No doubt about it, these are scary financial times. I think the entire world is holding its collective breath to see how things will go in the weeks, months and years ahead. If there’s any silver lining to be found in this cloud, it’s that the mindless, self-indulgent spending spree is now officially over.
People aren’t only looking for ways to cut corners and spend less, they’re embracing the idea. You’re seeing this idea popping up all over in food blogs too—cost-cutting recipes, creative use of leftovers, even tricks for eating out on the cheap.
Right now at Delish.com, you’ll find a number of ways to help your food budget go further. Features on Cooking on a Budget, Dinner Solutions for the Shoestring Budget and 5 Delicious Meals For Under $10. And as you can see from the photo above, these aren’t just miserly bowls of gruel. The focus really is on eating better for less. So get cooking—and start saving.
Cook sweet potatoes, win $1,000
Think you know a thing or two about cooking sweet potatoes? The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission wants to hear from you. They’re sponsoring a Short ’n Sassy Recipe Contest to find new and creative ways to cook with sweet potatoes, and the first prize is $1,000! Five runners up will take home $100 each. The contest is open only to home cooks with active food blogs—no chefs or culinary professionals working full-time in commercial kitchens. And to my food blogging friends around the globe, sorry, but it’s for US residents only.
Sweet potatoes aren’t just for dinner anymore. They’re open to ideas for breakfast and lunch too. And get creative. The dish shown here is a recipe from the commission’s site, a Sweet Potato Rosemary Soup. So if you’re thinking miniature marshmallows, I’m thinking don’t even bother.
The contest deadline is March 31, 2009, so get cooking. Then enter your recipe online right here. And good luck!
I can think of several ways I could shame myself in this contest.
Budgets and cheap eats are certainly on my mind. I’m eating and drinking (not so much drinking) on $30 for the week and blogging about it. The recipes and the forced creativity has been interesting.
altadenahiker—I’m giving some serious thought to risking shame myself, so I say go for it.
tami—What a great and timely idea! Thanks for letting me know—I’ll be excited to see what you come up with.
Ah thanks for pointing to that contest. I’ll have to see what I can muster up
Knowing you, Mike, you’ll do it proud.