Saturday concepts.

Groceries on the cheap works on the concept of not paying full price for groceries.   We want the best quality we can have, but not at what my mother used to call top dollar.

QFC has 1/2 pork loins for .99 a pound with a digital coupon for a limited time.   I got 2.   Or, rather , my husband got two while I was getting my hair cut.

Pork loin can be cut into a stew cubes, pork chops, or roasts.   At a dollar a pound, it makes the highest component of meals cheap.   I also got chicken breasts for a dollar a pound and eggs for .88 a dozen.  That goes a long ways to cut food costs. You can still add a low fat hamburger and average two dollars a pound.   We eat beef once a week.  

Fresh fruits and veggies is also a component of a balanced diet.   If you buy the fruits that are on sale and in season, you can eat well on a low priced budget.  

Starch seems to be inexpensive a lot of the time.   The price of flour has taken a hike and it means youhave to be a bit more creative muting carbs.  We are all trying to cut carbs, but our bodies need some carbs to function.  Its all about balance.  

I was getting Barilla pasta for a dollar at the dollar tree and orowheat bread.  That source has all but dried up.   I will continue. To check, but lately we haven’t seen much.  I did stop at the Franz bread outlet and get some bread at a discount.  Wednesday is discount seniors and military day.   Since my husband is both, we took advantage of the discount.   Any discounts that you can find is a good thing.  Also, any free products that seem to be happening not only at Fred Meyers and QFC, but now sometimes at safeways.   Please dont take things just because they are free.  But, consider taking anything that they are offering that can be appropriate for the food bank or a friend.   I always take the cat treats for my grand cat.   We dont eat cold cereal , but it is more than approptiate for the food bank.  

This blog is about eating well for less and saving time in the kitchen.   This is especially appropriate during the summer months when kitchens can be hot for a lot of us, budget challenged or not.  

Ideas for food groups

Protein
Eggs, beans, cheese, pork loin, hamburger, chicken breast

Fruits annd veggies
Carrots
Celery
Lettuce
Radishes
Cucumbers
Tomato
Apple
Bananas
Nectarines
Strawberries
Blues

Starches
Bread, whole wheat
Pasta
Rice, in bulk
Stuffing
Potatoes

Recipe Friday

This blog is supposed to be about efficiently.   Its about buying your food in the most efficient manner in order to reduce your food costs.   Its also about cooking  efficiently to maximize your time in the kitchen.   “ I want to spend my entire day in the kitchen”. Said no one ever.!

Making mixes ahead of time saves time when life can be more hectic.  

A batch of 12 muffins costs five dollars at the store.   The cost of baking them at home is .94. and thats a gourmet recipe, not a basic one.   Silicone baking cups were 5.00 on amazon.   Considering a small package of paper liners cost a dollar even at the dollar store, it doesn’t take long to recoup your money and you arent adding to the landfill.   However, the paper is degradable and the silicone isn’t.

Mix : Makes 4 batches
8 cups flour
3 cups sugar
3T baking powder
2 t salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg

Mix and store in air tight container in a cool place.

To make muffins

Mix wet ingredients together:
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter.  
Note:  do this in exact order, you dont want to cook the egg.

Measure 2-3/4 cups of the mix .  Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients.   Do not overmix or your muffins will be tough.  

Fill muffin cups ( greased, or lined with silicone or paper liners 3/4 full.

Bake at 400 degrees 18-21 minutes or until top springs back when touched or cake tester comes out clean.

Additional mix ins options

1/2 cup shredded apples and 1/2 cup cheese

Chocolate chips and 2 tsp instant coffee powder

3/4 cup shredded carrots.. 1/3 cup raisins


Muffins are a good breakfast or afternoon pick me up .


Find the recipe on line .

