I'm not alone ! We all have that binder or box somewhere where we out recipes that we need ormthat we are going to try someday, Someday may never come, I just went through mine and dumped 1/2 of them in the recycle. I did find tue recipes for my moxes all on scraps of paper.
The thought came to me to put them on a vkogmtomsharemandnto out them in my oldest personal cookbook from the 70's that has the rest of my mix recipes.
Pancake mix.
To make pancakes : Water and mix equal parts. Add fruit?
12 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups powdered milk
5 Tbls baking powder
1 Tbls salt
Mix and store in airtight container.
Ranch dressing mix
1 Tbls EACH
Dill
Garlic
Onion powder
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp pepper
Baking mix
3 cups flour
1-1/2 Tbls baking powder
3/4 tsp salt.
3 T oil
Mix and stir in container with tight fitting lid
Self rising flour
1 cup flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Onion soup mix
3/4 cup minced onions
1/3cup beef bouillon granules
4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp sugar
5 T equals a 1-1/4 ounce package
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Sunday : meal plans
Meal plans based on fruits and veggies in season and a inventory of what's in the pantry and freezer, We often purchase in a small bulk buy, things that are nearing their pull date. Often , depending on the product, they will be good for months to come. Still, using them in or beforemthe pull date makes sense. Case in point, I bought 11 packages of mashed sweet potatoes. They were .33 instead of 1.25 each. We have until mid September to use them up. I plan to have pork chops ormxhixken and sweet potatoes once a week through the summer. Buying not yet expired foods that are not typical of the season is a way to cut your food bill dramatically, The food is as good as any other food, it's just not eaten in a traditional way, I also got a desert mix that has a chocolate Oreo type crust and a peppermint filling-- no doubt for Christmas -- it cost.....wait for it........50. The Oreo cookies would cost that much.
Meal plans. I'm going to be taking you through my mindset, nitmbecaise anyine has to follow me. But, rather, to let you see how I reach my decisions.
I got country ribs for 1/2 price yesterday. I will divide the mega pack in three that will allow us three big ribs for two of us. I doubt that granddaughter will like them. I will give her a taste of mine so she experiences the taste. Introducing taste is a way to let children become accustomed to different tastes.
Our matrix for meals is 1 fish or seafood, 1 beef, 3 chicken or pork,and 2 vegetarian
- Spareribs , roasted potatoes and carrots.
- Pizza ( homemade crust )
- Breakfast 4 dinner - pumpkin pancakes, bacon, fruit ( the last of the pumpkin bread mix )
- Salmon, Sweet potatoes, broccoli ( mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli got for .78) use 1/2
- Tacos. Spanish rice
- Chicken pot pie ( biscuits were on sale for a dollar. ) - peppermint desert
- Pork chops. Oven roasted veggies ( I have large radishs from last week and just bought a bag of potatoes).
Using the insta pot, none of these meals will take more than 15-20 hands on time to prepare.
Saturday, July 8, 2017
The basics :meal plans
We have covered the two little things that you can do to cut your food bill and contribute to better health too. We have found ways to get your protein at the RBP and start the journey to build a stock for emergencies, Emergencies can be as little as a snow storm, a sick child, or the flooding of the main road so the grocery stores can't get their restock. Yes that did happen , and it was Christmas to boot.
Let's talk about meal plans. Meal plans save you from the pizza delivery demons. Being organized reduces stress. If things are set up, almost anyone on the family can finish dinner even if you are otherwise occupied.
Have a plan or plan to fail. There are no magic surprises if you have a basic stock of food on hand that you can make meals from . Having a few aces in your hole doesn't hurt either. Always have a few easy, cheap meals in your pantry or freezer. I buy Foster Farms chicken patties when I find them
on sale, If you have pasta and pasta sauce, you have chicken parm.
We always have ground beef already cooked and in portion controlled bags in the freezer. It's a versatile base for any number of meals.
The basis for a lot of this organization is making a list of ten to fourteen meals your family will eat. At least, most of your family will eat, there is always that one holdout. We didn't have that when we were kids, you ate or you waited for the next meal, no snacks there. I digress
After your list is complete and you have analyzed it for budget breakers......this list should be economical meats and sides. A lot of things like asparagus, and water chestnuts are out of reach for a super economy meal. Stick to basics.
Ideas
Spaghetti and meatballs
Mac n cheese
Pork chops and dressing
Nachos
Tacos
Enchaladas
Chilli
Vegetable bean soup
Chicken roasted with garlic bread and oven roasted root veggies
Chicken soup
Chicken pot pie - one crust or Biscuit topping
Chicken stir fry
Breakfast for dinner
Quiche - impossible pie
Sloppy joes
Chicken chimichangas
Now, make a list of ingredients that you need to make these dishes. Note the things that you can buy in bulk and use for several dishes.
