Well, my cousin has been making this stuff for a while now. She says it saves her serious money & cleans as well as what she can buy in the store. I like the idea that I can control the scent and artificial color, both of which are problems are our house. So I decided to give it a try today, since the store bought stuff is just about gone.
I went to Making Homemade Laundry Soap to check out the directions. Then I headed out to the store and found:
Fels Naptha Soap $1.29
Washing Soda $2.16
Borax $3.89
I also purchased a bucket, with a lid, for $1.27
My detergent is setting up even as I type this. I do use Oxyclean spot remover when I have something really hard to get out. I also have some of that Crisco looking stuff that mechanics use to take the black grease off their hands. That is wonderful for grease splatters. But I wont know for sure how well it cleans the clothes at our house for a couple of days. I will post back with the results.
I also picked up a one dollar Cranberry Mandarin scented candle in a jar. It smells wonderful!!!
Like Spring :)
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
The best laid plans
Yeah so I haven't made bread or pancakes yet, and I was able to get AF so it altered the menu a little. The sun is shining and I wanted burgers for lunch. With some home fries, sprinkled with steak dust. Should be yummy. Laundry to do (always). I have decided to try to make my own laundry detergent. My cousin does it, and it is cheaper than what she can buy, cleans the clothes just as well (she has toddlers), and for us the lack of color or scent will be a bonus too. I just have to find a tub with a lid. I used to have several, so I know they are here somewhere!
And to top it all off, Hubby's weekend starts tonight, and UK plays UWVa tonight in the Elite Eight.
Life is good :)
And to top it all off, Hubby's weekend starts tonight, and UK plays UWVa tonight in the Elite Eight.
Life is good :)
Friday, March 26, 2010
Friday, 3/26 updated
Because I thought that I would not be getting any AF this month, I hit the grocery last night. Here's the damage (Updated):
1 bag hash browns $1.79
Pillsbury Grands Biscuits 2 cans @ $ .98 each*
Pillsbury Bread Sticks $1.25*
2 cans Turkey Chili @ $1.41 each
2 Yakisobi noodles @ $1.00
1 bag tortilla chips $1.00
1 can frozen lemonade $1.29
1 bag shredded cheese $2.29
Kroger brand Drink mix (Crystal Light type) $ 2.00
1 box rotini $1.25
Italian Dressing mix $2.19
1 box Saltine Crackers @1.25
2 cans of soup @ 1.00 each
Turkey Breast lunch meat (1 lb) $3.49
Ham lunch meat (1 lb) $3.49
2 rolls sausage @ $1.59 each
2.5 dozen eggs $2.99
Hamburger, store ground 4.62 (marked down 50%)
Hamburger, store ground 4.64 (marked down 50%)
Canola oil $2.99
Bananas $.65
1 Smoked Sausage $2.00
1 can beets $ .50
Total: 53.54
With store discounts and coupons my total saved was $8.89
*I had one coupon for $1 off 3 Pillsbury products (biscuits and bread sticks)
I spent $53.43. Also ordered my coupons from the grocery savings site. That was $5.45. That money gets me coupons for $54 off products. I really had to select carefully. Many things I purchase are store brands or generics, but there were quite a few things available to me that I do purchase name brand. One of them was Chef Boyardee pizza kits. Can't turn down a $1 off those, since I do the cheese kits and add my own turkey pepperoni. I ordered 5 of the coupons. I have till the end of May to use them, and that will keep us in pizza for quite a while.
While at the grocery, I ran into my friend Martha who heads up the AF endeavor in our county. Turns out they order a box or two extra, just in case, and I will be able to get one! I am very happy about that. So this meat should really carry us through for most of April with the AF meat added to it. I have separated the hamburger into 5 one lb. sections and 2 1/2 lb sections. Its in the freezer. This will let us have spaghetti twice, and we can either do burgers, Hamburger Helper, or casseroles with the other 5 lbs.
I found myself standing in front of displays and saying "Just because its on sale doesn't mean I have to buy it now." I have to tell you, its hard to walk away from a good deal. Perhaps if we ever get a freezer I will feel like I can do that.
In the meantime, my cousin and I are planning our garden. Over the next few months I will start buying up jars, lids, etc. I want to put up chili base again, lots of green beans, corn, potatoes, and onions. I want pumpkins to put up too, and beets even though I am the only one that eats them here!
Tonight is pizza night. I look forward to that pizza. Also I made the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Here is the recipe from All recipes:
1 bag hash browns $1.79
Pillsbury Grands Biscuits 2 cans @ $ .98 each*
Pillsbury Bread Sticks $1.25*
2 cans Turkey Chili @ $1.41 each
2 Yakisobi noodles @ $1.00
1 bag tortilla chips $1.00
1 can frozen lemonade $1.29
1 bag shredded cheese $2.29
Kroger brand Drink mix (Crystal Light type) $ 2.00
1 box rotini $1.25
Italian Dressing mix $2.19
1 box Saltine Crackers @1.25
2 cans of soup @ 1.00 each
Turkey Breast lunch meat (1 lb) $3.49
Ham lunch meat (1 lb) $3.49
2 rolls sausage @ $1.59 each
2.5 dozen eggs $2.99
Hamburger, store ground 4.62 (marked down 50%)
Hamburger, store ground 4.64 (marked down 50%)
Canola oil $2.99
Bananas $.65
1 Smoked Sausage $2.00
1 can beets $ .50
Total: 53.54
With store discounts and coupons my total saved was $8.89
*I had one coupon for $1 off 3 Pillsbury products (biscuits and bread sticks)
I spent $53.43. Also ordered my coupons from the grocery savings site. That was $5.45. That money gets me coupons for $54 off products. I really had to select carefully. Many things I purchase are store brands or generics, but there were quite a few things available to me that I do purchase name brand. One of them was Chef Boyardee pizza kits. Can't turn down a $1 off those, since I do the cheese kits and add my own turkey pepperoni. I ordered 5 of the coupons. I have till the end of May to use them, and that will keep us in pizza for quite a while.
While at the grocery, I ran into my friend Martha who heads up the AF endeavor in our county. Turns out they order a box or two extra, just in case, and I will be able to get one! I am very happy about that. So this meat should really carry us through for most of April with the AF meat added to it. I have separated the hamburger into 5 one lb. sections and 2 1/2 lb sections. Its in the freezer. This will let us have spaghetti twice, and we can either do burgers, Hamburger Helper, or casseroles with the other 5 lbs.
I found myself standing in front of displays and saying "Just because its on sale doesn't mean I have to buy it now." I have to tell you, its hard to walk away from a good deal. Perhaps if we ever get a freezer I will feel like I can do that.
In the meantime, my cousin and I are planning our garden. Over the next few months I will start buying up jars, lids, etc. I want to put up chili base again, lots of green beans, corn, potatoes, and onions. I want pumpkins to put up too, and beets even though I am the only one that eats them here!
Tonight is pizza night. I look forward to that pizza. Also I made the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Here is the recipe from All recipes:
Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Revised Menu 3/24
Ok, as promised here is the revised menu for the next week.
Tonight: assemble and cook breakfast casserole in crock pot
Thursday 3/25
Breakfast casserole (crockpot) [hash browns, eggs, chives, cheese, sausage]
Lunch: Broccoli cheese soup, crackers, carrots and celery sticks
Dinner: Asian Fried Rice (an all in one boxed Banquet meal), slaw, pineapple
Prep: Bake 2 loaves of bread (one for sandwiches, one for French Toast. They are small loaves, so its not as over the top as it sounds); Make pancakes (mix in syrup) and freeze in portion sizes
Friday 3/26
Breakfast casserole
Lunch: Peanut butter and plum jelly sandwiches, apple
Dinner: Pizza (Chef Boyardee), salad
Saturday 3/27
Breakfast: French Toast
Lunch: chef salad, banquet chicken pot pies
Dinner: Grilled chicken, squash casserole *recipe below, green beans
Sunday 3/28
Breakfast casserole
Lunch and dinner will be away from home--FIL's birthday party
Monday 3/29
Breakfast: pancakes
Lunch: pineapple and cottage cheese, sandwiches (turkey or ham)
Dinner: baked chicken and rice, mixed vegetables (CA mix), Baked apples
Tuesday 3/30
Breakfast casserole
Lunch: lunchmeat roll ups in tortillas, potato salad
Dinner: bbq shredded pork, fries, broccoli
That gets us through the week. Next month will be even more of a challenge as I was so busy getting ready for DC I failed to order AngelFood!! I am distressed but I will just have to watch the flyers and buy meat on sale. I still have plenty of rice and potatoes. Veggies are pretty cheap frozen and canned, and we will manage right along :)
Baked Squash (from Busy Woman's Quick and Easy Recipes):
5 cups cooked squash (I had an abundance of yellow squash last year. I shredded it and froze it, meaning to add it to vegetable soup but forgot. So I have plenty of squash LOL)
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (6 ounce) box stuffing mix
Prehead oven to 375.
