Sweet Savings

Sweet Savings

Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Cake

Graham Snack Bars

(Family Features) - Smart shoppers are always looking for ways to save money at the grocery store. A growing number of them are finding that one way to save money on everything from appetizers to desserts is to buy store brand items.

  • A November 2008 Nielson survey showed that 67 percent of shoppers said store brands provide "extremely good value" for their prices.
  • A 2009 GfK Custom Research survey found that nearly 55 percent of shoppers say they buy private label items "frequently."
  • Nearly three-fourths of shoppers in both surveys said that store brand quality is as good as the national brands.

What are store brand products?

Store brand products are items sold under a retail store's private label. For example, grocery store chains offer a wide range of dairy, bakery, beverage and personal care products with the store brand name on them.

According to The Private Label Manufacturer's Association (PLMA), these items are made by

  • large national brand manufacturers
  • small, quality manufacturers
  • major retailers and wholesalers
  • regional brand manufacturers

Because of this, says the PLMA report Store Brands Today, "Store brand items consist of the same or comparable ingredients as the national brands. Because the store's name or symbol is on the package, the consumer is assured that the product is manufactured to the store's quality standards and specifications."

Store brands let shoppers take advantage of high quality, lower-cost store brand items so that they can buy more and spend less. And that's a pretty sweet deal.

More sweet ways to save

  • Always check the weekly circulars in the local paper. Shop the specials and stock up.
  • Plan out menus for the week and make a list. This keeps impulse buying to a minimum.
  • Never shop hungry. People tend to buy more of what they don't need when their stomachs are rumbling.
  • Plan for leftovers. Choose recipes that can be easily doubled, then freeze one half for another meal. Or, use the leftovers from one recipe as ingredients for another meal. For example, leftover taco ingredients can be combined into a great taco salad.

Save more on sweets!

Stocking up on store brand ingredients makes scrumptious desserts possible on just about any budget.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

  • 9 whole graham crackers, crushed (about 1 1/4 cups crumbs)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling

  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup chocolate syrup

Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter together. Press crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.
  • In large mixing bowl, blend cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter and whipping cream until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time until blended. Pour batter into spring form pan. Drizzle chocolate syrup over the top of batter. Run a knife through the batter to swirl the chocolate syrup. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
  • Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen cake. Remove spring form pan. Allow to cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients

  • 1/2 gallon block vanilla ice cream, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups raspberry preserves
  • 10 chocolate sandwich crème cookies, crumbled
  • 3/4 cup chocolate syrup, divided
  • 1 tub (8 ounces) frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

Preparation

  • Line bottom of a 13 x 9-inch pan with foil. Remove paper carton from ice cream block. Using a knife dipped in hot water, cut slices of ice cream and place in bottom of pan. Spread ice cream into a smooth layer.
  • Spread preserves over ice cream. Sprinkle cookie crumbles on top of preserves. Drizzle 1/2 cup chocolate syrup over cookie crumbles. Top with slices of remaining ice cream. Spread ice cream until smooth.
  • Place in freezer for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours. Remove from freezer and turn out onto serving platter. Remove foil. Frost with whipped topping. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate syrup over top to decorate. Return to freezer until ready to serve.

Graham Snack Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 bag (11 ounces) caramel bits
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 9 whole graham crackers
  • 1 cup roasted peanuts
  • 1 cup miniature marshmallows
  • 1 cup pretzels, broken into large pieces
  • 1/2 cup chocolate syrup

Preparation

  • In a microwave safe bowl, microwave caramel bits and milk on high for 2 minutes; stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
  • Line bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil. Place graham crackers in bottom of pan, breaking into smaller pieces when necessary to completely cover pan. Pour caramel mixture over the top of the graham crackers. Layer with peanuts, marshmallows and pretzels. Drizzle chocolate sauce on top. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

SOURCE:

Ralcorp