In our house that would be diced tomatoes. Other than tomato paste, i don't buy a lot of tomato products. Simplifying your grocery list for things that are versatile makes life and budgets a lot easier.
Pasta sauce and pasta are items you can find coupons for and are often on stock up sales. Being able to match a good sale with coupons, doubles your savings. Planning a buy 5 save 5 type sale can take some time, but it can make remarkable purchases. One time I saved 78 percent. So much for not wanting to use coupons to save .25 cents. Lol.
Potatoes, celery and carrots are a staple here.
I keep one ahead of things like catsup, mustard, and mayo.
Canned green beans, beans ( some) and corn 🌽.
I get dry beans in bulk, not too many they do go bad. And also rice and flour. You can make all kinds of things in a pinch with flour- anywhere from noodles to crackers, tortillas, biscuits.....
Instant mashed potatoes and dry milk are nice t have on a pinch,
Tortillas are versatile, cheapest usually at dollar tree or Costco. You can use them for quesadas , enchiladas, chimichangas, tacos, taco chips for nachos.
It's a lie that shredded cheese is more expensive than brick. A pound of cheese is a pound of cheese. Watch those small bags, they can be a budget killer. If you use a lot of,here's, buy five pound bags at Costco. It does freeze.without harm. I pay close to two dollars a pound. It can be up to seven.
Diced green mild chilies and sliced black olives male things special. Cheapest at Winco here.
All of this is bought at discount, of course, and over time.
Pit groceries for three of us has been less than 55.00 a week. That is about 45 percent of the usda stats for poor people. They call it thrifty. Lol. We eat well. And we don't eat rice and beans,
We also don't get our groceries on line and pay full price with a delivery charge, We don't buy junk food for the most part. We scratch cook efficiently. I rarely spend more ham fifteen minutes hands on time cooking dinner at dinner time. So,e bulk cooking and the insta pot helps remarkably,
Let's talk about meal plans. Meal plans save you from the pizza delivery demons. Being organized reduces stress. If things are set up, almost anyone on the family can finish dinner even if you are otherwise occupied.
Have a plan or plan to fail. There are no magic surprises if you have a basic stock of food on hand that you can make meals from . Having a few aces in your hole doesn't hurt either. Always have a few easy, cheap meals in your pantry or freezer. I buy Foster Farms chicken patties when I find them
on sale, If you have pasta and pasta sauce, you have chicken parm.
We always have ground beef already cooked and in portion controlled bags in the freezer. It's a versatile base for any number of meals.
The basis for a lot of this organization is making a list of ten to fourteen meals your family will eat. At least, most of your family will eat, there is always that one holdout. We didn't have that when we were kids, you ate or you waited for the next meal, no snacks there. I digress
After your list is complete and you have analyzed it for budget breakers......this list should be economical meats and sides. A lot of things like asparagus, and water chestnuts are out of reach for a super economy meal. Stick to basics.
Ideas
Spaghetti and meatballs
Mac n cheese
Pork chops and dressing
Nachos
Tacos
Enchaladas
Chilli
Vegetable bean soup
Chicken roasted with garlic bread and oven roasted root veggies
Chicken soup
Chicken pot pie - one crust or Biscuit topping
Chicken stir fry
Breakfast for dinner
Quiche - impossible pie
Sloppy joes
Chicken chimichangas
Now, make a list of ingredients that you need to make these dishes. Note the things that you can buy in bulk and use for several dishes.
In our house that would be diced tomatoes. Other than tomato paste, i don't buy a lot of tomato products. Simplifying your grocery list for things that are versatile makes life and budgets a lot easier.
Pasta sauce and pasta are items you can find coupons for and are often on stock up sales. Being able to match a good sale with coupons, doubles your savings. Planning a buy 5 save 5 type sale can take some time, but it can make remarkable purchases. One time I saved 78 percent. So much for not wanting to use coupons to save .25 cents. Lol.
Potatoes, celery and carrots are a staple here.
I keep one ahead of things like catsup, mustard, and mayo.
Canned green beans, beans ( some) and corn 🌽.
I get dry beans in bulk, not too many they do go bad. And also rice and flour. You can make all kinds of things in a pinch with flour- anywhere from noodles to crackers, tortillas, biscuits.....
Instant mashed potatoes and dry milk are nice t have on a pinch,
Tortillas are versatile, cheapest usually at dollar tree or Costco. You can use them for quesadas , enchiladas, chimichangas, tacos, taco chips for nachos.
