Trying to Stick With a Budget

nkhansen1 said:
Really, I have found that cooking whole foods is just as fast as using packaged items. I am SO busy, but I can have a complete meal on the table in 30-45 minutes at anytime. I think having a well-stocked pantry is key. I have lots of beans already cooked and frozen in 16 oz portions, so all I have to do is grab a bag. I have a rice cooker, so I can put rice in and have it done by the time I've prepared the rest of the meal. It's not more time consuming, truly, or I wouldn't do it! This way of eating is SO simple and so good.

ITA, this is exactly how I feel. It's so much a part of my routine, that it is not a time burden. It's just as easy to make two of something as it is to make one, so I love doubling recipes and keeping the deep freezer stocked w/homemade convenience items....I also always plan our menus at least a week in advance, the planning is so crucial...
 
Tralaiven, I buy my grains in 50 lb bags as well. I work it into the budget every couple months to restock. It's about $60 for 50 lbs of wheat, for example, so I set aside $20 out of each paycheck that goes toward bulk food storage.
 
Thanks for the recipes, Tracy! I knew about using white vinegar in the wash, but never thought of using cheap hair conditioner.



For eating on a budget, it really does help to make things from scratch, buy in bulk (beans, grains, seeds, nuts) from a co-op or similar store (or join a buying club, or even start one: many co-ops actually started out as buying clubs, where groups of people would get together to buy in bulk--50# bags of beans, for example--and split the order to get really good prices. ), limit or eliminate the junk (which is nutrient poor and thus much more costly on a cost-per-nutrient basis), eating plant-based (basing meals on grains/greens/beans).

Buying in-season produce, and adjusting your meals based on what is a good buy can also cut costs.

Growing your own produce as much as possible (and if you have extra, bartering with someone else for other things), joining a CSA, growing your own sprouts (very cost effective), are other ways to reduce costs, and become more self-sufficient, as well as have quality food.
 
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tralaiven said:
Melagras: here is the recipe for Crockpot Tamale pie:

1# grd beef (I use ground turkey)
3/4 c. yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 c. milk
1 egg beaten
1 pkg chili or taco seasoning (I buy the taco seasoning in bulk from Costco, so I used about 1/4 c.)
1 tsp seasoning salt (I didn't use this and it was fine)
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes (I use organic)
1 can corn drained
1 can sliced olives....(I chopped them myself....canned chopped olives are too expensive!!!)
1 c. grated cheese. (I do more because we love cheese)

brown ground beef or turkey.

In crockpot: spray with cooking spray oil (PAM) add cornmeal, milk, egg and rest (except cheese) and stir well.

cook on high for 3-4 hours DO NOT STIR. (Note: it might look weird...but it tastes great!)

about 15 min before serving sprinkle cheese on top.

I serve this with a nice green salad. Also, sour cream and salsa on the side is great!

Just wanted to let you know I tried this and really liked it...like you, I made some changed...added beans, green chiles.

So easy...thanks for sharing!
 
This is all very interesting to me, even though our nest is empty and there are just two of us now- and our pup- with family (with young grandchildren) always visiting. Two questions..

1. What would you think a logical budget $$ would be for a family of two-with occasional drop-ins? Probably consider that to start nothing processed..

2. Those of you who do your menu planning in advance, how do you plan-- on paper, computer, phone??

Tks so much in advance:)
 
I do like to lean (pardon the pun:p) heavily on vegetarian meals. I belong to a co-op that costs me 25$/year to be a member, however the savings are extensive and if I need anything they can get it for me. I get my grass fed beef and my organic coconut oil there. I save about 3$/jar of coconut oil, I go through one small jar per week, thats 12$/month savings (roughly). I also buy and cook my own quinoa (bulk), organic beans, any kind, whatever is on sale, I often get them for less than 1.50$/lb. and of course they plump when cooked;) I also buy dry peas. They are lower in sodium anyway.

I buy organic oatmeal in bulk. Its about 3$/lb. That makes a lot of oats. I do buy organic produce there. I also tend to buy organic dairy, the variation between the lipid profile in a happy cow versus a sad cow (never sees the light of day, eats old hay, not fresh grass, and feed which includes soy, a product used to fatten them.) I just buy less of it. The thing that I splurge on tends to be fresh pineapples. I have a taste for them. I buy them whole and cut them myself, it saves a lot of money, I could buy them cut for the same price as a whole fruit and I get a lot more fruit for the money.

I do spend a certain amount of time in the kitchen. Mostly spent on cutting. Cooking beans is easy, just let them simmer. I also buy my chickens whole (Foster Farms, not antibiotics) and roast them, save the broth for soups.

