I won’t buy spaghetti sauce when #10 cans of crushed tomatoes are $2.16 at Sam’s.

But while I’m at Sam’s, I’ll buy the bagged chopped Romaine, but mostly because its affordable and fast.

I buy bread. I buy good bread. I can’t make it. It is my major splurge. I need intervention.

I _do_ try to make a lot of stuff from scratch, though. I make pancakes and waffles at least weekly and I don’t understand why one would want to buy frozen waffles/pancakes. They aren’t very good, they have nasty stuff in them, and making them from scratch is really easy! OK, waffles are more work than pancakes, but it is still not bad.
I keep what doesn’t get eaten the first morning in the freezer and I have easy breakfast for the kids for the next few days.

But I do mini carrots. I hate peeling carrots. All wobbly and uneven. Silly, I know. Organic ones around here are pretty cheap ($1.79) for a huge bag of lazy. A stupid splurge.

I’m also terribly guilty…I can’t believe I am admitting this….of buying Horizon Organic milk in the ind. cartons. (gulp) My son is autistic and he LOVES these. You don’t have to keep them cold, I usually keep one on hand when we are out to calm an unexpected temper tantrum.

- Organic lettuce (the 1# box) as it is more economical than the bagged stuff and healthier than iceberg lettuce.
- Canned pumpkin here too!

Waste of money:

- Easy Mac&Cheese and now the frozen Mac&Cheese. It’s not that tough to make in the first place!

We are now shredding most of our own cheese and I have to say it is a better deal and it tastes better. We purchase a huge block at Sam’s, split it up, vaccuseal the chunks and then pull out and shred as needed and keep the shredded cheese in a plastic (reusable) container.

I’m also making more of our own bread and it does taste so much better than the store bought stuff.

My next conquests: homemade spaghetti and pizza sauces.

Would freezing chopped onions stop that?

I love the shredded cheese in freeze idea! How do you keep it from clumping?

I’d like to make pasta, but I don’t have the equipment.

When my brother worked for In ‘N’ Out Burger (fast food joint in CA), he would bring home onions. My mom would chop the onions using the food processor and freeze them in a bag for later use.

As for unnecessary? PB&J mixed in the jar. Also premade spegehtti sause, frozen hamburger patties, and frozen foods. Neither have much taste and are way too expensive for my taste.

I also don’t do pre-cut fruit or veggies (except baby carrots sometimes).

I’m with SpaceDog on the pasta–no way do I have time for making fresh pasta on a weeknight. I do like the pre-bagged salad. I could do the lettuce on my own, but keeping the other veggies on hand and FRESH is my challenge.