month. Once the mix is complete it takes very little time to make pancakes for breakfast from scratch.

A jar of this pancake mix also makes a great housewarming, new baby, or holiday gift.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancake Mix Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar or other dry sweetener
• 1 cup instant dry nonfat milk
• 3 Tablespoons baking powder
• 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
• 5 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancakes

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 2 cups of Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancake Mix recipe above
• 1 cup water
• Optional: one mashed banana or fruit of your choice

Instructions

To make pancake mix

To make pancakes

Notes

If you would prefer, I believe that you could probably leave out the powdered milk in making the mix, and instead substitute 1 cup of milk for the cup of water when mixing it up in the morning. Another option might be to use 1 cup of buttermilk, kefir or watered down yogurt instead, but add it the night before in order to soak the flour. I haven’t tried this myself, but I don’t think it would be difficult to play around and find a way to make it work!

Here are a few other ideas for streamlining your time in the kitchen.

– Freeze cooked portions of meat for adding to tacos, pizza, pasta sauce, and soups.
– Chop and freeze raw onions and peppers for tacos and fajitas.
– Freeze cooked portions of brown rice for tacos, stir-fry, and soups.
– Cook and freeze beans for tacos, beans and rice, brownies and more.
– Freeze fresh fruit like strawberries and banana slices for baking and smoothies.
– Make your own cake mixes.

How do you save time in the kitchen while still cooking from scratch?

Allyson is the happy wife of TimВ and stay-at-home mama to Emahry (2 years) and Jonathan (9 months). She and her husband strive to bring glory to God as they live, love, and learn together. Allyson regularly blogs about family, faith, frugality, and her journey as a wife and mom at A Heart for Home.

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This is the last in a four-part series on Feeding Babies Frugally.

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Feeding Babies Frugally Series:

Part IV: Make Your Own Convenience Foods for Your Baby

Parents these days are busier than ever, and the labels on those costly jars and boxes of baby food promise wonderful things. However, babies don’t eat a lot and for a few minutes in the kitchen, you can provide your baby with fresh, “whole,” and inexpensive foods. Gradually more of baby’s food will be cooked with your own. Save even more time by letting your baby eat by herself while you are in the room.

As your baby grows the expense of purchased foods will grow too. Exposing your baby to your taste in food, and developing smart cooking techniques, are long-term investments.

My guiding principle is that babies, by the time they are six or seven months old, can eat just about anything adults can. There are some restrictions, especially if there are allergies in the family, but the risk is relatively small and you should use your own judgment.

Before giving finger foods, baby should be used to swallowing textured foods from a spoon. Strap baby in the chair and always stay nearby. Babies don’t make noise when they are choking.

Here are some easy foods I served my babies when they were small:

• Bananas. They are ready to eat when brown spots appear on the peel and after. Mash with a fork and feed with a spoon at first. After a week or two give the baby pieces big enough to pick up with his fingers. At a lecture on childhood safety I heard a recommendation to slice through the banana lengthwise. Babies love very ripe bananas, but if you have too many you can keep them in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Sweet potatoes. I prefer to pierce them and cook them in the microwave as they hold their shape better than when cooked in a pot. Scrub well, poke with a fork, and set on high for 3-8 minutes depending on size. Check after half the time and turn over if necessary. You can bake or cook them too. I used to cut them in half and bring them to the park, feeding the baby with a spoon while the older kids played. At home you can cut them in cubes.
• Frozen peas. Babies love to pick these up with their fingers. There’s no need to heat them up, just let them defrost slightly on the counter.
• Oatmeal. One of the most nutritious foods out there. Cook whole oatmeal with water in the microwave, leaving it very thick so baby can pick it up with his fingers. Give him a spoon too, although in the beginning he will use his fingers. Be prepared to give baby a bath but he will soon get the hang of things.
• Soups. When making soup, leave meat and vegetables in chunks for finger food. Feed the broth to baby with a spoon or put a very small amount in a bowl for baby to eat with a spoon or his fingers. Or give him a small amount in a cup with or without a straw. Or soak a slice of bread partially into the broth and let him eat it that way.
• Beans and legumes. Babies love cooked dried beans, but some canned varieties are loaded with salt. Make a large batch and freeze in small portions, or flatten them out in a zippered plastic bag so you can break off as much as you need.
• Fruits. Melons, avocados, pears, peaches, plums, apricots can all be peeled and cut into chunks. Grate apples or cook slices in the microwave for thirty seconds. Older babies can handle a raw slice of apple. Many recommend 12 months as a starting age for tropical and citrus fruits because of allergies.
• Crackers, breads and spreads. Purchased bread and crackers, including from the bakery, often contain trans-fats, preservatives, and sugar. Choose carefully or make your own. Spread with raw tahini (sesame paste), chumus (chickpea spread), bean dip, or ripe avocado. I used to use raw peanut butter but that is no longer recommended for babies at least in the US. If you are avoiding citrus because of allergy concerns, keep in mind that some spreads like chumus contain lemon juice.
• Vegetables. Serve whatever you are cooking for the family, just avoid allergens and add salt later. Cooked vegetables for baby could include potatoes, carrots, zucchini, leafy greens, broccoli, peas, onions, garlic, squash, beans, beets, turnips, and more. Some recommend waiting longer with tomatoes.
• Spices. Don’t be afraid to give babies spicy or strongly seasoned foods. Breastfed babies are already used to the mother’s taste in food. Do keep track, though, in case the baby develops an allergy.
• Meat. Meats are high in iron and calories and suitable for an early solid food. Scrape beef so that the baby won’t get the tough fibers. Soft chunks of chicken don’t need special treatment.
• Drinks. Give baby a small amount of water in a cup. A sippy cup delays the day when the baby will drink from a regular cup. Babies don’t need juice. Even natural juice fills up their stomach and leaves less room for real food.

Serving:

One thing that makes food convenient is packaging. So collect baby-food jars from friends, or buy small plastic containers for when you are on the go. They will need to be refrigerated or kept cold with ice, but that’s because they have no chemical preservatives.

Once you decide not to rely on processed baby foods you will find techniques that work for you.

Conclusion

Serving home-made food to your baby is the best way to get her used to the family’s menu, and to get yourself used to cooking for a family instead of just adults. As your family grows you will gradually increase the quantities, techniques, recipes and cooking equipment. If you are used to feeding your children different foods from what you eat the switch will be harder and you may find yourself cooking separate meals until your children are 18.

Several of my children have various degrees of food aversion, and one is especially particular. Some of it is just who he is, but I also believe it was my attitude had an impact.

Questions, comments and suggestions are welcome.

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Every thing about Advantages and Disadvantages of Convenience Foods | Vahrehvah :

Convenient foods have become widely popular especially among working class people, teenage children, people living in hostels, bachelors, sharing rooms etc. Convenience foods are used to shorten the time of meal preparation at home. Some convenient foods can be eaten immediately or after adding some water, heating or thawing.

Some popular, easy to prepare convenient foods are: Masala Oats, Corn flakes, canned soup, frozen foods (sausages, ham, bacon etc), bread etc. Other convenience foods are cake mixes, spice mix powder, sauces etc that are pre-cooked and sold. Most of the convenience foods takes hardly less than 5 minutes to cook the food. They are often prepared or packaged before being consumed and can be used at any time, quickly and easily by thawing or heating the food.

It is a fact that convenient foods are designed to be cheap, tasty and non-perishable but the ingredients added into these packaged products contain added sugars and fats. Trans-fat is typically used as they don’t spoil the food and corn syrup is a cheap way to make the product sweet. Salt can also add awesome flavor very inexpensively to the food. Most of the convenience foods have become very popular because they can be served as a quickie snack or meal.

Convenience foods may offer some fantastic such as less time spent in the kitchen or planning meals, less preparation time, fewer leftovers and easy cleaning up.

Here let’s check on some of the advantages and disadvantages of convenience foods:

Advantages of Convenience foods:

• Preparation time is reduced to a great extent.
• No storing, buying or planning of ingredients.
• Can hardly get any leftovers.
• Could have a variety of items especially for inexperienced cooks.
• Faster presentation and easy cleaning up.
• Less spoilage and waste occur with packaged convenience foods.
• Transportation of packaged foods is cheaper especially in concentrated form.
• Cost efficient for mass production and distribution.
• Ready to eat cereal and instant breakfast difficult to prepare at home because of its expensive product technology used in preparation.

Disadvantages of Convenience foods:

• May be less meat, fish, or cheese than you would include in homemade versions.
• Cooking time is sometimes increased for thawing or longer baking time.
• Harder to control fat, salt and sugar levels.
• Cost per serving may be higher than homemade.
• Convenience foods are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, salt, and trans-fats.
• They tend to lack freshness in fruits and vegetables.

Do look out for best options and enjoy cooking and eating healthy and hygienic homemade foods. Take care of your body and look for a healthier future ahead. Apart from developing healthy eating habits, you should also understand that working on any type of physical activity or regular exercising will keep you fit and strong.

If you wish to look out for many more yummy, appetizing and exotic recipes, feel free to click at:

You could always reach me at my below links:

Enjoy Cooking and always remember that: “VahrehVah is all about inspiring others to cook”!

Photo by D. Sharon Pruitt

I have to admit, we’ve microwaved our share of store-bought frozen pancakes in this household. These days I’m trying to prepare more wholesome food using organic ingredients, though, so I tend to cook more from scratch. Still, some mornings I’ve wistfully thought that it would be really nice to have a stash of pancakes in the freezer that we could heat up quickly. So when I made pancakes a couple of Sundays ago, I doubled the recipe and froze some of the extras. Once I figured out the reheating technique, the pancakes came out of the microwave warm and tender. My son is in pancake nirvana now that he can have flapjacks for breakfast whenever he likes. Here’s the recipe:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (preferably organic and unbleached)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil + a little extra for the griddle

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt and whisk to combine. In another bowl, combine the milk, egg and oil. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Brush the griddle with a little of the oil (just enough to barely coat it) and heat on medium-high. When the griddle is hot, pour about 1/4 cup of batter to make pancakes. When the bubbles on top begin to burst and the undersides begin to brown, turn quickly with a spatula and finish cooking.

