Creating memorable and healthy dining experiences.
30-Day Meal Plan: Planning and Shopping for the Month Saves Time and Money – johanna
November 26th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Make it Simple:
The idea of once a month cooking is to simplify life. If a month sounds too overwhelming start small. Try once a week cooking, gradually adding more meals as you become acclimated. Trouble finding the time? Hire a baby sitter, cook in smaller amounts during the day, double favorite recipes and freeze the excess, cook with a friend.
Meal Planning:
A few days before the beginning of the month begin assembling a menu for the month. I am a list person. On my menu I like to write down the name of the recipe, where to find the recipe (including the page number if it is in a book). My sister Allison uses recipe cards she pulls out and keeps together for reference. Choose 6-14 recipes. This number is based on the probability of eating a particular dish several times throughout the month. My sister-n-law Natalie has three monthly menus she rotates. She gets the kids involved in planning the menu by having them choose a few of their favorite recipes. Or designate one day out of the week to each child and let them come up with the menu for that day.
Now that the menu is in order it is time to compile a shopping list. Go through each recipe to determine how much of each ingredient is needed. Factor in how many times a particular recipe will be used that month. (If using a OMC recipe the amount should already be calculated for 4-6 meals) Other products to include on the list may include freezer bags-gallon and quart, freezer wrap, aluminum foil and aluminum baking pans (optional).
Grocery Shopping:
Utilize the weekly sales flyer to plan meals around sale items for maximum savings. To get the most for your money shop around for the best deals and consider buying in bulk from a warehouse. Warehouses tend to have the best deals on spices, meats, dairy and bread. Use store circulars to compare prices on fruits and vegetables.
Plan to go shopping on a day when you will not be rushed. Hire a babysitter or trade babysitting with a friend. Give your self time to frequent several stores to get the best prices.
Once the food is home take care of your purchases. My sister uses shopping day to separate and bag the raw meat by quantity per recipe or sauce. She freezes chicken or beef in marinades to be used in simple dishes. She does not cook anything on shopping day. Some once a month veterans shop and cook on the same day.
Cooking Day:
At home divide the meat for each meal into bags. Add a sauce or marinade if needed to the bag. My sister puts the rest of the groceries away then goes through the recipe cards and organizes them by meat or sauce- chicken, beef and tomato. Then she picks the meals she wants to make that week. Instead of making every meal at once she prepares according to what is on the menu that night. If it is a tomato sauce night, she doubles the recipe to make sauce for general purposes and then makes other tomato based dishes to freeze. When beef or chicken is on the menu she checks her recipe cards for other meals that have the same basic flavoring and doubles the meat to assemble the other recipes. Add garlic and onion to beef for an Italian flavor. Add chili power the next night for tacos and an egg with oatmeal for meatloaf the following night. Double each meal then freeze.
Freeze your Meals:
Once your meals are cool, find a place for them in them in the freezer. Label all meals with the name of the meal, cooking instructions and the date it was frozen.
Freezer Bags - The bags spread out flat and they stack up nicely on top of each other taking less space. Pour cooled liquid such as soups and sauces into freezer bags and lay flat on a shelf in the freezer. For casseroles, freeze in the pan then pop out and store in a freezer bag. Remember to remove as much air as possible from the bag to prevent freezer burn.
Foil Pans or Freezer Containers – For casseroles such as lasagna or enchiladas, put a layer of plastic wrap on top of the food then cover with foil. Make sure that you use enough wrap to cover over the entire top of the dish.
Vacuum Sealer - These are great because they help to protect your food from freezer burn allowing the food to stay really fresh tasting. Never seal liquids unless they have been frozen first. Same goes for raw meat. The suction can cause the juices to enter the sealer and damage the unit.
Recipe Links:
pammshouse
bakingdelights
christysclipart
Cooking Tips:
- Do not freeze pasta in sauces or soup. It turns mushy (I learned that the hard way). Grains such as barley may be added after the soup cools. Use fresh beans cooked until slightly tender. Canned and over cooked beans turn to mush in the freezer.
- I have tried freezing raw potatoes, not a good idea. They do say however mashed potatoes are fine to freeze.
- I read once it was not a good idea to free meals with cream of soup in them but every recipe labeled OMC pretty much has some cream of soup in it. I am guessing it must be ok.
- Use marinades for raw meat.
- Cooked meat has a shorter life span in the freezer than raw.
Never refreeze meat. That includes cooked meat that was once frozen.
