Tips for Soup

Soup is one of the most frugal things to make when you are on a tight budget.
Here are some helpful hints to keep the cost of soup down.


*Keep a container in the freezer for leftover veggies.(corn, green beans, spinach,carrots, peas, etc.)

*Keep a container in the freezer to dump leftover beans for a chili. (And tomatoes and sauce.)

*Create new soups by keeping a taste 'theme', such as Italian, Mexican, etc.

*Puree some of those veggies that you want to 'hide'.

*Use inexpensive meat such as hamburger, round steak, the small (TURKEY) Jennie-O hams (on sale), etc.

***************MY FAVORITE TIP: REMAKE!**************************
*Make big pots full and change daily to make a 'new soup' . (Example: we have pinto beans one night for supper with cornbread and other fixings. The next day for lunch it is a side instead of a main dish. The third day it becomes chili served with crackers for supper. The fourth day it is served for lunch over corn chips with cheese and onions. The fifth day, it is stretched for the last time by adding more tomato sauce, more chili powder, and sliced turkey hot dogs. Another example: vegetable soup today becomes vegetable bean soup tomorrow, then vegetable beef soup the next day with ground beef added. If it lasts a fourth day, it then becomes Veggie-Beef-n-Noodle.)

*Vegetable soup can make a great baby food. Puree leftovers in a blender and freeze in ice trays; once frozen, store in freezer bags and thaw as needed.

*Save leftover pasta from supper for soup tomorrow.

*Save leftover rice, barley and other grains to use in soups in the place of pasta.

*Keep onion soup mix handy as well as bouillon cubes.

*Chop up veggies at breakfast, toss in a crockpot with a can of tomato juice and have vegetable soup for lunch.

*Serve cornbread muffins or rolls with your soups to fill up those with bigger appetites. (You would be surprised how good cornbread is with almost all soups!)

*Use those super cheap bags of pasta to add excitement for kids that get a little bummed out about soup. Some stores have ABC pasta for .25 cents a bag!

*Use a bay leaf! I know that sounds really simple but little bay leaves can add a big flavor!

*Make your own noodles for soup!

*Store leftover chicken and/or turkey in small containers or freezer bags to pitch in the soup.

*Keep cornstarch handy to thicken some of your soups. (You can blend a tablespoon or two in a small cup of cold water, broth, or milk and add to your soup and heat until thickened.)

*Shredded potatoes added to soups can really make it 'filling'!

*Consider garnishing your soup to make it look really pretty once its in the serving bowl. (Paprika, shredded cheese, parsley, salsa, etc.)

FOR MORE GREAT TIPS, VISIT: http://tammysrecipes.com/