Just like my mama taught me, I put a folded kitchen towel on an ovenproof dish in the oven (set on 150 degrees F or ‘warm’) and slip the pancakes in the folds of the towel to keep them warm until serving time.

This recipe makes about 10 5-inch pancakes, and you can double it if you want to make extra pancakes for freezing.

To freeze, cool the pancakes completely and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Cover and freeze for at least three hours. Wrap in waxed paper or parchment paper and seal tightly in a bag or container in the freezer.

• To reheat using the toaster, slide the lever to the lightest setting (the one you never use). Pop the pancakes in the slots and toast on one or two cycles until warm.
• To reheat using the microwave, arrange two pancakes in a stack on a microwave-safe plate. Heat on ‘High’ for 70 seconds. Check the temperature; you may need to heat them for a few more seconds, but don’t overcook them or they’ll get tough.
• You can also reheat the pancakes in a 375 degree F oven. Arrange the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and cover tightly with foil, which will keep them from drying out. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes.

P.S. What other convenience foods do you wish you could make from scratch? I’d love to hear your ideas.

About Eliza Cross

Eliza Cross is a full-time writer and the author of 15 books about food and home design. She has been blogging about simplicity and sustainable living since 2006.

Now that baby is here, I’ve begun to turn my attention toward getting the pregnancy weight off and feeding my family healthy foods. Katie from Kitchen Stewardship just released her book entitled Better than a Box to teach you how to make convenience foods from scratch and transform all your processed food based dishes into real food dishes!

Better than a Box is only $1.99 from now through Friday morning at 8 a.m. EST and only $.99 on Kindle!

Buy the pdf for $1.99 here!

Buy the Kindle version for $.99 here!

Reader Interactions

Comments

Wanted you all to know that if you buy the $1.99 PDF format you will also get the kindle and nook versions too.

Thank you for clarifying that!

Also wanted to tell you that if you buy it there is a code on the Thanks for Your Order page for half off all her other ebooks, the KS Super Bundle Pack, making 4 eBooks only $12.50 great price considering her book Healthy Snacks to Go sells on Amazon for $11.95 alone. Super deal, thanks for sharing Amy! I passed your link along to the food co-op I am a member of, hope you get lots of referrals.

Hope you are enjoying your new baby, I had to have a DNC because I had a blighted ovum, baby didn’t develop, maybe we will be expecting again soon though, God is good ALL THE TIME we will trust Him cause He is faithful!

I just wanted tto say thanks for your blog, since I am a busy mom of 7 I had to really cut back on blog reading and email subscriptions but not yours, we are so like minded in homeschooling philosophy etc so, I still read yours! Thanks for doing what God has called you to do. Not only ministering to your family but also to many mommies in cyber space!

Lori, I appreciate the extra information! Thank you so much! And I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I’ve been there and it was very hard. I’ll be praying.

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Making your own Quick Mix for recipes like pancakes, cinnamon rolls, waffles, etc is very easy. Here is our favorite “Almost Bisquick” copycat Bisquick recipe. Homemade quick-mix comes in handy for so many different recipes and it makes last-minute meal prep a breeze.

More Ideas You’ll Love

We use this mix in multiple “Impossible” recipes (whereby the mix does the seemingly impossible by creating its own crust, such as Impossible Pina Colada Pie, Asparagus Impossible Pie, and Cheeseburger Bacon Pie!

Copycat Bisquick Baking Mix Recipe

More Ideas You’ll Love

You’ll Need:
8 cups all purpose flour
4 Tbs. Sugar
4 Tbs. baking powder
4 teaspoons salt
1 cup shortening

Combine flour, baking powder, salt in a large bowl, blending well. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles fine crumbs and is completely incorporated. Store in an airtight container until needed.

More Ideas You’ll Love

Yield: Makes approximately 9 cups (About the Equivalent of a 40 oz Box)

To Make Biscuits-

Use 2 1/4 c. Mix
3/4 Cup of Milk

More Ideas You’ll Love

Mix until it forms a soft dough, roll it or pat it out on a Silpat or lightly floured surface, cut out with a floured biscuit cutter. If you’d rather make drop biscuits (which don’t require rolling/cutting) increase milk to 1 cup and drop large spoonfuls of dough onto a Silpat or non-stick baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes

To Make the BEST Pancakes:

1 c. Mix
3/4 c. Milk
1 Egg
2 Tbs Canola Oil

More Ideas You’ll Love

In a medium bowl combine the mix with milk, egg, and oil, mixing lightly until all the ingredients are combined, but don’t overmix as this can make the pancakes tough.
Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat, add a dollop of butter to the pan, once the butter is sizzling pour the batter onto the hot griddle. To ensure even pancakes pour the batter into one spot. Cook until bubbles form over the surface, flip once to brown the other side evenly.

More Ideas You’ll Love

Did you know? This is a 67% Savings over its store-bought counterpart? Check out the complete Recipe Calculation here

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September 24, 1981

• By Bryan Miller special to The Christian Science Monitor

There seems to be a growing dissatisfaction among many American cooks with convenience foods, especially when it comes to condiments, salad dressings, and some baked goods.

The reliance on convenience foods not only contributes to the debasement of our taste buds, but it also leads to sharply higher food bills.

For example, an eight-ounce bottle of a brand-name oil and vinegar dressing costs roughly 80 cents, about twice the cost of the product if you mix the vinegar and vegetable oil yourself.

Even if more expensive olive oil is used, the home version, which is 100 percent more flavorful, is far cheaper. The ingredients list on the commercial product shows that your extra money is not even getting you vegetable oil, but rather, partly hydrogenated soybean oil — and a lot of sugar to mask the poor flavor.

Convenience foods can be justified in many cases where making the product at home would be too time-consuming for someone on a busy schedule. Bouillon cubes , for instance, are a lifesaver for people who don’t have time to make stocks and soup bases.

Fewer jobs at City Hall – one way Flynn can begin to arrest the deficit

But for many products — salad dressing, mayonnaise, croutons, pancakes, French fries, muffins, simple cookies, and various sauces — the homemade version is so simple, relatively inexpensive, and good that it is hard to justify paying double for inferior quality.

Here are some recipes that are quick to make and do not require any special kitchen equipment beyond a blender or just a large wire whisk and a strong arm. Green Goddess Salad Dressing 3/4 cup mayonnaise (see recipe below) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 anchovy fillets, minced 1/4 cup minced chives or scallions 1/4 cup parsley, chopped 1/2 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 tablespoon tarragon Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. If kept covered and refrigerated, this dressing will last a week or more. Mayonnaise 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon mustard, such as Dijon 1/4 teaspoon salt Pinch of cayenne or white pepper 3/4 cup oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice or wine vinegar

In a bowl, whisk together egg yolk, mustard, and salt and pepper. While mixture thickens, slowly pour in oil. Continued to whisk vigorously or use an electric mixer.

When oil is blended in, slowly add lemon juice or vinegar; season to taste.

Note: To help prevent fresh mayonnaise from breaking up in the refrigerator, add several teaspoons of hot water at the very end, while whisking. It is best to blend olive oil with vegetable or peanut oil at a ratio of roughly 1 to 6. Too much olive oil may be overpowering in flavor. Quick Coffeecake 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder Pinch salt 3/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup melted butter 2 eggs 2/3 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. In mixing bowl, beat 2 eggs, gradually add sugar, then add melted butter. And dry ingredients alternately with milk. Add vanilla and pour into a well-greased 8-inch-square baking pan.

Cover with topping (see recipe below) and bake at 400 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Topping 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add four, crumbs, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until crumbly. Barbecue Sauce 1 tablespoon butter 1 medium onion, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder 1 12- to 14-ounce bottle commercial ketchup 1/2 cup vinegar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon allspice

In a saucepan, melt butter and add minced onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. add ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, cayenne and mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, and allspice.

Cook all ingredients over medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir frequently or until sauce is reduced by a third.

Note: If, sealed and refrigerated, this sauce will last for months.

I like to eat clean but I also like convenience. Anything you can find in the freezer section of the grocery store you can pretty much make at home. These are great to have on-hand.

THE FILLING: I made a 2 lb batch of taco meat with peppers and onions in it. I use my own taco seasoning, the packets are really not good for you and its not hard to replicate. Then I added 2 cans of organic refried beans and 4 cups of cheese (whatever, I love cheese). But you can make a filling anyway you want. Just make sure that it isn’t too liquidy or it will be messy to roll.

TORTILLAS: get the big burrito tortillas and steam them. I put them in a kitchen towel and set them over a pan of simmering water. In order to get the burritos to “seal” I make an edible glue of flour and water. Just mix some of each until its the consistency of glue.

I put a good cup in each burrito. It’s man size. Make sure to put it in the half closer to you for easier folding.

Brush the “glue” on the edges. You can’t really use too much.

Start rollin! After a couple you will get the hang of it.

Now you will want to freeze your burritos individually, spaced out more than the picture above. Overnight should be enough to keep them from sticking together in freezer bags.

Healthy, controlled ingredient, frozen burritos, ready to go in the oven or microwave. My favorite way to enjoy them is with canned enchilada sauce, just put a little in the bottom of a dish, add the burritos, pour the rest on top, sprinkle on some cheese and put in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour. Garnish with green onions!

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Convenience Foods: Not So Convenient for Your Health

By Emily Cardiff

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Convenience food, or processed food, is commercially prepared food created as an easy way to get and consume. Most convenience foods provide little to no nutritional value and have excessive amounts of sodium, sugar, and saturated fats. While everyone should avoid these types of foods, it is highly recommended for individuals with health conditions like heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes to avoid these foods altogether.

