I was grocery shopping with my mom the other day. She gave me a tip which saved me some money, and I realized, she should have a blog. She knows so many awesome tips and tricks about everything. For example: when you finish a container of milk, add water to the jug, shake it up, and water your plants. The milk residue is good for your plants. I am not trying to pass either of us off as master gardeners, or experts in any way. But these tips work and I thought I'd share.
The working title for this series is "Mom 101" until I think of something better. (Totally open to suggestions). So here is today's lesson:
When shopping for spices at the market look for the little Hispanic section. It's usually near the Produce Section and pretty inconspicuous. It's not the "Hispanic Foods Aisle". It'll be a wall, or maybe a corner. There you can find a lot of spices for a fraction of the price. Example: I was a FoodMaxx the other day (the day of my epiphany). I needed cumin and said I was going to the Spice Aisle. Mom said no, look for the Hispanic spices. I had to ask a clerk, who didn't know what I was talking about. I described to her that I wanted the spices that come in a bag. After a few false starts I found it. I bought 16 oz of cumin for $3.98. The cumin in the Spice Aisle (in the jar) was 2 oz for $2.96. That is a huge savings!! It's a lot of cumin but I'll use it. You can use cumin in everything - gives food a nice smoky flavor. I use whenever I cook meat.
They have a variety of your basic spices. Don't look for Old Bay there, but thyme, paprika, saffron - it's all there and cheap. Thanks Mom!