Just realized my grandma's "cheap" cooking trick saves me $40 a week

I was talking to my grandma last weekend about how hard it is to keep grocery bills down lately. She laughed and said I should stop buying those pre-made seasoning packets for everything. She showed me how she makes her own taco seasoning with stuff she already has in her pantry like cumin, chili powder, and garlic salt. I tried it Monday night and honestly it tasted way better than the store stuff and cost like 10 cents instead of $2. It hit different because I realized I've been wasting money on convenience for years without thinking about it. Now I'm trying to find other basic mixes I can make myself. Has anyone else switched from buying seasoning mixes to making their own?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jamie1mo ago

My grandma taught me the same thing with ranch dressing mix. She mixes dried buttermilk, dill, parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder together and it costs maybe 20 cents for the same amount of mix that costs $3 at the store. I've been doing it for six months now and honestly I can't tell the difference. She also showed me her "all purpose seasoning" blend with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika that goes on everything from eggs to roasted veggies. It makes you wonder how much of our grocery budget goes straight to packaging and marketing instead of actual food, you know?

alicew681mo ago

Jumped on this bandwagon about a year ago and never looked back. My grandma had me over one Sunday and walked me through her whole spice cabinet system - she's got little jars labeled with masking tape for everything from taco seasoning to her own curry blend. The onion soup mix was the one that really got me, I was buying those packets for years thinking it was some secret recipe. She just showed me beef bouillon, onion flakes, and a pinch of celery seed and I almost got mad at how simple it was. Now I spend maybe $10 every few months on bulk spices and refill my jars instead of grabbing those little packets every week.

simonl111mo ago

That "makes you wonder how much of our grocery budget goes straight to packaging" line really hit home with me. I feel like I've been paying for fancy labels and convenience fees my whole adult life without even questioning it. Good on your grandma for showing you the light with that ranch mix, those packets are way too expensive for what they are.