Hamburger is a great food for the frugal diet. You can usually find it on sale, and it can go into so many different recipes. Here are some top notch ideas for saving money when it comes to hamburger.
When you find hamburger at a really low price, stock up on as much of it as you can and freeze it. And if you are lucky enough to get it at anywhere near a dollar a pound, then purchase at least 40-60 pounds of it.
An easy storage tip follows: put one pound portions of hamburger into individual freezer bags. Before you close the bags, use your rolling pin to gently flatten out the hamburger in the bags. Then seal and freeze. The hamburger will stack nicely, allowing you to fit more of it in your freezer. And when it comes time to defrost it, it will thaw quickly because it is thin. You can also brown the hamburger first and try this trick, although it won’t get quite as flat.
Another great tip for hamburger to to stretch it out a bit by adding other things. Pork is a good one to add, especially in a meat loaf, because it is generally less expensive. Or try bread, stuffing mix, oatmeal, TVP, etc. You can click here to learn more about stretching a meat loaf.
Avoid those “Helper” type boxes for hamburger unless they are practically giving them away at the store. They usually only feed four people and really raise the cost of your hamburger meal. You can easily make your own pasta, add cheese, onions, peppers, etc. You can get your inspiration from the helper meals, or check for recipes online.
Fatter hamburger is less expensive. If you want to avoid consuming some of that fat, you can alter your cooking method to reduce the extra fat and making sure to take the time to drain the hamburger.
Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Computing Blog here at Families.com where she shares everything from the latest news on technology to cool downloads and fun websites.
Related Articles:
How Much Does It Cost to Eat at Home?
Rubber Chicken: Stretch that Bird!
Four Delicious Ways to Stretch a Meat-loaf