Alberways
Cantaloupe 2/3
Cheese 2lbs 4.99 **cheaper at costco business
Bread .89@@
Milk 1.79@@
QFC
Tide buy 2 @ 2/10. Coupons are in the P and G .c 3.00 off tide pods,not simply pods. 1.00 off of tide.
Peppers .77
Grapes 1.99
Milk .99 **cheaper at Alberways
Breyers 2/5
Draper valley wings or drums .99
4 days only TH, F,S, SUN
Digital coupon -5 times
Cheese .99
Ground Turkey 1.99
Italian sausage 1.99
Prego .99
These are store coupons.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Buy this, not that .......
Sometimes, a simple substitution or a few minutes of doing something yourself can save a lot of money.
A do this, not that......you need to fuel your body during the day. Its not good to eat a small breakfast, and then nothing until dinner and gorge yourself at dinner. You are carb loading and don't have time to wear off the carbs before you go to bed. I lost a ton of weight when I was in the rehab recovering from a broken hip. We are a hearty, protein filled breakfast at 8 am. A ‘dinneer’ that was skimpy by all accounts at 12:00 and a snack sized dinner at 5 o’clock. Nothing until 8 the next morning. I survived. But I lost 10 pounds that month and I exercised twice a day. It was controlled. I didn’t exercise for hours, but I also didn’t carb load to compensate for the added exercise.
Buy bread, not bread crumbs. Bread crumbs are the easiest thing to make. My 6yo granddaughter can make them—- all but setting up the food processor. It can be make with the plastic blade. Breadcrumbs cost 2.40 a lb. I got hamburger for 2.44 a pound. Personally, I’d rather eat the hamburger,it has more nutrition.
Buy real Parmesean cheese, not the take stuff in the green can. It is full of wood pulp to keep it from caking. If Parmesean is too expensive, buy any hard cheese. Sometimes we grate our own with a micro plane, sometimes, I buy it shredded . It’s a little luxury that makes a big difference.
Because of the way it is made, it has no lactose, so I read.
Buy butter, not fake butter. The nutritionist told me that using a skim of butter was better than using fake butter. Many fake butters have hydrogenated oil in them. The scientist say that hydrogenated oil thickens the blood. Read labels. If palm oil is supposedly going to kill your children in Nutella, it can kill you in fake butter. Just logic. Ingredients have to be listed in order of volume. There is more of the ingredient first listed, than there is of the things you cant pronounce at the end of the list.
Making your own pizza saves a ton of money . You can make a pizza for less than a dollar using ingredients that are purchased at RBP’s. Its not hard and a 1.50-2.00 pizza dough costs .19. Save up bits of veggies and meat from meals made during the week and keep them in the freezer door. I call it almost free pizza. Its labor free because the veggies and meat are already processed and it takes less time than ordering a pizza and waiting for delivery or standing in line for take n bake. Pizza sauce is a dollar for a name brand at the DT and you can freeze it in an ice cube tray (also at the DT) and pop it out into a quart bag. We use 2 cubes for a pizza. This doesn’t waste sauce. You get 5 pizzas out of a jar of sauce. We started our granddaughter a couple of years ago. She is to the P.O. t where she can take a pizza from the dough ball to the ready for the oven herself if the ingredients are
set out for her. You may get a smiley face with the pepperoni , but what the heck. Too many college graduates are unable to boil and egg. They don't teach life skills in school anymore, I am told. Children can learn little things from the time they are small. We don't let her deal with raw meat, anything sharp, or hot. But, there is a lot of things they can learn and you know what they are doing while you are making a meal.
Not boxed mac and cheese, but scratch Mack and cheese. Boxed mac and cheese is full of preservatives and tsp. Tsp is the detergent that we sold at the paint store so that painters could clean the grease etc off walls before they painted them. You need to wear rubber gloves so that it doesn’t eat your hands. Annies is the same as Kraft except Annie’s has more fat.
Basically, real is always better than fake. If you are worried about fat, or salt, use less of it. We
have processed meats, we just cut back to using them sparingly. A piece of bacon on top of a casserole that feed 4-6 people, is not as bad as a pound of bacon. 1/ 2 of a five ounce package of pepperoni on a pizza give you the flavor, but you can supplement it with chopped peppers, mushrooms, and olives.
A do this, not that......you need to fuel your body during the day. Its not good to eat a small breakfast, and then nothing until dinner and gorge yourself at dinner. You are carb loading and don't have time to wear off the carbs before you go to bed. I lost a ton of weight when I was in the rehab recovering from a broken hip. We are a hearty, protein filled breakfast at 8 am. A ‘dinneer’ that was skimpy by all accounts at 12:00 and a snack sized dinner at 5 o’clock. Nothing until 8 the next morning. I survived. But I lost 10 pounds that month and I exercised twice a day. It was controlled. I didn’t exercise for hours, but I also didn’t carb load to compensate for the added exercise.