Place cooked squash in mixing bowl and season with a little salt. Add cheese and soup and blend well. Mix dressing according to package directions and place half dressing in spreayed 9*13 baking dish. Spoon in squash mixture and sprinkle remaining dressing on top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
I will let you know if its yummy!
Tonight: assemble and cook breakfast casserole in crock pot
Thursday 3/25
Breakfast casserole (crockpot) [hash browns, eggs, chives, cheese, sausage]
Lunch: Broccoli cheese soup, crackers, carrots and celery sticks
Dinner: Asian Fried Rice (an all in one boxed Banquet meal), slaw, pineapple
Prep: Bake 2 loaves of bread (one for sandwiches, one for French Toast. They are small loaves, so its not as over the top as it sounds); Make pancakes (mix in syrup) and freeze in portion sizes
Friday 3/26
Breakfast casserole
Lunch: Peanut butter and plum jelly sandwiches, apple
Dinner: Pizza (Chef Boyardee), salad
Saturday 3/27
Breakfast: French Toast
Lunch: chef salad, banquet chicken pot pies
Dinner: Grilled chicken, squash casserole *recipe below, green beans
Sunday 3/28
Breakfast casserole
Lunch and dinner will be away from home--FIL's birthday party
Monday 3/29
Breakfast: pancakes
Lunch: pineapple and cottage cheese, sandwiches (turkey or ham)
Dinner: baked chicken and rice, mixed vegetables (CA mix), Baked apples
Tuesday 3/30
Breakfast casserole
Lunch: lunchmeat roll ups in tortillas, potato salad
Dinner: bbq shredded pork, fries, broccoli
That gets us through the week. Next month will be even more of a challenge as I was so busy getting ready for DC I failed to order AngelFood!! I am distressed but I will just have to watch the flyers and buy meat on sale. I still have plenty of rice and potatoes. Veggies are pretty cheap frozen and canned, and we will manage right along :)
Baked Squash (from Busy Woman's Quick and Easy Recipes):
5 cups cooked squash (I had an abundance of yellow squash last year. I shredded it and froze it, meaning to add it to vegetable soup but forgot. So I have plenty of squash LOL)
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (6 ounce) box stuffing mix
Prehead oven to 375.
Place cooked squash in mixing bowl and season with a little salt. Add cheese and soup and blend well. Mix dressing according to package directions and place half dressing in spreayed 9*13 baking dish. Spoon in squash mixture and sprinkle remaining dressing on top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
I will let you know if its yummy!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Weekend in Washington DC
Well, this weekend was a bit of a washout when it comes to the menu. Thursday evening, about 10:30 pm my daughter called with news that we could go with the 9 12 project to Washington DC to march on the Capital; and the tickets were very cheap to ride the bus. As a result, I hit the streets of Washington DC rather than staying home and working the menu. Politics aside, it was the most amazing event. So many people willing to give up their weekend and exercise their guaranteed God give right to peaceably assemble and share their opinions and desires with their elected representatives. Let me just say, there is no doubt we were heard by Congress. The problem is they chose not to listen. DC is such a historical city. The very act of being there fills my heart with awe and amazement at all that have come before, sacrifices made in the name of liberty. It gives me great hope despite the fact that Congressmen caved and the Senate Health Care bill passed.
So, today I have to take stock of the pantry and freezer contents, and create a new menu plan for the week. I will post them here later today.
So, today I have to take stock of the pantry and freezer contents, and create a new menu plan for the week. I will post them here later today.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Amish Bread for the Bread Machine
I tried a new recipe last night for bread. I love it! Now I have to figure out why it fell in the center, so this loaf doesn't have perfect bread shape. I also used bread flour, where previously I had used self rising flour. The taste and consistency are very different. I found the recipe on All Recipes website. You can use the link and peruse other great recipes, or just read on to see the one I linked to:
Just to add a note, about this fantastic bread, 18 TBS is 1 cup + 2 TBS.
I sliced this for a tuna salad sandwich today and it was yummy. I did this on white bread/light crust setting, and failed to turn off the machine and restart for the 2nd round of rising. That might be the reason the center fell. Also, I just put one package of yeast in, and I think I should have measured it out... so next loaf I will do that.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups bread flour
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 18 tablespoons warm water
Directions
- Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select White Bread cycle; press Start.
- When the dough has raised once and second cycle of kneading begins, turn machine off. Reset by pressing Start once again. This gives the dough two full raising cycles before the final raising cycle prior to baking.
Just to add a note, about this fantastic bread, 18 TBS is 1 cup + 2 TBS.
I sliced this for a tuna salad sandwich today and it was yummy. I did this on white bread/light crust setting, and failed to turn off the machine and restart for the 2nd round of rising. That might be the reason the center fell. Also, I just put one package of yeast in, and I think I should have measured it out... so next loaf I will do that.
Coupon Fun
Well, the coupon fairy has smiled upon me :) I went to the mail box and Kroger had sent me 3 substantial coupons for Cottonelle toilet paper! There are a few things I just prefer be name brand, and toilet paper is among those.
I also occasionally print coupons from the internet. There are a lot of websites that gather coupons in one place. I have found that they usually all have the same coupons though, so I don't visit multiple sites. I also get a newsletter from Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, etc. , and they sometimes provide coupons as well. Its nice to occasionally be able to purchase something name brand because the coupon makes it the same price as the store or generic brand.
Also, I recently heard an ad on the radio for a Nelson survey of grocery shopping habits. I called the 800 number and signed up. It was $7.95 to join (lets you waive the $99 sign up fee) and they sent me info this week. There is a website that lists all the coupons offered in my area. I select the coupons I want, and pay 10% of the worth of the coupon. So, a .40 off coupon costs .04. The good part is I only pay for coupons I will actually use. I can do this until I have used $2000 worth of coupons! I think that's a pretty good rate of return, and I don't have to purchase multiple copies of the Sunday paper, or spend a lot of time cutting out coupons. With this plan I have to think far in advance to ensure I have the right coupons for when the items are needed. It will either help or complicate, or both, the menu planning process.
Speaking of menus, it has come home to me that I need to plan for a bit of junk food in this menu. Lets face it, sometimes potato chips or chocolate are just an absolute necessity to sanity. Not all the time, but sometimes. So I am reviewing the menu and the budget to see where we need to adjust. The goal here is to spend money wisely, provide nutritional meals, and not bore us to tears if possible. It may take a while to get all the wrinkles ironed out.
I also occasionally print coupons from the internet. There are a lot of websites that gather coupons in one place. I have found that they usually all have the same coupons though, so I don't visit multiple sites. I also get a newsletter from Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, etc. , and they sometimes provide coupons as well. Its nice to occasionally be able to purchase something name brand because the coupon makes it the same price as the store or generic brand.
Also, I recently heard an ad on the radio for a Nelson survey of grocery shopping habits. I called the 800 number and signed up. It was $7.95 to join (lets you waive the $99 sign up fee) and they sent me info this week. There is a website that lists all the coupons offered in my area. I select the coupons I want, and pay 10% of the worth of the coupon. So, a .40 off coupon costs .04. The good part is I only pay for coupons I will actually use. I can do this until I have used $2000 worth of coupons! I think that's a pretty good rate of return, and I don't have to purchase multiple copies of the Sunday paper, or spend a lot of time cutting out coupons. With this plan I have to think far in advance to ensure I have the right coupons for when the items are needed. It will either help or complicate, or both, the menu planning process.
