My 3-year-old daughter is a huge Veggie Tales fan. So, when we first started talking about making plans for her birthday party, it didn’t take long for the names “Bob” and “Larry” to come up. I started looking online and found lots of examples of Veggie Tales cakes that moms had made for their children. While I love to bake, I had some concerns about being able to pull off Bob and Larry. One of the concerns was food coloring. My husband and I did not want to use any of the chemicals, artificial substances that are found in conventional food coloring. Before long, I found that there are many ways to color food without using the toxic elements. So, what would I use to color the frosting for my daughter’s birthday cake?
FOOD! What I found was refreshing and fun. I could use food that is healthy and even organic to add to my homemade cream cheese frosting to get the desired effect without the artificial colors.
Here is what I used to get the colors I needed for our Veggie Tales birthday cake.
For Bob (Red), I pureed blackberries and a few strawberries and mixed them in with some pureed baked beet. I prepped my daughter beforehand by talking about the very real possibility of a “dark pink” Bob. But, at least he’d be one we would feel great about eating. Incidentally, she didn’t care that Bob wasn’t red. She was thrilled about the character on the cake as it was.
For Larry, I put a little bit of spinach in a saucepan with just a little bit of water. Brought it to a boil and cooked for about 3-4 minutes. When it cooled, I pureed the spinach until it reached the texture of a paste.
In both cases, I added the “color” to the cream cheese frosting until I got a shade that would work. Incidentally, you can’t taste the spinach and there’s only a hint of berry in the “red” frosting. Both green and red on chocolate cake were a big hit with the family.
There are so many fun, inexpensive and healthy ways to make food coloring. Have you tried making food coloring at home? What other colors have you made at home?
Love is in the air…or, is that the smell of yet another commercial holiday? I don’t mean to sound cynical; however, Valentine’s Day can be a very expensive “holiday” if you are guided at all by the commercials we see. Dinners are incredibly over-priced on February 14, or the entire weekend if it falls on a weekend. Flowers are ridiculously priced. (By the way, yes, I did instruct my husband NOT to buy me flowers for Valentine’s this year). Cards, candy, anything pink or red (it seems) are all marked up! However, I don’t believe you have to boycott Valentine’s day in order to save your money. I know that I am among many Thrifty Divas when I say that you can have your cake and eat it too!
Speaking of Cake
Who says that the chocolate we enjoy for Valentine’s day has to be store bought? Baked goods are always a hit. Cookies, muffins, cupcakes or cake! My husband loves chocolate even more than I do! Hard to believe but it’s true! In any case, last year for Valentine’s day, I found a great chocolate-lovers cake recipe and made it for him for Valentine’s Day. It was such a hit that it became the recipe I used for my daughter’s birthday cake (per hubby’s request) 
Besides cake, you can always make chocolate candy at home too! And, at a FRACTION of the price! Plus, I always think that with what we make at home, you don’t have any of the additives and preservatives that we get with store bought sweets.
Who Needs Hallmark?
Make your own card at home! It’s so easy to do, and it’s so much more personal and fun than picking out a card that someone else wrote to express your love to the love of your life! If you have children, include them in the process. There are lots of websites to assist you and your children with templates to make it easy and fun. Here’s one site with a few examples of cute homemade cards. Now that my daughter is old enough to enjoy crafts, she will be making Valentine’s cards for daddy and her baby brother this year too!
A Romantic Meal
There is no substituting for the convenience of eating out. However, often eating out on a “holiday” is not only expensive but takes more time because of everyone else getting in line to pay for that convenience To me, what constitutes a special meal is not simply what’s offered on a menu but what the people eating want to eat. There are a lot of meals that my husband may call his favorites. However, few rank as high as either steak or fried chicken. Yep, he’s a southern man who loves his fried chicken! Any meal can be turned into a special one when you start with the menu of your choice and perhaps light a candle or two.
What else do you do to enjoy Valentine’s without spending so much money?