Processed foods are also loaded with preservatives (MSG for example), unnatural coloring, added flavoring, and other unappetizing substances. If consumed regularly over time, such foods can quickly begin to harm a person’s health, which can contribute to serious health issues, for example – obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and strokes.

The craving for processed food is more contributed to its added flavors and textures than the food itself. Convenience foods are developed with excessive amounts of salt and fats to give you a sensory overload to get you hooked, thus addicted to the need for its satisfying taste. However, since the taste for this type of added and unhealthy sodium is a learned habit, and if you want to “quit,” you can! It can take a few weeks to months to detox your taste buds, but it is better to do a gradual reduction in salt intake from processed foods. This way your taste buds can relearn the tastes of foods in their natural form at a more effective, slower pace.

The body’s ability to digest these foods can be difficult, as convenience food become modified when processed. Processed foods typically lack micronutrients which are required in trace amounts for the normal growth and development of living organisms, like our bodies. Micronutrients, more commonly known as vitamins and minerals, play an important role in your health by keeping your internal systems functioning properly. They include such vitamins and minerals as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, and B-vitamins, and minerals including magnesium, iodine, sodium, zinc, and copper.

Below is a list of popular convenience/processed foods:

• Packaged chips
• Canned vegetables
• Bread
• Commercialized fruit juices
• Salt, sugar, flour
• Frozen meals/pre-packaged foods
• Items from fast-food menus

Now, here is a list of healthy whole foods to replace some of these popular convenience food:

• Instead of packaged chips like potato chips, make your own chips or fries from whole organic russet potatoes or sweet potatoes at home. Simply thinly slice or wedge cut potatoes, add a little bit of olive oil, toss, and bake. Skip the ketchup for dunking and try one of these 6 Unique and Delicious Dips and Spreads instead. Do you have an awesome recipe for homemade potato fries? We would love for you to share it with us! You can submit your recipe, here.

• Buy fresh, seasonal produce instead of canned. Many canned veggies are high in added sodium, even when the label says “low sodium.” If you must buy canned, do get the low sodium ones and rinse the heck out it. First, drain the liquid from the can, then transfer the contents to a strainer for further rinsing under cold water.

• Use a juicer or squeeze your own fruit or vegetable juices! Doing this will not only provide your body with rich nutrients, but it will also give you a healthy boost of energy to go about your day. When juicing fresh fruits and vegetables, it is advised that you use organic whenever. From a thirst quenching green lemonade to a tastebud pleasing carrot cayenne elixir, here you will find Five Recipes to Help You Get Started with Fruit and Vegetable Juicing. What are your favorite vegetables or fruits to juice?

• Opening a pre-packaged frozen meal at home still makes it a processed meal. Many households these days are crunched for time and it seems as though cooking at home has been shoved to the sidelines. Instead of buying frozen meals, set aside some time on your weekends or available time to make healthy homemade meals to portion out into freezer containers for the entire week. Though it is frozen, you made it from scratch at home! Try out these plant-powered recipes, The World’s Healthiest Veggie Burger Patty, and Lentil Tacos/Burritos. Veggie patties and burritos are super simple to wrap and store in the freezer for an easy to warm up dinner later in the week.

What are some of the other benefits to making your own homemade convenience food mixes?

1. You will never have to worry about running out of a certain ingredient and not being able to continue making a special dish for a dinner party or gathering.

2. You can control the amount of un-necessary chemicals and additives that go into your food mixes, thus saving you from getting sick or ending up with un-expected medical expenses.

3. Buying things in bulk allows you to save even more money and when packaged properly, spices and other ingredients will remain fresh for much longer.

4. You can make as big a batch for your food mix as you would like.

5. You do not have to think about paying extra money just for a name brand.

What types of homemade convenience food mixes are ideal to make and store?

• Homemade pie seasoning mixes
• Poultry or pork seasoning mixes
• Rice seasoning mixes
• Baking mixes such as Bisquick
• Salad dressing mixes
• Croutons
• Stuffing mix
• Soup mixes
• Syrup
• Hot chocolate
• Tea mixes
• And even things like pop tarts

You have a wider variety of choices when you choose to save money, and whip up your own homemade convenience food mixes to serve to your family. If you are unsure of how to make your own food mixes, Susanne Myers who is known as the Hill Billy Housewife has come up with a great collection of recipes and will walk you through the steps of how to get started preparing your own homemade convenience food mixes and get you on the way to a healthier and more affordable living.

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Monday, July 26, 2010

Reining In The Grocery Budget (Part 2): Make Your Own Convenience Foods

First of all, let me just say that whoever said,”The lazy days of Summer”, was A BIG, FAT, STINKIN’ LAIR PANTS! Holy cow, summer break is going to KILL me! I cannot seem to be able to keep up with all the dear children’s scheduled (and unscheduled) activities, last minute picnics and Barbecues. Not to mention I am drowning in an endless sea of laundry, dirty dishes; and the house is so dirty I’m pretty sure the Health Department is going to send a Haz Mat team over any day now! Whew! I feel much better now that I got that off my chest.

During times like these I like to rely heavily on convenience items to make meal time easier, but they can be a budget breaker if you buy them prepackaged at the store. In my never ending quest for frugality I have discovered that you can make of these items yourself. The hardest part is setting aside time out of your busy schedule to prepare them. Setting aside a few hours in the evening or on the weekends is worth it, though.

I have a good friend who clued me in to making your own french toast sticks. She makes a loaf or two of bread (check bread outlet stores for stale bread, it makes the best french toast and it’s cheaper) into french toast, then slices them into four sections (horizontally) with a pizza cutter. She places them on wax paper lined cookies and freezes them. When frozen she stores them in gallon plastic freezer bags. To reheat just pop in the microwave for a minute. I like to save the plastic cups Crystal Light comes in to use as dipping cups (to keep my kids from using a ton of syrup). Double the recipe for a batch of waffles or pancakes, and freeze the extras the same way as the french toast. Pop in the toaster to reheat. It is also easy to make your own flavored cream cheese to spread on bagels or toast!

Making your own frozen burritos and bagel pizzas is fast and easy, too. To make burritos simply place a 1/3 cup of meat (or refried beans) down the center of a softened (microwave for 10 seconds) 12 in flour tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top fold the bottom end over the filling, fold in sides and roll up. Place seam side down on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet and freeze. Store in a gallon plastic freezer bag. Microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes to reheat.

When I find ground beef on sale I will buy a large amount. I will cook 5 or 10 pounds of it with onion and green peppers. Then I fill quart size plastic freezers bags (about 2 cups per bag) with the mixture and freeze it to use in soup, chili, spaghetti, or casserole. Sometimes I will add taco seasoning to some of it for variety. I do the same thing with chicken breasts ( I use bone in if I want to save the broth to make soup). When the chicken is done I shredded it and divide into freezer bags and freeze. We all know cooked chicken has endless possibilities!

Cutting up produce when you bring it home from the store is another way to save time later on.
Shred lettuce (store it in a gallon plastic freezer bag with two paper towels in the bottom. The paper towels wick the moisture away from the lettuce and keep it fresh for a week or longer.), chop or slice tomatoes, shred carrots and store in clear plastic containers in the fridge until you need them. Celery, onions, and peppers can be chopped and flash frozen (yes, you guessed it) on wax paper lined cookie sheets. Let the frozen cookie sheet sit on the counter for a few minutes before you try to remove the frozen veggies to make them easier to remove them. Store them in freezer bags. Melons can be peeled, cut up and stored in the fridge for up to a week. Apples can be sliced and stored in a plastic container in the fridge if you pour and can of Sprite or 7 Up over them (make sure they are completely submerged) for a day or two.

When I do have time to cook I double the recipe and put one in the freezer (uncooked) for later. Lasagna, soup, enchiladas, stuff shells, pulled pork, non cream based casseroles (sour cream and cream based sauces separate when they are frozen), stew, and spaghetti sauce all freeze well. If you are short of freezer space. Put entrees in gallon plastic freezer bags, and lay flat to freeze. Then you can stack them. Make sure what you write what the entree is and the date you put it in the freezer to save on surprises later!

You can even make your own seasoning, pancake, muffin, quick bread, and cake mixes. The are a ton of make your own mix cookbooks (and most can be found at your local library. They can also be purchased used on Amazon.com or thrift stores). A few of my favorites are:

• Make A Mix Cookery (by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, and Madeline Westover)
• More Make A Mix Cookery ( by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, and Madeline Westover)
• Food Storage For The Clueless (by Clark L. and Kathryn H. Kidd)
• Family Feasts For $75.00 A Week (by Mary Ostyn)

If you decide to make your own mixes. Buy the ingredients in the bulk section at the grocery store or at a bulk warehouse store to cut down on cost.

Alas, I hear the clamoring of hungry little (and not so little children)! They are telling my it is way past dinner time, and they will starve to death in the next five minutes if I don’t feed them right now, but I will be back soon with more budget saving ideas!

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Make your own beef gravy mix to have on hand for fast, easy, last minute preparation any time. This ready gravy mix needs only a bit of water to bring all the seasonings together in a rich, hearty gravy perfect for burgers, Salisbury steak, pot pies, mashed potatoes and more…

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Probably the most wonderful part of making homemade seasoning, sauce or gravy mixes is the ability to control the ingredients. If you happen to be following a lower sodium diet, simply choose a low sodium beef bouillon,

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Combine all the ingredients into a medium size bowl, mixing well to ensure the ingredients are completely blended. Divide the mix evenly into 4 small baggies (1/2 c. each) (or leave in a jar & label).

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You can use regular flour, but you will have to whisk really well to prevent any lumps in your gravy. If you use instant flour, you will have perfect gravy every time. Instant flour is a pregelatanized, low-protein flour that dissolves quickly and smoothly in liquids, regardless of temperature. Pregalatinization is simply a process in which the flour is heated with steam, then dried back out. The most common brand name of instant flour is Wondra .

