Frugal Finds Friday: MAX YOUR MENU: January 2010 Edition

January is a great time to use up leftovers, clear the pantry, make soup and look for new ways to max your menu. Here are a couple tips to help you make the most of what you already have:

Inventory your pantry. What do you have hiding in the recesses that only need an ingredient or two to spruce up and serve? Perhaps you have more whole meals than you think.

Inventory your freezer. What meat needs to be thrown away and what needs to be pulled out and thawed and cooked? Use it up if it is still good but watch for freezer burnt items.

Inventory your refrigerator. Usually you store things in your refrigerator that can go bad quickly. Make sure to use up everything before it goes bad each week. If you thaw something, make sure to cook it as soon as it is ready. If one of your new year’s resolutions is to eat healthier, don’t forget to pull out those items at snack time and meal time.

Save those sale flyers and make a list of which grocery store is selling what you need.

Make a goal of reducing your trips to the grocery store. The less you go, the less likely you will pick up the vast number of “want” items rather than “need” items. I love all the pre-made stuffed meats I see lined up at the butcher’s counter but they instantly jack up your grocery bill and calorie content.

For more MAX YOUR MENU tips, head over to DIYFrugal for the rest of this article where we are gathering lots of money saving resources just for YOU. Check out our new look!