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Frugal Foodie Tips

laurieg 15 years ago

What have you started doing to save money this year?? What have you changed maybe you can motivate some of us or give us an idea. We stopped eating out at lunch everyday. no bought lunch for the kids and no Dunkin Donuts every day.

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laurieg 15 years ago said:

Where is everyone today??

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otterpond 15 years ago said:

Cooking up meals ahead of time and storing them. For example, making up breakfast burritos for the week or a big batch of soup. Having something easy and yummy on hand to grab and go makes thoughts of ordering in pizza or chinese dissappear.

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pkllady 15 years ago said:

I've really just focused back on menus, menus, menus! I decided I am trying to have a month's worth of different recipes which is hard to do. We already have "planovers" and use them to fill the gaps on menus and as lunches for DH. I'm going to try next month to start doing "prep cooking" each week of some basics to store and freeze up for those "forget the menu mom!" nights! It does help that my kids are all old enough that when "forget the menu mom!" nights hit, we just have "fend for yourself" night. Trying to keep our eating out down to 2 times a month ... 3 max. And, with a HS, a MS, and an ES who are all in sports and GS/BS ... trust me it's a stretch to accomplish but so far so good.

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laurieg 15 years ago said:

One thing that I also started doing is when I make pancakes on the weekend, my eight year old loves chocolate chip pancakes every Weekend. I double or triple the batch and put them in individual serving size sandwich baggies in the freezer. Then they can have pancakes any time. much cheaper than those boxed microwave kind.

pk I try to plan out the menus but I just never stick to it. I think that is going to be my new goal. Also, staying out of the grocery store. Every time I just go in for 1 thing it costs me $40. so now if we are out of something write it on the list.(unless it's milk-2ES)

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lanacountry 15 years ago said:

PKlady.. I REALLY like your menu idea.. I find when I get in the habit of
menus.. we eat the correct (healthy) foods and (usually) in the right
quantities.

If I PLAN... my menu will show:

ONE med/SMALL meat portion

A healthy starch OR bread

All you want DARK green and/ or yellow veggies
(A healthy salad with a nice mixture of greens and veggies, can help you
get 2-3 veggie portions per day).

Fruit or fruit cup for dessert (if desired)

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otterpond 15 years ago said:

Plan for success, YES! I have not really explored the menu function of this site yet. Have any of you? I think that menu planning is really important. I am a binge cooker foodie. That means I will go on cooking jags where I can't be stopped then I may not want to look at a kitchen again for weeks. I can get away with that since we have no children and my husband can fend for himself.

Planning ahead and having ingredients cooked up and ready to go is the best idea.

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laurieg 15 years ago said:

Any body have any tips they would like to share this week??
I gave my rice filler tip in the other thread but it made me think of this one. I know we can really help eachother out if we post them. The little things add up.
My rice tip was I add a cup of cooked rice to the ground beef while sauteing for tacos gives you more for less money and makes the dish a little healthier. Anybody got a tip?

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trigger 15 years ago said:

I found this tip at Planet Green

Recycle Your Thanksgiving Leftovers into Eco-Smart Weekday Lunches
Cut down on waste and get some extra mileage out of your holiday by packing up your post-turkey-day detritus as ecologically sustainable workday meals.
By Megan Cohen
San Francisco, CA, USA | Fri Nov 28 08:00:00 EST 2008
Going back to work after having a day off for the national pig-out can be kind of a drag. The morning after Thanksgiving, your fridge probably looks a little like a battlefield, and depending on how well you get along with your extended family, you may feel a little bit like you've been in the trenches yourself. The good news is that with a little eco-savvy, you can turn the food-y carnage into portable, scrumptious workday lunches that'll really give you something to be thankful for. As for the emotional PTSD, you can get a good start on the road to recovery by feeling great about the environmental smarts of eating leftovers, which is a lot lower-impact than going out for lunch or making something new while the food you've already bought and cooked sits at home neglected.
Packing a Turkey Sandwich
Instead of thinking "disposable plastic wrap", think "reusable wrap that can be wiped clean for next time". You can make a reusable sandwich wrapper if you have a little bit of sewing know-how. If you're constitutionally allergic to making crafts, or are morally opposed to picking up a needle and thread, throw your slice of turkey-and-mayo heaven into a washable Tupperware, or plunder your trash bin for an old potato chip bag, give it a quick wash and dry, and thoroughly swaddle your sandwich in that. Even if you only use your makeshift chip-bag-turned-sandwich-armor once and then throw it away, at least you're stretching one more run from something that'd otherwise go right to the dump truck.
Packing a Piece of Pie
Instead of relying on a disposable plastic utensils, bring your own real metal fork for digging into that heavenly slice. As for what to carry the pie in, investing in some reusable Tupperware T or the equivalent is a pretty good choice, because it'll make it easy for you to sustainably pack lunch after lunch after lunch after lunch. If you want a real Do-It-Yourself green warrior kind of solution, though, why not salvage a plastic food container you've already got, like the kind that cottage cheese comes in? If it's got a lid and can be rinsed out, you can use it at least a couple more times before it's gotta go into the recycling bin.
Don't Fear the Microwave
Zapping your lunch in the microwave is more energy-efficient than heating it on a stove or in the toaster, so warm up that leftover butternut squash soup with a couple easy presses of the microwave buttons instead of firing up the range.
Remember to Label your Lunch for the Office Fridge
Keep middle management's greasy paws off your grandmother's patented super-secret cranberry sauce by putting your name on your meals. Grab a permanent marker and initial that reusable container, and you can keep using it for your lunches day in and day out. Or, keep your feast in a nifty vintage lunchbox that is unquestionably, non-negotiably, and obviously yours. When it comes to keeping co-workers from grabbing your stuff when you leave it in a communal kitchen, the less discreet your container is, the harder it will be for someone to get away with grabbing from it, so go ahead and make a strong statement with your midday meal container. The potential embarrassment that would result from being caught plundering a hot pink "My Little Pony" lunchbox can be a major deterrent for that hungry guy from accounting who always raids the office fridge.

