Sunday RoundUp
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Sunday, 22 April 07 - 11:55 AM (GMT -05:00) By Viriatha Cordova in Eat for Less |
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I wrote alot about food this week so I hope you enjoy whatever you eat today and save some money doing it.
Round Up:
Monday Muffins - A great muffin idea that isn't just for a snack or
breakfast.
Tuesday's Lunch - Some good lunch tips for brown-bagging it.
Wednesday's Dinner - Breaking dinner up into two meals.
Thursday's Side Dishes - Making those meals more than just feeding your
face.
Friday's Shopping - Shopping with a Meal Plan made Easy.
Saturday More Food Tips - Bits and Peices to make it all come together.
Some great links that really didn't fit anywhere else this week.
Veggies on the Grill
Pork Chili Verde
Strawberry Shortcake
Marinades
Why you shouldn't eat Fast Food
On a less cheerful note, on April 30th I'll be participating in a One Day Blog Silence in honor of the victims of Virginia Tech. I call on all my fellow bloggers to join me if they haven't decided to already.
My best to you and your family this Sunday. May we all be well and thankful for those we love.
More Food Tips
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Saturday, 21 April 07 - 12:40 PM (GMT -05:00) By Viriatha Cordova in Eat for Less |
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Sorry, no catchy title today. For some reason, my brain feels like it's crawling in molasses.
When you're home from your shopping trip and someone else has put away all the things you've bought, where do you find the food? Do you have a pantry? I don't. I wish I did but we don't really have the space here. We rent an older mobile home where half the cupboards are under the sink.
If you've ever lived in one of these, you know that the only thing you're putting down there are some tools you don't care about. Certainly nothing you're going to go after very often. This leave 2 cupboards filled with dishes and one for food. So no pantry as much as I'd love one and not much room at all for food storage.
But if you do have a pantry, it's probably filled with things. Most I've seen are a mess of can and packages just pushed in every-which-way. How do they know what they have? If this sounds like you, head over to Not Made of Money and see what they wrote about how this is costing you money. They have some excellent ideas about pantry organisation.
When you've done that, you might find that the brown sugar has gone all hard like a rock. This is a pretty common thing and even without a pantry, this happens to me all the time. Read this post by Mary Annn about how to save your brown sugar.
Saturday and Sunday are the days most of us have to do real cooking. See these posts for some ideas for your weekend.
Saving Simply writes about pizza as a lifelong project.
What We're Eating on a delicious turkey burger idea.
Smockity Frocks has ideas for that leftover roast.
And two Works for me Wednesday ideas. The first by the Family CEO on spaghetti pie and Farm Home Life on leftover ham.
The other day, I mentioned cooking contests you can enter once you find that recipe that you know everyone will want. Find tips to help you win written here by Valorie.
Friday's Shopping
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Friday, 20 April 07 - 11:11 AM (GMT -05:00) By Viriatha Cordova in Eat for Less |
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Earlier this week, I saw this question on grocery shopping over at HomeBiz Blogger. She asks, "Do you have a weekly meal plan? How do you plan for your family dinners?" Most people do their shopping on Friday or Saturday. Our family is a bit different, we shop on payday which is twice a month. This is the process I go through:
Step One: A meal plan. I shop once every two weeks and except for picking up a soda or a condiment no one expected to run out, that's the only trip our family makes. A meal plan is absolutely essential to this if we're not going to run out of things to eat before the next shopping trip.
How to Make a Meal Plan
- Write down everything your family likes to eat for dinner - hot dogs, pizza, spaghetti, the works. You only have to write this list once in a great while. Make a master list and check it once a week for changes in taste, crossing off things they don't like any more, or adding something new. Then you only have to re-copy it when the list is a crazy-quilt
I keep mine on my computer. - Go to the online sales page of your local grocery store. I use Wynn Dixie (it's right down the road from where I live) but any store with an online ad will do. There's a less expensive store in my area but... no online ad so I don't shop there. I want this list made before I walk out the door.
- Compare the ad to the things you enjoy eating. Ham on sale is no good if it just sits in the freezer uneaten because everyone hates it. So, based on sale items, make up a list of meals for two weeks. As you do this, on a separate sheet of paper, write down the items on sale that you'll be using - this is the start of your shopping list.
- Check coupons. Same as above. Only include coupons for things you'll use! The Consumerist has some tips for how to get these if you have trouble finding them.
