Homemade Convenience Food Series

Over the past couple of years I've written a series of posts about making convenience foods at home.

It has spanned three years and I still add a post occasionally. It includes a wide variety of make-ahead convenience foods, from taco seasoning to cookie mixes and main dishes.

When I began this series, I focused on saving time and money. Now I also want to eat a healthy diet and avoid processed foods, preservatives, and chemical additives. Fortunately, both approaches are pretty similar. By cooking from scratch to save money, I was already preparing healthier food for my family.

The best advice I ever read ago was to "shop for ingredients, not for dinner". Your dollars will go much further if you buy basic ingredients, the makings of dinner, instead of buying food that has been made for you. The more work that has been done for you, the more expensive (and less healthy) that food will be at the register.

Instead, buy flour, spices, honey, cheese, meats, vegetables, and so on. You'll have the ingredients for many meals instead of a box that will make dinner for tonight. Your trip to the grocery store will also be much faster as you cruise around the perimeter of the store, buying produce, meat and dairy, with a quick zip down the aisle of baking supplies.

Plant a garden if you can, and grow your own produce.

It's a wonderful feeling to come across a delicious-sounding recipe and know that you already have all the necessary ingredients on hand.

Just by changing the way you think about food, you can have a well-stocked pantry to sustain your family. By changing your methods slightly, you can save time and work in the kitchen. I'll tell you how in the following posts.

CONVENIENCE FOOD SERIES

Part One - Spice Mixes (chili seasoning recipe)
Part Two - Chili Mac
Part Three - Ground Beef (taco seasoning recipe)
Part Four - Dump Chicken
Part Five - Make Ahead
Part Six - Pizza Crust
Part Seven - Pies
Part Eight - Chicken Stock
Part Nine - Veggies and Herbs
Part Ten - More Make-Ahead Ideas
Part Eleven - More on Ground Beef
Part Twelve - More Pizza Crust
Part Thirteen - Make a Mix
Part Fourteen - Cookies
Part Fifteen - Brownies
Part Sixteen - Corn Muffin Mix
Part Seventeen - Honey Oat Bread bread machine mix
Part Eighteen - Cookie Mixes
Part Nineteen - Make-Your-Own Baking Mix

This post has been shared at some of my favorite blog hops. 


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My hope is to inspire you, and to encourage your homesteading plans and your dreams of a simple, self-reliant, God-dependent life. You can follow me at:
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