Fast and Easy Cooking Tips – johanna
November 15th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Dinner time for us is the most hectic time of the day. The kids are on overdrive and usually require constant mediation. And, there is very hungry baby attached to my leg while I am trying to cook who knows if I am in the kitchen, there is food involved. My tactics to keep them occupied last, only so long. Therefore; if I want to keep my sanity, dinner has to be quick and easy.
Plan ahead: A weekly menu is my shopping list and it eliminates the hassle of trying to find something to cook at the last minute. I always know what is for dinner ahead of time and plan accordingly. That may include dicing vegetables in the morning or at lunch time.
Double a Recipe: When I make a meal that will freeze well, I double or triple it and freeze for later. Sauces generally take the most time to make. I like to make extra and freeze it in plastic bags or plastic containers. The same goes for soups.
Restaurant Night: This idea I found on budget101. We are not big on leftovers, so I freeze what is left in individual portions. One night when I do not feel like cooking, we have a restaurant night. Everyone gets to choose what they want to eat.
Crock Pot Dinners: Fast and easy. Just throw in the ingredients and leave it. Add a couple side dishes for a complete meal. Clean up is just as quick.
Three Meals Out of One: A whole chicken transforms into Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Soup, a dinner salad and enchiladas. Make a pot roast with roasted veggies, Stroganoff with potatoes, beef stew, tacos and Asian beef stir-fry. Tomatoes become pizzas, spaghetti with sausage, chicken parmesan with left over spaghetti. If I have time in the kitchen, I put the meals together all at the same time and then refrigerate or freeze them.
Make Dinner in the morning: A friend of mine cooks dinner in the morning. Come 5:00 all she has to do is heat it up.
The Grill: Another friend of mine takes out the meat in the morning and puts it in a dish or plastic bag, pours in a marinade such as Italian dressing and puts the dish back in the refrigerator. When she gets home from work, she fires up the grill. While the meat is cooking, she puts together a few simple sides dishes.
30-Day Meals: At the beginning of the month, my sister lays out her recipe cards for the whole month and makes a shopping list. Once she gets the food home, she separates it into piles: beef, chicken, tomato, etc. She divides up the meat into portions and puts them in freezer bags, adds marinade such as Yoshida’s Teriyaki sauce, juice, tomato sauce, seasonings, Italian dressing-liquid or power, then places the meat in the freezer. When it is time for dinner, she pulls out a meat, puts it in a casserole dish, adds some frozen veggies and bakes it while she takes a walk.
Eliminating Debt By Spending Less and Using What you Already Have – johanna
November 8th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Everything costs more these days. Only a short while ago I could purchase 10 ears of corn for a dollar. Now they sell for .50 cents an ear. With the cost of just about everything on the rise the hum in the air is how do I get the most on a limited budget and eliminate debt. How much you save depends on how aggressive you are.
For budgeting and finances I turn to Mary Hunt. She writes the “Solutions your Money” column in Woman’s Day magazine and has her own website at debtproofliving.com
Some other great budgeting sites I use are flylady.net, budget101.com, cafemom.com, pioneerthinking.com. You can also find recipes, organization and other household tips.
When I started making a list of all the helpful tips I have learned over the years the list kept growing. This is a list I put together from tips I have used and those I have read from the websites listed above.
ELIMINATING DEBT:
- Stop spending!!! Change your habits!!!
- Think hard before you buy. Do you really need it?
- If you have to impress your friends they are not really your friends.
- Eliminate the extras: cell phones, movies, cable, eating out.
- Walk more, drive less.
- Save postage by paying bills online.
- Shop thrift stores and yard sales for clothing, books and kitchen essentials.
- Buy clothing out of season when they are on sale.
- Borrow movies, books and music from the library.
- Shop the dollar store for cleaning supplies, party goods and snacks.
- Join a food co-op for cheaper groceries. Receive a box of fresh fruits and vegetables on your door step every month. Go to localharvest.org, coopdirectory.org/ or niany.com to find a co-op.
- Relax while getting a massage at a massage school.
- Cut your children’s hair or take them to a Cosmetology school.
- Enjoy free local entertainment.
- Sell unused unwanted items on Craigslist.org, ebay, amazon, sell.com or have a yard sale.
- Have books in good condition? Go to cash4books.net or visit a local used books store to make a trade.
- Take your gently used and in perfect condition clothing to a Consignment Shop. Depending on the shop, some will give you money up front while others set up a store account.
- Turn off the electricity when not in use.
- Buy out of season: Can or freeze fruits and vegetables when in season.
- Abandon the pre-packaged foods.
- Use Coupons
- Create a Menu.
- Do not buy or use more than you need.
- Make a month’s worth of meals at once. savingdinner.com
USE WHAT YOU HAVE:
- Take care of purchases.