Speaking of menus, it has come home to me that I need to plan for a bit of junk food in this menu. Lets face it, sometimes potato chips or chocolate are just an absolute necessity to sanity. Not all the time, but sometimes. So I am reviewing the menu and the budget to see where we need to adjust. The goal here is to spend money wisely, provide nutritional meals, and not bore us to tears if possible. It may take a while to get all the wrinkles ironed out.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Life Laughs at My Plans
It is said God laughs when men make plans. If that is the case, I expect He has really enjoyed the last 48 hours.
I am not certain exactly where we went off course. Maybe it was the realization that the money spent by any member of the family on food was part of the budget and had to be documented? Or perhaps it was the unexpected job interview that kept me so focused on being prepared I failed to fill the crock pot with breakfast casserole. That one snowballed into everyone spending money on breakfast food, gas we hadn't planned for, and driving close to 3 hours round trip. I wanted to buy fast food and come home and nap, but I didnt. I came home and made a burger (with hamburger that I am sure was supposed to be in some other meal.) . I didn't rebound well from that change in schedule, and then we had to get to the candlelight vigil in Lexington at our congressman's office in support of his No vote on the Health Care bill. That required picking up the daughter, driving to pick up the Hubby, and then eating in the car at Sonic because that was the only way to get everyone in place on time. Hubby just let me know hes not feeling well, so church is probably not happening this evening. Fortunately I haven't cooked for 2 days so I can steal a meal not prepared for tonight.
So, nothing has happened per menu for 3 days. In fact, I am not sure if I still have all the receipts. I suspect we have spent a good $75, on either junk or meals out, just dealing with this week. Its only half over too!
Still, I am determined to get back on track. Tonight, I will make bread and I will fix the breakfast casserole. The dishwasher is running, and dinner will be thawing just as soon as I figure out what its going to be. (I don't keep the menu in my head, its on here. I have to go look and see what was on the list LOL)
There will be times like this again. Hopefully I can get better organized as time goes by and these situations will not throw such a monkey wrench into my plans.
I am not certain exactly where we went off course. Maybe it was the realization that the money spent by any member of the family on food was part of the budget and had to be documented? Or perhaps it was the unexpected job interview that kept me so focused on being prepared I failed to fill the crock pot with breakfast casserole. That one snowballed into everyone spending money on breakfast food, gas we hadn't planned for, and driving close to 3 hours round trip. I wanted to buy fast food and come home and nap, but I didnt. I came home and made a burger (with hamburger that I am sure was supposed to be in some other meal.) . I didn't rebound well from that change in schedule, and then we had to get to the candlelight vigil in Lexington at our congressman's office in support of his No vote on the Health Care bill. That required picking up the daughter, driving to pick up the Hubby, and then eating in the car at Sonic because that was the only way to get everyone in place on time. Hubby just let me know hes not feeling well, so church is probably not happening this evening. Fortunately I haven't cooked for 2 days so I can steal a meal not prepared for tonight.
So, nothing has happened per menu for 3 days. In fact, I am not sure if I still have all the receipts. I suspect we have spent a good $75, on either junk or meals out, just dealing with this week. Its only half over too!
Still, I am determined to get back on track. Tonight, I will make bread and I will fix the breakfast casserole. The dishwasher is running, and dinner will be thawing just as soon as I figure out what its going to be. (I don't keep the menu in my head, its on here. I have to go look and see what was on the list LOL)
There will be times like this again. Hopefully I can get better organized as time goes by and these situations will not throw such a monkey wrench into my plans.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
SEC Champs and Menu Mar 15th - 27th
The University of Mississippi gave us a heck of a ballgame, but the University of Kentucky won the SEC tournament by one point in overtime! There were many many mistakes on our part, but we hung in there and hit a couple of crucial shots that saved the day. Those young men will be exhausted and have a week to recuperate before the NCAA starts. I hope during that time they will figure out how to consistently pick up rebounds, because that and the need to put the ball into the basket rather than toss it gently up and over will help them considerably in the next couple weeks.
Its been a gray and lazy day. We went to church. Hubby chanted the Psalms today, and did a bang up job, if I do say so myself (everyone else said so too!). Afterward we came home so I could make pizza. Once it was done and everyone had changed out of their Sunday clothes we drove over to Mom's house. Happy surprise, my cousin and her 3 boys were visiting this side of the state and were able to join us. A little later my sister in law and niece showed up too. My brother didn't make it till the game was just over, but it was good to have so many of us in the same place.
We dropped the daughter off at home, picked up the grocery list, and headed out for the store. It is now confession time. First, I knew the hubby was still hungry and took him with me anyway. This means we bought a few things I would probably not have purchased, and that contributed to exceeding the budget. However, I do not blame him. This menu planning and budgeting is new to us both, and I pretty much have a soft spot for him. If he asks for something I feel like I need to figure out how to work it in. He doesn't ask for much, and he's the one bringing home the money. Second, I didn't write out the menu first, building on what is already in the house, and that is how I mean to do this going forward. So this 2 weeks I will be working backwards. Third, I want to use more coupons. I have a few that I forgot to bring to the store, but I have a coupon keeper now, so I can keep them all together. I love coupons :) Finally, we did go over budget. By how much we will see once I list everything and add it all up. But I already know we went over.
I may find this $200 limit is too small. With 60 gone for AF, is that going to provide enough that $30 a week is all we need to supplement? I am doubtful, especially since gas went up about 35 cents a gallon this week. It doesn't take long for the food to start reflecting the higher transportation costs.
So, first store: Save A Lot
18 eggs $2.38
73% lean ground beef (almost 3 lbs) $5.66
Ajax dish detergent $ . 99
Bananas (1.70 lbs) $ .57
Flour tortillas $ . 99
Banquet Chicken PotPies (4@ .59) $2.36
40 oz frozen Chicken Tenders $4.99
Cr of Mushroom soup (2) $1.18
Cr of Chicken soup (2) $1.18
Cucumber (1) $ .89
3 lbs Golden Delicious Apples $1.50
Lettuce (1) $1.19
Light Ranch Salad Dressing $1.29
Light Mayo (32 oz) $1.99
8 oz Fresh Mushrooms $1.50
Peanut Butter (18 oz) $1.49
Frozen Shoestring Potatoes $ .50
Vegetable Shortening $2.99
Yeast (2 @ 1.19 each) $2.38
Tomato soup (1) $ .49
Vegetable soup (1) $ .59
Chicken and Rice Soup (1) $ .59
Mixed Indiv. Chips (12 bags) $3.29
---------------------------------------------
$40.98
We also bought a package of toilet paper to donate to the Episcopal mission house: $3.79. We decided this would not come out of our food budget.
Second store: Kroger
Cabbage (1) $ .94
Cottonelle TP $7.67
Bread Flour $2.69
Starkist Tuna $ .55 (coupon was for up to 2.00 off)
Kroger sliced cheese $1.50
Country gravy mix (2) $1.34
Kroger Instant Potatoes $1.85
Chef Boyardee Double Ch.Pizza $3.69
Kroger Baking Mix $2.28
1% Milk, gallon $2.19
Grands biscuits (2) $2.00
Kroger hamburger buns $1.19
Big K diet cherry cola (2) $1.58
-------------------------------------------
$31.52
Grand total: $72.50
So the goal was to stay under $60.00, which we did not do. On the other hand, a trip to one store is usually about twice what we spent, and so we did very well. There will not be another big trip to the store until the first of the month. We will buy more milk I am sure, and possibly eggs but that should be all.
Now I have to "make a plan", as we are fond of saying at our house. :)
Menu for March 15 - 20th
Monday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: for school- leftover pizza and salad, for home- lunch meat sandwiches, individual chips
Dinner: Spaghetti (pasta, sauce, 1/2 lb browned ground beef) broccoli, toast
To do: prep crock pot for breakfast casserole before bed, cook on low overnight; bake Lasagna and portion for lunches, bake bread
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Breakfast casserole (eggs, hash browns, leftover bread/cubed, sausage, green onion)
Lunch: for school/work lasagna and salad, home-tuna salad sandwich
Dinner: Chicken casserole (2 chicken breast tenders, cooked and shredded, 2c cooked rice, 1c frozen veggies, 1 can cream of chicken soup), put all in crock pot to heat, on low 3 hours.