Thursday : hauls

Winco Haul

Salmon 1 lb 4.98

Large salad 2.68

Bananas .66

Corn .96

Roma tomatoes .91

Cherry tomatoes 2.28

Bacon (3) 1.98-5.94

2 strawberries 2.96

Total 21.25

Thursday 7/5/18

Safeways
Coffee 5.99
Eggs, 2 doz 1.76


Winco 7/5

Corn .20 - 1.00


Strawberries 3.36

Salmon 4.98
Blueberries 2.98
Nectarines 2.04

Total 14.24

QFC

2 butter
1 pork loin
Total 11.66

Total for 2 weeks is 54.90

Weekly store ads—chains

QFC
DIGITAL COUPON GOOD THURSDAY THRU SUNDAY
YOU CAN PURCHASE UP TO 5 OF EACH ITEM

DORITOS 1.99
BUTTER 1.99
PORK HALF LOIN .99

——-strawberries 2.49.


ALBERWAYS

90/10 GROUND SIROIN 3.77

FOURTH OF JULY ONLY
CORN 5/1

JUST FOR YOU
COUPONS- DIGITAL

CHEESE LIMIT 1 -3.99

ENGLISH MUFFINS .99
EGGS .88


APPARENTLY, FRED MEYERS WEEKLY AD ONLINE WAS CANCELLED FOR LACK OF INTEREST.

How did she do that: Suddenly Salad

Suddenly Salad is a box from Betty Crocker.   It is 1.00 a box at the Dollar Tree and at Winco this week. There is also coupons for it at coupons.com . The coupons are for 1.00 off four.   That makes them .75. 

Directions call for oil and water mixed into a dressing packet.   The salads come in various flarours.  We use olive oil because it is more healthy.   

Then  add chopped, seeded tomatoes, sliced black olives, chopped red or other peppers.  

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions.  

Note:  You can also cook it in the insta pot.  2 minutes with a quart of water for a full pound box of pasta.  You will need to adjust accordingly.  You also need to de pressurize manually almost immediately when it is done.   The water will be almost gone ,so putting too much water or letting the pot to stand will result in ‘mushy’ pasta.   

Drain Pasta and add dressing.   Chill. 

Concept: Making a recipe less expensive.

It is a misconception that just because one doesn’t have all the ingredients for a recipe that the recipes is off limits.   Many recipes come from the home economists that work for a food company.   Naturallly , their object is to sell their products.   That doesn’t mean that you can’t substitute scratch for something in a can or box and not sacrifice flavor.

1. Chicken boullion (low sodium ) can be substituted for a box or can of chicken broth.  Better yet, you can freeze chicken broth that is home made .  
2. Parmesean cheese can be substituted with any hard cheese.   Buy whatever is cheapest.   Sometimes a blend of Romano and parmesean is cheaper.   Buy fresh, in a deli type tub or a wedge.  Don’t buy the stuff in the green box.  It has wood pulp in it and the taste is a whole lot different. 
3. You can buy biscuit mix at costco pretty cheap, but you can also make it without preservatives and hydroginated oils.  
4. Shallots can be substituted with green onion tops ( cut off the tops and plant the bulb part and get more for your money. Or use chives . 
5. Taco seasoning is a lot less expensive than the envelopes and you control the heat. 
6. Instead of whip cream, you can use a little less milk. 
7. Canned beans can always be substituted for cooked dry beans for a fraction of the cost....like as much as a dollar a can.
8. Diced tomatoes can be substituted for any recipe that calls for tomatoes.   Buying one kind of canned tomatoes saves a lot of aggravation.  Simplify canned goods to make life easier. 
9. Homemade enchalada sauce is a lot cheaper than canned.   Canned sauce tends to be expensive.   Green sauce for enchaladas is easy.  
10. Almost everything you can make that calls for cheese can be made with mozzarella, Mexican blend, or parmesean.   Again, simplify.

Monday Kitchen Management

Kitchen Management is a tool that saves time and money.  Taking a little time ahead of the week, saves a lot of time when the hectic dinner hour is here.  

• Wash kitchen floor 
• Clean out refrigerator and dump anything dead.
• Take a quick inventory of thing that need to be used up soon.   
• Cook chicken for chicken enchaladas 
• Wash apples and potatoes, veggies 
• Make a green salad and fix it in a ‘Tupperware” 
• Wash kitchen cabinets.  
• Put the fan filter through the dishwasher. 
• Clean kitchen counters and disinfect countertops and sinks and drains. 
• Bake something.