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Attach Tag for Directions to Use:

Melt 2 T. Butter or margarine in a saucepan, add 1/2 c. gravy mix 1 cup Water, whisking over med heat. Heat until smooth & thick, whisking constantly (2-3 minutes).

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If you want a darker “brown” gravy, add 1 tsp of Kitchen Bouquet.

Free Printable Labels for Homemade Beef Gravy

Store bought dehydrated meals are an expensive and often overrated novelty. Dense, bland calories in fancy packages shouldn’t eat up the majority of your gear budget. Making your own dehydrated meals is not only hardcore, it’s easy, affordable and tasty. Dehydrated meals are also extremely light, something most hammockers appreciate. If you have special food allergies or dietary considerations, making your own dehydrated meals may be your only option.

Equipment

A dehydrator is the most obvious piece of equipment you’ll need for making your own dehydrated meals. Look for one that is expandable, comes with accessories and is capable of a wide variety of heat settings. Different foods dehydrate better at different temperatures. Adjustable temperatures will make your food dry faster and more completely. You will also want to invest in lots of heavy duty Ziploc bags and possibly a food vacuum sealer with corresponding bags for storage.

When considering your dehydrated meal ingredients, try and plan your meals out ahead of time. This will allow you to pinpoint common ingredients—like roasted turkey—and ultimately decide that they are impractical. To save time, look for foods that are already dried including ramen noodles, rice, barley, lentils and other grains. Some more nutrition focused stores have large areas of bulk of dried fruits and vegetables. Simply choose the dehydrated versions of your favorite foods and stock up.

The tried and true method of making your dehydrated meals is to assemble all the food in a Ziploc bag and simply add boiling water. In most cases, a ratio of approximately 2 to 1—cups of water to food–is appropriate. Keep in mind that it is easier to add water than to take away. Sometimes the addition of more hot water later in the cooking process will cook foods more consistently. Let the food sit in the water for about 20 minutes, just enough time to get all worked up assembling the tent. When the food is ready, eat directly out of the bag for a no mess, no cleanup one bag meal.

Putting together meal bags can get very involved. The dehydrating, sorting, mixing and labeling are time-consuming and quite boring. In light of this, you should aim to make meals as infrequently as possible, but make a lot when you do. The best way to store dehydrated meals long term is with a vacuum food sealer and a freezer. Meals will last up to a year stored this way and can go straight in your pack on your way to the park.

Making your own dehydrated meals is superior to store bought meals in every way but one: convenience. Home prepared meals are far more affordable, taste better and reflect your own distinct, possibly horrible taste in food. If you have constantly bemoaned the lack of a surf and turf dehydrated meal with dried anchovies and beef jerky, now you can make that dream come true.

Store bought

Ok, so not everyone has time or desire to make their own dehydrated foods. I know I’d rather go buy a pack of dehydrated strawberries than to go dry them out myself. For those who could care less about the benefits and process of eating your own kill, check out some of the best brands in dehydrated foods including Richmoore, who makes amazing freeze dried bananas, and Alpine Aire Foods, who make great Freeze Dried Beef Stroganoff.

Erin Huffstetler is a writer with experience writing about easy ways to save money at home.

Nazir Azhari Bin Mohd Anis / EyeEm / Getty Images

If you’re looking to brew up refreshing iced tea without making your kitchen hot or putting your health at risk with sun tea, give refrigerator tea a try. Refrigerator tea is the perfect alternative to sun tea and it is a great way to save money on drinks.

For just a dollar or two, you can make a pitcher of tea while you sleep. Make as much as you like in each batch and add fun flavors with ingredients you already have. This trick is an easy way to cold-brew tea. As the technique suggests, there is no heat used in this process so you will need to allow the tea to steep for eight to 10 hours for the best flavor.

Ingredients

You’ll just need six to eight tea bags and two quarts of cold distilled water. Use more or fewer tea bags depending on how strong you like your iced tea.

Preparation

Refrigerator iced tea is so simple to make. Fill a two-quart pitcher with the chilled distilled water and add the tea bags. Put the pitcher in the fridge and let the tea steep overnight. If you like sweet tea, add sugar just before you serve the tea.

Customize Your Refrigerator Tea

You don’t need fancy tea bags for refrigerator tea. The standard tea bags you would use for sun tea are perfect and inexpensive. You can enhance the flavor without spending much green. Here are some ideas:

• Toss in some mint with Earl Grey or a chamomile tea bag with a few regular (and cheap) tea bags.
• Cut herbs fresh from the garden or break into your dried herb stash and add them to a tea ball to enhance the flavor.

Serving Ideas

• Garnish with slices of citrus fruit, berries, fresh mint, or edible flowers.
• Sweeten your tea with or without flavor by using a homemade simple syrup instead of sugar. It’s cheap and easy to make yourself. Almost any flavor—mint, lavender, or lime, for example—can be added to the syrup.
• Arnold Palmer, anyone? Add a little flavor by mixing tea with lemonade or fruit juice for a nice change.
• Bring in a little sparkle by topping your tea off with club soda, ginger ale, or another light soda.
• Fill an ice cube tray with tea and freeze to create ice cubes that won’t water down your drink.
• Add fresh or dried herbs like rosemary or mint to the tea before freezing for a little extra flavor. Fresh berries work well, too.

What’s Wrong With Sun Tea

While sun tea has long been a favorite summer drink, there are concerns about brewing tea for a long time in the hot sun. The primary reason for concern is that the heat and rays from the sun can cause bacteria to grow in your tea. If you have ever noticed long strands in your sun tea, that’s bacteria.

This is particularly true if you are like many sun tea brewers and allow your tea to steep for many hours, three to four hours is the recommended maximum. Refrigerator tea might take a little longer to brew, but the results are the same. You can also feel good about serving this safe tea to your family and friends.

Eating out is easy, and it usually tastes delicious, but it’s expensive. Food takes up a large chunk of most people’s monthly budget, so breaking fast food and restaurant habits are some of the easiest ways to cut your overall spending. This can be an especially useful cost-cutting strategy for those who experience an unexpected pay cut or job loss.

Luckily, when it comes to food, it’s possible to cut back costs and still eat well. Let’s say your favorite fast food meal costs $8, and you only eat out for lunches during the workweek. That may seem reasonable, but the costs add up to $40 a week, or $160 every month. When you consider eating out more than five times per week, or eating out with children and other family members, the costs quickly multiply.

If you are spending a lot of money on eating out, you may be surprised at just how easily you can save by cutting back food costs. In addition to saving money, you may experience health benefits by avoiding fast food and eating healthier at home. The key is to have a plan in place. Here are some suggestions that can help you kick your fast food habit and save money in the process.

Plan Your Menu

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Planning is the most important step if you are trying to stop eating out. If you do not know what you are having for dinner that night, the temptation is much greater to simply stop at a restaurant on the way home. Menu planning also cuts down on the number of times you need to go to a grocery store during the week, saving you money at the grocery store and giving you more time to prepare food.

Plan your menu for the month and break it down by week for your grocery list. You can repeat your menu each month with minimum planning, but ensure you’ve worked in enough variety to avoid getting bored with the meals. If you plan carefully, you can plan to use similar ingredients in different meals each week, saving even more money.

Another option is to use a menu planning service. There are several reasonably priced options available online. You can also save even more money by couponing and planning your meals around the deals you find.

Food Prep Is Key

Hollie Fernando / Getty Images

Many people like the idea of eating at home, but they struggle to summon the energy to cook after coming home from a long day of work. Preparing the ingredients, reading the recipe, cooking, and cleaning can take a lot of time.

This is where the importance of food prep comes into play. When you do as much preparation as you can before work, or on the weekends, it becomes a lot easier to cook each night. Here are some food prep tips to save you time and money without sacrificing food quality:

• Use a crockpot or slow cooker while you are at work—when you come home, dinner will be waiting for you
• If you are planning to grill, put the meat in the refrigerator to marinate before you go to work
• If you are planning a casserole, you can set the ingredients together and pop them in the fridge the night before
• If you are planning meals that have similar ingredients, you may prep an additional meal or two at a time (for example, you could cook the beef for sloppy joes, enchiladas, and lasagna all at once, or grate enough cheese on Sunday to last through the week)
• If any of your meals can be frozen, you can cook them ahead of time and freeze them for later in the week

Take Advantage of Convenience Food

Erik Isakson / Getty Images

You can save money by not always cooking your food from scratch. Fresh foods are usually healthier, but convenience foods will save you time and money. Some typical convenience foods are grated cheese, frozen vegetables, and pre-cooked meat for recipes.

If you are cooking for just yourself, these options may be easier than preparing an individual meal each night. Perhaps it would be best to rely on these frozen foods as you start cooking from home. As you build better eating and cooking habits, you can wean off the convenience foods and replace them with fresh food.

Have a Back-Up Plan

Pavel Schlemmer / Getty Images

You may be determined to change your habits and cook for yourself every night, but even the most diligent home cooks get too tired to make a meal from time to time. Preparing for these nights will help you stay on track with your budget.

By keeping some ready-to-eat foods in the freezer or pantry, you’ve got a back-up plan for the nights you can’t muster up the energy to cook and clean. As you pick your back-up meals, emphasize foods that cook quickly and require little effort on your part. These may be frozen or bagged meals.

While it does require some effort, spaghetti and other pasta dishes can be easy to prepare, so they may work as a good back-up plan. Products like Hamburger Helper and boxed macaroni and cheese also make good fallback meals. Pre-cooked meats and deli meat can be added to simple ingredients for a quick snack or meal.

Avoid the Lunch Temptation

Joanna Gorzelinska / Getty Images

Many people struggle to avoid eating out for lunch during the workweek, even if they are committed to cooking dinner. This can be a tough hurdle to move past—it isn’t easy to cook in most workplaces—but there are several strategies to help make packing lunches easier:

• Pack your lunch the night before to save time in the mornings
• Make too much for dinner, then save the leftovers for lunch the next day
• Frozen dinners and soup are a good fallback for the days you didn’t have time to prep lunch
• Keep track of the days you don’t eat out for lunch, then add them up at the end of the month to calculate how much money you saved—seeing your savings could help motivate you to stick to your efforts

These convenience foods are easily made at home to save you time and unnecessary ingredients.