Buy bread, not bread crumbs. Bread crumbs are the easiest thing to make. My 6yo granddaughter can make them—- all but setting up the food processor. It can be make with the plastic blade. Breadcrumbs cost 2.40 a lb. I got hamburger for 2.44 a pound. Personally, I’d rather eat the hamburger,it has more nutrition.
Buy real Parmesean cheese, not the take stuff in the green can. It is full of wood pulp to keep it from caking. If Parmesean is too expensive, buy any hard cheese. Sometimes we grate our own with a micro plane, sometimes, I buy it shredded . It’s a little luxury that makes a big difference.
Because of the way it is made, it has no lactose, so I read.
Buy butter, not fake butter. The nutritionist told me that using a skim of butter was better than using fake butter. Many fake butters have hydrogenated oil in them. The scientist say that hydrogenated oil thickens the blood. Read labels. If palm oil is supposedly going to kill your children in Nutella, it can kill you in fake butter. Just logic. Ingredients have to be listed in order of volume. There is more of the ingredient first listed, than there is of the things you cant pronounce at the end of the list.
Making your own pizza saves a ton of money . You can make a pizza for less than a dollar using ingredients that are purchased at RBP’s. Its not hard and a 1.50-2.00 pizza dough costs .19. Save up bits of veggies and meat from meals made during the week and keep them in the freezer door. I call it almost free pizza. Its labor free because the veggies and meat are already processed and it takes less time than ordering a pizza and waiting for delivery or standing in line for take n bake. Pizza sauce is a dollar for a name brand at the DT and you can freeze it in an ice cube tray (also at the DT) and pop it out into a quart bag. We use 2 cubes for a pizza. This doesn’t waste sauce. You get 5 pizzas out of a jar of sauce. We started our granddaughter a couple of years ago. She is to the P.O. t where she can take a pizza from the dough ball to the ready for the oven herself if the ingredients are
set out for her. You may get a smiley face with the pepperoni , but what the heck. Too many college graduates are unable to boil and egg. They don't teach life skills in school anymore, I am told. Children can learn little things from the time they are small. We don't let her deal with raw meat, anything sharp, or hot. But, there is a lot of things they can learn and you know what they are doing while you are making a meal.
Not boxed mac and cheese, but scratch Mack and cheese. Boxed mac and cheese is full of preservatives and tsp. Tsp is the detergent that we sold at the paint store so that painters could clean the grease etc off walls before they painted them. You need to wear rubber gloves so that it doesn’t eat your hands. Annies is the same as Kraft except Annie’s has more fat.
Basically, real is always better than fake. If you are worried about fat, or salt, use less of it. We
have processed meats, we just cut back to using them sparingly. A piece of bacon on top of a casserole that feed 4-6 people, is not as bad as a pound of bacon. 1/ 2 of a five ounce package of pepperoni on a pizza give you the flavor, but you can supplement it with chopped peppers, mushrooms, and olives.
Monday, April 2, 2018
Why?
The why of cutting your food bill in half is a no brainer. Groceries is often the most expensive discretionary item in your budget. The why buy in bulk at the lowest price is another story that may need a bit more explanation.
If you are going to the store many times a week, you are setting yourself up for being bombarded with a lot of retailers phycology to make you impulse buy. Retailers make 70 percent of their profit on impulse buys. Let someone else take the hit.
When you make a list, check it twice, meal plan, and try to remember everything you need for specific meals, you take a lot of time and open yourself up to making another trip to the store because you forgot something..
When you have a particular list that you know by heart because it is simplified and you know that all you are looking for is dairy , vegetables and fruit, and a bulk protein item, there’s no list, and you can get in and out of two stores in record time.
You are making meals from your pantry/freezer and replenishing stock when they are at their RBP. You buy more of one thing, and buy less variety of things. Its just simpler.
Simplify, spend less, always have food in the house.
I made homemade refried beans (aka bean dip) last week. I noticed that the canister ( reclaimed bulk popcorn packaging.) was low. Next time I went to the DT I bought three 1.5 lb bags. Done. Won’t have to do it again for at least three months. I had already noticed that the black bean canister was low and I dont use as much of them. I picked up some from the bulk isle at winco. Winco is a chain that is in the west and southwest. Basicly, I think they are wherever Aldi isn’t. We have Trader Joe’s, but they are more inclined to carry alternative food. I went for bargains, I found a basil plant and a package of gorgeous strawberries that were 1.5 times the price of the berries at the regular grocery stores.
I digress.
The point is, I am not buying beans every week, or even every month and at any point in time, if there was an emergency, great or small, I can make any meal I want from my pantry.
If I dont have russet potatoes, I have dehydrated mashed and sweet potatoes and probably a few scalloped potato mixes. I have eggs, and dehydrated eggs. Milk and dehydrated milk. It works.
There was a day when I had emergency surgery years ago, I sent my husband to the store for a weeks worth of food. He came back with a 12 pack and 2 pomegranates. I sent my college age daughter with a budget. She was more resourceful and came back with a weeks worth of dinners including meat and veggies.