Meal Plans -Week of 7/2/18

Meal Plans are a necessary part of cutting your food bill.   Make a plan, or plan to fail.   Having a plan saves time and money and planning a couple of easy meals helps to stave off the take out demons.

• Chicken enchaladas - scratch sauce 
• Pizza- homemade 
• 4th of July: Hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, veggie platter
• Pork chops, apple/cranberry bread dressing, green beans 
• Baked chicken, diced potatoes, and green beans. ( facebook) 
• Salmon, baked potato, salad 
• Breakfast for dinner 

Notes : 

Planning meals around what’s on sale or free and stocking when things are cheap is a good way to stretch your dollar..   

1. Sauce for enchaladas is made from a “ white” sauce substituting chicken stock for the milk.   When done, add mild diced chillies (1/2 can) and sour cream to correct consistency.  
2. Homemade pizza crust costs .19.   Mozzarella cheese is made with low fat milk and i got it for a dollar for 8 ounces.  Pizza sauce is a dollar at the DT and you can get five pizzas out of a jar.  Freeze the sauce in ice cube tray and 2 cubes equals one pizza topping.   You can dump the ‘cubes’ into a quart zip lock.   We keep one part of the freezer door for pizza toppings and Sauce. 
3. Hamburgers and Hot dogs for the 4th- hot dogs ( Hebrew National or Nathans) were 1.99 at QFC on Friday.  The buns were 49 at Alberways.   There are coupons for Suddenly Salad on coupons.com right now and they are a dollar at the DT and I believe Winco.   
4. Pork chops were cut from a pork loin purchased for 1.00 a pound.   Make your own dressing or buy it for a dollar.   Add chopped apple and dried cranberries.  Brown the pork chops on both sides in a little olive oil, place on top of the dressing and bake it off until the chops are done and the dressing is heated through... 
5. There was a recipe on Facebook for chicken bake.   Grease a baking pan,  visually divide the pan and place cooked, diced chicken, new potatoes in a small dice, and green beans, in separate  sections.   Drizzle with vinegrette.   Bake off until potatoes are tender.   
6. Salmon, baked potatoes and salad is pretty self explanatory.   The salmon is frozen at winco and comes in portion controlled pieces that are individually wrapped.   We like peppercorn.
7. Breakfast for Dinner is a mainstay here.  The whole family cooks.  We got bacon at winco for 2.00 ..  ( 12 ounces ). Eggs were .79 last week.  Bread is inexpensive to make and biscuits are cheap to make too.   Children love to roll dough and cut with ‘cookie’ cutters.  

The Basics

Groceries on the cheap takes a different process of buying and cooking your food..   The net result is that you can feed your family well on four dollars a day each.   Four dollars is the proverbial amount of money that some say SNAP is based on.

Besides eating on four dollars a day, we also grew a pantry on that budget.   One of thee premises of groceries on the cheap is to have a basic stock on hand for emergencies.   Studies have shown that when people have to worry about where the next meal is coming from, they reduce their life expectancy.

This methodology is based on principles.   The more you incorporate them into your routine, the more money you will save.

1. The biggest:   NEVER pay full price.   Find the RBP on the things that you use on a regular basis. When you find an item that you use a lot of at a lowest possible price, buy as many as you will need until they go on sale again or as many as you need to fill in your specified amount of stock.   Keeping a four to six week supply of non perishables is a good benchmark.   
2. Plan your meals and portion control.   Portion control is a dirty word for many people, but your doctor will tell you that it is really important for your health.   The other word is balance.   Eating a well balanced diet has always been a good idea.   
3. Buy things at their lowest possible price in bulk quantities when it makes sense.   We buy oatmeal, rice and flour.   Oatmeal when purchased a Costco in bulk costs . 085 cents a serving. A serving of regular oats equals 4 servings of the envelopes of instant oatmeal, nutrition wise.   Flour is a real bargain when you use it to efficiently make bread and bakery items.   The savings are remarkable.   A loaf of artisan bread can cost upwards of 2.50.  The actual cost is a quarter to make peasant bread and takes about ten minutes hands on time.   
4. Efficient scratch cooking.   Another time and money saving concept.    Besides, you aren’t eating things you can’t pronounce.  Or soap!    Yes, there is soap in some foods your children want to eat. 
5. Plan your meals.   The best way to avoid temptation is to take it away.   If you have meals planned and prepped, life is easy even if you are tired. 
6. Use any trick that comes your way to cut food costs.   Waste not, want not—use up bits of things leftover and salvage a little of something before you make a dish.   Pulling a little sausage away from a tube of sausage you are using for breakfast just means you can use some of it for a pizza another night.   Ibotta, coupons, discount food stores, all help in making you get more for your buck.  