It's a lie that shredded cheese is more expensive than brick. A pound of cheese is a pound of cheese. Watch those small bags, they can be a budget killer. If you use a lot of,here's, buy five pound bags at Costco. It does freeze.without harm. I pay close to two dollars a pound. It can be up to seven.
Diced green mild chilies and sliced black olives male things special. Cheapest at Winco here.
All of this is bought at discount, of course, and over time.
Pit groceries for three of us has been less than 55.00 a week. That is about 45 percent of the usda stats for poor people. They call it thrifty. Lol. We eat well. And we don't eat rice and beans,
We also don't get our groceries on line and pay full price with a delivery charge, We don't buy junk food for the most part. We scratch cook efficiently. I rarely spend more ham fifteen minutes hands on time cooking dinner at dinner time. So,e bulk cooking and the insta pot helps remarkably,
Fred Meyers ad for tomorrow
First, today big lots has 20 percent off everything, 6 pads and 12 toilet tissue were ten bucks.
Freddies tomorrow
Pork loin 1.99 - that's at the top of my rotation cost.
Cherries 1.77
Tomatoes .88 lb
Berries 3.99
Parsley 2/.99
Green onions / radishes 2/.99
Tillamook ice cream 2/6$$
Milk 1.79 gallon
Yogurt 10/5 $$
Sour cream leg 1.99
Zucchini.99
That's about it.
Freddies tomorrow
Pork loin 1.99 - that's at the top of my rotation cost.
Cherries 1.77
Tomatoes .88 lb
Berries 3.99
Parsley 2/.99
Green onions / radishes 2/.99
Tillamook ice cream 2/6$$
Milk 1.79 gallon
Yogurt 10/5 $$
Sour cream leg 1.99
Zucchini.99
That's about it.
Friday, July 7, 2017
Country style ribs in the insta pot.
It ts no secret that I love my insta pot and no, I'm not sponsored. . It's just a very versatile appliance that gives you a lot of bang for your buck. You can slow cook, brown, make rice, and pressure cook, Some of them have yogurt features.
Wednesday, I got country ribs for 1/2 price and then I got another 16 percent off of that aa enough for two of us to have four meals for less than 8.00. I'm not fond of baby back robs because you are paying for a lot of bone and not much meat. This blog is all about. S t r e t c h i n g your dollar.
Of course, you can do the same recipe in a traditional slow cooker.
Country ribs in the insta pot.
1) turn on the sauté feature . Dry the ribs with a paper towel and salt and pepper both sides. Brown the ribs in olive oil . Try to keep a single layer of ribs.
2) turn the Sauté feature off and add 2 cups of broth : chicken or tomato. ( tomato bullion is in a jar- add to water, )!
3) cover, shut vent, process on meat for 30 minutes.
4) de- pressurize naturally. Place ribs on a broiler pan, spread with BBQ sauce and cook at 400 degrees in the oven for 10 minutes or until the sauce has caramelized.
Rice :
Put equal parts of rice and water or broth in the insta pot. Add a pat of butter or a drizzle of olive oil. Stir. Place lid with the vent on seal and hit the rice button. Done. Let it de pressurize naturally.
Wednesday, I got country ribs for 1/2 price and then I got another 16 percent off of that aa enough for two of us to have four meals for less than 8.00. I'm not fond of baby back robs because you are paying for a lot of bone and not much meat. This blog is all about. S t r e t c h i n g your dollar.
Of course, you can do the same recipe in a traditional slow cooker.
Country ribs in the insta pot.
1) turn on the sauté feature . Dry the ribs with a paper towel and salt and pepper both sides. Brown the ribs in olive oil . Try to keep a single layer of ribs.
2) turn the Sauté feature off and add 2 cups of broth : chicken or tomato. ( tomato bullion is in a jar- add to water, )!
3) cover, shut vent, process on meat for 30 minutes.
4) de- pressurize naturally. Place ribs on a broiler pan, spread with BBQ sauce and cook at 400 degrees in the oven for 10 minutes or until the sauce has caramelized.
Rice :
Put equal parts of rice and water or broth in the insta pot. Add a pat of butter or a drizzle of olive oil. Stir. Place lid with the vent on seal and hit the rice button. Done. Let it de pressurize naturally.
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Costco haul for the month.
Hopefully the last Costco run for the month for food. Gas is sooo much cheaper that it pays for the membership.
25 lbs flour. 6.29
Bananas 1.39
Sour cream 3.99
4 lbs butter 10.99 2.75 lb
Mozzarella -5 lbs 10.99 - 2.20 lb
3 lbs tortilla chips 3.59
Blueberries 6.99
Total 44.23
Most of this was bulk that can be split over two weeks to three months.
