Hello all. Hard to believe we have almost finished another month. One more day in October - tomorrow is Halloween. I no longer do Halloween, just a bit scary all alone. I used to pass out candy - but no longer.
It is a brisk morning, 45*F and a little breezy and very damp. We had rain last evening and overnight. It was much needed. Been out and fed the critters and cat(s), and after eating Licorice went right in the greenhouse and got in bed!! Smart kitty.
I sure didn't want to get up this morning - the bed felt so good. Bitsy was having none of that!!
Hope you find something you can use.
- When buying bagged produce - always weigh it. A 5lb. bag - may be 4lb. or 6 lb. Get the most for your money
- Make sure produce is dry when purchasing. Wet weighs more. ALSO - I hear a lot of bad things about those produce sprayers (icky germs), so make sure you clean and dry at home before storing
- Always check the UNIT price. Bigger is not always cheaper. Sometimes you can get smaller packages much cheaper, sometimes bigger ones
- Shop ONCE a week or two weeks (however you go) - do NOT go back. Sub or use something else. Many shopping trips means more temptations to spend
- Have lots of basic seasonings on hand. You can jazz up the blandest things and make them very tasty
- When you find an extra good deal on something - buy what you will need until the next sale comes around. Usually every 6 - 8 weeks
- If you don't have buns for burgers - use bread. Shape burgers to fit. I toast the bread and it stays together while eating the sandwich, instead of getting soggy. I prefer bread
- Beef is increasing in price - so remember you can sub ground pork, chicken or turkey in recipes for ground beef. I know many don't like the taste of those - so add beef bouillon to them and it really improves the taste, making them more beef like!
- Check ethnic stores or the ethnic aisle for good deals. I have purchased many of the same products in the ethnic aisle much cheaper than in the other parts of the same grocery!!!!
- Let older stale bread get bone dry and grind it up to make breadcrumbs (you can even season). Also cut up older bread and dry - for dressing. I always make my own.
- Line your produce drawers with paper towels or a cotton towel to absorb any moisture from fruits and veggies (outer moisture). Helps things stay fresh longer
- Shop with a LIST and use cash if you are easily tempted to spend. With cash you are limited to impulse buys. I only impulse shop for CLEARANCE.
- Remember - FIFO = first in first out - always rotate your stock
- Find a deal on peppers, onions, celery - get them and chop and freeze. Super easy and ready for adding to recipes
- Apples getting older -- peel and core and slice and make fried apples. Add a little butter and some sweetness and cinnamon and you have a yummy side or dessert! Soooo good.
According to the Economic Research Service, Americans waste more than 25% of the food they buy. If you buy it - use it. It cuts your costs, stops waste, and keeps it out of landfills (unless you compost). Waste is just NOT cool!!
LEFTOVER candy from Halloween?
Use 8 oz. of Milky Way candy bars
1/2 C butter
3 C rice crispy cereal
Melt candy and butter and stir until smooth and blended. Stir in cereal and thoroughly coat. Spread in a greased 7x11 pan and chill. Cut into squares!
EASY SPAGHETTI TOSS
1 - 10 oz. pack of spaghetti
1 - 10 oz. pack of frozen broccoli, peas, snow peas, whatever you like
2 Tbsp. butter
2 C chopped chicken (can use leftover or canned)
2/3 C stir fry sauce (or what you like)
Cook spaghetti al dente - stir in veggies and cook for another few minutes. drain, add butter. Spoon into a bowl and add cooked chicken and sauce. Super simple and cheap - using what you have (get creative with it).
I make lo Mein with spaghetti all the time - using leftovers and soy sauce.
Do you have any useful tips for saving your goods or stretching them into something new and savory?
Love to hear your ideas.
Have a great end to your month.
ENJOY & be kind!
We were glad to have the rain. Don't want to go into winter with a moisture deficit.
ReplyDeleteLicorice is a smart kitty! When he says his little cat prayers, I'm sure he is thankful for you! Cats and dogs are very intuitive about their two-legged caregivers. Cats, especially, are embarrassed or get their feelings hurt. Although Jacob, one of my Chis, gets his feelings hurt easily. He gives new meaning to a "hangdog" look.