I haven't converted to organic wheat flour yet, I do buy unbleached in 10 lb. bags at Winco for about 3$. I bake a lot for the family. I haven't found a good source for sourdough starter yet.
 
This is all very interesting to me, even though our nest is empty and there are just two of us now- and our pup- with family (with young grandchildren) always visiting. Two questions..

1. What would you think a logical budget $$ would be for a family of two-with occasional drop-ins? Probably consider that to start nothing processed..

2. Those of you who do your menu planning in advance, how do you plan-- on paper, computer, phone??

Tks so much in advance:)

Hi Westcoaster...I am one of you! In answer to your questions:

1. If this were me and my husband without my 2 girls....I think I could do things fine on $75 per week. Now, I have no idea what your drop-ins are like or how often.

2. As far as my menu planning, when I first started on this little odyssey of mine, I did write out my menu for the week because I am on a week by week budget....so before I would shop..I would look at the ads to see what was on sale and then plan my menu for the week around that and around what I knew I could get regularly for good prices at Costco, Smart & Final.
However, now, since I have been doing this for a while, I really don't need to plan. I have learned how to live lean and home-made, as well as freezing past left-over meals for future meals. Also, a pre-chopped salad in the fridge is a great and easy go-to side dish for me.

For instance, last night I made home-made turkey soup. I made close to a ton :D....so we will have that tonite, I will freeze the rest and make a quick cornbread on the side to go with it tonite. So now I will have the turkey soup for a quick meal next week or whenever. For tomorrow, I have a pound of mixed dry beans. I will put those in the crock tonite and tomorrow add cooked ground turkey that I have from the freezer that I froze from when we had tacos. Easy!....This is how I do it now. So I guess I make the schedule in my head now.

Best Wishes
 
Tracy,

Thanks for your quick response.. I assume by "one of you", you mean land of the rainy day winter:cool:

When I think of $75.00 per week, and the $50.00 I spent at Trader Joes yesterday... wowie!! However I did go through both my freezers ( fridge and one in the garage) and started planning from there, with augmented stuff from TJs.

I did get a lot of mileage from the Tksgiving turkey- the leftovers which I froze and will make my second batch of soup from, next week.

If I may ask what else will you add to the beans and cooked turkey--so that it will turn out to be what dinner?

I'm also going to be checking Cathe's site for recipes and put my thinking cap on,. You ladies have got me going here. Tks so much!
 
Tracy,

Thanks for your quick response.. I assume by "one of you", you mean land of the rainy day winter:cool:

When I think of $75.00 per week, and the $50.00 I spent at Trader Joes yesterday... wowie!! However I did go through both my freezers ( fridge and one in the garage) and started planning from there, with augmented stuff from TJs.

I did get a lot of mileage from the Tksgiving turkey- the leftovers which I froze and will make my second batch of soup from, next week.

If I may ask what else will you add to the beans and cooked turkey--so that it will turn out to be what dinner?

I'm also going to be checking Cathe's site for recipes and put my thinking cap on,. You ladies have got me going here. Tks so much!

Yeah...rainy days...if it only would here in CA!!!! I am in the SFO bay area....I would love some rain.
I also love TJ"s, but I simply cannot go there very often if I am going to stick to my strict budget :(. They are wonderful but can be too pricey for me. We have a great one in my city. So mostly, I shop Grocery Outlet, Costco, Smart and Final, and Safeway (but even Safeway seems to be too high to me lately).

Actually for dinner tonite, I was going to make cornbread (from scratch....healthy and cheap) but instead I am going to make a fresh loaf of whole wheat bread and have a salad with the turkey soup. ...I get the Romaine heads from Costco...they are such a good price for 6. I know that's a lot of lettuce, but if I take care of them they will stay good for 2 weeks and since I hate to waste food, it makes me eat a lot of salad and is a good way to force me to eat well. Also, I love the little mini bell peppers from Costco which are also a great deal!

( Funny story: I was in Costco shopping and had the Romaine, and various veggies in my cart.....A friendly lady who seemed a bit older than me was looking at me, looking in my cart and then looking in her cart over the course of a few seconds....then she looked me straight in the eye and said,
"honey, our carts are why you look like you do and I look like I do...":p
Now, I am still not at my goal weight...but it was nice of her...we just laughed together! )

So for the beans tomorrow...I will add the turkey, probably some organic diced tomatoes and seasonings and then the cornbread...I got some fresh zucchini and yellow squash; tomorrow...I may grill that up for a nice side...but we'll see! Then hopefully, I will have enough of the bean soup to freeze for another meal...or not.

I also have chicken in the freezer....so for dinner on Thurs...I think I will do enchiladas...(homemade sauce) because I have some tortillas I simply MUST use. And my DH and DDs love them! Now, I will probably have a nice side of mexican red rice which is easy and tasty (a mexican friend taught me how to make).. This is a yummy and pretty cheap meal too. This will have either tomatoes for veg or salad again....we'll see.

