Sep 3, 2013 |
It’s only September, but chatter has it that winter will be wearing out its welcome with voracity this year. I’ve talked with many gardeners over the past few months who tell me their baskets are less than bushels-ful. The Farmer’s Almanac has the country abuzz with their predictions of an earlier, colder, and longer winter.
Creeping Clouds
Now’s the time to start stocking up on those food items that can get you through any storm. They’re handy when there’s unexpected company. They’re reliable when you can’t get to the store. And most of the items are inexpensive, which allows you to save up now for those Big Feasts later.
Meal planning isn’t just about buying foods you need for a meal. It’s also about creatively using the foods you already have. I’m a big fan of mix-n-match foods that don’t cost a lot. Plus ~ Bonus! ~ most of these staples are multi-functional:
- Malt-o-Meal and Instant Oatmeals go well in travel tumblers for a warm, on-the-go Breakfast. Mix with a spoon of syrup for more flavor
- Puddings and gelatins offer a delightfully light texture for a snack or dessert
- Cream soups are warm and hearty on their own yet also blend well with rice or over meats
- Dried beans, once prepared, can be served in soups or with meats.
- A can of drained vegetables tossed with pasta adds color and taste to your main dish
- Diced canned tomatoes can be a side dish, added to a casserole, or served on toast
Breakfast Bruschetta
It’s also important to stock your freezer with foods you can easily prepare. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a must-have at Bedford Manor. They can be quickly grilled, fried, baked, slow-cooked. Added to soups. Cut into strips. Placed on rice and pasta. Mixed into your Mac ‘n Cheese. The very versatile chicken breast is definitely worth the cost.
Chicken Mac ‘n Cheese
A few pieces of meat in the slow-cooker topped with a bottle of BBQ sauce, served alongside a helping of vegetables makes a great meal. Leftovers? No problem. Toss the meat into a serving of pasta. Or mix the vegetables into a soup.
A strategically stocked pantry and freezer can help you out of many food worries: When you need a quick fix for company. When your kids and spouse are having a snow day. When the car breaks down and you don’t want to spend any more money for a week. And when you want to save your bucks for the bigger Holiday menus.
Feel free to download my PDF Checklist before your next shopping trip. Really. I made it with you in mind. This list is by no means exhaustive, and can easily be changed to suit your household’s dietary needs and taste buds. You’ll also want to include items you typically keep in your refrigerator and kitchen cabinets: milk, butter, eggs, sugar, flour.
Are there other items that are staples in your pantry and freezer? How do you mix up your quick-fix meals?
As always,
~Happy Eating!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Clipping Coupons
How To Eat For Free And Have Fun Doing It (Or, How Printing Coupons Gave Me a Really Great Weekend!)
Winco Wins
Meal Memo in a Jar
Jun 3, 2013 |
It’s been a few months since I’ve written a Meal Plan post. Based on the success of my recent monthly WinCo trips, I’ve had enough foods in the freezer and pantry to not have to buy too much. So I’ve been winging it; making what I can find. Occasionally, I’ve put together some meals like this hearty chicken and pasta dinner.
Chicken & Pasta
I always keep frozen salmon filets in the freezer. Last month, I bought a 5 lb. bag of chicken breasts (admittedly not from WinCo). Sure, it cost nearly $17, but with 20 breasts, that’s less than $1/piece.
So my Plan for June is to eat more chicken. I don’t have an entire month of menus planned out. But I have my Aroma Rice Cooker. And I have a plan.
Again with the savings I find at WinCo, I’ll supplement what I already have and make some wonderful meals. My goal is to make some scrumptious dishes without having to cook too much in the summer heat. Some of the meals I’ll make more than once because they’re easy and delicious.
Not only do I want to save money, I want to eat better. My eczema has been rapidly improving as I now have prescription-strength ointment and have been eating less fast foods which, I’ve discovered, can significantly induce a flare up. So, for the health of my body and my wallet, June will be a Home-Cooked Meal Month.