Excellent tips! Always, always, always clean your fruit and veg from the store. I make my own food safe cleaning spray instead of buying it. We make our own panko crumbs. I see them for sale in the store but they are so easy to do yourself. Seasonings are vital to cooking, although some folks are straight salt-and-pepper. My son-in-law and Erin eat hot stuff but not these old people. We are planning a small indoor herb garden. Haven't tried that in the past so we shall see how it works out.
Ah, the dreaded time change...at least we are not skipping an hour. Enjoy your weekend.
Kitties and doggies are very smart. I swear Bitsy talks! I can say something and he 'answers' in a tone that sure sounds like he is talking! He gives me looks, that speak volumes.
DeleteI do the same and clean all stuff from the store with a homemade cleaner. I love seasonings, not so much hot stuff, but other seasonings.
I will just be up earlier by the clock - kitties have their schedules! They don't get it.
The freezer eliminates food waste. I just frosted some halloween cookies w/ leftover icing that had been frozen. Thaw, add a little water to make it the right consistency. Like you said about the sale-priced aromatics, I chop & freeze them when they get close to their best before state as I do w/ leftovers. Soup is such a good vehicle for leftovers; leftover roasted veg was added to the hamburger soup made last wk. Eating in season; eating what there is also helps. Today a spaghetti squash from the garden will be roasted & eaten w/ chopped tomatoes & cheese. I'm fortunate to have an adequate food budget but the weekly menu is driven by avoiding food waste.
ReplyDeleteFreezers were sure a great invention. So many things can be frozen.
DeleteSoup uses up everything here. Meat, veggies, gravy, sauces it all gets added at some point.
Your meal today sounds very good. We are so blessed to have choices. I just hate waste.
I buy 95% of my produce at Aldi. There are no scales to weigh it before checkout but in my area their produce is MUCH less expensive than any other store. I’m happy with the quality for the most part. I do look it over carefully before I buy. Once in awhile I get good deals at regular stores. Twice recently Publix has had raspberries (6 oz. container) for .99 and they were delicious and a real treat.
ReplyDeleteThat is right - I never really thought about that before. They don't have scales. They do have great prices over all. we now have a discount grocery close by, and can get some great deals on produce. I just hardly ever get down there.
DeleteI didn't realize that about the produce sprayers, but it makes sense to me. Good to know for sure. Speaking of beef increasing in price, I've been comparing Aldi and Walmart prices this week and while I used to find that Walmart was a little cheaper that hasn't been the case this week, so I'm rethinking our shopping habits, which is something we do reguarly to try and save the most money. I do have apples that need using, so I'll add some to our dinner tonight.
ReplyDeleteThey don't clean those sprayers often - and they are full of nasties! (per family that works in produce in big grocery).
DeleteWM is generally more expensive on meat around me - I really don't think I have ever bought anything other than ham or turkey there. Aldi meat is usually pricey here as well. WHEN I get meat, it is sales and clearance at Kroger.
You really have to watch and be vigil!
Lentil soup is gone, so it's time for another pot of something different for my suppers. These potatoes need to be used, they're sprouting like crazy, poor things. Do they think I'll plant them *now*, almost November!? :D
ReplyDeleteLooks like my new heating system is going to happen. The men are here today working. :) The electrician will come in a day or so for his part of the job.
I'm going to look at sauces in the shops. I know they're usually expensive, but for just me they might be worth it. Using so little would make a bottle go a long ways. So many of the homemade recipies for them say "use within a week", and I don't want to be stuck with that.
MaryB
Potato soup would be great. I made a small batch the other day.
DeleteYAY on the new heating system. So glad that is going to happen.
I do buy some sauces myself - they last me a long, long time! Never had one go bad.
Mary, I big batch pasta sauce and then freeze in single meal portions. If you don't want to make your own, you could do the same with jar sauce--maybe big one would save you $$ and still give you the tummy joy :-)
DeleteI like your clever beef bouillon tip. I have sometimes added lentils to recipes requiring minced beef to help make the meat go further.