- Food: wrap it up, use it and freeze it.
Clothes: Wash stains out immediately. Hang dry, keeps clothes nicer longer.
Wash and dry comforters at a self service laundry mat instead of the dry cleaners. - Turn old clothes into something new: Tote Bags, Kids clothes, doll clothes, dust rags, a quilt, photo album, pillow case…
- Make your own: broth, lunchables, baking mixes, baby food, diapers, wipes, cleaning supplies, snacks, bread.
- Grow your own garden.
- Cook more at home. Eat out less
- Brown bag it.
- Use over ripe fruit to make breads or muffins.
- If a recipe calls for egg yolks save the whites to make an omelet for breakfast.
- Use water, fresh fruits and veggies rather than the prepackaged snacks and juice boxes.
- Use fruits to flavor water: lemons, limes, unsweetened cranberry concentrate, cucumber slices, mint leaves or blueberries to flavor water.
- Use what you have on hand by creating budget meals from items in your freezer and pantry.
- Turn one meal into three.
- If your family is not fond of leftovers only make enough for that evening’s dinner.
- Freeze leftovers in individual portions using a vacuum sealer. Have a restaurant night complete with a menu listing the “leftover” entrees.
- Use fewer ingredients. If the recipe calls for two cans of beans ask your self, do I really need to use both cans. Same with meats, one chicken breast shredded or cubed goes a long way.
- Make a double batch and freeze it for another day when you do not feel like cooking.
- Make your own cleaning agents.
How to Lower Your Grocery Bill- Using Coupons – johanna
November 7th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Extreme shoppers can slice as much as 50% - 60% off their monthly grocery bill just by using coupons and waiting until the item goes on sale. If it is not on sale, they do not buy it. They stock up on the items they use the most while they are on sale and they plan their menus around the bargains they can pick up at the grocery store that week.
To get the scoop, check out thegrocerygame.com. The site tells you what’s on sale at the store you choose, then click the coupon and print. It does cost money, but you can get a four week trial for just a dollar.
Other sites worth a visit include: couponing, MommySavesBig, CouponMom, MyGroceryDeals, thecentsiblesawyer.blogspot, budget101.
Menu in the Mix – johanna
November 5th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
If you are new to creating a menu, it can seem daunting a first. I use my computer, but a pad of paper or a calendar works fine. Start off simple. You could begin by selecting a theme for each day of the week. Something like: soup or breakfast on Sunday, Try Something New Monday, Taco Tuesday’s, seafood on Wednesday, Mexican Thursday’s, Italian Friday’s, Saturday’s dinner salads, ect. When you are putting together your menu, include a main dish and all sides. Ex: Wednesday Dinner: Poached Salmon, roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus, water and strawberries. With time and some practice it will become easier.
I caved in and started making a menu because I was spending too much time sifting through cookbooks or browsing the internet every night looking for something healthy, yet good. Everyday at 4:00, I would go into a panic over what to cook for dinner. Before I knew it, the clock read 5:25 and my nose was still in a book or I was standing in the kitchen mulling over what I could make from the few things we had in the pantry and refrigerator. Frustrated, I tried to make a menu but nothing changed; it still was taking too long to come up with a recipe to fill in the blank. Then, I decided to assign a category or theme to each day of the week to narrow the search. Now, I had to only come up with one recipe and if I found others that looked interesting, I plugged them in the subsequent week’s spots. Wa-la, a months worth of meals, done!
Not quite. The kids, became pickier and I did not have a ton of time to spend in the kitchen anymore to experiment with new recipes. There was a period after our third baby was born where we had the same dish on the same day each week. Creating a menu is really about what works for your family. My sister-n-law has input from her kids on menu suggestions.
Sometimes things come up. A menu is just a guide. Maybe you do not feel like eating what is on the menu for that night. It is perfectly ok to switch nights around or pull something together from items on hand. However, you decide to do it remember to keep it simple and do not forget to post the menu where you can see it. Otherwise it is easy to forget what is for dinner. My other sister-n-law makes a copy of the recipes she plans on using so she does not have to go hunting for it later.
To save money on groceries think back to college. When I was in college I did not have a lot of money to spend on groceries. I planned meals around each other so nothing went to waste. If you plan on trying a new recipe think of other recipes that use the same ingredients. It may seem boring or monotonous but it saves money. Savy shoppers arrange their menus around what deals they pick up at the grocery store that week. Or they stock up for next months menu.
