Money Saving Tip: Rice, the Ultimate Budget Extender

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Welcome to another money saving tip! I know a lot of us are already squeaking by with our grocery budgets since the prices continue to increase and now many folks are bringing home less pay than they did before (not to mention those without jobs!) so this is a series I add to from time to time with tips and ideas to get more out of your grocery budget without requiring more from your wallet.

Today’s tip: How to extend your grocery budget using Rice! 

In this post I’m going to show you:

  • How to get rice for about 1/3 of the price grocery stores charge
  • Creative ways to use rice to extend your meals
  • Recipes that utilize rice in budget conscious ways.

Let’s start with how to save money when it comes to buying rice…

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

So here is long grain rice in a grocery store for price comparison.

It is $5.20 for five pounds, so $1.05 per pound.

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

But this 50 pound bag of the same variety of rice purchased at Sam’s Club costs just $17.84 , which comes out to about

35¢ per pound.

This same amount of rice, if purchased for the same going rate as the five pound bag, would run $52.90, a savings of over $35.00 – and we’re not even counting tax!

BUT WHAT DO I DO WITH 50 POUNDS OF RICE? 

1. Store it.

Since rice has such a long shelf life (if stored in airtight containers at 70 degrees it is capable of lasting up to 30 years) this is a great food source to purchase in bulk and save some big dollars. You know how we can go to the grocery store and use a coupon to save $1.00? Well think of buying rice in bulk as having a coupon that saves you over $30.00!

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

I don’t store grains or dried beans in their original packaging because it really isn’t designed for long term food storage. So the first thing I do when I buy a bag of rice is divide it up into containers. Clean 2 and 3 liter coke bottles are ideal for this. I also fill up my pantry container. This go around, I was short a few 2 liters so I temporarily stored some in gallon zipper seal bags until I have more 2 liters to use.

If you don’t have a lot of pantry space, you can simply store these two liters under beds, in coat closets, even in that unused space between the back of your couch and the wall!

To wash coke bottles: Rinse well with warm water. Add 1 tablespoon of bleach and fill halfway with water. Put lid on and give a good shake. Rinse well again. Leave lid off and allow to dry for two to three days, or until they are completely dry inside.

2. EAT IT

Rice is a primary food source for over half the world’s population and a great way to make any meal go further. I love to use rice as a means of extending my meals and trimming my grocery budget. It can serve as a side dish, an entree (when cooked with meat and veggies in it or topped with a little meat and sauce), breakfast, or dessert.

How to use rice to make your meals go further:

•Make it part of the entree. A great way to do this is to prepare your meat in some type of sauce. Then, combine the two either by stirring the rice into the sauce or by serving the meat over the sauce.

A great example of this is my Sticky Chicken Recipe. you can prepare sticky chicken using skin on chicken legs, then serve each chicken leg atop a bed of rice, with a generous spoonful of the sticky chicken sauce poured over. By adding rice to your entree, you can easily use half the amount of meat you normally would, which can make a serious dent in the most expensive part of your grocery budget.

•In Soups and Stews that call for diced potatoes, use uncooked rice instead. Allow half an hour for soup or stew to simmer so rice can cook.

•Use cooked rice in place of oats or bread crumbs in meatloaf and hamburger patties to make them go further. 

•Serve rice as breakfast or dessertcheck out this simple preparation for that.

•This is not food related BUT we keep a rice hot pack around our house for those aches, pains, and headaches that arise from time to time. Take a clean tube sock, fill halfway with rice, and tie a knot in the end. When you need a good hot pack, just heat in the microwave for about a minute or so. Be careful because it gives off a moist heat and can burn skin if too hot when placed directly on it. This is a long lasting heat source that can be made in a jiff!

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

•Freeze it for quick suppers on busy nights – Whenever I make rice, I like to make double the amount I need so I have some for another meal without having to cook twice. Allow rice to cool until warm but not cold, then place in zipper seal freezer bags and smooth flat (this helps it thaw faster). Whenever you need cooked rice, thaw in the microwave or add it frozen directly to dishes that have to cook so that the rice has time to heat up before serving.