Here’s my tentative meal plan (each meal is followed by how many days we can eat from one preparation by how many times I’ll make it for a total amount of dinner days):
- Chicken and Pasta (as pictured above), 2 x 2 = 4
- Steamed Chicken and Rice, 1 x 4 = 4
- Slow Cooker Chicken & Kraut, 3 x 2 = 6
- Steamed Salmon and Rice, 1 x 4 = 4
- Spaghetti with sauce and garlic toast, 2 x 2 = 4
- Baked Frittata (usually a weekend meal for brunch as well), 2 x 2 = 4
That leaves four days with no menu plan. We like to keep a few “open” days on the calendar. We’ll eat at least twice at my Mom’s house, or order a pizza on Pay Day, or just not feel like eating. I know, pizza. But it’s not regular fast food. And if I only eat it once a month, I should be okay…
With this great plan, I already have the main components. My grocery list is just the sauerkraut, cream of chicken soups, and frittata ingredients. I’ll include a cheap dessert like Jell-O and Cool Whip, pudding, or a few of Dot’s favorite cookies. We always keep ice cream in the freezer; especially in the summer.
It’s my goal to spend less than $100 this month, including the cat food, litter, and household needs. At a regular grocery store this would be nearly impossible. But, as I so often like to say, “WinCo Wins!”
*Cheater Meal: We did treat ourselves to Red Robin yesterday since I won a gift card from work.
Ava-Cobb-O Salad at Red Robin
Note, I ate the A-va-Cobb-O and Chicken salad.
So, as I also like to say, “Happy Eating!”
What’s on your plate?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
WinCo Wins
WinCo Wins: Lunch for a Dollar!
My Bento Box: Part I
How To Eat For Free And Have Fun Doing It (Or, How Printing Coupons Gave Me a Really Great Weekend!)
My February Meal Plan
Mar 4, 2013 |
Ever since WinCo discovered my WinCo Wins and Meal Planning posts, we’ve had a wonderful relationship. They let me share my Food and Savings posts. I get to share their incredibly low prices. It’s a Win-Win situation for everyone!
For the last two months, I’ve strived hard to provide hearty, healthy meals for my family while saving money.
One benefit I’ve discovered is when I eat healthy, I eat less. I can pack in two cheeseburgers, a large fries, and a Shamrock shake in fifteen minutes or less when I’m hungry. My breakfast of choice will always be the McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin with Egg.
My Favorite From McDonald’s
But when I eat healthy, the nutrition fills me up so I don’t blimp out. Being an unofficial spokesperson for WinCo makes me more aware of my food budget. I want to do them proud! After all, WinCo is responsible for these great savings.
For March, I took inventory of my pantry and freezer and realized I needed to buy very little. With plenty of frozen meats and leftovers from the previous Meal Plans, the bulk of my food shopping went to healthy lunch items.
How does lunch for under a dollar sound to you? It sounds like a Win-Win to me!
WinCo Wins!
I bought five dozen eggs for $5.84. That’s less than $0.10 each! The string cheese? $0.12 each. Flour tortilla: $0.20. Celery and carrot: about $0.15 total. And the yogurt? This is the most expensive item, ringing up an entire half dollar. Where else could you get such a healthy, delicious, filling lunch for less than a buck and change?
Oh, the coffee? Not to worry. I use my recyclable Starbucks cup and fill it from home.
Protein. Dairy. Veggies. Grains. And coffee.
As you can see, This Girl is all about the savings without giving anything up.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jan 28, 2013 |
On the heels of a somewhat-successful January Meal Plan, I’m keeping with the motion and starting to plot out my Meal Plan for next month.
This one will be different. I don’t have a $100 gift card to shop at WinCo. But because I was unable to keep to January’s plan in its entirety, I still have plenty of food in my pantry and freezer.
