Eating better for less

Last night we had Mac and cheese and broccoli.   The broccoli we got for free.   The Mac and cheese breaks down as :

1 package 25 times fiber macaroni.    .49
Cream soup base.........to little to cost out.
3cups ( 12 ounces) of grated cheese, ( I used feta I paid 1.20 a pound for, white cheese was 2.35 a pound, amd yellow,cheese was 2.08.   ) 1.50
Bread crumbs and Parsley
Parmesean cheese.    .25

Total.  2.24  I still have 1/2 the 9x13 pan for today's lunch.    Total dinner. 1.12

If you have  some really inexpensive meals a few times a week, you can have some more expensive ones and you will still average 5.00 a meal.  

Tonight , I am going to make pork chops out of the pork sirloin I got for 1.69 this week at Winco.   I found a recipe in the Betty Crocker on line cookbook for a  green bean and pork chop dish that you bake in the oven.     Planning to cut pork chops off of the pork sirloin and leave enough for a roast that can be sliced thin after a roast dinner and used for BBQ pork sandwiches.  

I will buy a chicken at Fred Meyers today as well.   When you find two loss leaders in one week, you can concentrate on canned goods or veggies and bulk dairy the next.   Or if there are good buys at several stores, bulk up the shopping trip and skip the next week.
Being flexible with the things you buy -- in other words, not buying the same things every week- gives you the luxury of not paying full, price.    The bottom line of that is that you eat better for less.

Here's  now this plays out :

Mac and cheese dinner   1.12

Pork sirloin.    4.94. - approx 3 pounds
Pork chop dish.   3/4 pound   1.27 , cream soup .40. Green beans 1.00, cheese .50. - 3.17
BBQ pork sandwiches  3/4 pound - 1.27 , .95, ( pork and baguette ) Cesear  salad, romaine .68, ( dressing and croutons ) staples .25 parm. 3.15
Pork roast 1.5 pounds   2.54, .60 mashed potatoes, glazed carrots 1/2 pound .24    3.38

 4 dinners.  10.82 Or 2.71 a dinner.  NOT a plate.  

That's for three people.  Or .90 a plate .


Now, I would freeze some of the pork and insert other dishes so we didn't eat pork three days on a row.   This was for costing out meals.    I did not cost anything that was a staple that would be really difficult to cost.   Croutons are made from bread scraps.  

This is an exercise to show what happens when you shop wisely and buy with coupons or when things are at their rock bottom price.  

Betty Crocker on line CB dishes to try ( adapt for expensive mixes if possible ) scratch is sometimes better without preservatives and cheaper )

1. Cake mix cinnamon rolls 
2. Spinach tuna casserole 
3. Herbed pork and red potatoes 
4. Pulled pork 
5. Cheesy chicken and bacon soup
6. Chicken enchilada chili 
7. Bow ties chicken and asparagus 
8. Berry orange monkey bread 
9. Chick n taco soup. 
10. Vegetable minestrone 
11. Broccoli, cheese, and ham muffins 

That s food for thought



Jane