[VitaLuna]

I've been working on making a lot of stuff lately that I used to buy, and I'm wondering what everyone else is doing, too! What things are you already doing or want to do to cut down on preservatives, reduce waste, save money, etc.?

Things I make:
-cleaning supplies
-refried beans
-Popsicles/frozen desserts
-condensed cream of chicken/mushroom soup
-yogurt
-beans (cooking and freezing vs can)
-baking mixes (like bisquick, cornbread mix, bread mixes, etc)
-taco seasoning
-pizza dough

Things I want to try soon:
-pasta
-ricotta (from the whey leftover from making yogurt)

[sheerblindluck]

How do you make cream of chicken/mushroom in a condensed form?

I do cleaning supplies, except now I love Mr clean magic eraser for my stove and bathtub. Seasonings, because I hate the feel of MSG and prefer flavor instead of fillers. I also grow several fruits and veggies and am going to try canning in the fall.

[Jennie K]

Originally Posted by VitaLuna

I've been working on making a lot of stuff lately that I used to buy, and I'm wondering what everyone else is doing, too! What things are you already doing or want to do to cut down on preservatives, reduce waste, save money, etc.?

Things I make:
-cleaning supplies
-refried beans
-Popsicles/frozen desserts
-condensed cream of chicken/mushroom soup
-yogurt
-beans (cooking and freezing vs can)
-baking mixes (like bisquick, cornbread mix, bread mixes, etc)
-taco seasoning
-pizza dough

Things I want to try soon:
-pasta
-ricotta (from the whey leftover from making yogurt)

I haven't made the refried beans yet, but I just bought dried pinto beans to do it! I make frozen treats, baked beans, all my baking is from scratch unless I get mixes free or almost free. I make jams occasionally. I just purchased a pressure canner for things like pasta sauce (I won't use jarred if its free LOL), chili, baked beans, and veggies from my garden, etc. If my cucumber plants produce a lot, I want to make pickles! I make my own pasta sometimes, but not because it saves me money. It's actually cheaper to use store bought dried pasta for me, but it's nice to have fresh semolina pasta on occasion. You can make a ricotta without whey...use milk and an acid (lemon juice or white vinegar). It has a softer, looser texture than "real" ricotta, but its fast and easy.

[LetaB]

This has been a process that started right before we got married. So almost 10 years.

Food:

ketchup
mayo
salsa (2 kinds)
giardinerra
pesto
mushroomy goodness (hard to explain)
pickles (cukes, beets, okra)
pizza sauce
BBQ sauce
chicken stock
canned soup
canned green beans
jam
canned peaches
applesauce
frozen fruit (mostly for smoothies)
Greek yogurt (so yogurt, "sour cream", and a salad dressing ingredient)
ricotta
chevre
mozzarella (sometimes)
salad dressing
some produce is homegrown
herbs (we grow 100% of what we eat)
bread
tortilla chips
flour tortillas
pita bread
English muffins
ravioli
linguini
sausage
pancetta
vanilla extract
lime extract
lemon extract
orange extract
mint extract

Non Food

dishwasher "detergent"
laundry "detergent"
laundry stain spray
fabric softener
soap (shampoo/shave bars that we use head to toe and in laundry detergent, and pine tar)
hair rinse (behaves like conditioner)
hair detangling leave in spray
deep conditioning treaments (once on month for the ends of long hair)
tooth"paste"
deodorant
sunblock (regular and waterproof)
lightweight bug spray (we still use Deep Woods Off for, well, the deep woods)
lotion/moisturizer
toner
all cleaners except Magic Erasers
spray starch for ironing
lib balm
sugar wax (also thread to remove hair, and DH uses a safety razor so the blades cost ~25c/ea)

We don't ever buy things like desserts or side dishes that come in a packet. We juice and freeze lemons for lemon juice, and we make our own lemon/lime aid. If we buy potato chips, it's for a specific thing, like a barbeque. Our junk food consists primarily of pop tarts, fruit snacks, juice boxes, and crackers. Once in while I also buy string cheese. This is car food, to keep us out of the drive thru. Other than that, we never buy single serving packages of food.

We want to get back into homebrewing more intensively, and we want to start mothering our vinegars. And I want to at least attempt hard cheese.

[Maggiew]

I'm feeling overwhelmed by all of you! How impressive-I stand in awe of those who make their own pasta and the like.

I do can during the summer, but it is about the taste. (Spaghetti sauce/strawberry jam/blueberry preserves from the store are much cheaper.)

[Harri4sl]

Hmmm. The one and only thing I've ever made myself was pasta sauce and it was awful ! I am also in awe of all of you that can make all of these amazing products! I'm envious

[nonniepooh]

I never buy canned beans. I cook a large pot of beans and them use my mixer to mash them up and add shredded cheese. They freeze well.

[LetaB]

I know that there are things (marinara, jam, etc.) that you can get free or for pennies, but I think it's important to compare apples to apples. Our tomatoes are homegrown, so organic, same with garlic and herbs. A quart of organic marinara is going to cost more and more rarely go on sale/have Qs. So while our homemade stuff isn't free, it's not expensive either- $1.75 for heirloom tomato seeds, $6 for garlic starts, $3 per herb plant, but we save seeds so that was years ago. Same thing with quart jars- you pay25c-$1/each, but then you reuse. We have some metal lids, but want to get the Tattler reusable lids this year. The only real ongoing cost is the fuel to get the canner hot enough, and when DH finishes his backyard oven, that will scrap wood, so free, too. (The oven is being made with stones, again, free.)

Also, anything that saves me driving and keeps me out of the store saves me money in those ways, too.