Why?

This blog is about a different way of buying your groceries.   A lot of people have a lifestyle that buys just what they want when they want it.   And, if it works for them, that’s all that matters.  

Some people, however, have time or budget constraints.   Give it because they are saving for that iconic trip to Disneyland or because they have fallen on harder times and need to stretch their money.
Others, have a full plate and need to be more efficient in the kitchen.   I have heard more than one retired person say they wondered how they worked, they are so busy.   Many of us have been through working all day and then coming home to dinner,dishes, laundry, and kids that need help with baths, etc.  

This blog is based on helping people save time and money on the biggest discretionary budget item .

Knowledge is funny, you never know when it will become useful.  As an accounting major, I never understood why I needed to know what happens when you produce lesions on the upper hyperthalamous of a rat.   Knowing how to fix food when you have limited resources may come in more handy.  

I remember a Fourth of July when we went with the boat to a Hidden Harbor at what seems to be in the middle of nowhere.   My husband got the flu.   We couldn't get home and there was a small deli and no grocery stores for miles.   It wouldn’t have mattered how much money we had, what we had was what we were going to eat.   I managed to stretch the food in the six square foot pantry and bar refrigerator for a week.   Life happens , and the more educated we are, the better we survive.


I don’t take money, I am here to help people that may need to get our of a jam— time or money wise.
I can’t  do that  if I can’t  reach people.   Please share.  You never know who you might help..   Its good give people food when they need it....we do that, but it’s also good to help them help themselves.   Knowledge is power.   Pass it on.  

How did she do that?

This is one of those...not quite a five dollar dinner.   I have not counted spices or anything that cost less than a dime.   

Salmon cakes 

Seasoned rice from homemade mix 

Green beans (frozen) 

Green beans were purchased for a dollar a bag.  They are frequently a dollar a bag at Winco and Safeways.   I used a third of a bag for 2 people. 

Rice costs 2 cents a serving.   Rice mix is made from chicken or vegetable dry bouillon, parsley I dried from the garden, and spices.   

Salmon cakes were made from homemade bread crumbs with Parmesan, onion and garlic, a slice of red pepper that was chopped fine., and an egg with a can of salmon from Costco..   

This would be a six dollar dinner for four people.   

One of those days where you can still average five dollars a dinner because some dinners are a lot cheaper than five dollars.   

Thursday Grocery Haul / QFC

QFC had a coupon for 5 percent off of 20.00 basket .

Cherries 3.74

Blueberries 3.49

Pizza 3.99

Kroger cottage cheese 1.99
Kroger sour cream 1.99

Sargento cheese 1.99 less coupon for 1.00 off two
Done twice

5 percent savings (1.31)

Total 19.85

The Franz bread store

Bagels
English Muffins
Doughnuts
9 carb a slice bread is 4/5 or 1.29 each

Bread sticks.....humungus sack. 2.00

Total 8.29
Price does not include the percentage off for hubby being old and a vet.

Total 28.15

Fred Meyer ad

Fred Meyers; done on line, its the best I can do...if you are there I would suggest getting an ad and giving it a quick look.  