Finally, create a shopping list based on the ingredients needed for each recipe. Make sure to list the quanties. If a recipe calls for two potatoes and later in the week you plan on having mashed potatoes you’ll need to buy more than two potatoes. Once you have your list, it is time to go shopping. Some people like to shop once a week, while others push for every two weeks. See how long you can go without having to go to the grocery store. You will be surprised at what you can come up with using the items in your pantry, freezer and refrigerator. Save the money you would have normally spent and use it to stock up on sale items you use most.
How to Lower Your Grocery Bill - At the Grocery Store – johanna
November 4th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
My goal going into the year has been to simplify and organize. Top priority on my list…lower what I spend on groceries each month. I have learned a few things over the past year. With a great deal of planning I was able to make small changes weekly and monthly to reach my goal.
Shop Around for the Best Deals:
The beginning of every month I typically shop for the whole month at a Warehouse store. I buy all my dairy, fish and meats, canned goods, breads, and baby stuff. Cereals and condiments I purchase at the discount stores. Once a week I have been hitting the local flea market or 99-cent store for produce. I occasionally stop by an ethnic foods market for the best deals on grains and spices and catering warehouses for a few specialty items.
Keep A Price Journal:
I refer to my price journal often to ascertain if I am getting a good deal. A price journal is basically notes on the items we use most and prices from various stores. I cannot recall how many times I ask myself, when I see an item I buy regularly, “Now, how much did I pay at the other store?”
Sales and Coupons:
I learned from the experts to take advantage of sales and stock up. Sales typically run in a 12-week cycle dropping to the lowest point by the 12th week. Coupons genuinely coincide with those sales for double the savings. If it is not on sale I wait.
Stick To Your List:
Really think about what goes into the cart. If I do have to stop by a grocery store I write a list and stick to it. The only exception would be if I saw something I forgot to write on my list that is a on sale and, according to my price journal, is a good buy. I also skip the grocery cart and grab a hand basket. It puts impulse buys at bay.
Shop The Store Brands:
For even bigger savings, I shop the store brands. Years ago I would never suggest using the store brand. However things have a way of improving over time. Somethings I will not skimp on.
Shop On A Full Stomach:
Shopping for groceries when you are hungry is an invitation to the impulse buy items to jump in your cart.
Eat Better/Avoid The Packaged Stuff:
I was spending hundreds of dollars a month on prepackaged foods and snacks. While they may be convenient most prepacked items can be made at home where I know what goes into it. We revamped how we eat. Mostly trying to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, cheese and nuts. I quit buying all the carbs and fake fruit. We do have some crackers, trail mix and fruit leather around for on the go. Once a week I whip up a few baked goods and freeze them. The kids learn to make their favorite snacks and I am saving money. Packed school lunches can get quite pricey. Substitute the boxed juices and snack packs with water (or flavored water), homemade energy bars, nuts, banana bread, muffins, fresh fruit and veggies.
Go Solo.
When I have my kids in tow I am guaranteed many surprises at the check out stand. My son thinks we need every type of gadget and food item in the store. They have come to expect the “No, you cannot have that.” Now they bypass me and hope I do not notice their treasure sitting in the cart. Industry studies say you’ll spend 10 to 40 percent more if you have kids in tow.
How to Lower Your Grocery Bill - Save on Meat – johanna
November 3rd, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
A friend of mine was telling me about the bulk package of pork tenderloins she purchased at Costco and how fast they all went. When I told her that one package generally lasts two to three months for us she could not believe me. Then I told her that one thick cut pork chop, depending on how I cook it will feed two of us or the whole family.
Because meat is so expensive it usually is the first thing to go for some when they are trying to save on groceries. I learned how to keep a lean budget and still have meat on budget101.com. The article How to Feed a Family of Four on $200 a Month suggested tapping into local resources. I had never thought about buying a side of beef from a local rancher. Where I live we have a meat market that is supplied by local ranchers and offers great deals on a variety pack of meats. I also buy in bulk from Costco or catch bargains at the supermarket & stock up. To protect my investment I promptly divide the bulk packages up into portions, seal them in freezer bags or use the food saver and freeze.
Whole chickens are a great buy because I can usually get three dinners out of one chicken plus extras for lunch to make sandwiches. Salads, casseroles, soups, Mexican cuisine and Stir-fry’s are great ways to stretch your meat. When we do have meat I fillet it, chop it or shred it to extend it. For our family of five I typically use 1 to 2 chicken breasts, salmon steaks, pork chops or beef steaks. We also have at least one meatless dinner each week. Substitutes might include beans, lentils, vegetables or cheese.
How to Lower Your Grocery Bill- Keeping track of what you spend – johanna
November 2nd, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Seeing what you actual spend on groceries may surprise you. Writing down what I spend weekly, keeps my spending in check. I know exactly where I went overboard and I can plan ahead for the upcoming week.