We may never all agree on just what “eating clean” really means, but if cleansing your diet means you think about your food, learn more about where it comes from and consider how healthy it is for you, that’s a good thing.

Start by eating wholesome fruits and vegetables, especially those that are in season. Choose whole grains and whole-grain products over refined ones. Try limiting (but not necessarily eliminating) saturated fats, sodium and added sugars in your cooking and in the prepared foods you choose.

For many of us, the easiest way to eat clean is to cook at home. While we don’t all have time to make everything we eat from scratch, it can be fun (and easy!) to try your hand at making a few of the convenient processed foods you’d usually buy.

What are processed foods? They often come in a box or a jar. They can be high in added sugars, low in fiber and whole grains, processed with sodium, high in fat or include trans fat and lots of saturated fat.

While snack foods, candy, cookies and crackers are certainly considered processed foods, “healthy” foods can fall into this category too. Here is a list of six common processed foods that you can easily make a healthier homemade version of:

1. Salad Dressing

Next time you grab a bottle of salad dressing off the shelf, read the ingredients. It may alarm you that something so simple has so many ingredients that you’ve probably never heard of. Some keep the dressing from spoiling on the shelf while others are used to improve texture. While these ingredients may be harmless, it’s easy to avoid them if you make your own dressing at home.

A simple dressing takes no more than 10 minutes to make and is as easy as whisking oil into vinegar and throwing in a few seasonings like garlic powder, Dijon mustard and minced garlic or shallot. Making your own dressing can help you control calories, too. If you find a recipe you like, double it so you can keep some in your refrigerator to use throughout the week.

2. Breakfast Cereal

Featured Recipe: Maple Granola

With more than 100 kinds of cereal in many grocery store aisles, choosing a healthy cereal can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Some cereals are packed with sugar while others are low in nutrients that you actually want from your cereal, such as fiber and whole grains.

Take the stress out of the search by making your own granola or muesli mix at home. You can pick the ingredients and have control over how much fat, fiber and sugar goes into your first meal of the day. Both cereal mixes are delicious served with milk or stirred into creamy yogurt.

Homemade granola holds well, so make a batch on Sunday and you’ll be set for the rest of the week. Cost-wise you will get more for your money by making a batch than buying a box of cereal.

3. Canned Soup

It’s convenient to have canned soup on hand, but it’s high in sodium. While you can get lower-sodium versions, that limits your selection.

Instead of forgoing soup altogether, get out your soup pot and get cooking. Most soups freeze well, so if you like the convenience of portion control, freeze them in individual serving sizes. Don’t have the whole afternoon to spend in your kitchen? Many delicious soups can be made in 30 minutes or less.

4. Pasta Sauce

While you may not think of pasta sauce as being “sweet,” many jarred pasta sauces have sugar listed as an ingredient. Although it’s not a lot of sugar, it certainly isn’t necessary.

Another problem with jarred pasta sauce? It’s high in sodium. You can do much better at home. You can make a simple sauce by just adding garlic powder and fresh basil to canned no-salt-added crushed tomatoes (look for crushed tomatoes in glass or aseptic packaging if you’re worried about BPA) and add a pinch of salt to bump up the flavor. You could also sauté fresh chopped tomatoes and minced garlic in olive oil in a sauté pan until they melt into a nice thick sauce. Either way, you have options. If you make a big batch, you can freeze leftovers for later use.

5. Flavored Yogurt

Plain yogurt offers plenty of calcium and probiotics that help with digestion, but not everyone wants to eat plain yogurt by itself. You may be tempted to reach for flavored varieties. The problem here is that flavored yogurt can contain artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners. Even the healthy-sounding “fruit-at-the-bottom” stuff is less than ideal, since it can come loaded with sugar, making it more like a dessert than a breakfast food.

The solution? Stir fresh or frozen fruit into plain yogurt. One trick to making it taste sweet without adding sugar is adding a splash of vanilla extract for a confectionary flavor.

6. Granola & Energy Bars

Granola bars seem healthy, but if you’ve ever looked at the nutrition label, you may think otherwise. Sure, they may have grains and nuts, but they also tend to be loaded with sugar and aren’t always full of whole grains.

There is no reason to cut them out of your life completely, though: you can make them at home cheaply and with less sugar than what you might find in a boxed version. Plus, controlling the ingredients means you get to add in plenty of healthy mix-ins like nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

Bulletin #4029, Saving Money With Homemade Convenience Mixes

Originally prepared by Nellie Hedstrom, Extension Nutrition Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Revised and updated by Kate Yerxa, Statewide Nutrition Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

For information about UMaine Extension programs and resources, visit extension.umaine.edu.
Find more of our publications and books at extensionpubs.umext.maine.edu.

Table of Contents:

Why Use Homemade Convenience Foods?

Preparing homemade convenience foods allows you to control the final product, the nutritional value, and the quality and quantity of the ingredients. You can limit fat, sodium, sugar, and additives in your convenience foods, and also save valuable time.

When you compare the costs of home-prepared foods with those of commercial convenience foods, remember that cost per serving is only one consideration. There are other factors to consider when deciding whether to prepare a mix at home or to buy it at the local store.

Purchased “convenience foods” may be a bargain when

• the product is less bulky than other forms, which will save storage space (for example, juice concentrate, instant coffee, etc.);
• it is a lot of work to make the item at home (for example, squeezing oranges for juice or making pasta); or the product contains rarely-used ingredients that you probably would not use (for example, certain spices).

Purchased “convenience foods” may NOT be a bargain when

• the main ingredient is meat (generally, with a few exceptions); has a great deal of packaging;
• you have the ingredients for the home-prepared product on hand and want to use them.
• one or more of the ingredients for the home-prepared product is available either free or at substantial savings. (For example, you might have free apples and decide to make applesauce.)

Suggestions for making “convenience mixes” more nutritious

1. Substitute whole wheat flour for all or part of the bleached white flour.
2. Use vegetable oil instead of solid shortening.
3. Use fat-free milk instead of whole milk.
4. Add more nonfat dry milk than the recipe calls for.

Reducing fat in your homemade convenience foods

In baking, fat adds moisture, flavor, and tender texture to cookies, cakes, quick breads, and muffins. Using fruit puree — such as banana, prune, or apple — and nonfat dairy products, like nonfat yogurt or sour cream, help to give some fat-like flavor and texture characteristics to homemade baked goods without adding fat. Adding fruit to your recipes will also increase the nutritive value of the food.

Some of the recipes in this publication have been revised to lower the fat content and change the type of fat, to make the recipes more heart-healthy. Fruit sauces, purees, or nonfat yogurt, when added to recipes or used to replace some of the fat, will make foods moister.

People often ask if oil can be substituted for margarine or shortening when making cookies. All three ingredients are fats, but they are not all interchangeable. Oil is 100 percent fat. Margarine is a mixture of fat and water (light margarine or spreads have a higher percentage of water). Substituting one cup of oil for one cup of margarine adds more fat than the original recipe. The cookie will have a greasy taste and feel.

Creaming shortening or margarine with sugar helps produce a cookie with a tender texture. Substituting oil in a cookie recipe may change the texture and volume.

Most recipes will not work if you eliminate all of the fat. But reducing fat is a good choice. The flavor does not have to be lost when reducing fat in recipes to make them healthier. When you modify a recipe using fruit purees, replace the amount of fat called for in the recipe with half as much puree.

Making a Mix From a Favorite Recipe

You can easily make your own mixes at home for many floured-based foods (cakes, quick breads, pie crusts, cookies), as well as foods containing a variety of spices, such as spaghetti sauce, chili sauce, and meatloaf.

Flour-Based Mixes

Using a favorite recipe, combine all of the dry ingredients with margarine. Blend well and refrigerate in an airtight container, labeled with directions for preparing. Date it, and use within 3 months. When you are ready to use the mix, empty it into a bowl and add liquid ingredients, such as eggs, milk, water, and vanilla, as given in the original recipe.

Let’s say that this is your best pancake recipe and you would like to make it into a mix similar to those available in the stores.

Basic Pancake Batter

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
½ cup dry milk plus 1¼ cups water or
1½ cups of fluid milk
3 tablespoons margarine

Thoroughly mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, dry milk (if used), and margarine. Refrigerate the mix in a jar or other airtight container labeled with directions. Make only as many batches as you will use within 3 months.

When you are ready to make a batch of pancakes, empty one batch of mix into a bowl. Add an egg and water or milk and combine well. Follow recipe directions for cooking.

It may be simpler to make and store several single batches individually. But it is also possible to multiply the dry ingredients to make a quantity of mix to be stored in a larger container. The only difference in using this approach is that you must figure out how much mix to measure out when you want a single batch of pancakes. To do this, add together all of the cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons of dry ingredients and fat in the original recipe for a single batch, and then convert the answer you get into cups of dry mix.

Example:

2 cups four flour + ½ cup dry milk = 2½ cups (or 2 cups and 8 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon baking powder + 2 tablespoons sugar + 3 tablespoons fat = 6 tablespoons

1 teaspoon salt = 1 teaspoon

Total = 2 cups + 14 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (or 3 cups minus 2 tablespoons)

You are likely to get a sum that does not make an even 1/4, 1/3, or 1/2 cup. Estimate your figures to the nearest tablespoon. In this case, to make a single batch of pancakes, you would measure out 3 cups of the mix less 2 tablespoons.