ReplyDeleteIt really does add beefy flavor the other meats. Lentils are very good and full of protein. Great way to stretch things.
DeleteI won't do trick or treat by myself either. Go to Sissie's or to kids!
ReplyDeleteAfter Glen passed, I did do tick or trat with a neighbor a couple years - but just decided to stop. We have very few kids around here, and hardly no one does it now.
DeleteI have not done trick or treating since my kids were little... and then I was taking them somewhere else to do it - like to relatives, mainly to show off costumes. We have so few kids out here, and there are these 'trunk or treat" things now at the churches, I've not seen a trick or treater here in *years*.
DeleteI also am reluctant to have lights on and open my door to strangers at night. Although I do have a "costume" of sorts that I could put on and probably scare any bad guy into the next county! :D
MaryB
I shop every two weeks and no more. Though this week I needed some small jars for the mint extract I made so I combined that with the trip to get prescriptions and our allowances from the bank. Food wise only every two weeks and if I run out I do without or sub.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I wish I could make that work for me. As it is, I want fresh milk, fruit, and vegs... which won't last for 2 weeks. The milk goes sour, and many of the fruits or vegs go "off" so I'm in the shop right regularly for those things. Willpower is my new hobby: "Stick to the list". :)
DeleteMaryB
Jackie - good job. It is great to combine errands. I always try to do that so that I only go out once.
DeleteMary, it almost sounds like maybe your fridge isn't cold enough. Goodness, I can keep fresh fruit and veggies for what seems like ages, and milk way, way past sell date and it is still fresh tasting. I keep milk in the back (coldest) part of fridge.
DeleteI don't know. If I turn the fridge temps down I have trouble with things freezing in there and that's discouraging. Maybe it's just this fridge not being a Big Full Size Fridge, it's only 10 cu.ft.
DeleteIt could be the quality of the food I can buy here.
MaryB
We still hand out candy here. We get about 35 kids. I love when I hear the kids say to each other, "This house always gives cool little bags.". I find little bags to be the easiest to hand out. Last year I was given a bunch of small muslin bags so I paint stamped them with ghosts, Frankie's, bats, and cats. They're really cute.
ReplyDeleteThe best part about fall fruit is the shelf life. Pears and apples stay fresh in the fridge for weeks. Not grapes, but we devour those in days! We love red grapes. We only buy on sale. My price point used to be $1 per pound, but I've had to increase that to $1.50.
Great list, Cheryl!
That is cool. We used to give full size candy bars and we were that house as well. It is fun when they remember. Have fun!
DeleteFall fruit does keep well. I have had to change my price point on several things sadly. I guess that is life.
I currently have a ziploc gallon bag 3/4 full of diced onions. I love being able to pull out 1/4 c without the work.
ReplyDeleteToday's agenda: I have a defrosted vac bag of spinach and 2 slices of ham in the fridge. Eggs and shredded cheese in the fridge. Doesn't that sound like quiche is on the menu? I'm hungry now but have my annual Doc check-up in 2.5 hours.....grrrrr. But I can already taste and smell brunch coming out of the oven 1030 ðŸ¤ðŸ¤
I do crustless quiche. But I do have a sliced/frozen loaf of Costco Cranberry Walnut bread and a slice will accompany it!
I have peppers, onion, and celery all chopped in the freezer, ready to use. It sure in convenient, i agree.
DeleteMmmmm that sounds good. Nothing like a good quiche. The bread sounds yummy as well. Hope all is continuing to go well!!
Thank you for mentioning hubster. YES! For day 30 he is doing very well. Procedure Monday to do a visual check of suture lines to be sure there are no dangerous holes. This is the biggest risk for this procedure and 40% of patients do!!! To date there is zero evidence that this is occurring.
DeletePrayer Warriors are powerful humans. We continue to be grateful for all on Team Hubster :-)
I'll have to try your recipes they both sound delicious. I don't blame you about Halloween. It could be scary all alone. Have a good night.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy! Yesh, getting older and being alone, just doesn't come together with opening the door to strangers.
Delete