Twenty loaves of bread at 3.00 per loaf would be 60.00.
A sack of flour costs 6.39
Difference is 53.60
Yeast and salt when bought in bulk are mere pennies.
The savings on bread alone would feed us for over a week.
Hands on time for a loaf of bread is about ten minutes.
Thursday : basics - little steps
Back to basics. Groceries on the cheap takes a different look at traditional grocery shopping. Instead of going to a store and buying a weeks worth of groceries and coming home and planning meals, you go to two stores and buy : a rotation protein, what's in sale that you can make meals from, and replentish dairy and fresh veggies hopefully on sale / and/or in season.
This takes a little time, but the rewards are amazing, You eat better and have enough to take you through the month, No one , especially children , should suffer the anxiety, stress, or insecurity of having no food in the house.
The thought of doing this is a bit overwhelming to some people. Basically, its not hard and not impossible , You think you don't have enough money to do that, But, in actuality you have more than you think. If you buy 1 chicken a week for 1.68 a pound, you get 1 chicken, If you don't buy one this week, and buy 2 chickens for .88 a pound next week, you have 2 chickens, If you know how to stretch that chicken, you can have 8 dinners from those 2 chickens. That's a quarter of the month covered for dinners. Do that will all your food, and you have meals plus a stock built to cover you if you can't get to the store for some reason or an other mishap happens.
In this series, we will take one step at a time. Baby steps. Habits. For many people making a drastic change that takes a lot of time, doesn't work because it isn't sustainable. We eat for a small amount of money and have a back up small stock. It didn't happen in a day; rather, it's been an ongoing mantra for fifty years. I just kept perfecting the concept and adjusting to fluctuating prices and new revelations of foods that can effect your health . Baby steps. They all save. One year and your savings will grow.
This takes a little time, but the rewards are amazing, You eat better and have enough to take you through the month, No one , especially children , should suffer the anxiety, stress, or insecurity of having no food in the house.
The thought of doing this is a bit overwhelming to some people. Basically, its not hard and not impossible , You think you don't have enough money to do that, But, in actuality you have more than you think. If you buy 1 chicken a week for 1.68 a pound, you get 1 chicken, If you don't buy one this week, and buy 2 chickens for .88 a pound next week, you have 2 chickens, If you know how to stretch that chicken, you can have 8 dinners from those 2 chickens. That's a quarter of the month covered for dinners. Do that will all your food, and you have meals plus a stock built to cover you if you can't get to the store for some reason or an other mishap happens.
In this series, we will take one step at a time. Baby steps. Habits. For many people making a drastic change that takes a lot of time, doesn't work because it isn't sustainable. We eat for a small amount of money and have a back up small stock. It didn't happen in a day; rather, it's been an ongoing mantra for fifty years. I just kept perfecting the concept and adjusting to fluctuating prices and new revelations of foods that can effect your health . Baby steps. They all save. One year and your savings will grow.
- Write down and gather recipes if you need to for 10-14 meals your family likes to eat, These meals should be made from low cost sources of protein.
- In our house that would be 1) pork loin that can become chops, roast, or stew cubes; home butchered boneless, skinless, chicken breast; 7 percent hamburger, or home ground low fat hamburger; cheese, beans, and some tuna, shrimp, or salmon.
- Now, find two stores in your area that consistently have the lowest prices.
- Research the prices in your area for those sources of protein. You are looking for the RBP ( rock bottom price ) . In the PNW, I can get split chicken breast , locally grown, for .88 a pound. This turns into boneless, skinless, chicken breast and chicken stick and loose meat. Pork loin is 149-1.69 a pound, this turns out to be roast, chops, and stew meat. Hamburger is 3.28 a pound for 7 percent fat, If a roast or steak is cheaper and has little fat, we will grind our own. Cheese can be purchased for 2.35 a pound or less, and sausage with coupons or at Costco in a chub is around two dollars a pound. I just got rope sausage for two dollars a pound, fry it and de-fat it, and freeze it.
- Protein is probably the most expensive group of foods you buy, starting with it gives you more return on your time,
- Next : what to go with the protein . Remember, baby steps,
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Safeway haul
Safeway haul using a four dollars off of 25.00 coupon.
3 speghetti @ .58
2 cans coffee @ 4.20
10 yoplait @ .34
Country ribs 1/2 price 7.36 ( 3 meals )
10 lbs russet potatoes 2.09
Saved about 46 percent
3 speghetti @ .58
2 cans coffee @ 4.20
10 yoplait @ .34
Country ribs 1/2 price 7.36 ( 3 meals )
10 lbs russet potatoes 2.09
Saved about 46 percent
Wednesday chain store ads
Alberways - a compilation of Safeways and Albertsons because the two stores have identical ads.
