it's Fireworks Day

We are having fireworks today.  I know ,it's the third of July.  We will go those to see them again at home.  But my daughter has to go back to work.

I was reading The Tightwad Gazette again.  it was originally published in 1996..almost twenty years ago.  I can remember getting tomato soup for a dime, and frozen lemonade for 3/1.00 and liver for .35 a pound in the 70's.  But, the difference in prices between the early to mid nineties and now is remarkable.   Was feeding a family of two adults and two teenagers for 50.00 then.  I was on the Woman's Day magazine.  They thought that that was remarkable.  the prices that are in the Tightwad gazette were cheaper than I was paying.  I can remember getting chicken  legs and thighs for .50.  She is quoting 5 pounds for 1.50.  ground beef for .99.  I remember ground chuck in the 70's for .69.
Some of the produce prices are not much more than they are now,  pasta is greatly inflated.  The cost of food is rising 3-5 percent a year.  It is higher this year because of the drought.  I haven't cost out our food plan from then, but I think it would be very interesting.  I am spending fifty percent more.  Three percent times twenty years would be 60 percent, but that's not quite the math,  it compounds.
The difference between 1996 and now is that we are eating more chicken and pork, and a lot less beef. Seldom do I find room in the budget for flank steak or stew meat. I could still buy sirloin roast up until about three months ago.  I will price out my typical meal list when I get home and can cost to with today's prices.

The trick to maintaining a budget is to adapt to the fluctuations in prices. If beef is skyrocketing in cost, switch to more vegetarian and Chicken.  There are literally zillions of chicken recipes out there.    The problem I have with that now, is that vegetarian tous means more cheese and cheese is doubling as well as beef.  I have a stockpile so I can peobavly ride the storm.

Chicken Tacos

1 envelope taco seasoning or two tablespoons heaping of home made taco seasoning.  (Earlier post)
1 pound raw chicken , cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

Toss chicken in taco seasoning.
Cook chicken on olive oil until chicken is done, about 5 minutes.  Juices should run clear.  Remove from pan.
Add
1/4 cup chopped onion and 1/4 cup chopped sweet peppers ( orange, red or yellow)and 2 T chopped cilantro or parsley.
Sauté until the veggies are crisp tender.  Add the chicken back to the skillet.

Fill Taco shells or gorditoes.
Serve with lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream, and cheese.


Notes.  You can get small mixed peppers cheap usually at the grocery outlet.  ( about four dollars a bag.  I get peppers cheaper at the fresh food market sold by the pound.  I got sour cream for a buck last week.  I have cilantro in my garden and parsley.  Serve with a Mexican rice dish.

Thanks for stopping by

PLEASE share

Jane

4+1=5. Four people, one meal, Five bucks
Feed your family, Better, Cheaper, Faster.