RECIPES!

Here are just a few recipes from SouthernPlate.com that utilize rice in fun and economical ways to inspire you.

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

Mama Reed’s Rice Pudding

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

Dirty Rice

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

Janice’s Stuffed Peppers

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken and Rice

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

Steak Tips Over Rice

This recipe actually uses inexpensive stew meat as the “steak tips” and I usually find that on sale.

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

One Skillet Chili Bake 

Countless ways to extend your grocery budget using rice!

Hot Buttered Sweet Rice

It doesn’t get any simpler than this….and it’s so good!

For more posts in my money saving tips series, please see below.

Money Saving Tip: Rethink Bulk

Money Saving Tip: Go Bananas

Get 8 Meals from 4 Pounds of Ground Beef

35 Ground Beef Recipes To Stretch Your Food Dollar

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86 Comments

  1. I have been buying rice in bulk at Sam’s for years now and I just love the fact that you do too! I also adore the bowl of rice with a pat of butter on it at bottom of your tips. I collect Autumn Leaf patterned pieces because it was a favorite of my mother’s before she passed away. Thanks for the super tips and the great ieas!

  2. I love the idea of freezing the left over cooked rice for future meals!! I can’t tell you how many times I put it in the fridge thinking it will be used the next day or two, but sadly end up throwing it away when garbage night rolls around!!! I save my extra sauce this way, and now I will surely do the same with the rice! Thanks for another great tip!! 🙂

  3. My kids love rice. When I’m making supper, the first thing I do is put on a pot of rice. Even when I don’t know what else I’m cooking, I put on the rice, then figure it out. Cause everything goes with rice.

    1. Mandy, I’m so glad your peeps, and you LOVE rice, I’m southern and have yet to develope a “taste” from the East. . . yet! Still love those beans and potatoes, down here! It is a terrific tip… for the RICE lovers, amongst us, however!

  4. Love all of your ideas. One of my biggest concerns with my husband being sequestered was how we are going to not only make our budget needs meet but how we are also going to meet all the vitamin needs of the kids without just feeding them lots of carbs. We’ve got 12 weeks to get through without having serious budget / financial problems. The great thing is. There is very little that goes to waste at our house with 6 kids. Thank you for sharing all your ideas they are so very helpful

  5. I love these money saving tips! I coupon at the grocery store but that is limiting as my store does not double coupons and they have changed their coupon policy to where you can only use one coupon on one article. Before I could use the store’s coupon for say toaster strudel and a coupon for toaster strudel from the paper on one box of toaster strudel. Well they won’t let you do that anymore so I just have to be a much smarter shopper! I am curious because I know you like to bake, how do you save money on flour, sugar and butter? I love to bake and use coupons etc but it can still be pricey. Just picking your brain. Have a great day and I truly love Southern Plate, it makes me happy!!!

    1. Hello, Amanda – – I know you didn’t ask *me* about saving on baking staples, but maybe this will help you. I shop at ALDI. To find one near you, go here:

      http://aldi.us/us/html/service/store_locator_ENU_HTML.htm?WT.z_src=main

      ALDI is a like or hate store – – some people hate it because they don’t offer familiar name brands, and because the selection is take it or leave instead of a dozen brands of each item. I don’t know how I’d manage if it weren’t for ALDI, and the small stores make it easy to shop efficiently. I love ALDI.
      Also, I shop at Big Lots (or Odd Lots). They offer unusual brands as well as familiar ones, and the prices are usually budget friendly.
      Don’t forget the discount section of your favorite grocery stores. Sometimes you find flour and sugar there just because the bags split.
      Good luck, Amanda!

      1. I’m with you Philippa-I don’t know how I would make it without ALDI. With food prices on the rise I try to do as much shopping at ALDI first and then go on to the other stores.

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