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Crockpot Cooking and Your Family Budget -
Surprising Ways This Appliance Saves You Money
By Susanne M.
If, like me, you bought a crockpot some years ago, used it for a while, then
stuck it away, it's time to retrieve it. Your crockpot is the perfect
appliance to put to work in the kitchen to save you money on your grocery
budget. Clear a spot on your kitchen counter and let's put that crockpot to
work!
But, first, consider the condition of your crockpot. If you have forgotten
exactly when you bought your crockpot, or it has a pattern or color that's
reminiscent of decades past, you should buy a new one. You will be saving
money when you spend money because you'll have a more energy efficient
model. Let's look at the other ways that using your crockpot will save you
money:
Small Appliance Equals Small Wattage
Certain dishes, like beef stew, pot roasts, and soups, are usually cooked
for a pretty long period of time. If you're using your oven for, say 3
hours, that's about 10 kWh for that meal. Cooking the same pot roast in a
crockpot for, say 6 hours, will take about 1.2 kWh. That's simply based on
your oven wattage of roughly 2500 versus your crockpot wattage of roughly
200. It just makes sense using a smaller appliance for such a long cooking
period. Check out your appliance wattage and energy consumption using any of
the energy consumption calculators online and see if you don't agree.
Budget Cuts Of Meat Are Perfect
It's time to try some of those budget cuts of meat again. This time, when
you cook them in your crockpot instead of the oven, the meat will fall right
off the bone and you can cut it with a fork. The sinew and tissue breaks
down nicely when cooked with a low, slow method of the crockpot. Cooking the
meat with some liquid added also adds to the tender results. An expensive,
tender cut of meat won't cook as well in your crockpot. If you've been
avoiding the less expensive cuts of meat, now is the time to try again. No
more disasters, because they're not going in the oven.
No More Drive Thru Fast Food
Your family is rushing home from work and school, and there's nothing for
dinner. You make a quick stop at the drive-thru, plunk down a huge pile of
money and think "there's got to be a better plan." Well, there is. You work
too hard for that money to throw it away on bad food. How about instead, you
plan a meal, prepare it ahead of time and throw it in the crockpot in the
morning? Now, you have time for the evening routine, without worrying about
that anguished cry, "what's for dinner?" The fast food joints can get along
just fine without your money.
Stop Stressing Your Air Conditioner
When the weather turns hot and steamy, you don't need to add any more heat
to your house by cooking a meal. With the air conditioner running, it seems
foolish to start heating your oven or stove top. Unfortunately, I can't live
on salads all summer long. There comes a time when my family and I want a
hot meal, even in the summer. Having the crockpot cooking away on the
counter top doesn't heat up the kitchen, and we get a hearty meal, without
stressing out our air conditioner.
Cook With Leftovers In Mind
Cooking once and eating twice is my motto. With a large crockpot full of
chili, roast beef, or spaghetti, I have lunches for the next few days. Also,
with large portions, I can put a couple servings in the freezer for nights
when we need a meal in a hurry. Avoiding a quick stop at the grocery store
always saves money; you'd be surprised how many items you buy on impulse.
This simple method of cooking large portions can save any family a lot of
money each month on the grocery budget.
Isn't it time you put your crockpot to work for you? When you see the money
savings start to add up, you'll be glad you did. Grab a few crockpot
recipes, make out your shopping list, and start saving money today with this
one, simple kitchen appliance.
About the
Author:
Visit HillbillyHousewife.com at
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ to find
helpful information for cooking delicious meals on a budget. You can start
saving both time and money today with the Hillbilly Housewife's informative
new guide, CROCKPOT COOKING MADE SIMPLE. Click on the following link to get
your copy now and start enjoying tasty family-pleasing meals today:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/crockpotcooking.htm
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