90 /10 hamburger 3.77
Shrimp 5.77
I really cream bas 2/5-Klondike -sometimes they have no sugar died
18 oz blues 2.99
Brats 2/7
Frozen beef patties . 2 lbs 7.99
Cheries 1.99
Strawberries 3.99

DIGITAL COUPONS
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ONLY

RITZ .99
NATHANS OR HEBEW NATIONAL FRANKS 1.99
PORK RIBS 1.77

———
DIGITAL ALL WEEK
GM CEEAL 1.49
RAGU 1.29

NOTE:   THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON IF YOU CAN STACK A DIGITAL COUPON AND A PAPER ONE.  

Chain Store Ads

QFC

Tillamook ice cream 2/7
Bush Baked Beans 2/3
Butter 2.99
GM Cereal 1.99 - look for coupons


DIGITAL COUPONS
KROGER SMOKED SAUSAGE 1.99
P. CREAM CHEESE 1.79


ALBERWAYS

Just for You coupons
Sweet BabY Rays BBQ .49
Hot dog or hamburger buns .49
Butter 2.49
Best Foods 2.49
Store brand ice ream 1.99
Blueberries 2.99 - limit one
Johnsonville sausage 2/5
Darigold sour cream -large 1.99


————
Salad including spinach .99
Cherries 1.88
Hormel pepperoni 2/7


Fred Meyers on another blog.   Ive run out of space on the reader feed.

How did she do that?

How did she do that....meals under five dollars.
Four people, one meal, five dollars.

Four dollar a day meals means that you need to keep a dinner for the proverbial family of four—two adults and two school aged children for five dollars.

Using foods on sale and incorporating them into meals is an age old concept.   My mother did it for years.

Buffalo Chicken salad

• Package of mixed salad .99
• 1/2 cucumber .44
• 2 Roma tomatoes  .50
• 1.2 lb chicken, cooked from froze in the insta pot, then pulled with wing sauce tossed.   .49

Total 2.42

That leaves plenty for bread, tortilla chips or bread sticks and a fruit desert. 

I got yogurt for .50 for white chocolate and .38 for fruit yogurt.  Hint:  you can freeze yogurt in its own container.  A good desert with protein and calcium.   

Monday Kitchen Management

Part of the concept of 1/2 price groceries is efficiently cooking.   The idea of spending a bit more time organizing , planning and shopping, and less time cooking a meal is more efficient and cuts food costs.

Working from a meal plan, you can take advantage of anything you have an abundance of and precook or wash all your veggies etc at the same time.  This saves time and money.   You are more likely to scratch cook even when you are tired if your work is half done.

Reminder of meals:

Nacho Pot Pie
Pizza
Sweet Potatoes, shredded chicken
Tomato soup, ham and cheese toasted sandwiches
Slow cooked chicken enchaladas chilli
Salmon, baked potatoes ,

1. Wash kitchen floor 
2. Wash and disinfect countertops and sinks and drains.
3. Clean out refrigerator and dump anything dead.
4. Print recipes from Betty Crocker for Nacho Pot Pie and Chicken enchalada chilli 
5. Cook a batch of chicken breasts 
6. Wash carrots, potatoes , and salad makings 
7. Cook black beans 
8. Straighten pantry. 

Things that helped keep costs down.   Eggs were .79 at Safeways, limit 2.  I purchased two even though we had 1.5 dozen in the house already.   Don’t hesitate if something is versatile enough to stretch your food dollar.   We like hard cooked eggs, even the child and cooking them in the oven makes the job easy.   We always have breakfast for dinner once a week.  Its a family affair. 

We got bread for free this weed—and healthy bread at that.   

Milk was a dollar a gallon.   Pudding is a good way to add protein and calcium to a dinner that might not have a lot of protein.  

Chicken breast was purchased in a case lot for a dollar a pound.  The chicken and pork that I purchased in bulk I incorporated into the regular budget at four dollars a day.   The hamburger was a bit more costly and I have been prorating it at 2 pounds a month.   We tend to eat hamburger once a week.  It was almost impossible to incorporate 100 dollars worth of meat into a months budget.   

Jan-March average weekly spent.   51.98

April -June so far average weekly spent. 48.96

4 dollars a day for 2 people is 56.00

Meal Plans 6/24/18

Meal Plans are a necessary component in a plan to reduce your food costs.

Our meal plans usually are predicated on a matrix that is based on protein sources.   It provides variety and balances cost factors.

