Grocery Shopping on the Cheap 101

I've been asked many, many times how in the world I keep our grocery budget so low. It's not as low as some, but it is consistently low ... and there's something to be said for that! I do not use coupons. It's not that I see anything wrong with them, but I've only gotten myself in trouble with them - spending more than I intend by buying items I don't usually purchase. My husband has coupons figured out quite well. Heaven help us if he ever starts a blog about couponing! Stores will be forced to shut down for all the money flying out their doors! If you are like me and lack patience as well as long for simplicity - these hints should help out a little (if you're a couponer like Cooper - simply combine my techniques with your couponing & be ultra-efficient).

1. Before heading to the store, make a menu. Before making a menu - look around your pantry & freezer. Ask yourself what you have that can be used in other ways. Be creative and open up that culinary mind!
2. Peruse weekly grocery store circulars to find what items are the best deals. Just because something isn't on your menu shopping list doesn't mean that you shouldn't buy it - i.e. 89 cent cake mix is a good deal!
3. Head to the store(s) - you have a list of items you need for your meals as well as any pantry or freezable items you can buy for later use.
4. Only buy what's on your list - if you do really well, splurge on US Weekly (I won't tell)!!!

Before I composed this post, I followed my own advice & tallied up the supposed cost. Here are my notes:

Brookshires: $13
onions 99cents/lb. (estimate buying 3 lbs.)
apples 99cents/lb. (estimate buying 3 lbs.)
Pillsbury cake mix 89 cents (buying 5)
potatoes 10 lbs/$2.50

Kroger: $13
hamburger buns 70 cents
Grands biscuits 97 cents (buying 2)
Romaine lettuce 77 cents
green bell peppers 3 for $1 (buying 6 - to blanch and freeze)
peaches 99 cents
asparagus $2.99/lb.
cabbage 2 lbs./$1

Market Street: $12
Grapefruit 5/$1
Food Club Green Beans (for pantry) 5/$2 (buying 20)
Simply Potatoes hash browns (for freezer) 2/$3

Tom Thumb: $20
whole cut up chicken (to freeze) 99 cents/lb.
Fritos $1
baby carrots $1
grapes 88 cents/lb.
campbell's soup (for pantry) 10/$10 (buying 10)

Albertson's: $15
oranges 4lbs./$2
Schepp's 1/2 gallon milk $1 (buying 4)
Pork butt roast (to freeze) $1/lb.
Pork loin chops (to freeze) $1/lb.
eggs $1
bread$1

Total: $73 - enough left over for that magazine!

Buying items when they are on sale and freezing or storing them really does save a ton of money. I found boneless skinless chicken breast for $1.42/lb. at Sam's one day. Needless to say, I brought home an obscene amount, repackaged them in usable amounts, and froze them. When I make my menu on Monday, I take whatever I need from the freezer and place it in the fridge. That way it can thaw slowly and I have a visual of what I'm using that week.

So what do you do when you see, say - cake mix for 25 cents a box? Clear the shelf!! You can use cake mix for muffins and cookies as well as cake. The same goes for numerous other items - when in doubt, bust out that iphone or blackberry in the grocery isle and google the clearance item followed by "recipes" and see what flows forth!

That's it! Isn't it easy?! A little forethought, a little preparation - and you're ready to go! I promise you, this isn't difficult! When you've done this for a week or two or fifty, you'll never look back and think it was a waste of time - it's just too convenient & easy!

Happy shopping!

The Glamorous Chef

Two Weeks in a Post for One

Since this is my first weekly menu post, I figured including last week's menu would be beneficial.

Happy Cooking!