Step Two: The Whiteboard. We have a small whiteboard on the freezer door of our refrigerator. On top of the fridge is a dry erase marker. As things run out during the week, it gets written on the board. Anything will do, a piece of paper taped to the fridge is just as good. Get your family in the habit of using it! It takes some time and effort but it's worth it.Step Three: The Rest of the Story. What else do you need to fill out the meal plan that weren't on sale or on the board? Hot dog buns? French fries?
Step Four: Bit Players. Koolaid, sugar, or coffee, things you use during the week that aren't part of meals.
Step Five: Shopping! Whatever you do during this trip, don't buy something not on your list! This can take some practice, you're going to forget to write some things down or your oldest teenage son won't tell you you're out of ketchup until you're at the checkout line, but minimizing the number of things you buy that aren't on the list can save you up to 20% of your grocery bill easily.
Step 6: Rest
Make someone else put it all away.Further tips you might find helpful:
- Personal Financial Advice has this article on cutting grocery costs without clipping coupons.
- Families.com on how to shop healthy.
- Penny Pinching on saving money on groceries.
Thursday's Sides Dishes
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Thursday, 19 April 07 - 12:43 PM (GMT -05:00) By Viriatha Cordova in Eat for Less |
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Forgive me for the slightly misleading post title today. This isn't about side dishes as much as all the little things that go with a good meal your family enjoys.
Aubrey over at Pilgrims at Ashley Avenue talks about salad alternatives. My favorite tip is to vary the dressing you use on a salad. Ranch is getting pretty popular, and it's also getting expensive. Look for a sale on something a little different and try that instead on week along with adding squash bites when they're on sale. Sales can help you make more interesting, more nutritious and certainly more frugal salads! Another possible alternative is making your own dressing. It's pretty easy and can be very, very good.
Consider this post about making lemonade, too. I'm not sure it's any less expensive than buying kool-aid packets these days but it would be a frugal alternative to a movie if your children are younger.
For dessert, try this inexpensive recipe from Owlhaven. All the ingredients she lists except perhaps the corn syrup can be used in more than just desserts, too! Mmmmm, sweeeet tooooooth.
For hosting a dinner party, Family CEO posted about table decorations recently. Our family doesn't have too many dinner parties, per se, but what about hosting a "party" just for your family? Less expensive than eating out and different enough to help teach the kids good manners. Hmmmm, I might have to consider asking my SO out on a "date" now with this idea...
And if you're a really good cook, consider entering a contest! Valorie posted a whole list of them! What I couldn't do with a few of those prizes. The cash prizes would more than pay for groceries for a while.
On a different subject, this blog made it's first cent yesterday! Thanks to everyone who reads it and helps me out 
Wednesday's Dinner
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Wednesday, 18 April 07 - 09:56 AM (GMT -05:00) By Viriatha Cordova in Eat for Less |
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A common recommendation of nutritionist's in the last few years has been to move away from three large meals a day to several smaller servings, more spaced out, or "grazing". They say you'll eat less because you don't be as hungry all the time. Over-eating seems to be a big problem when you're really hungry.
I don't know about you, but my family has really resisted this movement and it certainly doesn't fit their lifestyles. Breakfast is best before work, work only gives you one time off for lunch, then by the time you're off and home, you're starving and ready to EAT. Add into this that alot of families do their most socializing at dinner, and I'm really not sure how feasible it is for the average family.
One idea I had, that might help your family's health and bring down the food budget, is to split dinner up into two smaller meals, at least sometimes. When your daughter is heading to a friend's for a slumber party as soon as you're all done or you're having a "one dish" meal, this might not work but having a small dinner, then snacks while you all watch a movie together later might help.
My strategy for doing this, if your family likes vegetables, is to have the main course and only one side dish during the main meal. Your body signals that it's full when protein hits the bottom of your stomach. So meat first and some veggies, a side dish of some sort, rounds things out and also helps people feel "full". Also, make sure you have some pleasant conversation while you eat. People will slow down, resulting in eating less.
Then later, when people are less likely to eat, break out the carbs you'd have normally had with dinner. Twice-baked potatoes, noodles in sauce, toasted garlic bread (that last is a real favorite of mine). It's a little odd until you get used to it and it does take a bit more work than doing it all at once but consider giving it a try.
Another idea that goes over really well in my family is have pizza. But have them save all the crusts. Later, toast the crusts in the oven and serve with a sauce - ranch, marinara, garlic, whatever your family likes. They'll like this one! They'll eat less and you'll save money on all those snacks you'd have bought.
While you're thinking about this, head over to this weeks Festival of Frugality at No Credit Needed and Shannon's Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer.
Quick Note: I got my first paperback from PaperBackSwap yesterday! Head on over and take a look!
... More items are available in my News Archive