My plan has developed over the years. The last part was cooking more detailed things like bread fro scratch and finding easy , efficient, scratch meals. Having the proper equipment helps a lot. The insta pot and food processer are my workhorses. I have saved more than their costs many times over. Bread crumbs are 2.40 cents a pound. They use basicly garbage. Scratch beans and rice are pennes of the cost of buying ready made in bags or cans. Sometimes a piece of steak or roast is cheaper than 95/5 hamburger and you can grind it in minutes with the food processer.
If you are going to the store many times a week, you are setting yourself up for being bombarded with a lot of retailers phycology to make you impulse buy. Retailers make 70 percent of their profit on impulse buys. Let someone else take the hit.
When you make a list, check it twice, meal plan, and try to remember everything you need for specific meals, you take a lot of time and open yourself up to making another trip to the store because you forgot something..
When you have a particular list that you know by heart because it is simplified and you know that all you are looking for is dairy , vegetables and fruit, and a bulk protein item, there’s no list, and you can get in and out of two stores in record time.
You are making meals from your pantry/freezer and replenishing stock when they are at their RBP. You buy more of one thing, and buy less variety of things. Its just simpler.
Simplify, spend less, always have food in the house.
I made homemade refried beans (aka bean dip) last week. I noticed that the canister ( reclaimed bulk popcorn packaging.) was low. Next time I went to the DT I bought three 1.5 lb bags. Done. Won’t have to do it again for at least three months. I had already noticed that the black bean canister was low and I dont use as much of them. I picked up some from the bulk isle at winco. Winco is a chain that is in the west and southwest. Basicly, I think they are wherever Aldi isn’t. We have Trader Joe’s, but they are more inclined to carry alternative food. I went for bargains, I found a basil plant and a package of gorgeous strawberries that were 1.5 times the price of the berries at the regular grocery stores.
I digress.
The point is, I am not buying beans every week, or even every month and at any point in time, if there was an emergency, great or small, I can make any meal I want from my pantry.
If I dont have russet potatoes, I have dehydrated mashed and sweet potatoes and probably a few scalloped potato mixes. I have eggs, and dehydrated eggs. Milk and dehydrated milk. It works.
There was a day when I had emergency surgery years ago, I sent my husband to the store for a weeks worth of food. He came back with a 12 pack and 2 pomegranates. I sent my college age daughter with a budget. She was more resourceful and came back with a weeks worth of dinners including meat and veggies.
My plan has developed over the years. The last part was cooking more detailed things like bread fro scratch and finding easy , efficient, scratch meals. Having the proper equipment helps a lot. The insta pot and food processer are my workhorses. I have saved more than their costs many times over. Bread crumbs are 2.40 cents a pound. They use basicly garbage. Scratch beans and rice are pennes of the cost of buying ready made in bags or cans. Sometimes a piece of steak or roast is cheaper than 95/5 hamburger and you can grind it in minutes with the food processer.
FM and Winco Food Hauls
Yesterday , we went to Fred Meyers and Winco. They are the two stores with the best prices. No one store has all good prices. That’s why taking a few extra minutes to shop two stores is fruitful.
Fred Meyers
Milk .99
Mustard 1.59
Avacado .88
Apples .99
Naval Oranges .99
Blackberries .99
Total 10.24
WINCO
Mustard .98
Coffee 5.48
Frozen french fries 🍟 1.37
Parm 2.68
Romas 1.39
Turkey lunch meat 2.78
Cucumbers .58
Bananas .56
Broccolli 3.96
Asparagus .98 lb
Blueberris 3.48 - 2 lbs frozen * they are 2.00 a lb at costco. Checking the quality
Total 25.86
We were out of mustard except for the kids kind. LOL
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Meal Plans for week of April 2
Meal Plans keep us on track and save time and money.
- Tortilla soup (chicken )
- Pizza
- Buffalo chicken pie, lettuce, tomato
- Mac and cheese, peas and carrots
- Pork chops , apples, and cranberry dressing. Green beans
- Salmon, seasoned rice, broccolli
- Breakfast for Dinner.
Notes
- Soup is a good go to meal if the house is busy, people can eat on demmand, uses diced tomatoes I need to use.
- Pizza is always a inexpensive , favorite
- Buffalo chicken pie is from the Betty Crocker cookbook
- Mac and cheese is another favorite.
- Pork chops are browned on both sides and placed on top of bread dressing with an addition of dried cranberries and chopped apple. Bake off until pork chops are done.
- Salmon baked, rice medley, and broccolli
- Breakfast for Dinner is another favorite and everyone participates.
Fred Meyer AD——changing
The Fred Meyer (FM) ad is changing to come out on Wednesday’s like Alberways and QFC.
Note 10 percent off senior discount on this Tuesday with coupon .
