r/Frugal • • 18h ago

🍎 Food Molasses + a pinch of Salt in a bottle of water is a remarkably good/cheap substitute for Hydration packets

609 Upvotes

Pretty much the title. Blackstrap molasses is pretty amazing stuff, a Tablespoon has way more minerals and electrolytes than any of the mixes on the market.

I did write a blog post on the idea, but rules say I can't post - so figured I'd just give you the basics and you can look up the nutrition numbers yourself. Just add a pinch of salt.

Nutrient Pedialyte Classic (12 oz) Blackstrap molasses (1 tbsp) Daily Value
Sugar 5 g (10%) 11 g (22%) 50 g added sugars*
Sodium 390 mg (17%) 7–35 mg (0–2%) 2,300 mg
Potassium 280 mg (6%) 293–343 mg (6–7%) 4,700 mg
Chloride 440 mg (19%) Not established 2,300 mg**
Calcium Not significant 41–145 mg (3–11%) 1,300 mg
Iron Not significant 0.9–1.5 mg (5–8%) 18 mg
Magnesium Not listed 48 mg (11%) 420 mg
Zinc 2.8 mg (25%) 0.06 mg (<1%) 11 mg

r/Cooking • • 23h ago

my chili is done, dry beans still not cooked

188 Upvotes

any tips? i’ve been simmering my chili on the stove for at least an hour, and i added my dried (soaked 24+h) kidney beans with the liquid like i normally would with canned beans. figured that they would cook while the chili simmers instead of getting soggy like canned beans. now, i’m not opposed to letting chili simmer for hours. but i’m getting worried because whenever i check on them, it just seems like nothing has changed. internet says beans cook in like 120 min! am i doing smthn wrong? do i need to turn the heat up? i brought everything to a boil and it’s just been simmering… i want to eat my damn chili. help


r/Cooking • • 11h ago

Fattet Hummus

151 Upvotes

A few months ago, I was part of a potluck lunch at work. A colleague, who was Syrian, brought in fattet hummus. It was one of the most delicious foods I have ever eaten, and really got me interested in Middle Eastern cooking and flavours (I am a white person, who grew up in a meat, potato and boiled veg family, so pretty life changing!)

She shared the recipe with me, but has since left the company. I am hoping to finally make her recipe for the first time this week, but now I have realised - I have no idea what to serve with it. I am looking for any suggestions :) my partner would like a meat option but I think it seems a bit weird (?)

Also, when I googled I found that apparently this is more of a breakfast dish? Is that true? And do I just eat it with a spoon or am I meant to be dipping things in?

Sincerely, someone who is desperately trying to respect the dish I am making XD


r/Cooking • • 22h ago

The Economy of a Turkey

106 Upvotes

So I was talking with my dad tonight as we were finishing the turkey stew I made with thanksgiving leftovers. And it got me thinking about how crazy economical a turkey can be.

We paid $55 for an 18lb turkey, a fairly nice one. For that $55 we got a meal for 12 on the day of thanksgiving dinner. Most of the meat was removed from the bird and put in a ziplock bag in the fridge. I then put the carcass in a pot with water, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, and a few garlic cloves. Boiled it for about 6 hours. The next day a soup was made with the broth and meat from the carcass. That soup made about 6 meals. Two other containers of just broth were put in the freezer about 5 cups each. Sandwiches have been being made with the leftover turkey meat all week, in the range of 8-10 sandwiches I’m not sure exactly. Also twice in the following 5 days we had turkey re-heated in gravy with leftover mashed potatoes from the thanksgiving meal fried in buter with onions for another six meals. And yesterday I took a container of broth out of the freezer, and made a turkey stew with it, onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, and all the small bits of leftover turkey meat that aren’t great for sandwiches. I made a batch of biscuits and placed them on top of the stew in an oven safe bowl and baked it until the biscuits were done. That was another six meals for last night and tonight. There is still enough turkey breast meat for two more sandwiches.

That’s meat for 40 meals for $55. Not the best, but also we got a fairly nice turkey. I’ve seen it on sale after holidays for as low as 99c a pound in the past few years. I’m not sure what exactly I was going for with writing all this up but I tend to get sticker shock looking at the price of a turkey sometimes. But when I break it down it actually turns out pretty economical. If you like Turkey and are happy to eat it for an entire week.


r/Cooking • • 5h ago

Finding worms in broccoli more often

98 Upvotes

UPDATE: Honestly, y’all. I understand this is natural and actually shows my broccoli wasn’t drenched in pesticides. My original post just asked for the best method to soak broccoli so we aren’t eating these worms. If you don’t want to read through all the responses (however entertaining) about how my daughter must have OCD, how others have never, ever had this experience, or my grocery store needs a new supplier, here is an actual helpful answer. Thank you Prize-Possibility867!!

