Have you been straightening up the frozen food in the deep freeze and realized, to your dismay, that some of the packages down at the bottom date from the last presidential administration? With the best of intentions, you stashed them away for the perfect occasion... which never came.

And then there are the packages that somehow weren't as well-wrapped as you thought, so now the contents are freezer-burned and awful-looking. Who wants to put that in their mouth? In both instances, there's nothing to do but throw the ruined food away... right?

Not necessarily.

Continue reading "How to Salvage Old Frozen Food" »

Posted by Jessica Hunter | Permalink

Rather than store your refrigerator goodies in plastic wrap, plastic bags, or even waxed paper, why not give aluminum foil a whirl? Not only does it do a great job, it's more environmentally sound -- and it's cheaper.

Intrigued? Then let's take a closer look.

Continue reading "Wrap It Up in Aluminum Foil" »

Posted by Jessica Hunter | Permalink

Bottled water is an expensive fad. Think about it: it's not unusual to have to pay a dollar or more for a pint of the trendy brands, and even the cheapest cost a dollar or more per gallon in the grocery store. So why bother, when you can get water for next to nothing from the tap?

Mostly it's because we've been brainwashed into thinking we need it by sharp marketers. Sometimes there are valid reasons for buying water, if the municipal supply piped to your house is low in quality or just plain tastes bad. But even then, you don't need to buy water in bottles.

Continue reading "Stop Wasting Your Money on Bottled Water!" »

Posted by Jessica Hunter | Permalink

If you've got a hankering for eggs and enjoy a challenge, then may I suggest some home-grown eggs? Given economies of scale, you won't be able to beat the commercial price for everyday eggs, but you'll certainly be competitive when it comes to free range and organic eggs. Plus, you can't beat the freshness.

Let's explore the concept a bit.

Continue reading "Home-Grown Eggs, and How to Produce Them" »

Posted by Jessica Hunter | Permalink

Lately, you may have noticed so-called "micro-greens" appearing in your restaurant salads. This is because the restaurant industry finally tripped over the fact that sometimes, very young greens taste significantly different -- and often significantly better -- than their mature versions.

Continue reading "How About Some Micro-Greens In Your Salad?" »

Posted by Jessica Hunter | Permalink

Never underestimate the importance of food safety. According to the CDC, more than 200 known food borne illnesses cause 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths each year in the United States. For many of these illnesses, there isn't a treatment. Once you get salmonella poisoning, Ecoli, or Listeria, all doctors can do is control your symptoms. Your best bet is to avoid getting sick from food borne bacteria by following these tips.

Continue reading "Follow These Food Safety Tips to Keep Your Family Safe " »

Posted by Jessica Hunter | Permalink

Recently, the Kroger grocery store chain partnered with a nutritional research company called NuVal to provide a "nutrition score" for every food product inside their stores. Basically, the higher the score, the more nutritious the product.

The idea is to give us consumers a better idea of what's really good for us, so we can make the right dietary choices. And you guessed it: there have been some pretty nasty shockers so far.

Continue reading "What's That Product's Nutrition Score?" »

Posted by Jessica Hunter | Permalink

Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, upset stomach and dehydration are all signs of salmonella. According to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, every year approximately 76 million people get sick from salmonella poisoning. Of those 76 million, 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 die. Learn how to stay safe and prevent this from happening to you and your family.

Continue reading "Do You Know How to Avoid Salmonella Poisoning?" »

Posted by Lydia | Permalink

Like many short term weight fixes, the Hollywood diet sounds too good to be true. Also known as the Hollywood cookie diet, this plan replaces two meals a day with special cookies. You then eat a sensible dinner and lose weight. So: does it work, is it healthy, and should you take a look at it?

Continue reading "The Hollywood Diet: Replace Meals with a Cookie?" »

Posted by Max Anderson | Permalink

In today's 'green' culture, you hear about organic food almost daily - enough to make you think about eating organically. If you're wondering...

What exactly determines whether a food is organic or not?

Can eating organic foods improve your health?

Can eating organic foods help protect you from diseases?

Can eating organic foods extend your life?

Keep reading.

Continue reading "Are Organic Foods Really That Good for You?" »

Posted by Max Anderson | Permalink

The Yoshi Blade is the first knife since the Ginsu to attempt standing on its own. While most knives come in sets for versatility, the Yoshi knife relies on a totally different gimmick: the fact that it has a ceramic blade. But does that alone really make it worth paying twenty bucks for a knife?