DIGITAL COUPONS FOR THURSDAY, 4/5 TO SUNDAY 4/8
CHEESE .99
PORK SPARERBS .99
KROGER BRATS 1.99
PREGO .99
YOU CAN USE 5 TIMES.
Blackberries , apples, oranges, pears .99
Pork Loin 1.69 ( i think it is sill 1.39 at Costco Business )
Milk .99
NOT A BARGAIN
Breaded chicken tenders 6.99
I paid .99 a lb for chicken breasts . They were 1.25 pounds for a 1/2 breast. Since there are 3 of us eating meat, I cut the tenders off . Breading is made from bread crumbs. Its our garbage heels add bread that I purchase for a dollar that is going stale. An egg costs . 08 or less. I have dehydrated eggs I got for .065. Basicly, you are saving almost 6.00 a pound.
We, however, like a breading of equal parts of dry bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and chopped nuts....walnuts or pecans.
This is a 10 day ad to accommodate the ad change. If the ad doesn’t come in the mail like the others, we will get it on line.
Friday, March 30, 2018
DT grocery haul
Quick grocery haul before we start no spend april. We have had about a thousand dollars worth of extra bills this month. So, in the interest of balancing the budget, we are going to go for a no spend month. That means that only perishables will be bought.
- 3 pkg pinto beans - grown in USA, non gmo
- 1n pkg bagels -Thomas
- 1 extra large can Campbells spaghetti o’s
- 1 pkg pepperoni, Olberto
Total 6.00
RBP and staple list
One of the ways GOC keeps the budget low is to only buy things you use on a regular basis at a RBP or a target price (nothing to do with the store with the red balls )
Green beans, canned .50 ( I recently paid .39)
Corn -canned, .50 ( this too was .39)
Chili, Hormel .99
Tomato or cr/mushroom, chicken noodle soup .50
Pasta sauce, canned .88
Pasta sauce , jar...1.25 (I have paid as low as .59)
Canned sliced olives .72
Canned diced green chillies .66
Jar pizza sauce 1.00
Salad dressing .75
Mayo 2.50
Diced Tomatoes .50 (Ive got as cheap as .39 with BPA free cans )- and .33 organic. )
Cold cereal 1.00 max -seldom
Instant Potatoes .86
Suddenly salad .75 - (I’ve got as cheap as .50)
BC. Cake mix - 1.00 ( as cheap as .88)
Boxed bread stuffing mix - 1.00 (as cheap as .75)
Pasta - .48-1.00 (free is good)
Bread products are a dollar at the DT- Orowheat, Thomas, Sara Lee.....
Milk -1/2 gallon 1.00
Sour cream 1.00
Cottage cheese 1.00
Eggs 1.00 (1.50 is my max)
Butter 2.50 - i want 2.00 and have got it at 1.50 before with coupon.
Ice cream 2.99 (tillamook)
Frozen vegges 1.00 a lb.
Tomato bouillon.
Chicken bouillon.
Vegetable bouillon.
Beef better than bouillon.
Prices vary, Costco is cheapest .
Lots cheaper than buying those cartons at 1.00-2.00 a box
Vinegar for cleaning. 2/4.29
Hamburger 80/20 2.44 - ( as cheap as 2.00-limited quantities )
Chicken breast , Boneless, skinless - 1.77 ( as cheap as .99-Zaycon)
Pork Loin 1.69 or less ( as cheap as .99)
Sausage is up to 3.50 the last two I got were free. Waiting for a good price. Or we will make our own. (Less sulphate )
Cheese : 2.50 a lb. ( I have got it as low as 1.85) it is close. To 2.00 at Costco business in 5 lb bags. Both cheddar and mozzarella.
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Four Plus one is five.
Four people, 1 meal, 5 bucks .......based on two adults and 2 school aged children.
- Spaghetti and meatballs, green beans.
- Pasta sauce .88, pasta .48, meatballs 2.00. Peasant bread .25, green beans .39. Total 4.00
- Based on GOC prices. It pays to rotate purchases.
- Tacos , refried beans, Spanish rice.
- Taco shells ..49 hamburger1/2 lb 1.22, cheese ,50, lettuce .25tomato .25 Refried beans 1.00, Spanish rice .08 total 4.51
- Based on GOC prices, it pays to rotate bulk purchases
- Chicken breast stir fry, rice
- Stir fry vegges 1.50, 1 lb chicken 1.00, top ramen noodles only, .25, rice .08 total 3.55
- Based on GOC prices . It pays to rotate bulk purchases
- Pizza , green salad
- Pizza crust .19. 1/5 jar of pizza sauce .20., 1 cup cheese .50, total .89. Add 1/2 package pepperoni .50 totals 1.39. Green salad : lettuce 1.00, tomato .55, cucumber .33. Total 3.27
- Based on GOC prices, it pays to rotate bulk purchases.
- Vegetable bean soup.