To do: bake mini cupcakes
Wednesday:
Breakfast: Breakfast casserole
Lunch: for school/work lasagna and salad, cupcakes; home-tuna salad ( tuna, hard boiled egg, pickle, mayo) sandwich and salad
Dinner: Church *
Thursday:
Breakfast: Breakfast casserole
Lunch: left over chicken casserole, carrots and celery with ranch dressing for dip, mini cupcakes; home: frozen individual chicken pot pie
Dinner: Asian fried rice, cole-slaw
To do: Make Pasta salad for lunches
Friday:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs and grits
Lunch: Pasta salad (pasta, veggies, Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese)
Dinner: Hamburgers, buns, oven fries, green beans
Saturday:
Breakfast: biscuits and gravy
Lunch: Homemade chicken soup and biscuits
Dinner: BBQ ribs (AF), poor mans rolls, steamed cauliflower, pineapple rings with cottage cheese
To do: bake bread
Sunday:
Breakfast: cheese tortillas
Lunch: sandwiches
Dinner: rib eye steaks (AF), baked potatoes, corn and peas
Menu for March 21- 27th
Monday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: lunch meat sandwiches, individual size chips, carrots/celery
Dinner: BBQ meatloaf muffins, saffron rice, steamed broccoli
To do: bake pumpkin muffins for breakfasts. Bag carrots and celery.
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Pumpkin muffins and OJ
Lunch: Left over spaghetti, salad
Dinner: Chicken casserole (cook 3 chicken breast tenders, save one and broth for tomorrow, cooked and shredded, 2c cooked rice, 1c frozen veggies, 1 can cream of chicken soup)
To do: bake chocolate chip cookies
Wednesday:
Breakfast: cheesy tortillas
Lunch: left over chicken casserole carrots/celery, choc chip cookies OR lunchmeat and cheese sandwich, chips, carrots/celery, choc chip cookies; chicken soup (1 chicken tender, chopped finely, broth, cabbage, leftover veggies, barley)
Dinner: Church*
Thursday:
Breakfast: Pumpkin muffins
Lunch: left over chicken casserole, carrots and celery with ranch dressing for dip; chicken pot pie at home, cookies
Dinner: glazed salmon bake, Parmesan noodles, mixed veggies
To do: bake bread, cook pasta for tomorrow's lunch
Friday:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs and grits
Lunch: Pasta salad (pasta, veggies, Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese), choc chip cookies
Dinner: Chef Boy-ar-dee pizza with mushrooms, turkey pepperoni, sausage
Saturday:
Breakfast: quiche (eggs, cheese, gr onion, bacon, pie shell), pineapple
Lunch: Sloppy Joes, buns, salad
Dinner: BBQ pork (baked and shredded) (AF); potato salad,
Sunday (28th):
Breakfast: biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs
Lunch/Dinner: We will probably eat lunch on the go as we will be celebrating my Father in Laws birthday.
* Every Wednesday our church has a meal. In warmer weather we grill, and everyone brings side dishes to share. Once a month a group of local teens come and cook dinner as part of an outreach project we do to help prepare them with life skills. During Lent we have a soup and salad meal after church and prior to the Lenten study.
As for snacks we have popcorn, bananas, apples, some vanilla protein powder we add to smoothies (made with powdered milk, ice, and fruit).
So there you go. Two weeks of menu planning. As we go through the week I will post recipes.
Its been a gray and lazy day. We went to church. Hubby chanted the Psalms today, and did a bang up job, if I do say so myself (everyone else said so too!). Afterward we came home so I could make pizza. Once it was done and everyone had changed out of their Sunday clothes we drove over to Mom's house. Happy surprise, my cousin and her 3 boys were visiting this side of the state and were able to join us. A little later my sister in law and niece showed up too. My brother didn't make it till the game was just over, but it was good to have so many of us in the same place.
We dropped the daughter off at home, picked up the grocery list, and headed out for the store. It is now confession time. First, I knew the hubby was still hungry and took him with me anyway. This means we bought a few things I would probably not have purchased, and that contributed to exceeding the budget. However, I do not blame him. This menu planning and budgeting is new to us both, and I pretty much have a soft spot for him. If he asks for something I feel like I need to figure out how to work it in. He doesn't ask for much, and he's the one bringing home the money. Second, I didn't write out the menu first, building on what is already in the house, and that is how I mean to do this going forward. So this 2 weeks I will be working backwards. Third, I want to use more coupons. I have a few that I forgot to bring to the store, but I have a coupon keeper now, so I can keep them all together. I love coupons :) Finally, we did go over budget. By how much we will see once I list everything and add it all up. But I already know we went over.
I may find this $200 limit is too small. With 60 gone for AF, is that going to provide enough that $30 a week is all we need to supplement? I am doubtful, especially since gas went up about 35 cents a gallon this week. It doesn't take long for the food to start reflecting the higher transportation costs.
So, first store: Save A Lot
18 eggs $2.38
73% lean ground beef (almost 3 lbs) $5.66
Ajax dish detergent $ . 99
Bananas (1.70 lbs) $ .57
Flour tortillas $ . 99
Banquet Chicken PotPies (4@ .59) $2.36
40 oz frozen Chicken Tenders $4.99
Cr of Mushroom soup (2) $1.18
Cr of Chicken soup (2) $1.18
Cucumber (1) $ .89
3 lbs Golden Delicious Apples $1.50
Lettuce (1) $1.19
Light Ranch Salad Dressing $1.29
Light Mayo (32 oz) $1.99
8 oz Fresh Mushrooms $1.50
Peanut Butter (18 oz) $1.49
Frozen Shoestring Potatoes $ .50
Vegetable Shortening $2.99
Yeast (2 @ 1.19 each) $2.38
Tomato soup (1) $ .49
Vegetable soup (1) $ .59
Chicken and Rice Soup (1) $ .59
Mixed Indiv. Chips (12 bags) $3.29
---------------------------------------------
$40.98
We also bought a package of toilet paper to donate to the Episcopal mission house: $3.79. We decided this would not come out of our food budget.
Second store: Kroger
Cabbage (1) $ .94
Cottonelle TP $7.67
Bread Flour $2.69
Starkist Tuna $ .55 (coupon was for up to 2.00 off)
Kroger sliced cheese $1.50
Country gravy mix (2) $1.34
Kroger Instant Potatoes $1.85
Chef Boyardee Double Ch.Pizza $3.69
Kroger Baking Mix $2.28
1% Milk, gallon $2.19
Grands biscuits (2) $2.00
Kroger hamburger buns $1.19
Big K diet cherry cola (2) $1.58
-------------------------------------------
$31.52
Grand total: $72.50
So the goal was to stay under $60.00, which we did not do. On the other hand, a trip to one store is usually about twice what we spent, and so we did very well. There will not be another big trip to the store until the first of the month. We will buy more milk I am sure, and possibly eggs but that should be all.
Now I have to "make a plan", as we are fond of saying at our house. :)
Menu for March 15 - 20th
Monday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: for school- leftover pizza and salad, for home- lunch meat sandwiches, individual chips
Dinner: Spaghetti (pasta, sauce, 1/2 lb browned ground beef) broccoli, toast
To do: prep crock pot for breakfast casserole before bed, cook on low overnight; bake Lasagna and portion for lunches, bake bread
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Breakfast casserole (eggs, hash browns, leftover bread/cubed, sausage, green onion)
Lunch: for school/work lasagna and salad, home-tuna salad sandwich
Dinner: Chicken casserole (2 chicken breast tenders, cooked and shredded, 2c cooked rice, 1c frozen veggies, 1 can cream of chicken soup), put all in crock pot to heat, on low 3 hours.
