If you have these two gadget in your kitchen, you can definitely save money. The gadget themselves are inexpensive and will last for years and years, maybe even a lifetime. You might already have these two devices sitting lost somewhere in a cabinet or drawer. Here is why you need to use them if you want to save money.
I am a big fan of Alton Brown on the Food Network. I love how he really explains the science behind cooking and offers practical advice. I generally follow that advice and avoid miscellaneous gadgets in the kitchen, especially those that have only one function. But the two gadget I could never do without in a frugal lifestyle are the bowl scrapper and the cheese grater.
The bowl scrapper I like to use is actually a silicone spatula that is thin enough to do the job. There are also bowl scrapers that are fancy-schmancy and come in designer shapes. But I like the spatula because I can also stir and scoop with it. And it doesn’t cost much. Regardless of what kind of scrapper works for you, use it religiously. You will be able to stretch your food quite a bit and reduce your bowl cleanup. With my scrapper, I can get at least out enough batter for an additional small muffin, for example. And I can reduce my use of melted butter in recipes (or sour cream, etc.) because the scrapper is so efficient. Scrappers are great for getting meals out of crockpots, too.
The cheese grater is a hard worker that can really save you money. Block cheese is amazingly less expensive than shredded cheese. Whether you like cheddar, mozzarella or even parmesan cheese in shreds or grated, the cheese grater will pay for itself the first time you use it. Shredded cheese freezes very well, so it pays to buy the largest blocks you can and shred it all yourself in one session. Then, freeze in the portion sizes you most often use. The cheese grater has other uses too. You can use it to grate lemon or orange zest, for example.
Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Computing Blog here at Families.com where she shares everything from the latest news on technology to cool downloads and fun websites.
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