Frugal Friday Link-Up--Uses for Popcorn and Potato Chips

Today I am going to share 3 uses for popcorn and 4 uses for potato chips. I am sharing from the 99 Cent Solutions book.

Popcorn:
1. Pad a package. Popcorn isn't a recommended replacement for foam peanuts, but it does work for domestic shipping. Wrap the object you are shipping, place a layer of air popped popcorn on the bottom of the box, put in the item you are shipping, then fill the box the rest of the way with more popcorn. Popcorn is economical and a great shock absorber. (Let's just hope the person you are shipping too doesn't decide to eat it.

2. Decorate a tree. Remember the good old days of making popcorn strings to decorate the tree with at grandma's house? I know I do! We still make it a family tradition here when we can.

3. Make a squirrel UN-friendly bird feeder. Make a couple of loops of strung popcorn and hang them for the birds. They are great for the birds to perch on and have a snack, but too light for squirrels to climb.


Potato chips:
1. Top a casserole. Use potato chip crumbs in place of bread crumbs to top your casserole dish. I actually do save the bottom crumbs of the potato chip bags in my freezer, just for this purpose. A family favorite to have the chips on top of the casserole.

2. Give fried foods a crispy crunch. Again, in place of bread crumbs, use finely crushed potato chips instead, and fry as usual. You won't need to add any salt. Yum!

3. Make a sandwich. In the British Isles it's well known to have salt and vinegar chips between 2 pieces of buttered bread for a sandwich. Well.....we do often put potato chips, or Doritos inside our sandwiches but never just chips. They say it's strangely addictive.

4. Bake some cookies. Using your favorite butter cookie recipe, or the standard recipe for chocolate chip cookies, use crushed, salted potato chips instead of chocolate. If you love a mix of sweet and salty in your snack foods, you'll never look back! (I should give this a try for sure)


I do hope you find some of these tips and suggestions helpful each week. Link up any frugal posts you've done over the past week--or posts you do between now and next Friday when the linky closes, please.