Cherries 1.88
Pork shoulder blade roast .99
Eye of round roast. 3.99
Lucerne yogurt 4/1.00@@
Coffee 5.00
5 dollar Friday
Pork loin tenderloins
40 oz jig peanut butter
QFC ( Kroger) two week ad
Buy 3, save 3
Grands biscuits .99. - sometimes coupons
Coffee .99
Jimmy Dean sausage 2.49
Free download - BBQ sauce usually fridays,
Green beans 1.99
Cherries 1.88
Pork shoulder blade roast .99
Eye of round roast. 3.99
Lucerne yogurt 4/1.00@@
Coffee 5.00
5 dollar Friday
Pork loin tenderloins
40 oz jig peanut butter
QFC ( Kroger) two week ad
Buy 3, save 3
Grands biscuits .99. - sometimes coupons
Coffee .99
Jimmy Dean sausage 2.49
Free download - BBQ sauce usually fridays,
Green beans 1.99
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
TUESDAY notes - two easy concepts.
I was thinking the other day.......scary concept in itself. Lol. There are really two major concepts that can cut your food bill drastically just by implementing a few changes. Now, I realize that change is never really easy, but often the rewards are two fold. LOL 😂
Number one
The average cart consists of 1/2 drinks and snacks, Fruit juice, pop or soda , and a dozen packages, especially individual packages of cookies or chips are not good for you or your budget. Save the chips and cookies for special occasions. Fruit juice can have as much or more sugar in it than pop. The bubbles in pop are expected to leach the calcium from your body at certain ages. And, we all know that fake sugar is not good for us as well as sugar. I read where fake sugar is simethingnyour body doesn't know what to do with , so it sticks to the fat cells and makes them larger, Too much meat, sugar, or alcohol are killers of the kidneys. Stick to coffee, tea and water and some milk. It is, no longer recommended that you drink three glasses of milk a day. Check the RDA on milk per age group. A nutritionist told me years ago that giving my daughter an apple was better than giving her natural apple juice. Popcorn air popped is 12.00 for a humongous canister at Costco. I save the canisters to store my beans etc in the pantry shelf. It makes for a more uniform look in the pantry.
Number two
If you are going to one store and buying just what you need for one week, the budget odds are against you. It's rigged, the same as winning at the casino. Did you ever notice that if hotdogs are on sale, the buns aren't. If pasta sauce is on sale, the pasta isn't! No one store has all the bargains. Shopping the TRUE sales and working your meal plan to compensate is a real budget stretcher. Buying the best of two stores and buying more than one of anything that is on a real sale and is a commodity that you eat on a regular basis is also a real money stretcher, Why buy 1 can of green beans at .33 instead of .68 and then buy the next can next week for .68. That makes no sense.
you are buying the same food, you just buy six green beans this week, and maybe four frozen broccoli next week. The end result is the same in quality and kinds of foods, the budget result is remarkable.
We are eating at 40 percent of the USDA stats for thrifty people. We eat good food. We eat fresh fruits and vegetables. We eat meat, and fish, and chicken. And rice, beans, pasta, and potatoes, the same as many other families. We watch salt, sugar, trans fats, hydrogenated oil, and HFCS and buy highest quality I can afford. We just don't pay 💰 full price for our food.
Number one
The average cart consists of 1/2 drinks and snacks, Fruit juice, pop or soda , and a dozen packages, especially individual packages of cookies or chips are not good for you or your budget. Save the chips and cookies for special occasions. Fruit juice can have as much or more sugar in it than pop. The bubbles in pop are expected to leach the calcium from your body at certain ages. And, we all know that fake sugar is not good for us as well as sugar. I read where fake sugar is simethingnyour body doesn't know what to do with , so it sticks to the fat cells and makes them larger, Too much meat, sugar, or alcohol are killers of the kidneys. Stick to coffee, tea and water and some milk. It is, no longer recommended that you drink three glasses of milk a day. Check the RDA on milk per age group. A nutritionist told me years ago that giving my daughter an apple was better than giving her natural apple juice. Popcorn air popped is 12.00 for a humongous canister at Costco. I save the canisters to store my beans etc in the pantry shelf. It makes for a more uniform look in the pantry.
