Our 10th Anniversary

This month we also celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary.  We had talked about doing a couple different things for this year, like taking a weekend trip with just the two of us (but Quinn wouldn't have let us) or renewing our vows with our children present (but we didn't try to make any arrangements soon enough for that).  When our anniversary arrived I hadn't had a chance to get anything for Jeff, not even a card, I was a little bummed, but thought maybe I'd come up with something.  I had an idea for a gift, but I didn't get a chance to go out to get it.

Jeff made coffee in the morning for me.  When I went to get a cup from the cupboard I found a new mug with a special note in it.  When I got the to the coffee pot I found another note and a Mr. and Mrs. Coupon book.  I found a card and a package of bright hair ties on the bathroom counter, a note and some duct tape on the corner of my desk, a note and package of children phrases stickers in my diaper bag, a note and a wind chime on the piano, a note and project idea on the bathroom wall, a card and book on my night stand, a note and movie on the entertainment center and a note and special paper to frame on Jeff's desk.  My husband was so thoughtful and gave me 10 reminders of his love throughout the day, besides a few text messages.

We thought about going out for dinner, but we decided that the next day would be better, so the day after our anniversary we had a nice leisurely dinner out at Texas Land & Cattle Steakhouse (Thanks, Dad and Mom for the babysitting services).  Then we stopped at Walmart and I let Jeff pick out the windspinner he liked best as his present from me (aluminum or tin for our 10th anniversary).

Low Cost Recipe Ideas

Thank you for joining my series about staying on top of food costs.  This is my last post in this series.  You can read the other posts I've written on this topic by clicking the orange button below.

Here are a few of my recipe ideas that help keep costs low.

Idea #1:
Taco Seasoning - Makes enough to season about 1# of meat
          1 Tblsp.  chili powder
          1/8 tsp.  cayenne (optional)
          1/4 tsp.  oregano
          1 1/2 tsp.  cumin
          1 tsp.  sea salt
          1 tsp.  black pepper

Mix all together in a small dish add to taco meat after meat is cooked.
 
*There is no onion or garlic powder listed because I cook my meat with fresh onion or garlic.

When making Tacos I use my taco seasoning and add 1 can of drained black beans/# of meat while I am cooking my meat.  We all like it even my pickiest eaters and we get a few more tacos per pound of meat.

Want extra veggies on those tacos?  chop up any leftover veggies finely and cook them along with the meat.

I've also made black bean tacos using the same seasoning and 3 cans of black beans coarsely smooshed.  Serve with cheese.  The first time I did this my husband asked me for more taco meat and said it was good.  I had forgotten to tell him it was just beans and I had to laugh as I revealed the news to him.



Idea #2:
Roast Chicken
      1 whole chicken - the largest you can find
      seasoning of choice, to taste
      apple
      onion

Peel onion and cut in half or quarters.  Cut apple in half (you don't have to remove core).  Have seasoning ready to apply.  Sprinkle bottom of baking dish or crock-pot with a little seasoning.  Rinse chicken and place breast side down in baking dish.  Stuff cavity with apple and onion.  Loosen skin on the back of the chicken and rub seasoning under skin.  Sprinkle a little more seasoning directly on top of the chicken.  Cover tightly and bake in 325 degree oven for 2-3 hours or in low crock-pot for about 4 hours, may take longer if a larger chicken.  Cooking it with the breast down helps keep it from drying out.

This chicken should be used for a couple of meals.  Here are my ideas:

Day 1:  Have small servings of Roast Chicken with veggies and salad and potatoes.  If you think you need more to eat serve bread or finish with a dessert.  After dinner remove all the meat from the bones and set it aside in two to four equal amounts depending on what you plan to use the rest of it for.  Put the bones and leftover onion and apple in the crockpot add 1-2 stalks of celery and 2-3 carrots or any other veggies you want.  Cover with water and cook on low for 18-24 hours.  Pour through strainer into a large pot and you have a lot of chicken broth to use for day 2 and 3 or to freeze and use the next time you need chicken broth.

Day 2:  Use some of the chicken and broth you set aside and make chicken and rice.  Add veggies to make it a one pot meal or have veggies and fruit as sides.  You could even add a little cream and have creamy chicken and rice.

Day 3:  Use some of the chicken you set aside and make chicken quesadillas.  Serve with salsa, pinto beans and a salad. 