- Vegetable broth, 2 cans diced tomatoes .78, beans .30, carrots, celery .45, 1.53 toasted cheese sandwiches bread 1.00. Cheese 2.00. 4.53
Totals 3.97 a meal.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
QFC GROCERY HAUL
THE WAY TO CUT YOUR GROCERY BILL IS TO PAY 1/2 PRICE FOR YOUR GROCERIES . That means that sometimes you need to buy things that you do not immediately need.
Grapes 1.48
Tillamook ice cream 2.99
Strawberries 2.99
Butter 1.99.
Cottage cheese .79
Sour cream .79
Total 16.95.
Grapes 1.48
Tillamook ice cream 2.99
Strawberries 2.99
Butter 1.99.
Cottage cheese .79
Sour cream .79
Total 16.95.
Chain store ads
Alberways
Spiral ham 1.37
Shank ham .97
Strawberries 2bs 3.77
Quaker cereals .99 includes bars @@
Best Foods Mayo 2.49@@
Note: whole roasted chicken 6.49. That’s less two pounds. The break even point on chicken is THREE pounds. You are paying more for bone than you are chicken . Which means you are probably paying 6.49 for about a pound of chicken. Chicken often is .88 a pound. NEVER buy a chicken that is less than three pounds. The optimine size to buy is 5 lbs or just under 5 lbs.
Libbys vegetables 2/1
QFC
Spiral Ham 1.27
Strawberries 2.99 lb
Grapes 1.48
Buy 6, save 3
Butter 1.99
Tillamook ice cream 2.99
Post cereal 1.99
Ritz crackers 1.79
Sour cream or cottage cheese .79
Canned biscuits 1.49 - coupons out there.
April, this ones for you.
Ground turkey 3.99 lb.
LOL
Spiral ham 1.37
Shank ham .97
Strawberries 2bs 3.77
Quaker cereals .99 includes bars @@
Best Foods Mayo 2.49@@
Note: whole roasted chicken 6.49. That’s less two pounds. The break even point on chicken is THREE pounds. You are paying more for bone than you are chicken . Which means you are probably paying 6.49 for about a pound of chicken. Chicken often is .88 a pound. NEVER buy a chicken that is less than three pounds. The optimine size to buy is 5 lbs or just under 5 lbs.
Libbys vegetables 2/1
QFC
Spiral Ham 1.27
Strawberries 2.99 lb
Grapes 1.48
Buy 6, save 3
Butter 1.99
Tillamook ice cream 2.99
Post cereal 1.99
Ritz crackers 1.79
Sour cream or cottage cheese .79
Canned biscuits 1.49 - coupons out there.
April, this ones for you.
Ground turkey 3.99 lb.
LOL
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
How to meal plan
There are different ways to meal plan. Meal planning is a necessary part of a organized kitchen on the cheap. Planning helps not waste food and keeps the take out gremlins away.
A matrix helps too. If you have some kind of an outline, it’s easier to plan efficiently. We use a protein based matrix. 1 beef, 1 fish or shellfish, 2 vegetarian. , 3 chicken or pork. Some people use a standard ten meals—one for spring and simmer, one for fall and winter and make ten meals that they make ver and over. This makes a standard grocery list and makes it easier to bulk purchase food.
Bulk purchasing sources of protein on a rotation basis saves a lot of time and money . Simplify, save money, and always have food in the house.
Having a couple of days that are stable go tos helps too, We have pizza and breakfast for dinner. Breakfast for dinner is a family affair and everyone cooks. Pizza is easy and cheap and a family favorite. Both are versatile .
Pinterest and a good cookbook keeps your meals fresh.
A quick inventory of your pantry and freezer gives you a sense of what needs to be used up soon.
A meal plan can be varied dur8ng the week. Plans can change, but having a plan is a good base.
A matrix helps too. If you have some kind of an outline, it’s easier to plan efficiently. We use a protein based matrix. 1 beef, 1 fish or shellfish, 2 vegetarian. , 3 chicken or pork. Some people use a standard ten meals—one for spring and simmer, one for fall and winter and make ten meals that they make ver and over. This makes a standard grocery list and makes it easier to bulk purchase food.
Bulk purchasing sources of protein on a rotation basis saves a lot of time and money . Simplify, save money, and always have food in the house.
Having a couple of days that are stable go tos helps too, We have pizza and breakfast for dinner. Breakfast for dinner is a family affair and everyone cooks. Pizza is easy and cheap and a family favorite. Both are versatile .
Pinterest and a good cookbook keeps your meals fresh.
A quick inventory of your pantry and freezer gives you a sense of what needs to be used up soon.
A meal plan can be varied dur8ng the week. Plans can change, but having a plan is a good base.
Monday, March 26, 2018
Monday Kitchen Management
We had a houseful of guests last night, so I made the vegetable bean soup and a loaf of bread. A vegetarian soup is a good way to please everybody around here.
Refrigerator Bread is a recipe I found on the Internet . It is King Arthur Refrigerator bread. It takes a matter of minutes and makes multiple loaves. Sixty four cents makes 2-3 loaves depending on the size of your loaf. Or, about 21 cents a loaf. A little more work than peasant bread, but about the same price.