•  Nacho Pot Pie (Betty Crocker) 
• Pizza (scratch ) 
• Sweet Potatoes and shredded chicken w wing sauce, salad 
• Tomato soup, ham and cheese toasted sandwiches
• Slow cooked chicken enchiladas soup (Betty Crocker) 
• Baked Salmon, Baked Potato,salad 
• Breakfast for Dinner 

Notes 

1. Use broth from bouillon or scratch broth, scratch taco seasoning, milk instead of cream , cooked and shredded chicken , not deli, and fresh cooked beans. 
2. Pizza is scratch and cost about a dollar for a cheese pizza.  
3. Sweet potatoes were cheapest at winco.-like 1/2 the price  of Alberways.  Shred chicken enough for Nacho Pie. The wing chicken , land the chicken enchilada soup. 
4. Tomato soup is from a 2.00 box bought at GO.  You could also make scratch. 
5. Baked salmon from winco.  
6. Breakfast for dinner is a mainstay for Sunday dinner.  We all cook for a family experience. 

Concept

Like almost everything, concept is key.  Once you get the concept of anything you are trying to do, its the jumping off point for success.

The basic concept of not paying full price for anything that you use on a regular basis is key to saving a lot of money.  People have seen as much as 1.50 price difference between the same item depending on where and when it was purchased.

It isn’t as much what you buy as when and where you buy it.

This necessitates going to two stores a week.   Buying food once a month, while efficient, is not the best for your budget.  Most of the time the word convenience means $$$$.

You can, when you shop with a plan, get in and out of a store in a half hour.   We don’t spend any more time in two stores plus than many people do going to one.   Know your store layout.   It saves going up and Dow every isle looking for something.   If you dont have a reason to go down an isle, don't go there.    Stay away from the paper goods, pet, household goods, and personal heigene isles.
Most of those things are overpriced compared to other stores.   Impulse buys count for 70 percent of a stores profits.   Their profit is your loss.

Go with a plan.   You don’t necessarily need to go to the point where you make a list.   Do your due dillaglence in making a meal plan, noting from the check off sheet what perishables you don’t have, and check the ads to see if there are any rock bottom prices (RBP) on what you use.   Check the ads for your rotation meat.

Rotation meat is a bulk meat you buy that is versatile and averages two dollars a pound.   We can still get FF boneless, skinless, chicken breast for 2.00 a pound.   Whole or half pork loins are between a dollar and 1.69 a pound.  And good hamburger can still be found for under three dollars a pound.
Add beans (Dollar Tree). Cheese (2.00-2.49 a lb ) and eggs.  Eggs need to be at a buy price of under 1.50—closed to a dollar is preferred.

Rotation meat is when you buy a four to six week supply of a bulk protein that is at a low price and rotate the protein you buy per week.  You are buying your protein at the lowest possible price and you are portion controlling the bulk package into meal sized portions.   It saves time and money.

Thats what this blog is about,   Saving time and money.   Our grocery budget is four dollars a day.   We also supplement our grandchild and grow a stock.   Its a good thing to be prepared for emergencies—big or small.   Life happens, and the least amount of stress you put on yourself the better off you are.

The thesis is that if you can do it on four dollars a day, spending more wouldn't be hard to do.

Friday Final

We hit the motherload with specials at safeways.   Taking advantage of specials and freebies:  bread and cranberry juice., is a good way to stretch your food dollar.   Use your imiganation to incorporate them into meals.   A lot of breakfast meals can cost as little as a quarter.

1. Oatmeal , banana, splash of milk 
2. Egg, toast .06
3. Pancakes , fruit 
4. Yogurt, granola

• Toasted cheese sandwich 
• Soup from scratch 
• P b and j 
• BLT’s 
• Bean and rice burritos 

Thursday Safeways Haul

total spent 15.23

Cranberry juice -0
2 kraft sharp cheese slices 3.98
2 dz eggs 1.58
Shredded cheese .99
Shredded cheese .99
2 percent milk .99 gal
2 lbs ground turkey 3,98

Cheries 2.72