The Glamorous Chef

Monday, January 26th - Saturday, January 31st:

• Monday - Lettuce wraps - This is a pretty good recipe. I used ground turkey for a healthier alternative (and b/c I had some in the freezer from a few weeks ago when I found it in the clearance meats. There is NOTHING wrong with the clearance meat, but it is important that you use it or freeze it immediately) Since ground turkey needs a little something extra, I doubled the soy and hoison sauce and I added crushed peanuts. The kids weren't about to eat lettuce, so they put the meat in a tortilla for Asian Soft Tacos (they did have to try it in the lettuce first though - be flexible Mommies!).
• Tuesday - Spaghetti with Meatballs - I buy a big bag of meatballs to keep in the freezer for these nights. One bag may yield three or four dinners. That's a worthwhile cost to me!
• Wednesday - Loaded Baked Potatoes - put those spuds in the oven! We love this dinner and it's so easy you can enlist the kiddos to prepare it! Put washed potatoes on foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt - we put a few sprigs of fresh rosemary with them - and roll up that foil. I usually bake them at 375 degrees for an hour or so. Honestly, we've used different temperatures and times - these are virtually impossible to ruin. I cook up about three pieces of bacon to put on top - it's plenty for our family.
  
• Thursday - Harvest Chili - my kids and husband weren't too sure about this recipe, but it was really good!
• Friday - Go out to dinner! Every Glamorous Chef deserves a night off!
• Saturday - Shorty's Diner a.k.a. leftover night - Put on your fanciest apron, do up your hair, and smack your gum while serving up delicious vittles from the previous five days.

Monday, February 2nd - to Saturday, February 7th:

• Monday - BLT's - what's easier?! My husband, we'll call him Cooper, is a couponer. We have an abundance of bacon & bread from last week's "deals" so this was perfect!
  
• Tuesday - Modenese Pork Chops
• Wednesday - Chicken Cacciatore
  
• Thursday - Southwestern Quiche
  
• Friday - Out to dinner
• Saturday - Shorty's Diner

Ok, blogger isn't letting me comment after web links - so I'll make my notes here!

These pork chops are delish! I pair them with a veggie, a starch, and applesauce (of course). You must enjoy flashing back to the Brady Bunch episode where Bobby said, "Pork chops and applesauce," like Humphrey Bogart. Your kids will enjoy your silliness, mine sure did!

I use chicken breast for the Chicken Cacciatore because I don't like dark meat - obviously, it's your preference. Make sure you don't pass up those fabulous specials on boneless skinless chicken breast. It freezes great! I serve this over rice or pasta with a veggie.

Don't throw that weekly newspaper mailout away so fast! My daughter saw the recipe for Southwestern Quiche and asked if I could make it. Go Glamorous Chef daughter!! Best thing about quiche? It is fantastic all on it's own. Of course, you can serve a salad with it if that tickles your fancy.

You may be wondering, "What about Sunday?!" Every Sunday, Cooper makes dinner. It's the Sabbath, I take the day off! I can tell you he makes steak and potatoes just about every Sunday - it's always a hit! And, yes, he buys his meat on special!!

Happy Cooking!

The Glamorous Chef

Get Cookin'

I'm a fly by the seat of your pants, anything goes type of person. Exactly the type of person who has a difficult time maintaining order! Being a stay-at-home mom for the past eleven years has helped me tap into different aspects of my personality that I wouldn't know existed unless given this opportunity.

After blogging about my family life for the past three years, I decided that it may be time for me to branch out and share a little bit about what I've learned as a stay at home mom. So, here we are!

One thing that has been very successful, for me, is a weekly menu. Every Monday after the morning rush, I sit down to write out a menu for the week. I consider what is in our pantry, what needs to be purchased, what good recipes I've seen, and what the weather is like (because who wants to eat stew in August?). Most weeks have been wonderful - some not so; however, maintaining this little bit of order has benefited our family in many ways.

1. I never have to answer, "What's for Dinner?" - our menu is posted on a chalk board in the kitchen
2. I've given myself a budget of $75/week for groceries. We have a family of five - so your needs may be different. I've been able to save quite a bit of money by making and sticking with our menu
3. I've tried many dishes I wouldn't normally have tried if I didn't take the time to think about our dinners
4. We eat fresh more often than not. It really is better!
5. I always feel accomplished Saturday night - when I see that I've met one tiny goal.

Here is how this blog will run: I will post a menu every Monday. I will do my best to give tips and hints on how to prepare what's on the menu. I will also note where I found the recipes.

If you have any suggestions or great recipes - send them my way!! I'm always on the hunt for new ideas!

Happy Cooking!

The Glamorous Chef