Finding scratch recipes that are efficient and taste good is not hard. It makes a difference in how things taste, and reduces your exposure to those ingredients you cant pronounce.
Your food shouldn’t be a science experiment and your food bill shouldn’t be an arm and a leg.
You can eat well on four dollars a day. I’m not going to tell you that you can feed the 17 yo linebacker on that, but you can do it for a regular family.
Eating and exercising some portion control is a good thing. If you can't see any white of your plate you are probably eating too much. We have a problem with obesity in this country. A lot of it in my opinion is due to portion control. 4 ounces of meat is ample unless you are building muscle for some reason. Que the 17 yo linebacker. Check with your nutritionist. We still eat more than the RDA of nutriments.
Buying your food at a rock bottom price and paying attention to labels and pull dates is a good thing. We got organic diced tomatoes this weekend for 3/1. They have an April 2018 pull date. We ate them last night. I’m sure that food doesn’t go from ok to spoil on a designated date. We should have some wiggle room. But I don't tend to be adventurous. That’s why I suggest a 4-6 week supply of food. That is enough to cover yourself if you have a family emergency, but not too much so that you are strapped for cupboard space and have trouble keeping up with it. There is just some smug satisfaction of knowing you beat the system and have yourself covered when life throws you a little curve ball. Studies have shown that the stress of not having food in the house can reduce your life expectancy. So can drinking sugar laden drinks.
Refrigerator Bread is a recipe I found on the Internet . It is King Arthur Refrigerator bread. It takes a matter of minutes and makes multiple loaves. Sixty four cents makes 2-3 loaves depending on the size of your loaf. Or, about 21 cents a loaf. A little more work than peasant bread, but about the same price.
Finding scratch recipes that are efficient and taste good is not hard. It makes a difference in how things taste, and reduces your exposure to those ingredients you cant pronounce.
Your food shouldn’t be a science experiment and your food bill shouldn’t be an arm and a leg.
You can eat well on four dollars a day. I’m not going to tell you that you can feed the 17 yo linebacker on that, but you can do it for a regular family.
Eating and exercising some portion control is a good thing. If you can't see any white of your plate you are probably eating too much. We have a problem with obesity in this country. A lot of it in my opinion is due to portion control. 4 ounces of meat is ample unless you are building muscle for some reason. Que the 17 yo linebacker. Check with your nutritionist. We still eat more than the RDA of nutriments.
Buying your food at a rock bottom price and paying attention to labels and pull dates is a good thing. We got organic diced tomatoes this weekend for 3/1. They have an April 2018 pull date. We ate them last night. I’m sure that food doesn’t go from ok to spoil on a designated date. We should have some wiggle room. But I don't tend to be adventurous. That’s why I suggest a 4-6 week supply of food. That is enough to cover yourself if you have a family emergency, but not too much so that you are strapped for cupboard space and have trouble keeping up with it. There is just some smug satisfaction of knowing you beat the system and have yourself covered when life throws you a little curve ball. Studies have shown that the stress of not having food in the house can reduce your life expectancy. So can drinking sugar laden drinks.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Meal Plans
Meal plans keep you organized and on track. They help in kitchen management and make life a lot less hectic come mealtime.
- Spaghetti and Meatballs, salad
- Out , potluck, refried beans (scratch)
- Pizza
- Roast Pork, mashed potatoes, honey ginger carrots , pickled beets
- Vegetable bean soup, rolls
- Pork sliders, oven fries, vegetable platter
- Breakfast for dinner
Notes
- Meatballs are at winco.
- Chicken pizza , -ranch dressing, chicken, blue and mozzarella cheese, red peppers Homemade pizza dough costs .19 and takes less than 5 minutes.
- Roast pork does double duty,
- Vegetable bean soup is made in the slow cooker part of the insta pot. Make beans first.
- Pork sliders use dinner rolls.
- Refried beans are made in the insta pot. Easy.
- Breakfast for dinner is a quiche.
The buying of a core list of ingredients and buying them at low prices , you can always have some food in the house on a limited budget and eat well. Buying versatile bulk meat in rotation based with sale prices affords you the luxury of. A varied diet and low-fat meats.
Our 2017 food costs averaged 55.05 a week. So far , our food costs are at 50.00 including a bulk chicken purchase.
Costco and Grocery Outlet Haul
Costco
Bananas 1.39
Pickles 6.89
Total 8.28
Grocery Outlet
Beets , canned, sliced 3/1
Organic diced tomatoes 3/1
Gingerbread Nature Valley Bars 24 ea .99
Sliced cheese 2.00
Total 8.98
Month total including bulk chicken purchase is at 49.45 a week.