You know that sales aren’t coincidental. They are planned out in advance in light of holidays, national events and other occasions. There are a few things about the February deals are predictable: chocolate, candy and other sweets. But, here are some more for which you can keep an eye out!
National Canned Food Month
Look for canned fruit, vegetables, pie fillings and soups on sale this month. The canned food may also include meats like tuna, chicken and salmon.
Super Bowl Sunday
Snacks and drinks for the Big Game. You’ll notice sales and coupons for all these items. Soda, chips, dip, cheese, sandwich items, crackers, snacks, chicken wings, fruit and vegetable trays will all be discounted this weekend. So, don’t pay full price for your Super Bowl party snacks.
National Hot Breakfast Month
This makes me wonder whether there is a National Cold Breakfast Month…just wondering. Look deals and coupons for oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, frozen waffles, syrup, waffles, pancake mix, hash browns, bacon, sausage and even eggs! As a matter of fact, “like” Great Day Farms” on Facebook and get $1.00 off of your next carton of Great Day Farms eggs. 
)
Valentine’s Day
Of course you’ll find all the Valentine’s Day goodies on sale too: boxed and bar chocolate, lubricants and KY jelly, perfume, cards, stuffed animals, gift sets, wine/sparkling cider, flower arrangements and candles.
Seasonal Produce
This is always one of my favorite categories of sales every month. I have gotten organic apples at great prices recently. This month, look for lower prices on artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, collards, grapefruit, kale, oranges, parsnips, pears, potatoes and turnips.
Have I missed a category? What else have you found discounted this month?
When I first decided to participate in the Boost Your Budget Pantry Challenge, I did so knowing it would be a real challenge but one that would be worth the effort. What I did not expect was how much fun I would have with it. My husband and I both enjoyed it so much that it will not end in our home until I get through our pantry!
My stated goals included saving time and money by using what we already have and by menu planning. We did save money and time–and, as such, are establishing new patterns for our family meals. However, I found a few other perks along the way.
Creative Cooking
Because I let the pantry determine our meals, I was forced to be more creative with our meals and ended up having a really good time coming up with meals and….consuming them 
Because I was just as interested in saving time, I planned our meals better and cooked larger portions every other day. Then, I added to the leftovers on the next day. Again, this was time saving and fun!
Pantry Clean Up
I said before that sometimes what lives in the pantry dies in the pantry. In this process, I discovered a couple of items that had expired, sadly. However, it has made me more committed to filling our pantry with things we want to eat and don’t want to see “go like that.” The better the food, and the quality of the food, the less likely I will be to let it sit there for so long. But, that process will begin once I get through what’s still in there right now.
Thank You
I have to send a great big thanks to Shopper Strategy for putting this together. It has been an honor to be a part of this challenge with such great bloggers. And, it has been so good to get the year started this way. Thank you!
Next week we are going to interview Jenny Stanger who is the author of Fabulous Freezer meals. She is going to pour out all of her best tips to Thrifty Divas readers on making freezer meals. Do you have a question for her? Let us know and we will ask Jenny. Make sure you check out her website too for tons of tips and even some great how-to videos! Next weeks interview is going to be fun so make sure you check it out!
It has been said that”‘you are what you eat.” While there is truth to that, I believe that as couponers and people who seek to save money, our pantries can reveal quite a bit about us.
First Things First. Do you even know what’s in your pantry? It’s easy to use pantries for storage and back up storage and forget what you put in there first. Take stock of what’s in your pantry regularly and…..use it so that it doesn’t turn into a money waster. Don’t let whatever is living in the back or bottom of your pantry die in there. Find out what’s in there and have fun using and eating it!
An Empty Pantry? Does anyone have an empty pantry? But, what is actually in there? Too often our pantries are full of empty calories. Is there anything of any nutritional worth in there? When taking stock of your pantry, I encourage you to check on a few things periodically. Chips, crackers, sugary cereals. Perhaps you could consider whole grain crackers, oats, oatmeal and popcorn kernels. Make your pantry count both financially and nutritionally.