Day 4:  Make chicken soup or cream of chicken soup.  If I make cream of chicken soup I freeze it to have on have for and recipes that need it.  I make it gluten free by using rice flour to thicken it.


Idea #3:
Make a big pot of pinto beans, serve with cornbread and a salad or spinach for a meatless meal.  Sometimes I flavor the beans with pieces of bacon or brisket, but that's not very often.

Here's the recipe we like for Gluten Free cornbread.

Gluten Free Yellow Cornbread
1 3/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/8-1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil or melted butter
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine cornmeal, rice flour, honey, baking powder, and salt.  Add milk and oil, then beat in eggs 1 at a time until fairly smooth.  Pour into a well greased 9 x 13 baking pan.  Bake for 25 min.  Serve hot.  (or bake in 18 muffin cups for 15-20 min.)

*This recipe is adapted from The Mount Vernon Cookbook.


Do you have any special low cost meals that your family likes?

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Gardening to Lower Food Costs

Fresh produce is great.  Growing it yourself is even better.

My mom grows all the ingredients she wants to make a salad.  She and my Dad eat fresh salad from the late spring through the fall from her garden.  She only has to buy what she didn't grow if she wants to add something else to her salad.  She also grows enough green beans to last a year, cucumbers, herbs, tomatoes, onions that will keep most of the winter and several other foods that I don't remember right now.

My mom's lettuce and radishes.  Tomatoes are starting under the milk jugs.

While we were on vacation I had someone caring for my garden as needed.  When I returned home last night I was excited to see how well everything is growing.  This morning I got to pick a handful of green beans and a onion.

I need to thin several of the onions to allow for some of them to get a large bulb.  I planted them like that on purpose so we could begin eating them early.  There are so many buds on the plants, that it makes me excited to see how well our garden may do this year.

I like to freeze or preserve extra produce so I can use it in he winter.  If I grow it, I don't have to buy it.  Plus, I like to know where my produce comes from.


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Using Up Leftovers

Another way to save on food costs is to work to incorporate your leftovers into your menu or future meals.  If you have to throw it away, then you are wasting the food you could have used and having to buy more.  If you missed the other posts in this series you can read them by clicking on the button above.

Here are my tips for using up leftovers.

1.  Make sure you put your leftover food away shortly after your meal.
2.  Package leftovers into lunch size portions and put in fridge for the next day or two or freeze for a future lunch.
3.  Make sure if you buy something like fruit that you use it before it spoils.
4.  Put leftover vegetables all in the same container and save them in the freezer to add to soups.
5.  If you don't have enough leftover _______________, can you add it to something else that week to make it stretch or give variety to another dish you are making?
6.  Make an omelet and add leftover bits of meat or veggies to it.
7.  If you don't see yourself using the leftovers within a couple of days, put them in the freezer and label them well.


What do you do with leftovers?


         

Preparing Food after My Shopping Trip

     After I return home from my trip to the grocery store.  It is time to put the food away.  Putting the food away helps me save money, by making sure that everything that belongs in the fridge or freezer is put there and doesn't spoil.  It's not very pleasant to find melted butter, wilted vegetables or rancid meat in a grocery sack a couple days after you come home.  I also can see what is in my pantry when it is all out on the shelves, saving me the hassle of wondering where something is that I purchased a couple of days later.
     As I am putting away my meat I decide if I can keep it in the fridge until the day I am going to use it or if it should go in the freezer.  Something else that I sometimes do is get my meat ready for cooking before I freeze it.  That means I get it out of the package, add any spices or veggies that will go with my meal and then I freeze it all together so I just have to thaw and grill or bake it or put it in the crockpot.  This works very well especially for a complete crockpot meal or soup.  Sometimes when I buy extra meat because it is on sale I will make up several meals with it to freeze, rather than freezing the family size package of meat and having more than I need when I thaw it again.  Easy ways to freeze meals are to put them into gallon size freezer bags or meal sized plastic containers.

Have you ever made a freezer meal?  Do you have a favorite freezer meal?

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Shopping/Buying Bulk/Couponing

After I've made my menu, list, and shopped my pantry I am ready to head to the store.

Here are a few common going to the store tips I try to adhere to:

1.  Go in the morning, it's not usually as busy.
2.  Eat before you leave the house.
3.  Don't forget your list.
4.  Try to limit distractions in the store if possible.
5.  The only go down isles that you know you need to buy something.
6.  The freshest food is usually around the outer perimeter of the store.
7.  Just because it is on sale doesn't mean you have to buy it.
8.  If it's a really good sale and you have the money, buy a little bit more than you normally would
     if you have somewhere to store it.  Next time when you shop your pantry it will be there.
9.  Only buy meat that is on sale, if possible.
10.  Don't forget to check the bargain bin or clearance racks, but only buy something you know you
       will use and that truly is a good deal.