To do: bake mini cupcakes
Wednesday:
Breakfast: Breakfast casserole
Lunch: for school/work lasagna and salad, cupcakes; home-tuna salad ( tuna, hard boiled egg, pickle, mayo) sandwich and salad
Dinner: Church *
Thursday:
Breakfast: Breakfast casserole
Lunch: left over chicken casserole, carrots and celery with ranch dressing for dip, mini cupcakes; home: frozen individual chicken pot pie
Dinner: Asian fried rice, cole-slaw
To do: Make Pasta salad for lunches
Friday:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs and grits
Lunch: Pasta salad (pasta, veggies, Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese)
Dinner: Hamburgers, buns, oven fries, green beans
Saturday:
Breakfast: biscuits and gravy
Lunch: Homemade chicken soup and biscuits
Dinner: BBQ ribs (AF), poor mans rolls, steamed cauliflower, pineapple rings with cottage cheese
To do: bake bread
Sunday:
Breakfast: cheese tortillas
Lunch: sandwiches
Dinner: rib eye steaks (AF), baked potatoes, corn and peas
Menu for March 21- 27th
Monday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: lunch meat sandwiches, individual size chips, carrots/celery
Dinner: BBQ meatloaf muffins, saffron rice, steamed broccoli
To do: bake pumpkin muffins for breakfasts. Bag carrots and celery.
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Pumpkin muffins and OJ
Lunch: Left over spaghetti, salad
Dinner: Chicken casserole (cook 3 chicken breast tenders, save one and broth for tomorrow, cooked and shredded, 2c cooked rice, 1c frozen veggies, 1 can cream of chicken soup)
To do: bake chocolate chip cookies
Wednesday:
Breakfast: cheesy tortillas
Lunch: left over chicken casserole carrots/celery, choc chip cookies OR lunchmeat and cheese sandwich, chips, carrots/celery, choc chip cookies; chicken soup (1 chicken tender, chopped finely, broth, cabbage, leftover veggies, barley)
Dinner: Church*
Thursday:
Breakfast: Pumpkin muffins
Lunch: left over chicken casserole, carrots and celery with ranch dressing for dip; chicken pot pie at home, cookies
Dinner: glazed salmon bake, Parmesan noodles, mixed veggies
To do: bake bread, cook pasta for tomorrow's lunch
Friday:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs and grits
Lunch: Pasta salad (pasta, veggies, Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese), choc chip cookies
Dinner: Chef Boy-ar-dee pizza with mushrooms, turkey pepperoni, sausage
Saturday:
Breakfast: quiche (eggs, cheese, gr onion, bacon, pie shell), pineapple
Lunch: Sloppy Joes, buns, salad
Dinner: BBQ pork (baked and shredded) (AF); potato salad,
Sunday (28th):
Breakfast: biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs
Lunch/Dinner: We will probably eat lunch on the go as we will be celebrating my Father in Laws birthday.
* Every Wednesday our church has a meal. In warmer weather we grill, and everyone brings side dishes to share. Once a month a group of local teens come and cook dinner as part of an outreach project we do to help prepare them with life skills. During Lent we have a soup and salad meal after church and prior to the Lenten study.
As for snacks we have popcorn, bananas, apples, some vanilla protein powder we add to smoothies (made with powdered milk, ice, and fruit).
So there you go. Two weeks of menu planning. As we go through the week I will post recipes.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Saturday
Today was the semi finals for mens basketball in the SEC. Anyone who lives in Kentucky knows there are no more passionate fans that the Big Blue Nation. While I try to be gracious regardless I just have to say, the University of Tennessee is rivaled as THE team to beat only by the University of Louisville. Out of state vs in-state :) UT put up a good fight so it was a good game. One more game for the SEC title. Both teams will be tired from playing 3 games in 3 days. And as always, the best thing about NCAA men's basketball is any team, any night, any floor can win.
We didnt get up early enough to fix breakfast so our main meal at home was lunch: tricolored rotini pasta, mixed veggies, and crumbled bacon mixed with light ranch dressing. It was yummy.
Supper is going to be chicken alfredo (Banquet brand, everything in a box, for $3) and some kind of vegetable.
I also went to Walmart and picked up the following:
Homestyle Chicken Alfredo $3
Chef Boyardee Double cheese Pizza box $2.98
Turkey Pepperoni $3.14
1 can Good Value Mushrooms $.58
2 Sams Club Zero Cola @ $.78 each = 1.56
1 two liter Diet Dr Pepper $1.50
1 two liter A & W Rootbeer $1.00
Total spent: 13.76
Yes, we drink too much soda pop. Most households drink coffee, a fairly economical source of caffiene. We do not. We do drink a lot of iced tea (it's a southern thing), Crystal Light type drinks, and water. Still, we buy generic, to cut the cost, and as long as there is money for it, I will not feel guilty about it. Everyone should have their one luxury.
With the ball game going on, a visit from the married daughter and her spouse, and an unplanned but much needed nap, there was no bread baking today. I will do that tomorrow after the ball game, along with the cupcake baking.
Mom is throwing a ball game party complete with pizza for lunch. I have some weird digestive issue that prevents me from eating any kind of commercial pizza, so I will be making mine after church and bringing it along. This is a relatively new thing and I am relieved that Chef Boyardee pizza doesnt make me have stomach pains.
I will do some grocery shopping tomorrow afternoon also. The AF order has to go in also, but that cost will go on the April food bill, even though it gets spent now. We dont get the food until then so I will always start my month out with less than $200 to spend. I dont mind, because the AF is such a good deal. Tomorrow will also be the big menu setting day (prior to the grocery run) and the big "clean out the fridge" day. Busy busy, but necessary for staying on track with this frugal food plan.
We didnt get up early enough to fix breakfast so our main meal at home was lunch: tricolored rotini pasta, mixed veggies, and crumbled bacon mixed with light ranch dressing. It was yummy.
Supper is going to be chicken alfredo (Banquet brand, everything in a box, for $3) and some kind of vegetable.
I also went to Walmart and picked up the following:
Homestyle Chicken Alfredo $3
Chef Boyardee Double cheese Pizza box $2.98
Turkey Pepperoni $3.14
1 can Good Value Mushrooms $.58
2 Sams Club Zero Cola @ $.78 each = 1.56
1 two liter Diet Dr Pepper $1.50
1 two liter A & W Rootbeer $1.00
Total spent: 13.76
Yes, we drink too much soda pop. Most households drink coffee, a fairly economical source of caffiene. We do not. We do drink a lot of iced tea (it's a southern thing), Crystal Light type drinks, and water. Still, we buy generic, to cut the cost, and as long as there is money for it, I will not feel guilty about it. Everyone should have their one luxury.
With the ball game going on, a visit from the married daughter and her spouse, and an unplanned but much needed nap, there was no bread baking today. I will do that tomorrow after the ball game, along with the cupcake baking.
Mom is throwing a ball game party complete with pizza for lunch. I have some weird digestive issue that prevents me from eating any kind of commercial pizza, so I will be making mine after church and bringing it along. This is a relatively new thing and I am relieved that Chef Boyardee pizza doesnt make me have stomach pains.
I will do some grocery shopping tomorrow afternoon also. The AF order has to go in also, but that cost will go on the April food bill, even though it gets spent now. We dont get the food until then so I will always start my month out with less than $200 to spend. I dont mind, because the AF is such a good deal. Tomorrow will also be the big menu setting day (prior to the grocery run) and the big "clean out the fridge" day. Busy busy, but necessary for staying on track with this frugal food plan.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Planning our Garden
Well the menu worked well for the most part. I forgot to make pudding before hitting the bed, so there was no dessert for lunchboxes. Everyone survived, so I am not feeling terribly guilty :) I also realized this was the first round of the SEC. I went to visit my Mom and watch the University of Kentucky beat Old Miss (go CATS!) and completely skipped lunch. So no salad for me today. Tomorrow we play the University of Tennessee and I may pace the floors instead of eat again!
My cousin and I are planning a garden this year. Our family owns a farm where not much farming is actually going on at the moment. We figured this would be a good plan, to put the ground to use and save some bucks at the store. It worked well last year. Though the tomatoes were pretty much a bust (too much rain caused them to rot on the vine) the blue lake green beans are just perfect and we had some great potatoes. The corn didnt do enough to put up, just to eat occasionally. I learned that when you raise cucumbers and yellow squash you better put them where you can check on them daily or they get way out of control! Those will be planted at home instead of the farm this time, in my Square Foot Garden. I love this way of gardening. I know exactly what is in the soil, and I have almost zero weeds. I have a plot that is 4' by 8' so I can do quite a bit here at home. I also have 3 large pots that I can use for container gardens. Last year I raised chives and basil. This year I want more herbs and maybe a few flowers. Anyway, I believe the corn, green beans, melons, potatoes, beets and onions will be out at the farm. At home I want cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, butternut squash, watermelon, herbs (parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary), chives, maybe some lettuce and celery, cauliflower if I can get it to grow. Didn't work out well last year but I am an optomist.