For Friday...my daughter makes killer homemade pizza....maybe????

I know this is more than you asked. But nice chatting (writing) with you. I just finished STS Total Body...and am now off to walk my baby Maltese....Lucy!! Have a blessed day!
 
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Tralaiven--Would you plz post your recipe for salsa? I would love to start making my own. One of the few things I don't make from scratch. Thanks!
 
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I would be very happy to post my salsa recipe!

In my Cuisinart FIRST I put:
1/2 to 1 whole onion...(I prefer red, but white or yellow will suffice)
fresh jalapeno or serrano peppers....to your taste. (I always taste the peppers before I add them because hotness varies from crop to crop)...but generally I use 1 - 2.
1/2 bunch to 1 whole bunch fresh cilantro. (wash thoroughly and cut off the bottom stems to leave only the leafy tops)
1-3 tsps chopped garlic (or none if you dislike it...I love it...my DH not so much)

pulse these ingredients to a nice "chopped" consistency...Not too long though because it will get paste-like if you do.

Next, add:

2 cans petite diced organic tomatoes (I use S&W) (have these ready to go...but you won't use them first)

Please note: this is the only exact thing you will use in your salsa recipe...everything else will be used to YOUR taste!

1/4 tsp cumin (only if you like it, again...I do...my DH not so much)
1/2-1 tsp salt or to your taste.

Pulse this until the ingredients are well mixed, but NOT soupy. You still want a bit of chunkiness to it!

Taste it to make sure it is just how you like it...add more of one of the ingredients if you think necessary.

This will keep well in the fridge for 2 weeks....if I have any left at the end of that period (which is rare) I just add it to red pasta sauce and it gives it a good zing! I have also used fresh tomatoes and it worked well with those too--but canned is easier.
 
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Thanks Tracy! I am only missing a couple of ingredients, so after my weekly trip to the grocery store, I plan to make this. How long does it keep in the refrig? Have you ever froze the salsa and it was still tastey when thawed?
 
Tracy,
I just have time to skim all this, and will read it later-- but want to thank you for such a detailed response. You are obviously so creative, as well as thrift-conscious- and I now will try and keep my hand out of my wallet the next time I go to TJs- and head to Cosco instead.

I did notice about the lettuce(s).. How do you possibly keep them fresh for 2 weeks??What do you wrap them in-- or??

Tks,
Mary/Westcoaster
 
Thanks Tracy! I am only missing a couple of ingredients, so after my weekly trip to the grocery store, I plan to make this. How long does it keep in the refrig? Have you ever froze the salsa and it was still tastey when thawed?


this will keep 2 weeks in the fridge....I have never frozen it.
 
This has been my project for the last few months. I have virtually cut my food bill in half... how? We are a family of four and I have been feeding us on $100 per week....healthily./// but it has taken work.

-I make all my meals from scratch, no pre-prepared store-bought meals. We even make our own pizza...which is wayyyy cheaper and much better.

-I bake my own bread in a bread machine my mother in law found for me at a garage sale. I think it is healthier and it is easy. (flour and yeast from Costco....whole grain flours where I can find it)

-we eat Mexican cuisine often.... Beans and rice are wonderful and tasty with homemade salsa (very easy and much cheaper)

-I stalk the grocery store ads in our town and we eat what is on sale (I just bought 10# of boneless, skinless chk. breast for 1.69 per pound. I wish I could have gotten more, but I want to stay in my $100 per week budget.

-I buy large bags of rice at big box stores (much cheaper than grocery stores)

-I do not buy juice (I buy sale fruit), I do not buy soda.

-I only buy the large bag of tortilla chips (like 4# at one shot) (to go w/salsa of course) I do not buy any other junk chips.

-I don't buy any prepared baked goods, I make my own. (cookies,etc...) If I am going to someone's house or having someone over ....wonders can be done with a box cake mix ($1-on sale) and a box of jello pudding to make it dense and yummy.

-I make my own clothes detergent, fabric softener and dishwasher detergent (yes indeed :D)

This is our dinner menu this week:

-chicken tacos with homemade salsa, rice, beans

-Chicken-broccoli divan (my girls' fav.) with rice and salad

-Crockpot Tamale pie ( w/ground turkey) (yum) with salad

-Penne pasta (w/ckn) with alfredo sauce (homemade) and vegetables, homemade bread

-fish and chips (homemade)

-beans and cornbread

-enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce.

We do not eat much beef because my husband cannot have it.