This is just my situation. I know it wouldn't work for everyone, but it's kinda frustrating when you read that it's more expensive to can. If that is true, you are either a master couponer with lots of nearby shopping options, or you are doing it wrong. It's doable, that's all I'm trying to say.

[a1phonetech]

We stopped buying cigarettes 2 years ago and started making our own. Still to this day, we pay about 90 cents per pack. I've also started using an electric cigarette so I want to find out how to make the drops that go in it.

Oh, and I use vinegar to clean just about everything such as glass cleaner, de-greaser, even carpet shampoo.

I would love to have some of the recipes for some of the stuff you folks make such as fabric softener, hair conditioner and deep conditioning treatment.

[a1phonetech]

I know it wouldn't work for everyone, but it's kinda frustrating when you read that it's more expensive to can.

My grandmother use to can and the Sunday paper had Ball Jar coupons. I would love to get into it.

[phoopaugh]

Originally Posted by VitaLuna

I've been working on making a lot of stuff lately that I used to buy, and I'm wondering what everyone else is doing, too! What things are you already doing or want to do to cut down on preservatives, reduce waste, save money, etc.?

Things I make:
-cleaning supplies
-refried beans
-Popsicles/frozen desserts
-condensed cream of chicken/mushroom soup
-yogurt
-beans (cooking and freezing vs can)
-baking mixes (like bisquick, cornbread mix, bread mixes, etc)
-taco seasoning
-pizza dough

Things I want to try soon:
-pasta
-ricotta (from the whey leftover from making yogurt)

Can you please share how you make your cream of mushroom/chicken.this is such an expense at my house.

[danielephant]

i have 285 ball jars waiting for me in the kitchen....waiting until the garden is ready to go...i went ahead and froze the strawberries that i picked from our garden to make into jam on a cool day....but my goal is to do 300 jars this year!!!!

[renaemrgn]

So far just ice cream, and whip cream. I need to really start making other stuff from scratch again.

[junewonder]

LetaB, you make some wonderful stuff!

I make:
beeswax lip balm (i'll try lotion soon)
embroidered pillowcases, apron, etc
jams, ketchup and most food.
I've always rehydrated and cooked beans at home and grow my own herbs.

[VitaLuna]

Originally Posted by phoopaugh

Can you please share how you make your cream of mushroom/chicken.this is such an expense at my house.

I just googled "condensed cream of chicken soup" recipe and several popped up. I'm on my phone and my computer is dead, so I can't pull up the specific one I use The google results are all very similar, though. So super easy! I couldn't believe I hadn't tried it sooner.

[VitaLuna]

I forgot, we also do homemade sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. The canned condensed milk in particular is sooo expensive!

[Pilothillcoupons]

Originally Posted by danielephant

i have 285 ball jars waiting for me in the kitchen....waiting until the garden is ready to go...i went ahead and froze the strawberries that i picked from our garden to make into jam on a cool day....but my goal is to do 300 jars this year!!!!

300 JARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wow I am inpressed! Is that all strawberry jam or all canning for year but still impressed!

[Pilothillcoupons]

I make home made jam (not because it is cheaper but for taste),
apple sauce,
pickles,
cookies ,
refribeans,
popcicles,
pizza dough and of course whole pizza better then pizzeria type pizzas,
salsa,
spaghetti sauce in summer with frsh tomotoes,
Meyer lemon juice squeeze when in season in winter to use in my jams in summer,
i make scrap paper squares out of onsided paper plus a lot of other stuff. Some of the stuff just started making others have made for years

Impressed at the variety a lot ot you make would love lots of the recipes!

[sheerblindluck]

Originally Posted by a1phonetech

My grandmother use to can and the Sunday paper had Ball Jar coupons. I would love to get into it.

I believe they are on sale at Hyvee this week.

[Jakejake]

In addition to a lot of the stuff up there, I'll add the TMI category: pads.
Homemade Sanitary Pads | Hillbilly Housewife

[CarrieM]

Wow LetaB that is a very impressive list! I have a feeling I am REALLY going to love this thread!!
Things I make (or have made)
laundry detergent
dishwasher detergent
homemade egg noodles (one of my favs)
chicken stock
turkey stock
bread...although it flopped Lol
pancake batter
the usual baking...cake, cookies, brownies, icing
BBQ sauce
We also raise our own animals to butcher...cattle, pigs, chickens and recently lamb. We forked out a pretty few pennies to get an industrial meat grinder and meat saw, so we are able to do all the butchering ourselves....This really helps us to save a ton of money by not having to buy any meat at the store, except the occational lunch meats/hotdogs.

I really want to learn how to can jams/jellies and veggies. I also want to try making goat milk soap and some of the easier goat milk cheeses.
There is a recipe for goat milk soap that I want to get my hands on....it's for dogs and helps to control fleas and ticks.....works better than anything I have ever bought at a store.

[sheerblindluck]

I really wish we could share the recipes for these things. I know there are tons of recipes on the internet for the same thing, but I like to know what is tried and true.

[LACECOUPONS]

cleaning supplies
bread
cookies

[Goddessoflubbock]

I thought I was doing good by cooking from scratch . You folks are impressive!

What I do make:
Red gravy
All stocks (veg, chicken, turkey)
Pies
Soups
Used to sew most of DD clothes and a lot of mine
I can make biscuits, cookies, dumplings, spaetzle, etc but pasta and bread I have failed miserably!
Since my older son developed kidney diseas 12 years ago we eat almost no pre-packaged foods as the sodium is too high.

[OnyxRDragon]

Originally Posted by sheerblindluck

I really wish we could share the recipes for these things. I know there are tons of recipes on the internet for the same thing, but I like to know what is tried and true.

Maybe someone should make a thread for Frugal Living Recipes