Now the truth is, last year when weeding the garden I swore I would not do it again. When harvesting I was thrilled and couldn't wait to plan for this year. Then when I was trying to can tomatoes, shew! the smell was horrible all through the house and I was back to never doing this again! But, I have to say, I like my green beans in jars better than frozen, my corn frozen rather than jarred, and I found a mix for chili base that is out of this world! So, I will raise tomatoes for chili mix and sandwiches for the family (none for me, thanks!). I also will visit the farmers market for a few things that I want but not so much to put up--like zuchinni and peppers, and for fruit, which I can't raise here. It is also time to make dill pickle "stackers" again. Since rarely anyone but me eats pickles I only have to do them every 2 years. It takes me that long to go through 8 quarts of pickles. This year I made bread and butter pickles also. I tried relish but it didnt work out all that well.
I did dry mushrooms and apple slices and the chives in my cousins dehydrator. It will have to go back to her house soon though. She has a pressure cooker, but I haven't made that investment yet. Maybe later this year. I would feel better about doing canning with one to ensure that everything detrimental is dead :)
The menu for Saturday is in flux. I had planned to have chicken at lunch but the bag we thawed only had 4 pieces, not 5 like the last bag (packaged by weight I suppose). That means we don't have chicken for tomorrow night. Alas, our mashed potatoes were instant, and there is very little I like less than warmed up instant taters, so the extra serving got tossed. But the left over green beans will be great in my chef salad tomorrow. So... new plan for Saturday. :)
Breakfast: Might do French toast. Haven't done that in a while and it would use up the bread that is not working out so well for sandwiches, eggs (AF)
Lunch: chef salads for the daughter and I,
Dinner: glazed salmon, rice (AF), mixed veggies
It will be a bread baking day, so I will look up a new recipe to try. Also a dessert baking day, so I will bake something TBD. I have several reduced sugar cake mixes and some brownie mix I think. I also have a bunch of recipes my mother had saved for years and passed on to my daughter (the aspiring chef). I will spend some time looking through those too. The married daughter and SIL will be by for a bit in the morning, and there is plenty of laundry to do while the ballgames are on. UK vs UT at 1 pm EST on CBS... should be a full day even if we get more rain.
My cousin and I are planning a garden this year. Our family owns a farm where not much farming is actually going on at the moment. We figured this would be a good plan, to put the ground to use and save some bucks at the store. It worked well last year. Though the tomatoes were pretty much a bust (too much rain caused them to rot on the vine) the blue lake green beans are just perfect and we had some great potatoes. The corn didnt do enough to put up, just to eat occasionally. I learned that when you raise cucumbers and yellow squash you better put them where you can check on them daily or they get way out of control! Those will be planted at home instead of the farm this time, in my Square Foot Garden. I love this way of gardening. I know exactly what is in the soil, and I have almost zero weeds. I have a plot that is 4' by 8' so I can do quite a bit here at home. I also have 3 large pots that I can use for container gardens. Last year I raised chives and basil. This year I want more herbs and maybe a few flowers. Anyway, I believe the corn, green beans, melons, potatoes, beets and onions will be out at the farm. At home I want cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, butternut squash, watermelon, herbs (parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary), chives, maybe some lettuce and celery, cauliflower if I can get it to grow. Didn't work out well last year but I am an optomist.
Now the truth is, last year when weeding the garden I swore I would not do it again. When harvesting I was thrilled and couldn't wait to plan for this year. Then when I was trying to can tomatoes, shew! the smell was horrible all through the house and I was back to never doing this again! But, I have to say, I like my green beans in jars better than frozen, my corn frozen rather than jarred, and I found a mix for chili base that is out of this world! So, I will raise tomatoes for chili mix and sandwiches for the family (none for me, thanks!). I also will visit the farmers market for a few things that I want but not so much to put up--like zuchinni and peppers, and for fruit, which I can't raise here. It is also time to make dill pickle "stackers" again. Since rarely anyone but me eats pickles I only have to do them every 2 years. It takes me that long to go through 8 quarts of pickles. This year I made bread and butter pickles also. I tried relish but it didnt work out all that well.
I did dry mushrooms and apple slices and the chives in my cousins dehydrator. It will have to go back to her house soon though. She has a pressure cooker, but I haven't made that investment yet. Maybe later this year. I would feel better about doing canning with one to ensure that everything detrimental is dead :)
The menu for Saturday is in flux. I had planned to have chicken at lunch but the bag we thawed only had 4 pieces, not 5 like the last bag (packaged by weight I suppose). That means we don't have chicken for tomorrow night. Alas, our mashed potatoes were instant, and there is very little I like less than warmed up instant taters, so the extra serving got tossed. But the left over green beans will be great in my chef salad tomorrow. So... new plan for Saturday. :)
Breakfast: Might do French toast. Haven't done that in a while and it would use up the bread that is not working out so well for sandwiches, eggs (AF)
Lunch: chef salads for the daughter and I,
Dinner: glazed salmon, rice (AF), mixed veggies
It will be a bread baking day, so I will look up a new recipe to try. Also a dessert baking day, so I will bake something TBD. I have several reduced sugar cake mixes and some brownie mix I think. I also have a bunch of recipes my mother had saved for years and passed on to my daughter (the aspiring chef). I will spend some time looking through those too. The married daughter and SIL will be by for a bit in the morning, and there is plenty of laundry to do while the ballgames are on. UK vs UT at 1 pm EST on CBS... should be a full day even if we get more rain.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Ye Old Menu Planning Sheet
I suppose I really should have started this blog at the beginning of a month, rather than in the middle. Something about "day one" and starting fresh, ya know? The month of March is about using up what we have. Its a smart thing to do, though it is hard on me to fix and eat what is available rather than what I am hungry for!
I found a great menu planning sheet online. I am not organized enough yet to have a Household Notebook, but if you think that's the way to go for your house, check out the other printable pages available here: Organized Home. There are many sites that offer free printables. I recommend doing a search and checking them out. For the cost of the paper and ink I did a great Household Tips and Tricks bridal gift for my daughter.
I like the menu planning page with the shopping list, because I can keep everything in one place. Also it is handy for reminders (i.e. fix 2 extra for tomorrow night or to start something in the crock pot with enough time for it to cook BEFORE its time to eat it, LOL). One caution though: Unless you are organized to a fault, don't write in ink on your menu! I cant tell you how many times I have had to remove items, swap meals, change the plan, etc.
One of the good things about writing all of the meals out is that I am very aware of how much less food we actually NEED to purchase. Man we ate a LOT before and frequently threw away left overs. Now I see that I was overdoing it with all the extras (chips, and various other junk).
I do occasionally mourn the loss of the quickie meal. The one where you don't really have to plan ahead to get a decent meal together. Or one that zaps up quickly in the microwave. Because actually cooking the dinner is cheaper than buying it and reheating I am doing a lot more cooking. Some time I am going to do a cost analysis on the all in one box meals. I mean, $3 for a box that has everything you need for chicken fried rice, pizza bake, or chicken and dumplings just doesn't sound all that extravagant to me.
Back to the planning sheet... I try to tie in one dessert bake and one lunch menu bake a week. For example, in my Angelfood box this month I got a frozen lasagna. Personally I have come to realize I just don't like tomato sauce all that well, but my daughter and husband are fine with it. So, on Sunday night I baked up the tray of lasagna, let it cool and divided it up into containers for their lunches. It worked out so well that when I did my grocery shopping I checked out a different flavor and brought it home for this week. Because I purchased 2 regular AF boxes they will have lasagna again next week. With some salad and a little dessert thats a nice lunch.
This week I made dessert bars (chocolate cake mix, caramels, and oatmeal). They were pretty good, with a nod to healthy by including 2 cups of oatmeal, and they worked well in lunches. Unfortunately I didnt plan well for after school snacks, and as a result they are gone but the week is not quite finished! I guess the dessert for tomorrow will be sugar free pudding. I will make it tonight so it has a chance to set up and be cold in the lunch boxes.
I also am using my bread machine. Currently I am on a quest to find the perfect sandwich bread recipe. So far I have tried one white bread and one potato bread. Both were perfectly fine bread, but neither are quite what I have in mind. When I find my favorite I will post it.
