4 MORE things I no longer buy at the Grocery Store (to save money)
This is part 2 in a 2-part post. Read Part 1 here
In the first post, I talked about things I no longer buy at the Grocery Store (to save money), and lots of you seemed interested in that, so I thought I’d write a part two! So, without further ado, here are more things I no longer buy at the Grocery Store that save me money.
Granola
Wow. Okay, it’s been a while since I bought granola, obviously, but yikes! It’s gotten expensive! Grocery store versions are selling for around $7, but artisanal granola goes into the double digits.
I get why it’s expensive, some of the ingredients in there are pricey, like nuts and dried fruit. But the base of granola is just oats, and then you add to it whatever your little heart desires, which is part of why I love it so much. I basically make a different batch every time I make it, based on what I have on hand.
The most annoying part of making granola is that you have to babysit it. It bakes for about an hour at a low temp, and you really do need to stir it every 15 minutes or so to ensure even browning.
Croutons
Sorry, but friends don’t let friends pay money for stale bread! Here’s what I do. Every time I have a heel or a crust from a loaf of bread, I stick it together with the rest of them in the freezer. And then when I either run out of croutons, or the bag is full, I make a new batch. It’s really simple.
First, cut your bread into cubes that are about an inch square. Throw them in a bowl and let it sit out for an hour or two, just to make sure they are really started drying. Next, drizzle them with a few tablespoons of olive oil and toss well. Now you get to season them up. I add ½ tsp of salt, a few grinds of pepper, some garlic seasoning, and dried parsley, oregano and basil. Toss everything really well together, then dump all of it onto a sheet pan.
Pop this into a preheated 300 degree oven for about 10-20 minutes, making sure you toss them halfway through. When they are crispy and golden on the edges, they’re ready. Allow them to cool, then pack them into a mason jar and they will be shelf stable for months.
@findbex Vegan Bolonese using Ozo. Full recipe via the link in my bio. #vegan #plantbased #bolonese #sauce #comfortfood #fyp #recipetok #easyveganrecipes ♬ Intentions (Instrumental Version) [Originally Performed by Justin Bieber & Quavo] – Elliot Van Coup
Pasta sauce
While I did notice jars of pasta sauce were on sale for $3 each the other day at the grocery store, I still prefer to make my own in big batches and then freeze them. I usually make mine in a big pot on the stove, or in my Instant Pot. Start by sauteeing a chopped onion in a tablespoon or so of oil until it’s softened. Once the onion has softened, add a few cloves of minced garlic. Stir until it’s fragrant, then add a couple of cans of chopped tomatoes or a couple of jars of passata. Now just let the pot do the work. Turn it down low and allow it to slowly simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes. At the end, add some herbs: dried or fresh parsley, oregano, basil, or add a big scoop of pesto, and stir that in. Add salt and pepper till you get it to where you like it. And that’s basically it. You can puree it if you like a more saucy sauce, but if you like it chunky, just leave as-is.
I will often add extra veg to mine, like chopped carrots (which add sweetness) or zucchini. I have also been known to throw some red lentils in as well, for extra protein, or to blend in a package of silken tofu.
Pesto
Pesto can be pricey, given expensive ingredients like pine nuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil and fresh basil, if it’s out of season.
Making your own is much cheaper, because you can do substitutions. I usually use sunflower seeds at the base of my pesto. They are much, much cheaper than pine nuts, and even if someone has a nut allergy, they can usually tolerate sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
Start by toasting your nuts or seeds (about ¼ cup) in a dry pan. Then add them to your food processor or blender, along with a couple cloves of garlic and the juice of a lemon. Blitz all that up, and then add in your greens. Basil is required, but you can round it out with other herbs like parsley, or greens like spinach, kale or arugula. Season it with salt and pepper. Now, with the motor running, stream in ¼-1/2 cup of good olive oil. It should eventually turn into a paste. I like to make mine without cheese because then it’s vegan, and I can always add cheese when I put it on my pasta if I want.
Pack your pesto into an ice cube tray, and freeze it, then when the pesto is frozen, pop the cubes out and store them in the freezer in a Ziploc bag. They will last like this basically forever.