Recently, after finishing up an article on the advantages of freezer cooking, I got to thinking that I forgot to mention one of the most important advantages: blessing others with your freezer meals. In fact, we can use all our frugal methods to help others when we see a need in our family or community. Here are several ways to share your abundance with others.
Share a Freezer Meal with a Family Member or Friend
I have found that a great way to bless others is to take a ready-made meal to a tired new mom. The energy it takes to care for a new baby and many times other children doesn’t leave much enthusiasm for cooking. What a great encouragement for someone when they receive a meal that can simply be warmed in the oven. Be sure to bring over a side dish too. Baking potatoes or a bagged salad are quick and easy for the new mom to prepare. Someone who is home recovering from an operation or has had a family member recently pass away can also be encouraged by the gift of food.
Use Meal Planning to Invite Last-Minute Guests for Dinner
Entertaining others in the home is becoming a thing of the past. Everyone is rushing around trying to get on top of all their activities. This harried lifestyle doesn’t provide much time for showing hospitality to others, at least in my home! But if I have my meals planned out for two weeks or a month in advance, I can have the ingredients on hand to invite guests over at a moment’s notice. As a pastor’s family, we have noticed that people enjoy sharing their lives with us over the dinner table. Having everything planned out ahead of time allows me to reduce stress and focus on conversation with those in our home.
Use Your Abundant Pantry to Share Goods with Those in Need
One of the best things about having a well-stocked pantry or bathroom closet is the ability to donate your abundance to those in need. When your church or school is looking for donations to a food pantry or shelter, you can simply “shop” in your own home! One item our local shelter looks for is turkeys for their annual Thanksgiving meal. After having bought several turkeys for a low price and storing them in our deep freeze, we can put them to good use. Check to see if your local food pantry will take fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables so you can share your extra garden produce. We also like to trade cucumbers for tomatoes with some friends in our neighborhood so our fresh veggies don’t go to waste.
Even on a budget, there is no excuse not to help others with your super-couponing finds at the grocery store. By donating the things you have purchased at a bargain price you can give even more than if you had bought those same items at full price.
Share Your Unused Coupons
If you’re a coupon-clipper like I am, you may find after going through the inserts that there are some coupons you don’t need. I’m thinking specifically of baby items such as wipes and diapers, but there certainly may be others! I’m not advocating sharing coupons for “junk” with other people because that isn’t always an advantage to them! But if you know a family with young children, sharing coupons for juice, diapers, wipes and other non-food kid items can be a great blessing!
Blessing others with our abundance is a great benefit of being frugal! We’re not the only ones who gain much from our cost-saving measures. Family, friends and community members can benefit from the generous spirit God has created in us to give back what we have been given.
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Photo Credit: Simon Howden/Free Digital Photos.net
I love this and I love that you made a point to bring this out in an article of it’s own. Hospitality and community service are so important. I like to keep the ingredients for the Christmas Chicken recipe on hand for this very reason too – it’s easy to whip together last minute whenever there’s a need.
Thank you for this article – I love it.
Angela <><