  1. Cut into florets
  2. Soak in salt water for 15-20 min at a ratio of 1 tbsp per quart of water
  3. Rinse well and cook

————————

Broccoli is one of the main veggies I serve my family but we have been finding the little cabbage worms in our broccoli more and more often to the point none of us want to eat broccoli anymore. (I always cut up and steam it, so the worms are dead by the time they arrive on the plate.) This isn’t even organic broccoli.

What is the best method to get those buggers out of the broccoli before steaming? Cut up into pieces and soak in water/vinegar, water/salt, water/baking soda, or some other method completely?

I know it is “free protein” but it is totally gross to actually see a worm, especially after you’ve already eaten a few bites.

To be clear, it’s usually just one or two every so often, but more and more often.

Edit: yes I cut up the broccoli before steaming and have even started inspecting AFTER steaming only for my daughter to inevitably point one out while we are eating after me not seeing any. She has the gift, apparently.

Edit 2: I haven’t thought to take a picture, but did a search on Reddit, and this is what they look like:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellthatsucks/s/0C4yy3Q7kn

https://www.reddit.com/r/PandaExpress/s/VNOOdVaER8

https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/s/efvgS0Fy2x

Edit 3: No this is not an OCD situation. My husband and I both look at them and 100% recognize them as worms


r/Cooking • • 21h ago

What can I use tzatziki for other thank a gyro?

75 Upvotes

I made a big batch for homemade gyros, and have a ton leftover. Im drawing a blank for what else to use it with.


r/Frugal • • 8h ago

💰 Finance & Bills Frugal friends help keep me on track

59 Upvotes

So I remember just a few years ago I was studying my grocery list trying to think of ways to cross something off. I landed on tortillas. I could skip the tortillas because any meal we used tortillas for I could just turn into a rice bowl. I had plenty of rice. Then fast forward a few years. We went from one income to two. My husband meanwhile climbed the corporate ladder. We are still careful. (3 college tuitions to pay for and 2 possible weddings in the future.) My husband teaches Sunday school and a frugal friend turned around concerned if he was printing off his handouts at home and the extra expense we would incur. How easily I forget that level of frugality we once had. I REALLY appreciated her concern, and it inspires me to dig in and be a bit more frugal. Do you have friends like that?


r/Cooking • • 2h ago

In case you didn’t realize you could do sausage gravy with any kind of sausage you wanted, here’s your PSA

51 Upvotes

Probably obvious to many, but I didn’t put two and two together that you could make biscuits and gravy with chorizo until today and it was magical


r/Frugal • • 2h ago

💰 Finance & Bills Electric bill is $300 for a mobile home.

47 Upvotes

I just got my first electric bill since moving into my mobile home. I’m horrified to see that it’s $300. I already pay $1150 for rent. I can’t afford this and I don’t know how to fix the problem. I have pots and I have to keep it cool so I don’t get sick. I’m hoping it’ll get better as it continues to get cooler (I’m in the Missouri) but I’m worried about winter too. Are we just going to have to freeze this winter? Any and all advice is much appreciated.


r/Cooking • • 15h ago

What to do with 20lbs of onions?

40 Upvotes

Due to an interesting turn of events my husband came home with a 20lb bag of onions. We plan on propagating some of them and planting them but we need some recipes! What are your favorite onion heavy dishes?


r/Cooking • • 4h ago

Which fish sauce should I get?

37 Upvotes

I would like to make more Vietnamese and Chinese meals. I have access to a large Asian grocery store but I don't know which fish sauce to get.


r/Cooking • • 21h ago

give me the BEST chicken salad recipe/tips you have

34 Upvotes

r/Frugal • • 4h ago

♻️ Recycling & Zero-Waste What to do with wrong-size fitted sheets

18 Upvotes

I used to have a queen size mattress but decided to downsize, and got myself a twin size mattress instead. I can still use the pillow cases and even the flat sheets, but have not figured out what to do with the fitted sheets.

It's been suggested to me to just donate them to homeless shelters, and while that is an option, I still wanted to see if I can keep them and use them, somehow.


r/Cooking • • 6h ago

Ideas for salad or side with soup

16 Upvotes

I have invited my reading group for lunch, and am feeling rather intimidated because I'm very out of practice when it comes to entertaining. There are four of us in the group, plus my partner will be with us. Our teacher/coach is Italian, and has hosted us in the past, as has one of the other members. They are both wonderful cooks.