Bananas 1.39
Pickles 6.89
Total 8.28
Grocery Outlet
Beets , canned, sliced 3/1
Organic diced tomatoes 3/1
Gingerbread Nature Valley Bars 24 ea .99
Sliced cheese 2.00
Total 8.98
Month total including bulk chicken purchase is at 49.45 a week.
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Don’t let a “special” that isn’t a special fool you.
Safeways/Albertsons has a coupon “special” in their sunday insert. Think about this a minute.
Get a “FREE” 18 count eggs if you buy 50.00 worth of. Participating food. 18 eggs last week at Winco were 1.44. The percentage of discount is less than 3 percent.
Asparagus is 1.27, its .99 at Fred Meyers.
Canned vegetables are .79....that’s the price at the DT every day. And, they are .50 at winco.
If they are giving you less than 5 peracent and they are charging 30 percent more on their products, you aren’t better off.
File this under when is a bargain, not a bargain .
Get a “FREE” 18 count eggs if you buy 50.00 worth of. Participating food. 18 eggs last week at Winco were 1.44. The percentage of discount is less than 3 percent.
Asparagus is 1.27, its .99 at Fred Meyers.
Canned vegetables are .79....that’s the price at the DT every day. And, they are .50 at winco.
If they are giving you less than 5 peracent and they are charging 30 percent more on their products, you aren’t better off.
File this under when is a bargain, not a bargain .
Fred Meyers ad for Sunday
Spiral sliced ham 1.27
Oscar Mayer Bacon 3.99
Asparagus .99
5 lbs mandarins 3.99
Cantaloupe 2/4
10 lbs potatoes 1.99
Cream cheese 3/5
Marshmallows. 1.00
Buy 6, save 3.00
Cream soup. .49
Butter 1.99
Oscar Mayer Bacon 3.99
Asparagus .99
5 lbs mandarins 3.99
Cantaloupe 2/4
10 lbs potatoes 1.99
Cream cheese 3/5
Marshmallows. 1.00
Buy 6, save 3.00
Cream soup. .49
Butter 1.99
Friday, March 23, 2018
FRIDAY: RECIPE
PORK LOIN IS 1.59 AT COSTCO BUSINESS. THERE IS A 2.00 OFF STICKER ON IT TO BE USED AT THE REGISTER. THAT MAKES A 10 LB LOIN 1.39.
Butchering a pork loin is a matter of slicing it. Cut the ends off up about two inches to make the meat a even cylinder. Cut stew meat or slice for stir fry. Now cut a 6 inch or so roast off one end.
You should be getting to the center. Cut center cut pork chops anywhere between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch thick until you have another roast left. Bag and label with what it is and when you bagged it. We put portions in a quarts bag and put the quart bags in a gallon bag. I cut the fat layer off of chops , but not roasts.
Pork Roast.
Mix 2 parts olive oil to 1 part ranch dressing mix. ( make your own )
Add a squirt of Dijon mustard and minced garlic.
Use a 1.5-3 pound roast
Spread on roast. Place roast, fat side up in a roasting pan with a rack.
Heat oven to 350 degrees for an hour or until the roast has an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
We use a thermometer with a probe and set it to pork, well done. It just makes our life easier.
Having the right tools makes a big difference in your cooking skills and saves a lot of time. Time is money when you send it plannng a shopping trip or making meal plans. Proper planning can save you 1/2 on your food bill. Keeping on top of what’s in the pantry , freezer, and refrigerator saves a lot of money.
They say that we waste 50 percent of our food. That’s hard for me to believe, but every amount you throw away is something that could have been eaten. Portion. Control means a lot. Give children a reasonable amount. If they want more , give them more. I’m not talking about sweets; but rather the dinner part of a meal. We dont have desert every meal. Its not good for you or necessary. There are a lot of ideas out there on how to reinvent a leftover. A sirloin. Roast can become a roast beef a jus sandwich , That pork roast can become sliders. Cooked chicken can be any number of things.the possibilities are endless.. Pinterest is full of recipes.
Keeping on top of the refrigerater contents is a good way to use your resources.
Butchering a pork loin is a matter of slicing it. Cut the ends off up about two inches to make the meat a even cylinder. Cut stew meat or slice for stir fry. Now cut a 6 inch or so roast off one end.
You should be getting to the center. Cut center cut pork chops anywhere between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch thick until you have another roast left. Bag and label with what it is and when you bagged it. We put portions in a quarts bag and put the quart bags in a gallon bag. I cut the fat layer off of chops , but not roasts.
Pork Roast.
Mix 2 parts olive oil to 1 part ranch dressing mix. ( make your own )
Add a squirt of Dijon mustard and minced garlic.
Use a 1.5-3 pound roast
Spread on roast. Place roast, fat side up in a roasting pan with a rack.
Heat oven to 350 degrees for an hour or until the roast has an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
We use a thermometer with a probe and set it to pork, well done. It just makes our life easier.
Having the right tools makes a big difference in your cooking skills and saves a lot of time. Time is money when you send it plannng a shopping trip or making meal plans. Proper planning can save you 1/2 on your food bill. Keeping on top of what’s in the pantry , freezer, and refrigerator saves a lot of money.