Number two
If you are going to one store and buying just what you need for one week, the budget odds are against you. It's rigged, the same as winning at the casino. Did you ever notice that if hotdogs are on sale, the buns aren't. If pasta sauce is on sale, the pasta isn't! No one store has all the bargains. Shopping the TRUE sales and working your meal plan to compensate is a real budget stretcher. Buying the best of two stores and buying more than one of anything that is on a real sale and is a commodity that you eat on a regular basis is also a real money stretcher, Why buy 1 can of green beans at .33 instead of .68 and then buy the next can next week for .68. That makes no sense.
you are buying the same food, you just buy six green beans this week, and maybe four frozen broccoli next week. The end result is the same in quality and kinds of foods, the budget result is remarkable.
We are eating at 40 percent of the USDA stats for thrifty people. We eat good food. We eat fresh fruits and vegetables. We eat meat, and fish, and chicken. And rice, beans, pasta, and potatoes, the same as many other families. We watch salt, sugar, trans fats, hydrogenated oil, and HFCS and buy highest quality I can afford. We just don't pay 💰 full price for our food.
Monday, July 3, 2017
Why bother with coupons on a meager budget?
I have heard it all......every excuse in the book........I don't have time, it's a waste of time, I'm too busy, why bother it's just for junk food anyway, If you don't want to clip coupons or bother, that's totally up to you. I'm just showing a case senecio of what could happen .
Saegento cheese slices. Retail 3.50 a package - 8 ounces, (1-2 lb) that's 7.00 a pound, I would never pay that . Presliced cheese melts better and is more uniform in size. It's got a better bite. But, I don't want to pay more than 2.35 or so for a pound ofmcheese, I will splurge a little, but not a lot.
Retail 3.50
Sale price 2.50
Less .55 coupon
1.95
Less .50 Ibotta
1.45
That's almost 60 percent off. Or, you can easily get a full pound for the price of a 1/2 pound, You can eat several meals instead of one.
It is never cheap to order your food on line and have it delivered. If you are sick and homeboimd it is a great service. But, it comes at a price. There is a delivery charge, a tip, and the prices are higher and they don't take coupons.
Saegento cheese slices. Retail 3.50 a package - 8 ounces, (1-2 lb) that's 7.00 a pound, I would never pay that . Presliced cheese melts better and is more uniform in size. It's got a better bite. But, I don't want to pay more than 2.35 or so for a pound ofmcheese, I will splurge a little, but not a lot.
Retail 3.50
Sale price 2.50
Less .55 coupon
1.95
Less .50 Ibotta
1.45
That's almost 60 percent off. Or, you can easily get a full pound for the price of a 1/2 pound, You can eat several meals instead of one.
It is never cheap to order your food on line and have it delivered. If you are sick and homeboimd it is a great service. But, it comes at a price. There is a delivery charge, a tip, and the prices are higher and they don't take coupons.
Monday kitchen management
kitchen management for week of July 3rd.
- Mark meal plans with days to thaw meat, especially the chicken that didn't get done last week,
- Clean the stove fan filter.
- Wash and wax floor
- Straighten the pantry.
- Disinfect sinks, countertops, and drains,
- Check potatoes and eggs and dehydrate if necessary,
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Fred Meyer and grocery outket
We went to Freddies and the GO. GO in north Seattle is not as good as the Kenmore one, To start off, someone was trying all the car doors to find one open when we arrived. Most of the good stuff we got at Kenmore wasn't there and the give five, save five wasn't clearly explained,
I did get a box if nutragrain bars for .99
Hello kitty cookie mix .33
Small tomatoes .99
Danimals smoothies 1.17
Fred Meyers total 22.17
Watermelon 1.88
English muffins, Dozen 1.67
Radishes - large .79
Celery 1.16
Cottage cheese -dbl 1.99
Nathan's franks 2/5
Sargent sliced cheese 2.50 less .55 coupon 1.95
Strawberries 1.25
Green grapes 199 lb
That's about it. I didn't need meat, but the meat was a good buy.
I did get a box if nutragrain bars for .99
Hello kitty cookie mix .33
Small tomatoes .99
Danimals smoothies 1.17
Fred Meyers total 22.17
Watermelon 1.88
English muffins, Dozen 1.67
Radishes - large .79
Celery 1.16
Cottage cheese -dbl 1.99
Nathan's franks 2/5
Sargent sliced cheese 2.50 less .55 coupon 1.95
Strawberries 1.25
Green grapes 199 lb
That's about it. I didn't need meat, but the meat was a good buy.
Meal plans for week of July 3
Lots of BBQs this week and the ads are full of specials on that type of food. Fred Meyers ad starts on Sunday, Winco doesn't have an ad, their prices are based on local market prices and they try to be the lowest priced market. Fortunately for us, the two stores are basically on the same road a few miles apart.
