Sunday, August 12, 2018

This Week in my Frugal Kitchen

Avoiding food waste, we finished off the Mac & Cheese and Pasta Salad for lunch on Monday. 

I combined the plain Oui yogurt dd bought last week with strawberry preserves this week. It was so good.

For dinner on Monday I had some Pepperidge Farm slider buns, so I made sliders for dinner along with some homemade potato salad.

For dinner on Tuesday we went out for dinner and a movie. 

For dinner on Wednesday I made a large stockpot of chili for dinner that night. I know it's hot outside, but my daughter requested it. We also had this for Thursday & Friday night dinner. 

The diced tomatoes I used were thick and didn't have much juice. I didn't have tomato sauce or V8 juice to make it thinner and it was really too thick to eat like it was. I put a squirt of ketchup, but that didn't help much. I finally just added a cup of water and that did the trick. 

Frugality for my family is a necessity and how I run my kitchen can help or hurt that.  I do my best not to waste food in my kitchen or money when I shop for groceries. I'm usually buying items on sale or markdown. Adding a cup of water to our chili cost me nothing. 

Oftentimes when I buy items on sale or markdown, I save those things until I have all the ingredients to make a certain dish.  

That's what I did recently when I made lasagne, a dish that is well known for costing money to make. 

It may take me longer to gather the ingredients I need this way, but it does save me money in the long run. 

I also made a gallon and a half of sweet tea on Wednesday. My daughter has a tiny refrigerator in her work space and I made the half gallon for her fridge. 


Last week on my blog Stephanie mentioned that she uses most of her bananas in smoothies. That motivated me to make one this week. 

I used bananas I froze previously and honeydew melon. I also used the cashew milk we bought on markdown. It was so cold and refreshing, so thank you for the reminder, Stephanie.  :)

Saturday after yard sales I made some hamburgers to finish using the rest of the PF slider buns. 

No food waste here this week. My supplies are running low though, so I know a grocery run is in order for this upcoming week. 

How was your week in the kitchen?

Belinda
~ Living within our Means ~

20 comments:

  1. A woman of the same mold!!!! I only buy sale and markdown items. Try to use everything up. Leftovers for lunch or remade.
    I love so many like being good stewards of their money and things!
    have a blessed week.

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    1. Thank you, Cheryl. We are kindred spirits. I hope you have a good week too.

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  2. I too try to only buy mark downs when I can.

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  3. My health situation is such that DH does all grocery shopping; however, no kind of shopping was ever interesting for him. He shops without complaint, though. With his cell in hand, we often communicate while he shops. My diet is ultra limited and does not match cheap foods. Fresh Market sells chickens that had not been given antibiotics, for example. We saved $$$ this week when DH set our electric roaster on the porch to avoid heating the house. Less air conditioning needed. After chicken was removed from carcass, the carcass inside a crock pot went to the porch for 24 hours to become bone broth.

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    1. That's so great that you and your dh help each other to shop via your cell phone, Anna. I love that you cook outdoors at this time of year to avoid heating up the house. Bob Waldroup with the Oklahoma Food Coop always does that too at this time of the year.

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  4. No unkind remarks about cells at our house. No phones at meal times or casual calls to others, though. A business cell might require immediate reaction. Cells are our miracle workers in multiple ways.

    Sometime in the past, you wrote about Oklahoma Food Coop, and I read it. Will look at the site again. Been a long time. We do not use an outside grill. We cook with electric appliances outside under porch.

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    1. Oklahoma Food Coop is a treasure trove of information. Here is the link: http://www.justpeace.org/better.htm

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  5. Your smoothie looks delicious! Now you've got ME in the mood for a smoothie, it's been a while. ;) Hurray for no food waste! That's something I keep a close eye on as well. I'm not perfect by a long shot, but I try my best. :)

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    1. That's what we do too, Stephanie. Strive for our best as we are not perfect either when it comes to food waste. :)

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  6. Food cost is the only thing I can control. It is just me, but I do buy little that is not on sale unless it is at the Farmer's market. I may now have a car payment that I absolutely cannot afford.

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    1. That is terrific that you can control your food costs, Linda. I know car payments are necessary at times. I've had them too. My Dad said they are a necessary evil at times.

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  7. Live in a grocery drought area. I was commenting to my DH on Friday the big grocery chain we have around here is owned by one man and then the other chain is WalMart. Went to the big grocery chain this week to see if we could find deals. That was a huge FAIL. He marked up his deals. To say the least we didn't walk out with much. I am shopping at locally owned grocery store now. Not a lot of deals but they have great prices. Since DH & I have simple food tastes our grocery bills are always low. I love chili. DH & I eat it year round. Made some last weekend in the crockpot.

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    1. We love chili too, Safyne. It’s so sad that grocery drought areas exist. I know you do the best with what you have though. Hope you have a great week!

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  8. What a great post and you highlighted one of my fave budget moves. Buy the ingredients on sale and wait until you have everything to put the dish together. I can tell tell you about many times I've had something wonderful at someone's house and asked them why they never told me about it - like lasagna at my daughter's. She said, well I didn't think you could afford it. So I knew she didn't get my point or the point of my blog. It's not WHAT you buy, it's WHEN you buy!! BTW, I love chili and can eat it anytime! And then I love chili dogs, chili & cheese burritos and chili burgers, too!

    Mollie

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    1. We love all of those foods too, Mollie. :) I love that you do the same thing I do, it's all about WHEN you buy it. I've tried to explain to my Mom, "No, that's not on sale, so I'm not buying it right now". She doesn't get the way I do it. So, thank you. :)

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    2. Yeah, my family thinks I'm a little nuts btw!!

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    3. We are kindred spirits, mine thinks I'm crazy. LOL

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  9. My long-gone and out of nest kiddos never wanted to buy or do meals as I do, and all are good cooks. For years as a side job, one catered parties and weddings. All of us together can prepare a wedding/baby shower within one hour. It helps we have one of us who can professionally dip strawberries in chocolate and arrange meat and cheese trays.

    They don't mind working a position in a company and holding side jobs. One held a main job, worked at a jewelry store, and babysat for well-to-do families in children's home, from Friday through Sunday afternoons.

    This year, one was given a week's vacation in Jamaica because she had helped a friend with paper work. The friend received a bonus and gave part to my adult child to spend time in the fun and sun.

    Last, one teaches friends (free) to overtake a drugstore with coupons and points. Paying $10 for $90 worth of merchandise impresses me. Many gifts come from her couponing at one drugstore. The same one was a Pampered Chef rep for a few years, when I did well yearly during 40%-off month for employees. Rarely pass up Pampered Chef at a yard sale.

    Your mother's not understanding buying on sale only might be like my not understanding those who buy cream of "anything" soup instead of making a quick and small pot of cream of X soup for a casserole. We all have our quirks, and I have plenty.

    Belinda, you and others on this blog are like warthogs with bargains. Don't fight with warthogs. You become a meal. Nothing to do with Harry Potter.

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    1. Excellent advice, Anna. Thank you. Your daughters do amazingly well with side jobs, hustling, and coupons. You have taught them well. :)

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