They say that we waste 50 percent of our food. That’s hard for me to believe, but every amount you throw away is something that could have been eaten. Portion. Control means a lot. Give children a reasonable amount. If they want more , give them more. I’m not talking about sweets; but rather the dinner part of a meal. We dont have desert every meal. Its not good for you or necessary. There are a lot of ideas out there on how to reinvent a leftover. A sirloin. Roast can become a roast beef a jus sandwich , That pork roast can become sliders. Cooked chicken can be any number of things.the possibilities are endless.. Pinterest is full of recipes.
Keeping on top of the refrigerater contents is a good way to use your resources.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Winco Haul
Winco Haul.....I am still on budget
Pickles 1.48
Salmon burgers 4.28 lb
Pie 6.48
Frozen veggies .99
Frozen veggies .88
Darigold butter 2.98 less coupon 1.98
Hamburger buns 1.07
Black beans , bulk .83 lb
Green grapes 1.98
White bread 1.18
3 lbs onions .98
Total 24.85
Thursday Notes : dispelling myths
The internet is full of myths.....wives tales, ......people’s perceptions .....
Grated cheese costs more than buying a brick and grating it yourself.
Cheese is cheese . A pound of cheese is a pound of cheese. Check the price per pound. Often, grated cheese is cheaper than the brick. You can freeze grated cheese and that allows you to buy it when its on sale. We toured the tillamook factory. They make cheese is huge bricks. It goes to a chopping block where a cutter comes down and cuts the blocks of cheese into two pound bricks. The cheese that is left over goes into what looks like a buss boy tray and is taken to the shredder.
Its hard to make bread from scratch.
There are easy ways to make bread. Peasant bread is a good start because the hardest part is taking the temperature of the water and dealing with a 450 degree oven. Then, you can go on to other breads. Peasant bread takes 10 hands on minutes and they are spread between two days.
You can’t eat good food on 4.00 a day.
Yes, you can eat good food on 4.00 a day. I was trying to cut our food bill down as far as I could because I write this blog. It was a game. I was shocked when I stopped to write a grocery shopping class and discovered that we were actually eating on less and had been for 15 months. This also covered feeding grandchild some ( she eats at home and at our house) and grew a pantry.. We eat good, old fashioned food. Three squares a day. Salmon, pork loin roast and chops, 7 percent fat hamburger, boneless skinless chicken breast from Washington. We dont just eat beans, and we dont shop at the whole paycheck food store. There is a happy medium.
Clipping coupons takes a lot of time and you get a whole quarter back.
It takes about ten minutes to print coupons the first day of the month. Cutting time and putting them in a binder can be done watching TV. Ditto flipping through an insert from the paper and cutting what you are likely to buy. It saves up to 25.00 a month if you aren't a prepared food buyer.
Ibotta and such apps profile you and you loose your privacy.
The truth is, none of us is immune to being profiled. . Everything we do we are being watched —everything from being on Facebook to using a store loyalty card. We don't live in a box.
Grated cheese costs more than buying a brick and grating it yourself.
Cheese is cheese . A pound of cheese is a pound of cheese. Check the price per pound. Often, grated cheese is cheaper than the brick. You can freeze grated cheese and that allows you to buy it when its on sale. We toured the tillamook factory. They make cheese is huge bricks. It goes to a chopping block where a cutter comes down and cuts the blocks of cheese into two pound bricks. The cheese that is left over goes into what looks like a buss boy tray and is taken to the shredder.
Its hard to make bread from scratch.
There are easy ways to make bread. Peasant bread is a good start because the hardest part is taking the temperature of the water and dealing with a 450 degree oven. Then, you can go on to other breads. Peasant bread takes 10 hands on minutes and they are spread between two days.
You can’t eat good food on 4.00 a day.
Yes, you can eat good food on 4.00 a day. I was trying to cut our food bill down as far as I could because I write this blog. It was a game. I was shocked when I stopped to write a grocery shopping class and discovered that we were actually eating on less and had been for 15 months. This also covered feeding grandchild some ( she eats at home and at our house) and grew a pantry.. We eat good, old fashioned food. Three squares a day. Salmon, pork loin roast and chops, 7 percent fat hamburger, boneless skinless chicken breast from Washington. We dont just eat beans, and we dont shop at the whole paycheck food store. There is a happy medium.
Clipping coupons takes a lot of time and you get a whole quarter back.
It takes about ten minutes to print coupons the first day of the month. Cutting time and putting them in a binder can be done watching TV. Ditto flipping through an insert from the paper and cutting what you are likely to buy. It saves up to 25.00 a month if you aren't a prepared food buyer.
Ibotta and such apps profile you and you loose your privacy.
The truth is, none of us is immune to being profiled. . Everything we do we are being watched —everything from being on Facebook to using a store loyalty card. We don't live in a box.
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