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trigger 15 years ago said:

Even though there only two of us I still purchase whole chickens and do the butchering myself saving me money. I seal the sections in individual servings. The wings neck and giblets a re saved for soup stock which I make a large batch and freeze into small containers so I can ad it to any recipe rissoto, soup or what ever.

I like your idea of adding rice to your ground beef for Tacos Laurie.

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laurieg 15 years ago said:

Great tips Trigger.. I also buy whole chicken but I will cook the whole thing at once in the crock pot and use the meat and juices for different recipes. like chicken sandwiches, chicken pot pie. chicken soup.

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lanacountry 15 years ago said:

Sounds great, Mike and thank you!

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jayashiangel 15 years ago said:

First post :) I pre-make Lasagna and freeze them on the weekend. I menu plan but keep it simple list the meal ideas ( Tacos ) and cross off as we use that way we are not stuck with a we have to have Tacos on Tuesday because the menu says so. I try to plan meals for example that use chicken breast I pre-cook them in crock pot and the make Enchiladas one day, Fried Chicken wonton's the next day, and Chicken Quesidillas etc..

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laurieg 15 years ago said:

Fried wontons Yum..send over that recipe :)....I try to do the same with the planning of the menu, but I have to get more organized and think of what I am going to make before I go grocery shopping.
When you precook the chicken breasts in the crock pot what do you put in with the chicken any seasonings?

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jayashiangel 15 years ago said:

Fried Wontons
I decide what kind I plan to do it with any meat & cheese only or for me I do veggies as well.
Precook the meat say ground beef with taco seasoning
I cook the veggies
Use regular shredded cheese or Cream cheese or sliced cheese
Large wonton wrap for egg rolls.

Heat oil in deep fryer to 400 or stove top oil to 400.
I assemble all the egg rolls placing them in a plastic bag to keep moist.while oil is heating

Basic egg roll plan"
Get a small bowl with water for fingertip dipping you can use a pastry brush if need be.
in a burrito style rolling place 1 tbsp or less of meat and cheese etc in center of the egg roll you want to do this so you are rolling (Triangle opposite corners left bottom to right top) Bring it in hold the filling in place. Then dampen with water the right and left (wings lol) and stick them to the middle on top of the covered filling. Then dampen the edges of the last piece and roll the filling on to the edge making it stick. ( Making a mini burrito)

Then Fry until lightly golden brown:) drain on paper towel then serve. Remember to let set a minute or so before serving ( Hot oil may be in side and has not absorbed/cooled into the food:)

Use dipping sauces your family likes.:)

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jayashiangel 15 years ago said:

When I cook meat I use basic seasoning blends just to flavor then add more when I use in a recipe.. To start use Zatarain's creole Seasoning or a basic style ( Ms. Dash ) type of spice to get started.
Crock pot works great for cooking moist chicken breast with bone just cook and cool a little and remove bones:) Chop up or shredded with clean hands. Ziplock bag it:) toss in the refrig:) I do this with beef or pork as well.

FYI I don't eat beef or pork products by my fiancee and child do.

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laurieg 15 years ago said:

Sounds great! thanks

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