Many Americans lead busy lives and don’t have a lot of time to prepare food for their families. Faced with greater time constraints from work, childcare, and commuting, they often turn to convenience foods. Convenience foods are defined as types of foods that save time in food acquisition, preparation, and cleanup. Convenience foods are restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food from grocery stores. The ready-to-eat food encompasses many types of food ranging from bananas to frozen pizza that require little or no preparation. Although these convenience foods save time, they tend to have lower nutritional values and can be more expensive than food that takes more time to prepare. In our recent report, Consumers Balance Time and Money in Purchasing Convenience Foods, we use USDA’s 2012-13 National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS) to explore why Americans purchase convenience foods, what types of convenience foods they purchase, and the factors affecting their decisions; such as time constraints, prices, the food environment, and financial resources. More specifically, we examine how each factor affects foods with varying degree of convenience that consumers purchase: fast-food, full-service restaurant meals, ready-to-eat foods from grocery stores, or non-ready-to-eat foods from grocery stores.

Employment creates time constraints from both the time spent working and the time spent commuting. These time constraints shift consumer demand from grocery store foods to restaurant meals. The shift to full-service restaurants is most notable when all adults in the household are employed. Households where all the adults are employed purchase 12 percent less ready-to-eat food from grocery stores and 72 percent more food from full-service restaurants than households where not all adults are employed.

Having children in the household also affects convenience food choices, both because parents select foods they believe their children will eat, and because parents spend time taking care of children and therefore have less time to prepare food. Households with children purchase 19 percent more fast-food meals and 38 percent less full-service restaurant meals than households without children. However, as the number of children in the household increases, they purchase more foods from grocery stores and less from restaurants. In addition, single parents, who do not have a partner to help out with child care, purchase 14 percent more ready-to-eat foods than all other households.

Financial resources also play an important role in convenience food choices. Convenience foods from fast-food or full-service restaurants tend to be more expensive than those bought from grocery stores. Not surprisingly, as household incomes rise, households shift from ready-to-eat food from grocery stores to fast-food and full-service restaurant meals. On the other hand, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides program participants with funds to purchase food from grocery stores, and as a result, SNAP participants tend to buy more food from grocery stores and less from restaurants than non-participants who are eligible for SNAP.

Consumers’ decisions on how much of different types of convenience foods they purchase is influenced by time constraints, prices, the food environment, and financial resources. Understanding what motivates these consumers to purchase convenience foods has important implications for public health, given that convenience foods are often associated with lower nutritional value.

Published December 17, 2019

Reviewed November 2019

Breast-feeding is recommended exclusively until six months of age and along with solid foods until at least one year of age. Talk with your pediatrician about the best time for your baby to start solids and how to introduce them. Monitoring for possible food reactions is especially important, as is providing foods that contribute key nutrients like protein, iron and zinc.

If your little one is ready for solid foods, you have numerous nutritious options at the supermarket, such as iron-fortified cereal, to feed your baby. And, if you prepare homemade baby food, you have even more variety: Not only can you pick from an assortment of fruits and vegetables in the produce section, but you can also use frozen veggies and fruits canned in their own juices.

Making your own food can help expose babies to more flavors, which may help them become more adventurous eaters. Furthermore, by managing added sugars and salt, you’re in greater control of your baby’s nutrition.

Follow these guidelines if you choose to prepare homemade baby food:

Getting Started

If you are interested in preparing your own baby food but find the idea daunting, start with just a few homemade items. Mashing a very ripe avocado or banana is a good place to begin. After your baby responds well, you can try preparing nutrient-rich foods that might not be as common in the baby food aisle, such as beets, broccoli, turnips, asparagus, spinach, blueberries, kale, mango and papaya. Just be sure to mash or puree the foods for your baby and serve only one new single ingredient food at a time.

Use items that are in season or foods that you’re preparing for the rest of the family, but without the added sugars, salt and seasonings. Everyone in the family will get to enjoy the same nutritious foods, which will save you time and effort.

Preparing Food

Be vigilant about sanitation. Use only well-scrubbed and washed produce, clean hands, utensils, cutting boards and countertops.

• Wash and peel produce and remove any seeds or pits. Take special care with fruits and vegetables that are grown close to the ground as they may contain spores of Clostridium botulinum or contain other harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
• Cook food until it’s very tender. Steaming and microwaving in just a little water are good methods to retain vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables. When cooking meats and fish, remove all gristle, skin and bones before cooking.
• Puree or mash fresh fruit or fruit canned in its own juice. Never add honey to foods or drinks for children under 12 months, as it may contain Clostridium botulinum spores. Also avoid adding corn syrup or other sweeteners as they only provide extra calories but not nutrients.
• Make sure the texture and temperature are appropriate. Some foods pose a choking risk and are not recommended for infants, such as whole grapes, raisins, and pieces of hot dog. Pureed foods can be thinned, if needed, by adding breastmilk, formula, or water. Cow’s milk and milk alternatives should not be used during the first year. After warming solid foods, be sure to mix thoroughly and recheck the temperature so as not to burn the infant’s mouth.
• Cook eggs, meats and poultry until well done. Babies are especially susceptible to food poisoning caused by eating undercooked meats, poultry and eggs. Be certain that all meats and fish are cooked to proper temperatures; 145°F for fish and whole cuts of beef and pork, 160°F for ground beef and egg dishes and 165°F for all types of chicken and poultry or leftovers.
• For convenience, freeze prepared baby food for later use. Freeze it in small portions in a clean ice cube tray. Once frozen, put the cubes into clean, airtight, freezer-safe food containers for single-serving portions. As another method, use the “plop and freeze” technique: plop meal-size spoonfuls of pureed food onto a cookie sheet, freeze, then transfer the frozen baby food to clean freezer-safe containers for storage in the freezer.
• If you’re cooking the same food for the rest of the family, remove the baby’s portion before adding salt and seasonings. A baby’s taste buds can be very sensitive. As the baby grows and becomes more used to table food, feel free to add seasonings other than salt.

Keeping Baby Safe

Preparing homemade baby food requires extra care to keep baby’s food safe and to retain the nutrients from fresh foods. After you’ve prepared the food, either serve it or refrigerate it right away. Keep homemade baby food in a covered container for one or two days in the refrigerator or one to two months in the freezer with a label and date. Small portions served in separate dishes are ideal because any food that was served, but not eaten, must be thrown out. Bacteria thrive in the mouth, so if a spoon goes into the baby’s mouth and then touches the food, that food should not be saved for later.

It’s Fine To Buy Store-Bought Baby Food Too

Commercial baby foods are nutritious options for feeding baby, too. Today’s commercial baby foods provide balance and variety with carefully controlled and consistent nutrient content, so don’t worry if you supplement your baby’s intake with commercial baby foods. Be sure to talk to your baby’s health care provider about which foods are best for your baby and if any dietary supplements may be recommended.

Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, FAND, is a nutrition writer based in Virginia.

As a culture that is always on the go, it’s hard to imagine where our lives would be without ready-made processed foods. They save us money, headaches and make it possible to schlep from work to picking the kids up from school to soccer practice without starving. They’re called “convenience foods” for a reason. But as convenient as they may be, healthy they are not. Store-bought, processed foods are packed with empty calories, added sugars, sodium, artificial preservatives, and plenty of other ingredients disguised under fancy scientific names. And while the “all-natural” pre-packaged foods you find at natural health retailers often use much healthier, safer ingredients, even they call on preservatives to maintain shelf life and ingredients to woo your taste buds.

Does this mean you should completely give up processed foods? No, my friend. In fact, you would be setting yourself up for failure. But, you can start to limit your consumption of processed foods by-get this-making them from scratch! There are a number of commonly consumed processed foods that can easily be whipped up using healthier ingredients in your pantry. Not only will you know exactly what ingredients are in the resulting product, but it’s also a culinary adventure. (Imagine the amusement when you tell dinner guests that the salad dressing they are pouring over their mixed greens is a homemade concoction!)

Here are a few processed foods you can make healthier versions of at home:

1. Pasta Sauce

Many canned or jarred pasta sauces are high in sodium and contain added sugar to dress up your pasta. Skip the processed version and make your own. Chop or purée fresh, organic tomatoes in a food processor or blender and sauté in a pan with minced garlic, olive oil, pepper, sea salt, and whatever other vegetables or herbs tickle your taste buds. You can store any leftover sauce in a glass jar in the refrigerator for leftovers, or store in the freezer if you plan to use it at a later date.

2. Salad Dressing

During your next journey to the grocery store, make a point to review the label of some of your favorite salad dressings. Maltodextrin, modified food starch, corn syrup solids, autolyzed yeast extract, sodium chloride-these are just a few of the processed ingredients that decorate the label of a dressing marketed as “all-natural” at major grocers. Healthier dressings don’t always fare better. While some ingredients aren’t that bad, you can make a much healthier, simple alternative. Shake up some extra virgin olive oil (or whichever oil you prefer) and red wine vinegar with ingredients such as minced garlic, honey, shallots, lime or lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and dry herbs. Then put in a glass bottle with a pour able-spout. Voilà! There are literally thousands of recipes on Pinterest!

3. Ketchup

Kids love to drizzle ketchup on almost anything. While this Americanized condiment isn’t technically high in fat or calories, that bottle of sweet red stuff is loaded with artificial sugar and sodium. A homemade version is quick and easy with ingredients such as puréed tomatoes, honey, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cayenne, garlic, onion, and cider vinegar. Again, Pinterest is again your savior here with plenty of fresh, gourmet ketchup recipes.

4. Tortilla Chips

Chuck the Tostitos! Make crunchy, healthier tortilla chips in less than an hour with just a few ingredients. You can find a slew of recipes online, like this homemade tortilla chip recipe, which just calls for sea salt, grapeseed oil (or oil of choice), limes and masa harina (fine-ground corn flour available at Mexican grocers). If making the tortillas from scratch is a bit too much work, you can also purchase corn tortillas from your local health food grocer.

5. Cereal

Breakfast cereals are a dime a dozen. They are also conventionally packed with artificial sugar and dyes, sodium, and partially hydrogenated oils. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHT), an ingredient also found in embalming fluid and antifreeze, is commonly used to preserve freshness. (Yes, the response is: Gross.) You can easily make your own cereal mix with granola, steel-cut oats, millet, or quinoa. Not only will it make tasty breakfast cereal, but you can also use the mix as an on-the-go snack or as a topping on yogurt or ice cream. Get some make-your-own ideas with these Naturally Savvy tips and recipes.