1. Throw out what is too old and no longer edible.
2. Throw out what may have gone bad or stale.
3. Consider throwing out what you and your family don’t need for your health.
Successful Storage. Space tends to be an issue in the pantry. So, consider using stacking shelves or baskets along with plastic bags that seal to keep critters out and keep the food good.
What does your pantry say about you?
In any economy, shoppers are looking for a good deal. However, we find ourselves in a time when more and more of us are looking for and finding ways to save money. But, in the attempt to save money, there are some mistakes that it’s important to avoid.
Rebates. Sometimes what make s a deal a good one is Mail-In Rebate. I recently bought a Brita Filter for $5 and got a $10 rebate from the company. Very good deal. I filled out the rebate form almost immediately because I know that if it sat too long, it could have gotten misplaced or, more likely, forgotten. If you have a Rebate deal, get that form filled out and mailed off within 24 hours of the purchase or set a specific time to get it done. If I’d misplaced the receipt or forgotten to fill out the form, the potentially great deal is no deal at all.
Letting “Rewards” Expire. If you shop at CVS, Walgreens or Rite Aid (to name a few), then you are familiar with the rewards programs at each of those stores. I am a Walgreens shopper. And, I have often taken advantage of deals with Register Rewards. However, when I first started I didn’t realize that the expiration date on the Register Rewards was only two weeks from the date of purchase. So, the “deal” I got was no deal at all because the Register Rewards I received expired before I got to use it.
Buying What You Don’t Use. When I clip coupons and I come across something I would not normally buy, I ask myself, “Would I/we use it if I could get it for free?” That becomes the standard on items that we wouldn’t normally use or eat. I often have to remind myself of that when I find out I could get something like a pack of coffee drinks (which we don’t ever use) for only $1. That’s a $1 I could use on something we do need and use. So, if I do make a purchase like that, it’s not only NOT a deal but it’s money that should be spent on what we need and use that is wasted. Again, if you wouldn’t buy it (or a substitute for it) without a coupon, then you may have just wasted–and not saved–your money.
I wish I could say that I know all these “what not to do’s” simply because I read them in a book. Sadly, I know first hand that these can and do happen. As we attempt to stretch our dollars, let’s be sure that we don’t waste them!
What are other things that should be on this “what NOT to do” list?
Big week! NFL Playoffs, New Hampshire primary AND Week Two of the Boost Your Budget Pantry Challenge! You think I’m kidding, don’t you? The challenge involves using the food that we already have in our freezers and pantries, rather than buying other food or eating out. For my family, eating out is usually something we do for anniversaries and birthdays. So, that’s not a problem. We do work hard at saving money while maintaining the quality of our food (we like to eat as naturally and organically as is financially possible). But, we’ve never done this before. So, a challenge is what it has been. But, it has been great!
I feel better about this week. I did spend more than I did last week. However, it was on fruit, vegetables and bulk items for some of our staple items. Also, more confessions this week: I did stock up on a couple of items we use all the time because the deals were irresistible. No guilt either
So this week, I spent:
Whole Foods: $45
HEB: $65
It’s still far below what I would spend if I weren’t thinking about this pantry challenge. My goals include both saving money and time. So, I’m cooking much larger amounts every other day. (As I mentioned before, my husband and I both love eating leftovers–what a blessing because not everyone can say that!) So, usually on the second day, I just add fresh veggies, salad or rice to the main entree, unless it’s pizza
Here’s what the week’s menu looked like:
Monday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Roasted Cornish Hens, Spinach and Brown Rice
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Homemade Pizza!
Saturday: Leftover Pizza–so good!
Sunday: Turkey Tacos
It has only been two weeks. However, I’m hoping (like Denise from Shopper Strategy) that these become lifestyle changes because they are really working for our family.
If you haven’t joined the challenge, I encourage you to do it. It’s amazing how much easier it is to do than it sounds. When I first decided to participate, I did so tepidly. But, I love it. It’s been much more interesting to find and cook with what’s in my pantry than I thought it would be. I tend to stay on top of what’s in the freezer. But, what lives in the pantry can sometimes die in the pantry. Not anymore!
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