- Pizza
- BBQ -
- Bacon, feta stuffed chicken breast, broccoli
- Pork chops, sweet potatoes, peas
- Tacos, rice
- Baked salmon, rice, glazed carrots
- Breakfast 4 dinner,
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Fred Meyers for Sunday
Sunday ad
3 day sale SMT
Sirloin steak 2.97 -
Nathan's hot dogs 2/5
Dreyers 2/5
Broccoli .99
Blackberries 2/5 - QFC 1.88
Strawberries 4/5
Milk 1.79 gal
Grapes,1.99
Corn 3/2
***
Split chicken breast .87. Foster Farms Fresh
*****
Ground beef - 20 percent fat...3.49...... this would be a good time to buy the sirloin steak instead and grind your own, 2.97 vs 3.49 and you will have less fat if you pick your steak. Traditionally , sirloin has less fat. Use a food processor, a grinding attachment in the kitchenaid, or you grandmothers old fashioned meat grinder. Grannies meat grinders can be had at estate sales, or antique stores for a few dollars. I can remember my aunt grinding a few pieces of leftover roast and adding mayo and pickle for a sandwich spread.
The rotation meat would be by far the chicken breast. Breakfast Knesset, skinkess chicken breast at QFC is 8.00 a pound, That's over a ninety percent savings.
Friday, June 30, 2017
QFC haul
note : QFC has buy six, save three sale. That doesn't mean that you have to buy six of any one thing.
There is an electronic coupon form.60 off of hillshire Farms sausage. Gummy bears were free this week.
Taco shells .79
Hot dog buns 1.00
Milk (3) .99
Crescent rolls (2) . .99
Hillshire Farms sausage 1.39
Red pepper 1.00
Berries 188
Hummus, reg 4.99, w coupon 1.99
Total 14.86
Savings 19.02. 43 percent
There is an electronic coupon form.60 off of hillshire Farms sausage. Gummy bears were free this week.
Taco shells .79
Hot dog buns 1.00
Milk (3) .99
Crescent rolls (2) . .99
Hillshire Farms sausage 1.39
Red pepper 1.00
Berries 188
Hummus, reg 4.99, w coupon 1.99
Total 14.86
Savings 19.02. 43 percent
Where to buy what
Certain retailers have purchased things at a lower price. That is to say that they consistently sell certain item the cheapest prices in the area. Taking advantage of those proces when they happen is a good way to cit your food bull without much effort.
Fred Meyer (Kroger )
Usually that is the place for dairy. Milk is often a dollar for regular or chocolate . Sometimes sour cream and cottage cheese are 1.00 or 1.25.
I can get butter for 2.50 all the time at Costco. I would rather pay 2.00, and have been finding it here and there, mainly Safeways and grocery outlet.
Cheese has been close to two dollars a pound. Watch closely the small packages, what sounds like a good deal, really isn't, Fivenpoumd sacks are around two dollars a pound to 2.35 at Costco, Sometimes business Costco is better.
Eggs are cheap these days, I have been getting them at Safeways for .78 a dozen. Drying eggs is a royal pain, but it will help when the price goes up.
You can usually find ice cream coupons.
Next : meat and protein,
Fred Meyer (Kroger )
Usually that is the place for dairy. Milk is often a dollar for regular or chocolate . Sometimes sour cream and cottage cheese are 1.00 or 1.25.
I can get butter for 2.50 all the time at Costco. I would rather pay 2.00, and have been finding it here and there, mainly Safeways and grocery outlet.
Cheese has been close to two dollars a pound. Watch closely the small packages, what sounds like a good deal, really isn't, Fivenpoumd sacks are around two dollars a pound to 2.35 at Costco, Sometimes business Costco is better.
Eggs are cheap these days, I have been getting them at Safeways for .78 a dozen. Drying eggs is a royal pain, but it will help when the price goes up.
You can usually find ice cream coupons.
Next : meat and protein,
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Winco.
There was a question on Facebook about can you really. Save money at Winco. Winco is just like any other store, they always have a certain amount of bargains. It is one of my go to stores. Or seems these days the usual stores for the Best bargains are Freddies and winco. I can still during a good sale find some buys at QFC and Safeways. Dollar tree , grocery outlet and Costco are one of those places we go to once or so a month usually . Costco is on a must need basis.
I replied to the lady that wanted to know if you could get good bargains at Winco that I fed three of us for 53.00 a week.
The moderator asked me what some of our favorite meals were. I was sure she was waiting for a response of. Beans. Beans. And more beans! I said.....