6. Nutella

You can find 100+ processed foods that you can make at home online, but this one deserves special recognition. As proof to its popularity, one jar of Nutella is sold every 2.5 seconds across the world. This smooth, rich, chocolate-hazelnut hybrid seems like a gift born from the heavens, but do you know what’s in it? The top two ingredients on the label the ingredients with the highest concentration-are sugar and modified palm oil. Indulge in a much healthier, less processed version with hazelnuts (or hazelnut butter), cocoa powder, vanilla extract, coconut oil and sugar, and salt.

For more ideas of processed foods you can make at home, visit here.

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A step-by-step guide to making and storing food for your baby.

When you begin feeding your baby solid foods, it’s time to think about what foods you’re going to be feeding him. There are many healthy premade options, including organic baby food. But homemade baby food is a popular option for parents who want to know exactly what goes into their baby’s mouth — and making it may be easier than you think.

Homemade Baby Food: Advantages of Making It Yourself

Parents who prefer homemade baby food have many reasons for their choice.

• They know exactly what they’re feeding their baby.
• It’s more economical than buying pre-packaged foods (although some parents note that this is not always the case).
• They can choose their own fruits, vegetables, and other foods for purees, instead of relying on the flavors chosen by manufacturers. You’re not going to find melons or avocados in the baby food section of the supermarket.
• It gets the baby used to eating the same food as the rest of the family — just in puree form.

Myra Bartalos, the mother of a 20-month-old daughter in Brooklyn, N.Y, found that making her own baby food was easy and appealed to her concern for her daughter’s nutrition.

“What sealed the deal for me was finding out that jarred food is cooked at extremely high temperatures to kill bacteria for longer storage, at the same time taking out many of the food’s vitamins and nutrients and taste,” says Bartalos. “I would roast, steam, or boil veggies or fruit on the weekends and puree in a mini food processor. I’d make three or four different fruits and veggies at a time, so I had a month’s worth of food with each cooking weekend.”

“Making your own baby food does help you think more about what you’re feeding your child,” says Erika Radtke, the mother of a 4-year-old boy and newborn daughter in Carlsbad, Calif. “And it seems to pave the way for making healthier meals, even as he or she gets older.”

Making Baby Food: Disadvantages of the Homemade Approach

Some parents who’ve tried and given up on homemade baby food point out these disadvantages to making it:

• Time. It takes time to make and prepare lots of little servings of homemade baby food. It’s much faster to pick up prepackaged servings.
• Convenience. Prepackaged baby foods come in measured amounts and ready to serve.
• Storage. Homemade baby foods may spoil more quickly and require refrigeration, which may take up room in your fridge or freezer if you make a lot of servings ahead of time. Prepackaged baby foods don’t need refrigerator storage until they’re opened.

Continued

Although Radtke made some of her son’s baby food, she admits, “It was a pain. I used to take a whole weekend to cook the foods, portion it out into ice cube trays, freeze them and store them. I didn’t have a problem using Gerber’s or Earth’s Best when I ran out, though.”

If you’re daunted by the idea of making your own baby food, don’t feel that you’re neglecting your baby. “Foods intended for babies are so pure to begin with,” says Jennifer Shu, MD, a pediatrician in Atlanta and co-author of Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality and Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor, and a Bottle of Ketchup.

“If you’re really concerned about what your baby’s eating and don’t have the time to make your own baby food, focus your attention on what they’re eating once they begin table foods,” Shu tells WebMD. “It’s really a very short window of time when they are eating purees.”

Making Baby Food: What You’ll Need

If you decide to make your own baby food, says Shu, it’s not that difficult: “All you need is a food grinder and a way to steam the food.” (If you’re taking the time to make your own baby food, steaming is the best way to cook ingredients because it preserves the most nutrients.)

There are plenty of baby food makers on the market, from a French product that combines steaming, blending, warming, and defrosting, to simple baby food processors, mills, and grinders. But you don’t need to buy any of these products; your own food processor will work just as well for making baby food. And if you don’t have one, just use a potato masher or blender, to make sure the food is soft and does not have chunks.

Many popular books offer hundreds of recipes for baby food purees, including Blender Baby Food, Top 100 Baby Purees, and the Petit Appetit Cookbook. These books can help you come up with new ideas to try with your baby and remind you of important nutrients to include, but as with baby food makers, they’re not a requirement for making your own baby food.

Continued

Healthy Homemade: How to Make Baby Food in 6 Easy Steps

• Wash and rinse your hands and equipment.
• Scrub and peel fruits and vegetables.
• Bake, steam, roast, or microwave until tender (steaming and microwaving preserve the most nutrients).
• Puree in a food processor with a little liquid (water, breast milk, or formula), or mash if your baby can handle more texture.
• Store in the refrigerator or freezer, in airtight containers. (Packaged baby foods can be stored in the cupboard until they’re opened; because they’re fresh, homemade baby foods can’t.)
• Rewarm when it’s time to eat and allow to cool.

There are a number of storage containers sold specifically for refrigerating and freezing small serving-sized amounts of baby food; you can also just use an ice cube tray.

In addition to fruits and vegetables, you can puree foods such as cooked meats (fully cooked, with no pink, and remove fat, skin, and connective tissue), beans, and cooked eggs.

Homemade Made Easy: 1-Step Baby Food

When you’re preparing some foods, you can actually cut the steps down to one. “Cutting up a very ripe pear, mashing a banana, mashing an avocado — that’s making your own baby food,” Shu tells WebMD. “Or, for example, when you make mashed potatoes for the family, set aside some that don’t have whole milk added. You can add a little butter or mild spices. As long as you’re eating healthy, you can give your baby a modified version of what you’re eating.”

Sources

Jennifer Shu, MD; co-author, Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality and Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor, and a Bottle of Ketchup.

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With the recipes and instructions in this article, you can stock your home freezer with delicious homemade, portion controlled low fat foods that have many advantages over their store bought counterparts:

• More Wholesome – A lot of commercially prepared foods are loaded with unnecessary sodium, sugars, preservatives and other ingredients that you don’t need. By making your own meals at home, you control what goes into the foods you eat and you can season them according to your own tastes.
• Less Expensive – The prepared diet meals you buy at the supermarket are pricey and those sold at commercial diet centers like Jenny Craig cost even more. By preparing your own meals at home, you can easily save 50%-75% or more.
• Greater Flexibility – When you’re counting fat and calories, every little bit counts. Who wants to waste calories on foods you don’t really like? When buying prepackaged diet meals, you’re unfortunately stuck with whatever combos the manufacturer has chosen – you might like the entrée but not the side dish. Maybe you’d prefer high fiber, nutrient rich brown or wild rice instead of white rice. By making your own meals, you can mix and match entrées and side dishes to create low calorie, low fat healthy meals that suit your individual tastes and needs.
• Saves Time – As each recipe makes several meals, you can plan to cook several recipes in a single session and have enough food in the freezer to last for weeks. Get together with your diet buddy or a group of health conscious friends and have a “cooking party” — you can all eat well, stay on your diets, and have a fun day preparing meals together.

Cooking for the Freezer Basics: If you’ve never prepared foods for the freezer before, don’t worry. It’s easy. And don’t worry if you only have a small, fridge-top freezer — if you pack carefully you can easily fit a month’s worth of meals in the space you have. In order to prevent freezer burn, which occurs when large ice crystals form during the freezing process, cool foods well before freezing (cool for no more than 1 hour at room temperature — otherwise cool in the refrigerator to prevent foods from sitting in the danger zone for bacteria growth between 40°F and 140°F).

Unless you like playing dinner roulette, be sure t label your freezer dinners, not only so you’ll know what inside, but also in order to use the oldest foods first. Permanent markers, like SHarpies® work great — you can even write directly onto aluminum foil or freezer bags. Or you might want to tape an index card on the package with heating instructions (especially handy if other family members will be doing the reheating).

Packaging Freezer Meals:
You probably already have some containers in your pantry that will work — small glass dishes that can go from freezer to microwave or conventional oven. These containers work great for freezer cooking, although most people don’t have enough of them. Keep your eyes peeled for sales at department stores or you might even get lucky and pick some up dirt cheap at garage sales or thrift stores.

Another option is to purchase some of the great containers made by Glad® or Ziplock® (you can use and re-use them over and over again, so they are actually quite economical), as they are designed to go from freezer to microwave. But don’t limit yourself. Get creative — any food-grade containers will do, like margarine or whipped topping tubs, Tupperware® or whatever other small containers you might have in the house.

If you plan on cooking your meals in a conventional oven, foil take-out containers like those used by restaurants are terrific (again, I use and re-use mine multiple times). They are quite inexpensive when bought in quantity at a local restaurant supply house.

Of course some recipes, like the French Bread Pizzas, need no more packaging than a tight wrap in aluminum foil. Others you can carefully place in a zippered freezer bag, freeze flat, then place in a baking dish when you are ready to heat them.

Fit Freezer Recipes
See the related recipes section below for Fit Freezer recipes.

As a general rule, home-baked foods cost 1/4 to 1/3 of the store-bought price. Exceptions include some packaged mixes, as well as some baked goods purchased on sale with double coupons.

Part of the reason convenience foods are so popular is because they save time. However, this convenience costs money. By taking some time (but not right before meal time when everyone is in a rush), and making your own mixes, it is possible to save money and time as well. In addition, you know all the ingredients in your mix.

Homemade Shake & Bake

• 4 cups flour
• 4 cups cracker meal, or ground inexpensive crackers
• 4 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients; mix well and store in a tightly covered container. Keep in a cool, dry place for up to six months. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

• 6 teaspoons chili powder
• 5 teaspoons paprika
• 4 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 3 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Place in a storage container with a tight-fitting lid; seal well. Store in a cool, dry place for up to six months. Makes 21 teaspoons (approximately 1/2 cup).