I have been in my cook books, and sites online looking for innovative things to do with ordinary ingredients. Most of them work out well, some not so much. I tried the breakfast ice cream on The Sneaky Chef. I think it didnt work for me because I have a blender and it calls for a food processor. This site has some wonderful ways to get veggies into your family without them knowing about it. I have only seen the commercials and checked out the site, so I can't speak to the taste, but I love the idea. We don't have a lot of picky eaters here so I don't have to sneak nutrition in usually. Still, the results of the breakfast ice cream were put into the freezer and were eaten the next day by my daughter. She said it would be nice if the bananas were better broken up (thus the need for the food processor) but it was pretty tasty.
Starting on Monday I will put the menu up for the week. I will also be shopping on Monday night, and as it is the 15th of the month, I will start listing the items and their cost. Who knows what was spent before, but for the rest of the month the goal is at or less than $100. I think we can do it easily since there are still plenty of things here in the cabinets.
Todays dinner menu: ribeye steaks (AF), roasted potatoes (AF), and a bag of California mixed vegetables.
Breakfast for tomorrow: cheese tortillas (shredded cheese melted on tortillas in the microwave)
Lunch to go: ham or turkey sandwiches, individual bags of chips, and pudding
Lunch at home: chef salad and Italian dressing
Dinner: oven fried chicken breasts (AF), green beans (from last years garden) and mashed potatoes (AF)
I found a great menu planning sheet online. I am not organized enough yet to have a Household Notebook, but if you think that's the way to go for your house, check out the other printable pages available here: Organized Home. There are many sites that offer free printables. I recommend doing a search and checking them out. For the cost of the paper and ink I did a great Household Tips and Tricks bridal gift for my daughter.
I like the menu planning page with the shopping list, because I can keep everything in one place. Also it is handy for reminders (i.e. fix 2 extra for tomorrow night or to start something in the crock pot with enough time for it to cook BEFORE its time to eat it, LOL). One caution though: Unless you are organized to a fault, don't write in ink on your menu! I cant tell you how many times I have had to remove items, swap meals, change the plan, etc.
One of the good things about writing all of the meals out is that I am very aware of how much less food we actually NEED to purchase. Man we ate a LOT before and frequently threw away left overs. Now I see that I was overdoing it with all the extras (chips, and various other junk).
I do occasionally mourn the loss of the quickie meal. The one where you don't really have to plan ahead to get a decent meal together. Or one that zaps up quickly in the microwave. Because actually cooking the dinner is cheaper than buying it and reheating I am doing a lot more cooking. Some time I am going to do a cost analysis on the all in one box meals. I mean, $3 for a box that has everything you need for chicken fried rice, pizza bake, or chicken and dumplings just doesn't sound all that extravagant to me.
Back to the planning sheet... I try to tie in one dessert bake and one lunch menu bake a week. For example, in my Angelfood box this month I got a frozen lasagna. Personally I have come to realize I just don't like tomato sauce all that well, but my daughter and husband are fine with it. So, on Sunday night I baked up the tray of lasagna, let it cool and divided it up into containers for their lunches. It worked out so well that when I did my grocery shopping I checked out a different flavor and brought it home for this week. Because I purchased 2 regular AF boxes they will have lasagna again next week. With some salad and a little dessert thats a nice lunch.
This week I made dessert bars (chocolate cake mix, caramels, and oatmeal). They were pretty good, with a nod to healthy by including 2 cups of oatmeal, and they worked well in lunches. Unfortunately I didnt plan well for after school snacks, and as a result they are gone but the week is not quite finished! I guess the dessert for tomorrow will be sugar free pudding. I will make it tonight so it has a chance to set up and be cold in the lunch boxes.
I also am using my bread machine. Currently I am on a quest to find the perfect sandwich bread recipe. So far I have tried one white bread and one potato bread. Both were perfectly fine bread, but neither are quite what I have in mind. When I find my favorite I will post it.
I have been in my cook books, and sites online looking for innovative things to do with ordinary ingredients. Most of them work out well, some not so much. I tried the breakfast ice cream on The Sneaky Chef. I think it didnt work for me because I have a blender and it calls for a food processor. This site has some wonderful ways to get veggies into your family without them knowing about it. I have only seen the commercials and checked out the site, so I can't speak to the taste, but I love the idea. We don't have a lot of picky eaters here so I don't have to sneak nutrition in usually. Still, the results of the breakfast ice cream were put into the freezer and were eaten the next day by my daughter. She said it would be nice if the bananas were better broken up (thus the need for the food processor) but it was pretty tasty.
Starting on Monday I will put the menu up for the week. I will also be shopping on Monday night, and as it is the 15th of the month, I will start listing the items and their cost. Who knows what was spent before, but for the rest of the month the goal is at or less than $100. I think we can do it easily since there are still plenty of things here in the cabinets.
Todays dinner menu: ribeye steaks (AF), roasted potatoes (AF), and a bag of California mixed vegetables.
Breakfast for tomorrow: cheese tortillas (shredded cheese melted on tortillas in the microwave)
Lunch to go: ham or turkey sandwiches, individual bags of chips, and pudding
Lunch at home: chef salad and Italian dressing
Dinner: oven fried chicken breasts (AF), green beans (from last years garden) and mashed potatoes (AF)
First Things First
The best thing that has happened to our food budget is Angelfood Ministries (AF). We have been ordering from AF for just over a year now. If you haven't ever heard of this organization you should check it out. This faith-based organization has partnered with the federal government to help ensure families can purchase quality food for reasonable prices. At their site you can search by your zip code to find the closest host site to your location. Every month they have a "regular box" of about 17 different items including meat, fresh/frozen vegetables, pantry staples, and a dessert item. They also have several other "boxes" to choose from, and you can order as many as you like. The regular box is advertised as enough food for a family of 4 for one week. I find it stretches a bit more than that if I am careful.
Here's the trick: You have to plan ahead financially for this program to work. During the first 2 weeks of the month you order and pay for your food. Then near the end of the month you pick up your food at the host site. This means you are paying now for food you will receive later. If you can get into the budgeting habit of freeing up the cash to pay ahead, this is a great program.
I do recommend that you look over the pricing and compare what your local stores are offering to the pricing for each month. I haven't found it yet, but my cousin is able to regularly get 5 lbs of skinless, boneless chicken breast for $6.50. For her, 20 lbs of chicken breast doesn't feel like a great deal at $20. For me its a great deal!
Also, if you have a food item that just has to be a name brand, you will want to purchase it outside of AF. I used to have a thing about spaghetti sauce--had to be Prego with mushrooms. I have since gotten over that and had been buying store brand in a can. So getting a store brand, canned sauce in my regular box was not a big deal (though I do miss the mushrooms).
You will never know for sure what the dessert item will be until pick up day. Its just a little surprise! Sometimes its a pie or a cake, sometimes cookie dough. We have had jello, graham cracker bears, lemonade cake (the seriously yummy stuff you can get at Starbucks), you just never know.
One of the offerings is a fruit and veggie box. This is sometimes very cost effective for our family. Fruit is one of those things that used to never made it on my grocery list. Oh the occasional canned pineapple, sure, but not a lot of fresh fruit. Now we are trying to include it more in our diet and this box helps. Sometimes I learn a totally new skill when I bring home the food, like how to peel a real pineapple, lol. But then again, the aggravation is offset by the fact that I also found out how much I love grilled pineapple rings. I mean, come on, once you have done all that work you cant just plop a scoop of cottage cheese in the middle and call it a side dish! LOL
There are also several boxes which are primarily or completely meat. I don't know about anyone else, but there would never be steak served here if we didn't get it through AF. Usually there is a steak box, and some type of chicken box. Recently they have offered an allergy free chicken box, and a box of frozen convenience meals. If you have the space in your freezer, they make handy lunches for about $2 a meal. Definitely cheaper than the dollar menu at your local drive through, and nutritionally much improved from a burger and fries.
Several people have said to me, "I think Angelfood is a good deal, but I can afford the grocery prices and I don't want to take it away from someone who needs it." Well thats not how this program works. Sure if you want to spend more on food, then that is your prerogative. But you are not taking food from someone who might need it more than you do. The organization obtains the amount of food that is ordered, so no one has to do without because you got a great deal. On the other hand, the organization doesn't have to deal with things that don't sell because they only purchase what is needed to fill the orders.