Continue reading "The Success of the Yoshi Blade" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

It's the perfect time for a product like fruit stickles, and there are a lot of reasons. First of all, more people than ever are concerned with eating healthy snacks. These days, parents aren't interested in plugging their kids full of potato chips and jujubes for after school snacks, and they're trying to eat healthier themselves. That makes a fantastic market for healthy snack ideas the whole family can enjoy.

Obviously, one of the healthiest snacks comes courtesy of nature herself: a delicious piece of fruit. And while fruit is delicious, it can get a little bit boring, too. This is especially true for kids, who turn a look of dismay on well-intentioned parents when you plop an apple down in front of them.

Continue reading "Fruit Stickles Make Healthy Snack Ideas" »

Posted by Max Anderson | Permalink

Nutritious foods that save you money - a winning combination. When times are tight, you want to cut costs in all ways possible. But one way you should never cut cost is by eating cheap food with no nutritional value. You might save money, but it will be at the expense of your health.

To save money and stay healthy at the same time, consider these 5 top foods that are both inexpensive and healthy nutritious food.

Continue reading "Top 5 Nutritious Foods that Save You Money" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

Between Kirstie Alley and Valerie Bertinelli, the entire country has seen Jenny Craig at its best -- and worst. The weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar machine, and since most of us can't afford to mess around with paying ten thousand dollars to lose weight (heck, we'd all get liposuction if we could), it's important to know about a program before you take a risk on it.

Continue reading "How Jenny Craig Really Works" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

My husband doesn't like leftovers. My kids don't like leftovers. I don't mind leftovers, but I do have the tendency to forget about them. You know what I mean...after dinner, you carefully put them in one of those handy storage containers. The handy container gets pushed aside, and then it gets pushed to the back of the refrigerator.

Before I know it, my kids can have their own award winning science project just by opening the fridge and using the leftover food. If this sounds like you, do what I did -- learn how to use those leftovers and stop wasting money.

Continue reading "Stop Throwing Food and Money Away -- Learn to Use Your Leftovers" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

Would you like to know the 'key' to teaching your children good eating habits? It's not as difficult as you think. By learning this one concept, you'll be on your way to teaching your children how to eat right, have healthy eating habits, and the bonus of saving money.

Continue reading "Save Money -- Teach Your Children Good Eating Habits" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

Yes, I know. Even when it comes to school lunches, there is peer pressure. Your kids want to have lunches like everybody else. They don't want to be the weird kid who brings a boring lunch to school -- with kids; even lunches have to be cool.

If you've found yourself in this situation, instead of arguing with the kids, use these school lunch ideas, pack cool lunches, and save a cool fortune.

Continue reading "Are School Lunches Costing You an Arm and a Leg?" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

Would you like to know the 'key' to teaching your children good eating habits? It's not as difficult as you think. By learning this one concept, you'll be on your way to teaching your children how to eat right, have healthy eating habits, and the bonus of saving money.

Continue reading "Save Money -- Teach Your Children Good Eating Habits" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

There's saving money on your grocery bill and then there's saving money on your grocery bill. You know what I mean. There are different levels when it comes to saving money. What is frugal to one family is a drop in the bucket to the next. If you're ready to take saving money to the next level and would like to save money on groceries, you need to learn how to save money on seasonings.

Continue reading "Cut Costs to the Bone -- Save Money On Seasonings" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

You want to lose weight, but you don't have the heart to try yet another diet plan. Too often, they just don't work. There are so many diets to choose from that it's hard to know which one will work for you. If you've tried diet after diet and are ready to give up, check out these popular diets and see if these fits your needs.

Continue reading "Looking for the Perfect Diet Plan?" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

Trying to cut your family budget, buying cheap groceries may be just the help you need. Follow these 4 tips and get started saving money.

Continue reading "Save Money -- Buy Cheap Groceries" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

Your dog is a treasured member of your family, so treat him like one and feed him homemade dog food

Homemade dog food is a great choice for your pet. After all, your dog is like a member of your family and you wouldn't feed a member of your family...dog food...would you? Of course not! So why would you feed your furry best friend food that's questionable?

With recent news regarding tainted dog food you just can't be sure what is in the food that you're giving your pet. So why take the chance? By making your own dog food, you can be sure he is getting only the best.

