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Welcome to #ThrowbackThursday! Every Thursday we’ll be celebrating the wisdom of our foremothers with some themed tips from the Great Depression era. Feel free to get in on the fun! Write your own Throwback Thursday tips on our Facebook wall, or tweet @CatchyFreebies with the hashtag #ThrowbackThursday. If we choose your tip for a feature, we’ll send you a sample from our stash! 

This #ThrowbackThursday, we’ve got our eyes on the green stuff. No, not money – though you will be putting some of that back in your pocket. We’re talking herbs! Herbs can be pricey, but with all the cooking possibilities they provide, it’s really not the best idea to cut them out of your budget – especially considering they can make low-cost food taste high-class! Here are our best tips for saving money on herbs:

• Shop at your local farmers market. The prices are often better than at the grocery store, and you’re supporting local growers!
• Buy in bulk. However you buy your herbs – dried or fresh, at the supermarket or online – getting them in bulk can always save you tons of money. Dried herbs will keep for a long time, but you can also dry your own fresh herbs to preserve their potency.
• Take care of your fresh herbs. When you bring home fresh herbs from the store, trim the stems right away and pop those bad boys in a glass of water. Make sure to change the water every 2 days. Alternatively, you can also wrap them in a moistened paper towel and seal it all up in a plastic bag to place in your fridge. This will keep them fresh for a few days.
• Freeze those greens. For common herbs like basil and rosemary that you can use in many different recipes, go ahead and freeze them with some water in an ice cube tray to keep them fresh for when you need ‘em.
• Grow your own herbs! Growing herbs is actually super easy – and takes up hardly any space at all! You can plant herbs in their own little pots or house a bunch of different herbs in the same big planter for convenient watering. Leave them outside or place them around the house where they’ll get sun and boost your mood! If you keep your herbs inside, make sure they’re getting good soil and enough drainage. Great choices for an indoor herb garden include lemon balm, marjoram, chives, mint, oregano, rosemary, parsley, sage, and thyme. There are lots of herbs that like the cool autumn weather, too, including cilantro, lavender, sage, parsley, and chives. Here’s a full list of herbs to plant in the late summer and fall.

What are your favorite herbs? Got some top-notch herb-growing or money-saving tips? Leave us a comment on Facebook or send us your thoughts on Twitter @CatchyFreebies using the hashtag #ThrowbackThursday!

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