    

 When I go to the store I be sure to take my list and I try to take as few children as possible.  Less children makes for less distractions and I can pay attention to my list and not just buy stuff that I see and know we buy regularly.  Jeff is wonderful at keeping the kids home so I can shop on a day that he is off work.

The following ideas I may or may not do, but may be helpful to you.

Try to move through the store as quickly as possible.  If you organized your list by aisle that can help.  The longer you are in the store the more money you will spend on things you weren't intending to buy.

If there is something that you use a lot of you might want to consider buying it in bulk.  Meat is usually cheaper in a family pack.

Use coupons.  They can help.  I know there are a lot of people who are coupon happy and that is fine if it works for you.  It's too much stress for me to keep up with coupons.  If I run across one in the store or get store coupons in the mail I make good use of them if it is something I usually buy.  Remember when using a coupon that if its not something you usually use or won't use you really aren't saving money.

I also usually only shop in one store.  It's too confusing to make it to several stores and probably doesn't save much money by the time you spend the gas on shopping.  I shop at Kroger regularly.  Occasionally I shop at Target instead, they have a few things that Kroger doesn't have and sometimes a better price, but not always (currently, Target's cheese costs $2 more for the same 2# block that Kroger has).  I go to my local health food store for certain foods that I can't get elsewhere about once every 2-3 months.  I also use Amazon's subscribe and save program for some things in bulk.  I have to watch the prices, but somethings I get for good deals.   Jeff buys our milk on his way home from work most of the time, which is a big help for me.  I don't shop at Sam's Club very often.  They have a few things that are a pretty good deal, but when I've priced items I can usually get them cheaper at the regular store when they are on sale. 

I realize that shopping can be a different experience for everyone and there are many different situations.

Do you have any shopping tips to share about what works for you?

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Making a List and Shopping My Pantry

Last week I shared about making a menu.  This week I will use the same menu to make my shopping list and shop in my pantry.

To make a shopping list for my menu I look at each meal that I have planned starting with Monday breakfast.  Then I start making a list of the foods needed for each meal.  As I made the list this time I actually simplified it by writing down the things that I needed to buy on one list and wrote down the ingredients and things I already had in my pantry on another list.  Sometimes I write everything on one list and then cross off the things that I have in my pantry and don't need to buy.

Here are the two lists I made:

Shopping from Pantry/Freezer/Fridge:

I have:

Cereal (for the whole week)           Bread (1 loaf)               Peanut Butter/Jelly
Eggs (2 dozen)                               Ingredients for muffins/biscuits
Beef for stew/carrots, potatoes and onion                           Peanuts/Nuts
Oats                                                Apples for sauce          Salad Dressing
Crackers                                         Waffles                         Beans/Brown Rice
GF Chocolate Cake ingredients     Frosting ingredients     Butter
Ground Beef 2#                             GF Spaghetti/Sauce      Popcorn
Pickles                                           Pancake ingredients      Cream
Maple Syrup

Need from Store:

Bread (2 loaves)                           Hamburger Buns            Eggs (1 doz.)
Fruit/Veggies (e.i. broccoli, cucumbers, strawberries, apples, oranges)
Beef Broth                                   Salad ingredients            Butter 1#
Tomato (for Friday)                     Cheese 1#              
Gluten Free Bread and Hamburger Buns

Things to restock:
green chiles
pretzels
check meat sales



This week I had a lot of things in the pantry that I could use.  That means my food costs for the week will be lower.  Shopping in my pantry first helps me to use up the things I already have without buying more of something that I don't need more of.

Another type of list that I keep is one that is on my fridge.  As I use up items or get close to needing more I write them on the list right away.  These things get bought as needed, but if I don't put them on my list we might not get pickles on our hamburgers or something like that.  Examples of these are: flour, canned goods, rice, beans, spices, sugar, condiments,  and anything else that I try to keep stocked in my pantry.  I'm sure everyone has certain things they like to always keep on hand in their pantry.

Note:  Jeff usually buys milk, as needed, from our preferred store on his way home from work during the week.  Therefore it is not on my list.

Do you shop from your pantry before going to the store?

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