Continue reading "Home Cookin' for Fido -- Follow This Homemade Dog Food Recipe" »

Posted by Max Anderson | Permalink

Antioxidants Can Be Found In Unexpected Places

Our bodies need antioxidants. Many serious illnesses are thought to be triggered by oxidative stress. Antioxidants can help reduce this oxidative stress as well as the risk of developing the associated diseases, such as heart disease, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. But where can you get your daily serving of antioxidants? Especially since vitamins don't seem to be as powerful as we all thought? These foods may surprise you...

Continue reading "Antioxidants: Did You Know These Foods Were Chock Full of 'Em?" »

Posted by Jessica Hunter | Permalink

My 3 Favorite Recipe Websites on the Web

Even the most seasoned cook runs out of ideas every now and then, which is what makes recipe websites such a lifesaver. The recipe websites of today, however, put yesterday's to shame. Forget about a few recipe ideas here and there. Today's sites allow you to organize your own online cookbook, share recipes with others and view and rate thousands of recipes from across the globe. Here are my three favorites.

Continue reading "3 Recipe Websites You Can't Live Without" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

A Quick Guide to Olive Oils

If a recipe calls for olive oil you grab whatever's on the shelf, right? But what kind of olive oil do you have in your cupboard? If you think all olive oil is created equal, you've got another thing coming. Olive oils differ and what works for one recipe might not work for another. Here's what you need to know about the different kinds of olive oils available.

Continue reading "Not All Olive Oils are Created Equal" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

Alternatives to Spring Water

If you’re not too pleased with your local water supply, you might be tempted to buy spring water. Before you make the decision, read what we have to say. Spring water can be an expensive option, and there are ways to drink tasty water without spending unnecessary money.

Continue reading "The Benefits of Spring Water without the Price" »

Posted by Max Anderson | Permalink

Consumer Savvy Shoppers and Tuna

Tuna is a versatile food and is usually found in the pantry of most consumer savvy shoppers. If you haven’t yet incorporated tuna as a diet staple, you don't know what you're missing. Tuna is economical and has a multitude of uses. Here's why you should add it to your grocery list.

Continue reading "Once Again, Consumer Savvy Shoppers Get Creative to Save Money" »

Posted by Max Anderson | Permalink

Weekly Meal Planning Made Easy

If you have a family and work full time (or even part time) weekly meal planning can seem like mission impossible. After all, you want everyone to eat healthy but you don't have hours to spend in the kitchen. How do you manage to feed everyone home-cooked meals without paying for a personal chef? With a few insider secrets, you can manage it. Here are some tricks of the trade I've been using for years.

Continue reading "Weekly Meal Planning Doesn't Have to be a Nightmare" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

Buy Spices Online and Save Cash

I have a funny story to tell about when my wife and I went to the grocery store to buy spices. Well, it was more like she had to buy spices and I went along for the ride. Little did I know when we were leaving the house that I was about to experience the full extent of this woman's cheapness (or frugality, as she puts it)...

Continue reading "Forget the Grocery Store When You Need to Buy Spices" »

Posted by Max Anderson | Permalink

How Closely Should You Follow Food Expiration Dates?

Today, my friends, expiration dates hold an entirely new meaning for me. I did something I thought was horrible. In fact, my heart about stopped. I made mac & cheese for the kids only to see that the box expired almost a year ago. I thought we were going to have to go to the ER for a good stomach pumping and that's when I found out something quite interesting -- expiration dates aren't what many of us think they are.

Continue reading "What's The Deal with Expiration Dates?" »

Posted by Jessica Hunter | Permalink

Get Reacquainted With Milk Delivery

Many of us think that milk delivery is something our grandmothers enjoyed, but not something feasible in today's market-driven world. Milk delivery, however, isn't just for the history books or those who have everything and anything delivered to their homes. Milk delivery may actually be a wise consumer decision.

Continue reading "Milk Delivery Isn't Just a Thing Of The Past" »

Posted by Lydia Johnson | Permalink

Ways to Save Money on Apple Pie

Apple pie is an all-American favorite, and even those of us with the best diet still crave apple pie from time to time. Surprisingly, apple pie, the staple of American desserts, has become increasingly expensive over the years. Below you’ll find some helpful tips for locating inexpensive apple pie.

Continue reading "Apple Pie on the Cheap" »

Posted by Jessica Hunter | Permalink