To lower your grocery bill, begin by figuring out what you actually spend each month on groceries. Keep track of every purchase, no matter how small. List the item, how much of that particular item you bought and the total price. I also include a column for miscellaneous tips such as prices at varying stores.
If you have a hard time reining in your spending, try dividing your grocery allotment by four. Then, take out a week’s worth of cash each week to spend on groceries. Once it is gone, it is gone. If you don’t spend it all in one week, set the money aside to stock up on loss leaders (sale items) another week.
The Frugal Pantry – johanna
October 8th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Two years ago, we were faced with a difficult financial dilemma. It was the second week of the month and I had to make the decision to pay bills, or buy groceries. I decided to try to make it another two weeks on what we had in the pantry and freezer and pay the bill. Amazingly, we went the two and a half weeks living on canned, boxed and frozen food. The following year we came up short again. Taking the lesson learned the previous year to always have a stocked pantry, I did not fret. Instead, I got creative with my cooking.
Since then, I have made what I call “Budget Meals”, part of my monthly menu. There are some weeks I forget to make a menu or things come up and I don’t make it to the farmers market. Budget Meals are great to have around for those nights the refrigerator is empty. Rather than order take out or make a trip to the grocery store, I basically clean out the refrigerator. There have been many instances I have postponed going to the grocery store and used what I had on hand. I have found that by coming up with “Budget Meals”, I can prolong a shopping trip one to two weeks saving me hundreds of dollars.
This is what “My Frugal Pantry” looks like now.
Canned fruit-Pineapple, mixed fruit, pumpkin
Dried fruits- raisins, Cranberries
Jell-O
Pudding
Jam
Peanut Butter
Cooking Spices I use the most
Baking Ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, powdered Milk, evaporated milk, honey, vanilla, shortening, cocoa powder,
Rice
Pasta
Canned and dry beans- black, kidney, white, lentils
Canned tomatoes-diced
Tomato sauce
Tomato paste
Tuna
Canned chicken
Cream of Mushroom or chicken soup
Cereal
Oatmeal
Oil
Cooking Spray
Ketchup
Mayo
Broth
Soy Sauce
Vinegar- white, red wine, cider, balsamic
Nuts- raw almonds, pecans
Popcorn
My Frugal Freezer:
Salmon
Ground Hamburger
Ground Turkey
Italian Sausage
Pork tenderloins
Hot Dogs
Shredded Cheese- Mozzarella, Cheddar/Jack,
Butter
Egg Substitute
Baking Yeast
Vegetables
Fruit
Left Overs
Beginners Raspberry Jam 101 – johanna
October 1st, 2008 | Filed under: Snacks, THE BUDGET PANTRY
Over the weekend, Stephen took the kids to his parent’s house while I went on an adventure with a friend to pick raspberries. The Sweetwater Berry Farm is located about an hour north of us up in the mountains in Ahwahnee California. We splurged and bought fresh basil and oregano, plumb tomatoes (with the intention of making tomato sauce and canning it) and cherry tomatoes.
The berries that the kids and I did not devour, went into making raspberry jam and, as suggested by my friend Patty, raspberry scones. We used the Raspberry Jam recipe from the Ball Blue Book for canning. This was my first time making jam and canning. I must say, it was a lot easier than I had anticipated; many thanks to Patty who was a great teacher. The jam turned out really sweet, however; the kids loved it.
Raspberry Jam
1 quart Raspberries, mashed
6 1/2 cups sugar
1 pouch liquid Pectin
7-8 (1/2 Pint) Mason Jars with lids
Wash the lids in hot soapy water. Let dry. Place the 1/2 pint jars and rings in a pot. Do not allow the water to boil. Simmer until ready to fill.
In a sauce pan add 1 quart mashed raspberries. When the berries begin to bubble add 6 1/2 cups sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved add one pouch of liquid pectin. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil hard for one minute. Remove from heat. Scrape the foam off the top.
Remove jars from the water bath. Using a funnel, ladle the jam into the jars. Fill to the first line from the bottom. As the jam cools, it will expand. Wipe the rims clean. Top with the lids then screw on the ring.
Place the filled jars back into the water bath, making sure the jars do not touch. Add enough water to cover 1-2 inches.
Bring water to a rolling boil. Boil covered for 10 minutes. Remove from bath and let sit at least 24 hours. To determine if the lids are properly sealed, press down in the center of the lid. If it clicks or caves in under the pressure it is not sealed. You can repeat the water bath or store the jam in the refrigerator.
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