*Here’s where I give a HUGE shout-out to my Mom who’s let us eat much of her food because, well, we’re pretty much living with her until the new furnace unit is installed. And let’s face it… I’m not keen on staying in a cold house even with the cat wrapped around my head at night.
Pillow Thief
For starters, I have a list of meals to make, but I’m not putting them on a schedule. Considering the difficulties in the last two weeks, it’s easier sometimes to have a selection available without an actual Plan.
With that in mind, my February Meals planned consist, so far, of the following:
Ratatouille
- Slow Cooker Ratatouille, 3 days
Veggie Pizza
- Ratatouille Pizza, 2 days
Ratatouille Frittata
- Ratatouille Frittata, 2 days
Bowl of Chili
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili, 3 days
- Texas Hash, 4 days
That takes care of half the month.
I always keep frozen chicken and salmon filets. I have three favorite ways cooking each of these: citrus baked, breaded, and blackened. That’s six different meals right there, and if only half offer leftovers, that’s three more meals.
There’s a happy chance we’ll be eating at Mom’s at least twice a week. Okay, more than a chance. We get together even if it’s just for toast and peanut butter. So there’s that.
There’s still plenty for lunches and breakfasts, too. The only foods I should have to buy in February are milk, eggs, and cat food for the fur-family. Which, if you ask me, is a really great savings!
And that is my UnPlanned February Meal Plan.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Help me to reach my funding goal before February 1st!
Just click on the photo below and click “BACK THIS PROJECT” to pre-order YOUR copy of The Unemployment Cookbook, Second Edition!
Jan 27, 2013 |
I write this with a downcast keyboard.
I have failed my January Meal Plan. I cheated. I strayed. And I failed.
But not completely. And, looking at making lemonade out of these lemons… now I have that much more in my freezer to get us through the month of February. So, you know… there’s that.
Fresh!
In a nutshell, my Meal Plan was waylaid by a broken furnace, leftovers at Mom’s, and a funeral. With all of these happenings I had little need to keep up with my Meal Plan.
Twice more I found myself at a local drive-thru, but I made better choices than I used to. For instance, instead of a full meal, I ordered the cheaper cheeseburger and instead of a soda I took an iced tea or smoothie. I needed something warm to offset the chill in the air.
I did make my Slow Cooker Turkey Chili on the 16th and that’s held us for a few days. There’s even some left, still, for February’s freezer selection.
Bowl of Chili
In the midst of a colder house and little motivation, we opted for the ease of one of our “extra” meals. My favorite stand-by, La Choy Chow Mein.
January Extras
And a few days later on the 22nd, I brought home a treat: a DiGiorno’s self-rising frozen pizza. Hey. It was the last episode of my beloved FLASHPOINT. I needed something special for the occasion. I also came home that evening to a very sick Dot.
What with the cold house (again) and the inclement weather and the back-and-forth of staying intermittently at Mom’s house… my poor Dot ended up with a virus. The good news is that while she was down for the count, it was a short count. 24 hours later she was ready for the world again.
A new furnace has been ordered, which conversely adds to my stress level because… well, did you know furnace units are expensive? Like I wasn’t having enough problems with the budget… At least I’ll be warm in my worries. But because in SoCal, furnace units either go on the roof or on the side of the house it can’t be installed until the current round of winter rains stop. Which should be in another 2 or 3 days.
In the meantime, have I mentioned how I love living so close to my Mom? Yup. We’ve invaded her home, her kitchen, her life.
She has the most amazing tea shelf. Today’s all about the chamomile.
Cozy Chamomile
So if you’ll excuse me now… I have some popcorn to eat and a movie to watch. Oh, and some new recipes to write.
Possible 2nd Edition Additions
Happy Eating!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Help me to reach my funding goal before February 1st!
Just click on the photo below and click “BACK THIS PROJECT” to pre-order YOUR copy of The Unemployment Cookbook, Second Edition!
