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Premeditated Leftovers™

Prep-Ahead Meals, Cooking Tips, and Frugal Living


How to Paint a Basket

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Turn an ordinary thrift store basket into something fun and fresh with just a little patience and a little paint. Take a look below at how less than $2 in supplies gave us a finished product that looked like something off the shelves at Anthropology! This hand painted basket is so easy to make, thatRead More

Upcycled Placemat Vase Tutorial

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Who knew you could make stylish home décor with items from your local dollar store? Take a look at how we crafted these placemat vases, using just a few supplies from Dollar Tree. As you can see, they look like something you would find in a boutique, but the reality is they only cost penniesRead More

Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.