I have begun to look at this as a game...how can I feed us healthily on what I have? Granted, I have spent more time in the kitchen, in fact, last week, my fridge was so full I was shocked at how I have been able to keep us so well stocked...Then I began to be full of regret at how much money I have wasted just spending lazily as I had been :(.

Now, this is my choice and maybe not for everyone, but I am doing it!
I decided that I would give myself $100 cash per week and then when it was gone, it would be gone! It is amazing how careful I have been and how I have found such great deals with a little bit of work.

blessings to you.


This was an amazing read Tracy!

I am a huge fan of beans too (my 2 1/2 year old prefers them to any type of meat, so I make bean meals often). These meals would do very well in my home :p

Oh and I am trying your salsa. That looks like heaven on a plate! Thanks for sharing!
 
Would you girls who make your own bread be willing to post your recipe? I've attempted homemade bread a couple of times but have never been 100% thrilled with the outcome.
 
Bread Recipe

Here's my bread recipe! I make all of my family's bread, and have done so for years. This is the best recipe I've ever used. It is NOT gluten free, so no hate mail to me about the gluten. Whole wheat bread needs a little bit extra gluten to help it rise properly and have a tender crumb. Otherwise you end up with a brick. The dough conditioner is a little bit of special whey powder that also helps with rising and crumb. I made bread for years without either one of them, but my bread was NEVER so amazing as when I started using them. Feel free to leave them out, but you will not get the same result. This recipe also halves well and can be made in a large Kitchenaid with dough hook.


Best Ever Whole Wheat Bread
Recipe from the famous Shar’s Kitchen
Yield: 6 loaves in 8.5 x 4.5 pans

You will need roughly 10-15 cups of whole wheat flour (or roughly one ton *wink*). Grinding 10-11 cups of wheat will give you enough flour for this recipe.


In Bosch mixer, combine in this order:

2 Tb sea salt
2/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup honey
3 Tb dough enhancer (find on Amazon or EverythingKitchens.com)
1/3 cup vital wheat gluten (find on Amazon or EverythingKitchens.com)
6 cups steaming hot water from tap
3 Tb SAF instant yeast

On speed 1, mix for a minute or two, then start adding flour one cup at a time. Keep adding flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer, and you can see the bottom of the mixing bowl.

Once you get this consistency, set a timer for 10 minutes and let the dough knead on speed 1.

After 10 minutes, turn the dough out onto a greased countertop (don’t use flour), and separate into six equal portions. Just eyeball it, and palm each one like a basketball to check for equal size.

Form each portion into a loaf and slam it against the counter several times to remove any air pockets. This is super fun! Reform loaf, tuck ends under and place in non-stick 8.5 x 4.5 bread pans.

Cover with light towel and let rise until two inches above the pans, about 30-60 minutes depending on the temperature in your kitchen. Just watch them closely. Preheat your oven right now while they rise to 350.

Bake all six loaves in one oven for 30 minutes until golden brown on top. You might have to switch out the loaves on the top rack for the loaves on the bottom rack for the last 10 minutes of baking to get a golden crust on all the loaves.
 
Would you girls who make your own bread be willing to post your recipe? I've attempted homemade bread a couple of times but have never been 100% thrilled with the outcome.

Generally, my bread is best on the first and second day ....after that it is not so good :(

I have a book of recipes for a bread maker and I have yet to find one that is GREAT...

So my bread is still a work in progress.


BTW ....I just got a full-time job in addition to my already full-time job as a homemaker:D...so I am going to be working very hard on still keeping in budget...and already I can see that my crockpot is going to be my best cooking friend:)...

I will probably have a lot of days of chicken in the pot, tamale pies, beans...I think I am going to buy a bunch of ground turkey too and cook it and then freeze it in one-pound increments so I can use that for crockpot fodder too.... Oh well...If I can remember I will come back and update on how working and staying in budget is going.

Already though I am planning on NOT eating out...but I am going to go to the dollar store and get some more freezer containers to freeze leftovers for lunch, as well as just having yogurts, fruit and almonds at the ready for quick grab lunches.
 
I just don't see how you guys have the time! I have 4 kids and work full time (12 hour shifts) as does my husband. I'm lucky if my house gets picked up, let alone finding time to make everything by hand. I envy you all. Maybe my priorities are skewed, I don't know. An hour a day for working out is all I've been able to make a priority as of now. My children are also young (an 8 year old and 3-5 year olds). They require a lot of attention already and we haven't even gotten involved in that much stuff. I can't even imagine what it will be like when sports start!! My hats off to all you gals out there with awesome time management :)
 
Shantabulous, I don't work outside my home, so my home is my profession! I couldn't make my own bread every week if I was working 12 hour shifts elsewhere. You are doing just fine with your time management, I am sure!
 

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