I replied to the lady that wanted to know if you could get good bargains at Winco that I fed three of us for 53.00 a week.
The moderator asked me what some of our favorite meals were. I was sure she was waiting for a response of. Beans. Beans. And more beans! I said.....
- Roast chicken with oven roasted potatoes
- Pork chops with dressing with apples and craisens
- Meatball subs and French fries, veggie sticks
- Homemade pizzas
Another installment of what can I do with 20.00
Ok, the martians came down and stole your pantry. How can two people get by with 20.00. I'm picking grocery outlet and dollar tree because there are two places on the Seattle area that have grocery outlets and dollar trees side by side. They are the cheapest places to go if you have no money. Buying bulk and watching sales can net cheaper prices, but our senecio is more, we are in a pickle, what can we do,
Dollar Tree
- Pinto beans 1.5 pounds
- Rice 1 pound makes 6 cups
- Pasta sauce
- Pizza crust
- Tortillas
- Eggs
- Bread
- Pasta ( use coupons if you have them )
- Oatmeal
- Pepperoni ( coupons if you have them)
- Salad dressing
Grocery Outlet - prices aren't as predictable
- Cheese ( as much as you can for six dollars ) dollar tree sometimes has real cheese, but watch, sometimes it's fake. Compare prices
- Tomato paste
- Milk
- As many vegetables as you can get with what's left. This will depend on how much cheese you can find. Stick to veggies that are close to a dollar. Now is not the time for a five dollar watermelon! Carrots, celery, peppers, lettuce, tomato. Bananas. Sometimes yogurt is really cheap at GO.
- Rice and beans - enough for several meals. There are six portions for two people out of the rice.
- Pizza
- quesedas
- pasta w sauce (2)
- Eggs and toast
- Oatmeal
- Bean and rice enchiladas. ( use tomato paste and water and slices for sauce. )
- Salad w pepperoni and hard cooked eggs, cheese
- Toasted cheese sandwiches . Carrot and celery sticks
This assumes you have the basics. If you have staples like butter, flour etc. you have a lot more options. This is by no means sustainable. On a long term basis. It is, rather. Make your tu,my happy until a regular budget happens.
This is a challenge. What can you do!
Friday recipes -'chicken
surprise.....it's chicken !
Easiest chicken recipe ever...... one day I went into QFC and there was a managers special on chickens. They were .50 a pound because they had to be cooked soon. The pull date was the next day,
My mother had an expression that went something like, some people wouldn't know a bargain if it got up and bit them in the butt. Don't be that person.
I bought three. I came home and went hunting for a good recipe for efficient chicken cooking. I have two ovens so I knew I could roast two of them in the oven . Cooking two chickens side by side didn't work, the center portions never got done.
I found one !
The easiest, most efficient way to cook a whole chicken. Five minutes flat!
Easiest chicken recipe ever...... one day I went into QFC and there was a managers special on chickens. They were .50 a pound because they had to be cooked soon. The pull date was the next day,
My mother had an expression that went something like, some people wouldn't know a bargain if it got up and bit them in the butt. Don't be that person.
I bought three. I came home and went hunting for a good recipe for efficient chicken cooking. I have two ovens so I knew I could roast two of them in the oven . Cooking two chickens side by side didn't work, the center portions never got done.
I found one !
The easiest, most efficient way to cook a whole chicken. Five minutes flat!
- Peel and rough chop an onion, or two if they are small. And place in bottom of slow cooker. This is key, I tried it with carrots when I didn't have an onion, it doesn't work. Even if your family doesn't like to bite onto an onion, this works because you aren't going to eat the onion.
- Pat your chicken dry with a paper towel.
- Rub a dry rub on the skin. Recipes for dry rubs are on the internet and you can choose which one you that like the sounds of the ingredients. If you like it, make a jar so it's ready for you. Or use seasoned salt.
- Place in slow cooker. Cover and turn on high for an hour a pound or until it tests done. The leg with remove from the body easy and juices will run clear. Temperature should be 180 degrees in the thigh meat.
Some of the meat can be fall off the vine, but it's easily used for recipes like casserole, tacos. Enchaladas , pizza......
How to roast a chicken
- Wipe the chicken with a paper towel.
- Stuff the cavity with just about anything you have hanging around short of the kids dirty sox! An apple. An orange, lemon, onion
- Rub olive oil onto the skin.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Place on roasting rack in the roaster. If you don't have a roasting rack, you can use a baking dish and lift the chicken up by placing it on a bed of onions, carrots, or potato or some of each.
- Roast at 375 degrees until the internal temperature is 180 and it tests done. I use a meat thermometer with a probe. It really works well.
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