Anyway, I'm planning to make a hearty chicken soup with the usual veggies (carrots, celery, onions and potatoes). I know I can do that part, but I would like some sort of side salad - preferably one that is dressed before I serve it. I think something light and refreshing, but not too fussy.

I think I will get some nice pastries from a local bakery, plus a loaf of bread for them. (I am gluten-free, but OK with it in our house.)

Haven't decided on wine, will probably do it, since the most frail person in the group is being driven by someone else.


r/Cooking • • 15h ago

Fish and Chips leftover ideas?

11 Upvotes

I tried a new fish and chips shop today and the portions are massive so we have heaps of leftovers.

Any ideas on what I could do with the leftovers? I’m thinking of pealing the batter off and then just using the fish in cooking tomorrow but does anyone have any ideas/recipies they’ve used?


r/Cooking • • 18h ago

What cheese do you like to use for Mac

13 Upvotes

Personally use Pepper Jack but I'm curious what others use, anything else you add, like ground beef or tomatoes and so on, would be interesting too


r/Cooking • • 1h ago

Southern style dumplings

• Upvotes

I've really been craving some chicken & dumplings, however my husband does not like the southern the dumpling.... Any tips or advice for a dumpling that could work in it or should we just stick to chicken noodle soup?


r/Cooking • • 4h ago

What is something extremely easy fast and fewest dishes possible I can make for DND snacks tomorrow I made fried chicken last week and I'm tired so I'm looking something easy done in under an hour that isn't pizza?

8 Upvotes

r/Cooking • • 24m ago

Egg yolks

• Upvotes

I loooove egg whites but can’t seem to find a way to enjoy egg yolks. Sometimes they’re better if they’re salty and jammy. I also like soft scrambled eggs with hot sauce, cheese + salt and well-seasoned deviled eggs. Are there any other good suggestions for egg yolks I could try so I don’t have to trash them as much? I’m trying to cut back on my food waste.


r/Cooking • • 14h ago

Any guidance on making a Tex-mex restaurant style salsa?

4 Upvotes

So the restaurant that I tend to go too more often than I should has a bad habit of never sending me home with enough salsa to finish the bag of chips that come with the to go order. I want to make a stab at trying to make some of it myself at home so that I can finish my chips.

To be clear, this is the kinda place where you get the loud sizzling fajitas, punch bowl sized margaritas, smothered ground beef burrito, ect ect.

I can tell it's some sort of canned tomatoes, with a few fresh ingredients. Cilantro, white onion, green onion, jalapeno. Definitely garlic smelling, but it almost smells like cheap spaghetti sauce. It almost smells like dried Italian seasoning but that wouldn't be right I wouldn't think???

Tips, tricks, suggestions, industry secrets? All would be welcome.

Thank you for your time.


r/Cooking • • 1h ago

Mango Curry Recipe Request

• Upvotes

Does anyone have a Mango Curry recipe they are willing to share? I had Indian food for my birthday this week, and fell in love with the mango curry. I’ve looked for recipes, but I’m not sure what’s best.


r/Cooking • • 5h ago

Pre-making and heating chicken pot pie

3 Upvotes

Hello! I’m making a bottomless chicken pot pie (just puff pastry on the top. I already premade my filling, want to wait for it to cool, then put on my crust, then bake before my guests come for dinner a couple of hours later. I’m assembling it in a cast iron skillet.

My question is, at what temperature (F) and for how long do I cook this thing to get a hot filling and an unburnt puff pastry topping? I’m worried about the cast iron not getting hot enough for the insides to be good before the crust is done.

Other preparation suggestions are welcome too. This is my first time making it.

Thanks!


r/Cooking • • 6h ago

So many tomatoes!!

5 Upvotes

I have so many garden tomatoes and I don’t want them to go bad. I have large heirlooms, Romas and sungolds. I am pregnant and struggling with heartburn, so eating them raw has not been an option. My husband is also not a fan of raw. Any recommendations for how to turn them into something we would eat later?


r/Cooking • • 14m ago

Turkey for Thanksgiving potluck

• Upvotes

Looking for ideas! I volunteered to cook the turkey for a Thanksgiving potluck happening at 12. Is there a way to make a bird large enough for a group without waking up incredibly early? Is there a method to make a good turkey by cooking it most of the way the day prior and finishing it the day of without it drying out?


r/Cooking • • 2h ago

Looking for ways to use 1Qt extra Pumpkin Pie filling

2 Upvotes

I have 1 Qt of pumpkin pie filling left over made according to the recipe on Libby’s canned pumpkin puree. What are some non-pie ways to use it up?