Invest in a Popcorn Popper and Trim the Grocery Budget

Nobody would argue that a  large portion of monthly expenses is the grocery budget.  You may think that it is the meat, fresh produce and other necessities for three meals a day is what is eating up your grocery budget but there is another culprit-snack foods.

If you look at your grocery receipts you may find that buying the weekly bag of chips, prepackaged cookies, crackers and other convenient snack foods can really add up fast.  However, by preparing many of these snacks yourself you can save money every time you shop; not to mention create healthier alternatives to family favorites.

Take chips for example.  When we are in the mood for something salty we often grab a bag of potato chips but popping some popcorn instead can satisfy your craving just as well.  It wont take a lot of time and you can add whatever toppings you like.  Add butter if you like or make it healthy by using seasonings instead.  And don’t forget, popcorn is a healthy whole grain and a good source of fiber.

Popcorn poppers have come a long way.  They even offer microwave popcorn poppers, with some that can be use with or without oil.  We like the Presto 04830 PowerPop Microwave Multi-Popper which can be used with or without oil.  A popcorn popper is also a great investment that will pay for itself quickly since  you will also save a significant amount of money when you buy popcorn that you can easily pop yourself.  You can also create different seasonings so that you don’t get bored.  So just imagine how much money you would save in a year if you choose popcorn over chips and pop it yourself.

Here is a delicious popcorn recipe.  The directions call of it being cooked on the top of the stove but it can easily be made in a popcorn popper.  Just omit the oil in step 2 if your popcorn popper does not use oil.

Spicy Popcorn

2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp onion salt
4 tablespoonsvegetable oil; divided
1/2 cup popcorn kernels

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix the paprika, thyme, oregano and onion salt with  2 tablespoons of the  oil.

Heat the rest of the oil in saucepan. When oil is very hot, add popcorn kernels and cover with a tight fitting lid. When the corn starts popping, give the pan a shake. When the corn stops popping, remove from heat

Place popcorn into a large serving bowl, discarding any unpopped corn. Add the spice mixture and toss.