Lots of things found on the produce clearance rack can also be dehydrated. I especially like to get sweet bell peppers (all colors) and dehydrate them. Good fruit can easily be made into fruit leather. Dehydrated mushrooms are also a useful ingredient in the kitchen. I just avoid anything that has mold growing on it.

Not only can you get perfectly good food from the clearance rack and dehydrate it, instead of wasting a lot of produce in your refrigerator, get out the dehydrator and dry it.

You can make up your own packets of soup mix from your dehydrated "goodies".

Cream of Mushroom Soup Mix
1 c. (250 ml) dried mushrooms
1/2 t. (2 ml) dried onions
1/2 t. (2 ml) grated dried lemon rind
3 T. (45 ml) all-purpose flour
1 t. (5 ml) salt
1/8 t. pepper (1/2 ml)
1 c. (250 ml) dry milk powder

Combine all ingredients and store in a tightly sealed container. To use: add to 1-1/2 quarts (1-1/2 litres) boiling water. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Cover and cook over very low heat for 20-30 minutes. Serves 4-6.

For more dehydrating information and recipes, check out a copy of "Making & Using Dried Foods" by Phyllis Hobson.

-Grainlady

I found the 10 lb prepackaged hamburgers on sale for $7.56 last week. I bought two and brought them home to freeze. I sometimes get the reduced deli bread like that too.

Potatoes have gotten really expensive at $4/10 lb bag. I found them on sale at $.99/5 lb bag last week and bought enough to get me through the new year.

The supermarket closest to me is owned by a family that owns three or four others. At this supermarket, they have racks of clearance bakery items, including organic artisan breads for maybe 20-25% of its original price. It freezes wonderfully.

My co-op also will take the meat that's close to sell-by, freeze it, and offer a 20% discount on it. That works out well if I don't need it right away and especially if it's going to be stewed or braised.

I often check the clearance shelf first. I try to buy as much of the food I need that day from it. Everything else for the rest of the week has to be bought with longer sell by dates, but it means I can eat for a discount one day a week at least.

I do most of my shopping at Super Walmart. If I can get in there early in the morning( after I take the kids to school) then I am able to get a lot of my meat on sale. Meats that are a day or two near the sell by date go on sale for 20 to 25% off. I mostly buy ground beef( as lean as possible). Or chicken. And they also always have day old bakery items on clearence. Happy Shopping!!!

I love to catch seedless grapes on sale and freeze them individually on a cookie sheet and then put them in plastic bags. They make a refreshing snack. Bananas on sale are cut into ½ inch thick coins and frozen individually then dipped in chocolate shell and returned to the freezer for an hour and stored in plastic. The first time I made the banana coins, my DH opened the freezer and said, "I found a goldmine!"

A market near me puts fruits and vegetables that don't look too good in a special spot and the prices are great, like 25 cents. I bought two bunches of asparagas for a quarter each and made delicious creamed soup. I take the stuff home,cut off any bad spots and eat it quickly.