Inspired by recent discussion at Money Saving Mom.com about the top items that people should buy or should not buy, I am running a series in April and May about the top 10 things I purchase or don't purchase regularly.
Some of the points are actual physical items; other points are a bit more broad. In many cases, the reason I purchase a specific item is because we have a brand preference - and we choose to save money elsewhere in the budget so we can afford that specific item!
In May, I will share the top 10 things I do not purchase in four different categories: food, household products, health and beauty products and other miscellaneous products around the home.
These lists will be based on my opinions and my purchasing habits. Each individual and family will have different priorities for how money is spent. If your priorities are different, that's okay!
Here are the top 10 food products items that I do not purchase, in no specific order:
1. Boxed dinners - These are very expensive and ultimately, not very healthy. I cook from scratch most of the time and we have found that we prefer this over boxed meals. For a knock-off on "Hamburger Helper," check out my recipe.
2. Premade frozen meals (gluten free or regular) - I never purchase premade gluten free frozen meals because I have never found one that tastes even remotely good, plus they are insanely expensive! We only rarely purchase regular frozen meals - as a treat for my husband.
3. Gluten free box mixes (cake, brownies, cookies, etc.) - I generally never purchase these types of mixes (although they are sometimes given to me).
4. Margarine - We don't buy it. I use only butter! I watch for sales on butter and in our area, usually pay no more than $2 per pound.
5. Gluten free crackers - I make my own cheesy gluten free crackers and they are so yummy! The boxed crackers are extremely pricey, and frankly, not that tasty.
6. Canned fruits and vegetables - We much prefer fresh fruits and vegetables.
7. Taco seasoning packets - The packets are quite expensive (usually) and we have found that we much prefer my homemade seasoning more.
8. Bottled water - This would be a huge waste for us! We have a Brita filter pitcher at our house (and our condo also has an excellent water filtration system). I use reuseable water bottles like they are going out of style!
*Note - In some cases, bottled water is a necessity if water is not safe (or if it's orange, like the area where our church is located! We get around that by filling gallon jugs with water from home, so we still aren't buying bottled water.).
9. Chicken broth - Nearly two years ago, I learned to make my own chicken broth, and since then, I have never purchased canned broth. Making homemade broth is surprisingly easy - and it tastes so delicious!
10. Breadcrumbs - It took me a long time to realize that you can actually purchase pre-made breadcrumbs in the store! I make breadcrumbs in my blender and then freeze them. I usually do a quart-size bag at one time, so I don't have to make breadcrumbs each time I need them.
And two honorable mentions, because I couldn't keep this list at only ten:
11. Baby carrots - If we want carrot sticks, I make my own! Pre-cut baby carrots cost about two times as much as whole carrots.
12. Potato chips - We rarely purchase potato chips anymore. I do still love my tortilla chips from Aldi, though!
To catch up on the previous installments in this series:
- the top 10 food products I buy
- the top 10 household products I buy
- the top 10 health and beauty products I buy
- the top 10 items around the house that I buy
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