I have started purchasing 2 regular boxes a month, and supplementing it with grocery runs. Our family needs more than a quart of milk a month, though we often get a quart of shelf stable milk in the regular box. I use it to make soup, or for cooking, but my brother likes it cold and drinks it straight from the box! I also purchase some additional hamburger, lunch meat, sausage and/or bacon, and beef roast when on sale.
As I go through this experiment I am going to list the AF items we get, grocery items we get, and their cost. Then I will have a record, and will be able to see if any progress is being made. I will list the store names, and if any coupons were used too. The menus I create will be added, and updated here also. With any luck I can do this with one trip to the store (saves on gasoline) and part of one evening a week to update the blog. We'll see.
Here's the trick: You have to plan ahead financially for this program to work. During the first 2 weeks of the month you order and pay for your food. Then near the end of the month you pick up your food at the host site. This means you are paying now for food you will receive later. If you can get into the budgeting habit of freeing up the cash to pay ahead, this is a great program.
I do recommend that you look over the pricing and compare what your local stores are offering to the pricing for each month. I haven't found it yet, but my cousin is able to regularly get 5 lbs of skinless, boneless chicken breast for $6.50. For her, 20 lbs of chicken breast doesn't feel like a great deal at $20. For me its a great deal!
Also, if you have a food item that just has to be a name brand, you will want to purchase it outside of AF. I used to have a thing about spaghetti sauce--had to be Prego with mushrooms. I have since gotten over that and had been buying store brand in a can. So getting a store brand, canned sauce in my regular box was not a big deal (though I do miss the mushrooms).
You will never know for sure what the dessert item will be until pick up day. Its just a little surprise! Sometimes its a pie or a cake, sometimes cookie dough. We have had jello, graham cracker bears, lemonade cake (the seriously yummy stuff you can get at Starbucks), you just never know.
One of the offerings is a fruit and veggie box. This is sometimes very cost effective for our family. Fruit is one of those things that used to never made it on my grocery list. Oh the occasional canned pineapple, sure, but not a lot of fresh fruit. Now we are trying to include it more in our diet and this box helps. Sometimes I learn a totally new skill when I bring home the food, like how to peel a real pineapple, lol. But then again, the aggravation is offset by the fact that I also found out how much I love grilled pineapple rings. I mean, come on, once you have done all that work you cant just plop a scoop of cottage cheese in the middle and call it a side dish! LOL
There are also several boxes which are primarily or completely meat. I don't know about anyone else, but there would never be steak served here if we didn't get it through AF. Usually there is a steak box, and some type of chicken box. Recently they have offered an allergy free chicken box, and a box of frozen convenience meals. If you have the space in your freezer, they make handy lunches for about $2 a meal. Definitely cheaper than the dollar menu at your local drive through, and nutritionally much improved from a burger and fries.
Several people have said to me, "I think Angelfood is a good deal, but I can afford the grocery prices and I don't want to take it away from someone who needs it." Well thats not how this program works. Sure if you want to spend more on food, then that is your prerogative. But you are not taking food from someone who might need it more than you do. The organization obtains the amount of food that is ordered, so no one has to do without because you got a great deal. On the other hand, the organization doesn't have to deal with things that don't sell because they only purchase what is needed to fill the orders.
I have started purchasing 2 regular boxes a month, and supplementing it with grocery runs. Our family needs more than a quart of milk a month, though we often get a quart of shelf stable milk in the regular box. I use it to make soup, or for cooking, but my brother likes it cold and drinks it straight from the box! I also purchase some additional hamburger, lunch meat, sausage and/or bacon, and beef roast when on sale.
As I go through this experiment I am going to list the AF items we get, grocery items we get, and their cost. Then I will have a record, and will be able to see if any progress is being made. I will list the store names, and if any coupons were used too. The menus I create will be added, and updated here also. With any luck I can do this with one trip to the store (saves on gasoline) and part of one evening a week to update the blog. We'll see.
Welcome to Making Do
Everyone needs a goal. When I was working and raising kids, my goals pretty much all revolved around those two things. Living in a 2 paycheck family (decent paychecks) we got used to being able to spend without watching every penny. I have to admit, it was nice. For many years when the girls were young we really had very little liquidity. And to be honest, we didn't always use what we had wisely. Through a lot of trial and error, we eventually got to a place where we made better decisions. Movies in the theater were not an unheard of activity. New clothes because we wanted something new, not because we needed something new were not so much a luxury as an ordinary occurrence. Eating out was no longer an special occasion.
Then I got laid off. In the last year the car died, one girl got married (not a cheap event, let me tell ya, and we did much of it ourselves and had help from our families too), and I am still unemployed. Grateful as I am for unemployment insurance, I really want to see us get in the habit of holding on to what we have, rather than pushing the end of the funds every month. While I can't cut the rent, or the cost of gas, I do have control over the menu and the shopping. I want to see that line item on the budget move steadily down without compromising either our nutrition or my need to not eat the same thing all the time.
I don't know that this will be of interest to anyone but me. Still I want to keep all the data in one place, and I think I will stick with this longer if I put it online. There is the added advantage of not having to keep up with paper menus and recipes if they are all in one spot. So this is my purpose. I may stray into adventures in coupon-ing or the trials of johnson grass in the garden occasionally too.
There are 3 of us at home now. I really have no idea how much money we were actually spending before, but it was in the neighborhood of 450 a month, including fast food. I would like to see that cut in half, with less fast food and more preplanning.
And this is the crux of the issue: I am not a planner when it comes to food. I get up and say, "Hmm, I think I feel like having fried chicken tonight". Going to a menu and seeing that its spaghetti night just hasn't worked for me in the past. But now I have to manage in a different way. I am still fixing portable lunches for 2 people 5 days a week. Can't do that with left overs if you don't plan ahead for them, right? Also, we were eating a lot of processed food and pure junk that shouldn't be in our diets anyway. With everything preplanned, I can decide ahead of time and keep the nutrition on track.
So this is my goal--better food, less money, and no one gets bored. Check out my links list for the other sites and bloggers who have inspired me. I have learned a lot from them and maybe you will too. I suppose there should be a time limit on this experiment (I'm thinking of Julie and Julia, cooking for a year) but I think the goal is going to be to continue to reduce and refine from now on. We will see what happens :)
Then I got laid off. In the last year the car died, one girl got married (not a cheap event, let me tell ya, and we did much of it ourselves and had help from our families too), and I am still unemployed. Grateful as I am for unemployment insurance, I really want to see us get in the habit of holding on to what we have, rather than pushing the end of the funds every month. While I can't cut the rent, or the cost of gas, I do have control over the menu and the shopping. I want to see that line item on the budget move steadily down without compromising either our nutrition or my need to not eat the same thing all the time.
I don't know that this will be of interest to anyone but me. Still I want to keep all the data in one place, and I think I will stick with this longer if I put it online. There is the added advantage of not having to keep up with paper menus and recipes if they are all in one spot. So this is my purpose. I may stray into adventures in coupon-ing or the trials of johnson grass in the garden occasionally too.
There are 3 of us at home now. I really have no idea how much money we were actually spending before, but it was in the neighborhood of 450 a month, including fast food. I would like to see that cut in half, with less fast food and more preplanning.
And this is the crux of the issue: I am not a planner when it comes to food. I get up and say, "Hmm, I think I feel like having fried chicken tonight". Going to a menu and seeing that its spaghetti night just hasn't worked for me in the past. But now I have to manage in a different way. I am still fixing portable lunches for 2 people 5 days a week. Can't do that with left overs if you don't plan ahead for them, right? Also, we were eating a lot of processed food and pure junk that shouldn't be in our diets anyway. With everything preplanned, I can decide ahead of time and keep the nutrition on track.
So this is my goal--better food, less money, and no one gets bored. Check out my links list for the other sites and bloggers who have inspired me. I have learned a lot from them and maybe you will too. I suppose there should be a time limit on this experiment (I'm thinking of Julie and Julia, cooking for a year) but I think the goal is going to be to continue to reduce and refine from now on. We will see what happens :)
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