Seven teaspoons of the mix equal a 1.25-ounce package of purchased taco seasoning mix.

Homemade Onion Soup Mix

• 3/4 cup instant minced onion
• 1/3 cup beef-flavor instant bouillon
• 4 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Place on a storage container with a tight-fitting lid. Seal tightly. Store in a cool, dry place for up to six months. Stir or shake well before each use.

Makes 18 tablespoons (approximately 1 cup).

Five tablespoons of the mix equal a 1.25-ounce package of purchased dry onion soup mix.

Homemade Salt-Free Mix

• 3 teaspoons onion powder
• 3 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Place in a storage container with a tight-fitting lid such as a clean seasoning jar. Seal tightly. Store in a cool, dry place for up to six months. Stir or shake well before each use. Makes 13 teaspoons (approximately 1/4 cup).

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Kefir is a fermented drink that is one of nature’s finest probiotics. You should consider making it a part of your anti-Candida treatment, along with a course of good commercial probiotics. It should also be a part of your long term diet plan. If you want to beat your Candida overgrowth for good, kefir is a great way to keep your gut flora in balance for years to come.

The beauty of kefir is that it is extremely easy to make at home. Just follow a few simple steps, and every 24-48 hours you can have a fresh batch of kefir ready to go.

Even better, if you find the right grains they will literally last forever. You can keep reusing and reusing them, and you will never run out. So as well as being hugely beneficial to your gut flora, kefir is also a very economical health food to add to your diet.

For an easy introduction to making your own kefir, buy a Kefir starter kit. The Body Ecology kit contains 6 packets which can each be used for around 7 batches of kefir.

Table Of Contents

What do you need to start making your own kefir?

Here is a list of the products and ingredients you need to start making your own kefir.

• Fresh milk (organic is better)
• Kefir grains or a kefir starter kit
• A large glass jar (with lid)
• Wooden spoon
• A plastic strainer

Buy a high quality strain of kefir if you can. The starter kits are great as an introduction, but they will generally last only for 5-7 times before you need to buy another. If you buy a good strain of kefir grains you can keep reusing them as long as you want. In fact the more kefir you make, the more grains you will be left with each time, so you’ll have plenty spare to give to friends and family! When you’ve finished your first batch of kefir, you can place the grains in a little milk and leave them covered in the fridge.

Find a wooden spoon and plastic strainer if you have them. The kefir grains are quite acidic, meaning that kitchen implements made from aluminum, iron, brass or copper are likely to release toxic metals into your kefir or on to the grains. Stainless steel is much less reactive however, and is a good alternative if you don’t have more suitable tools.

Also make sure that everything is really clean. This applies particularly to the glass jar in which the milk and kefir will be fermenting. Any contaminants may spoil your kefir and you’ll have to start over!

Lastly, you will see in step three that we recommend ‘ripening’ the kefir for 48 hours at room temperature after the fermentation process has finished. This is particularly important for Candida dieters, because this extra time significantly reduces the lactose content in the kefir. So if you allow it to ripen, you get all the benefits of the probiotic bacteria in the food and none of the Candida-feeding lactose. Additionally, ripening the kefir increases the amount of B vitamins contained in the kefir. As a reminder, Candida sufferers often experience B vitamin deficiencies.

What steps do you need to follow?

Here are the very simple steps involved in making your own kefir. Once you’ve got it right once, you can keep making it over and over again.

Step One

Make sure your glass jar and its lid are both very clean. Place the kefir grains in the jar first, then pour the milk over them. A typical ratio is 3 tablespoons of kefir grains for every quart (or liter) of milk. Gently stir the mixture for a few seconds then place the lid on the jar. Leave the lid slightly loose so any excess pressure can escape.

Step Two

Leave the jar somewhere in your house at room temperature but out of direct sunlight. The fermentation process can take anywhere from 12 hours to 48 hours, depending on how you like your kefir. As a rule, less time in the jar will produce a sweeter, thinner kefir, whereas a longer fermentation will result in a thicker, more sour kefir. After some time you may also see the kefir separating into two layers – a thick, white curd at the top, with a thin, yellowy whey underneath. The kefir is OK to consume at this stage but will be quite sour, so as soon as you see any signs of separation it’s probably best to move on to step three.

Step Three

When you think your kefir is done, give the jar a quick stir and then pour its contents through the strainer. This will separate out the liquid kefir from the grains. You can store your liquid kefir in the fridge or at room temperature for a few days. In fact, storing your kefir at room temperature for a day or two will help it ripen, increasing the nutritional content and allowing most of the lactose to be fermented away (this is even better for Candida dieters). As for the grains, don’t throw them away! You can use them again and again. If you are not going to make another batch of kefir straight away, place the grains in a bowl with a small amount of milk and store them in the fridge.

Can you use a different type of milk?

You can use almost any kind of milk to make your kefir. In fact, you can even make it using just water, although your kefir is likely to end up a little runny and thin.

Thicker milks will always give the best results. Depending on where you live, the thickest milk might be labeled as 3.25%, whole or full-fat milk. Skimmed milk will also make good kefir, but it won’t have that same, satisfying taste as it gets from regular milk.

Coconut milk is another great alternative for your kefir. It has a good consistency, perhaps even slightly thicker than regular milk, and of course you get the antifungal benefits of the caprylic acid in the coconut too.

For lots more information on the symptoms, causes and treatment of Candida, take a look at my Ultimate Candida Diet treatment program.

Beat your candida in 60 days with this detailed 5-step program

If you’re looking for a more comprehensive Candida treatment plan, check out the Ultimate Candida Diet program, written by Lisa Richards and Dr Eric Wood. This plan is based on the latest research into Candida Related Complex, and contains everything you need to know to beat your Candida overgrowth.

“I feel fantastic and will never go back to eating any other way.”

How to Make Your Own Fruit Juice

If you want to have more control over the foods and drinks you put into your body, you should consider making your own juice. With just a few ingredients you can make drinks that are as nutritious as they are delicious! Here are the steps for making your own juice, using antioxidant-rich fresh berries, such as blueberries or raspberries.

Rinse berries, thoroughly, then place them in a heavy saucepan. Add just enough water to make them bob. Bring berries to a slow boil. Mash berries with a potato masher and then bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and allow berries to cool slightly.

Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth. Pour the mashed berries into the lined colander, collecting the juice in a bowl beneath the colander. Pour the juice into clean jars as it accumulates. When the cheesecloth is cool enough to handle, squeeze out all the juice and some of the pulp. Disregard or compost what’s left in the cheesecloth.

Sweeten the juice, a little at a time, with honey, other fruit juices (such as pineapple), or sugar. Add more sweetener as desired. At this stage you have a juice concentrate. If you would like to drink at this point, dilute with 3 to 4 parts water. If you want to freeze for later, freeze the concentrate in small freezer containers or ice cube trays.

In Season

Summer seems to have gone by so fast! It is not over yet, but shorter, cooler days are approaching. Now is the time to indulge in all you favorite summer fruits, try that new fresh dish you’ve been meaning to make all summer, and to finally take that afternoon off for a picnic! The beautiful days and nights of summer are still here, and so are all your summer produce favorites. Enjoy them to their fullest!

Seasonal Recipes

Produce Color

Produce that share color often share health benefits. Learn about eating by color!

Fermented foods are undeniably good for us. In fact, fermentation is essentially one of the oldest forms of food preservation. Fortunately, it’s having a comeback.

Eating fermented foods helps you maintain your gut flora – the 400 bacterial species that hang out in your intestines. Consuming probiotics, which you get from fermented foods, helps you to maintain the balance of these organisms, in turn providing a variety of health benefits, from promoting a healthier digestive tract to boosting immunity.

But you don’t have to invest in gallons of expensive kombucha at the food co-op; there are plenty of foods that are very easy to ferment at home.

1. Sauerkraut

Cabbage, salt and caraway seeds; sauerkraut is one of the easiest fermented foods to make. Basically you pack all the ingredients into a clean jar and ferment for 3 to 10 days. Since it’s a fermented food, it will then keep for several months. Check out this basic sauerkraut recipe to get started.

2. Pickled Vegetables

A lot of pickling recipes call for vinegar and sugar as the preserving agent, but in traditional lacto-fermentation you depend on the beneficial bacteria on the surface of vegetables, such as Lactobacillus, to do the fermenting for you. This means you can lacto-ferment pretty much any vegetable, from carrots to watermelon radishes.

3. Kimchi

Kimchi is the traditional Korean sauerkraut made through the process of lacto-fermentation. Depending on how many chiles you use, you can make your kimchi extra spicy.

4. Yogurt

Yes, you can make your own yogurt, and no, you do not necessarily need a yogurt machine to do it. You start with a few tablespoons of premade yogurt, add in some milk (even soy works), and wait for the fermentation to do the rest.

5. Kombucha

While your friends might be a little afraid of the gelatinous kombucha mother hanging out in your kitchen, you’ll end up with fresh made kombucha that costs you a fraction of what you pay in the store. And you can play around with flavoring it with different teas and fruits. Check out this good basic introduction to making kombucha to get you started.

6. Cheese

A very common fermented food, there are many types of cheese that you can make at home. To get started, try this Basic Fresh Goat Chèvre from the book “Mastering Fermentation.”

7. Fermented Juice

Round up some apples and make a batch of fermented apple juice.

8. Fermented Ketchup

You may never have put those two words together before, but once you start making your own fermented ketchup you may never go back to the regular stuff.

9. Sourdough Bread

There’s something magical about having your own sourdough starter and making your own bread. Your bread will be truly local as you will pick up on the wild yeasts from your kitchen.

10. Drinking Vinegars

Drinking vinegars can be consumed on their own or used as mixers, and with a base of fermented fruit the flavor options are endless depending on what’s in season. How about a fermented vinegar peach tonic?

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