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You are here: Home / Archives for Food

Register Review: April 3, 2012 Edition

April 26, 2012 by Tracy

Though I often share my deep savings trips, I do not always save 80% or more at the grocery store. Some weeks, I stock up on items we need even if the item is not buy one, get one free. Sometimes sales prices are the best you can find.

My goal is to know what a good price is by using my pricing list, to stock up when those items are 50% or more off the regular price, and stay within our $80 per week grocery budget.

The shopping trip I will share with you was a great trip with a 54.9% savings. Every time I save 50% or more at the grocery store, I get excited.

On this Publix shopping trip, I used buy one, get one free deals, sales, store coupons, and manufacturer coupons to get $109 worth of groceries for $49.09.

Buy One, Get One Free

The buy one, get one free offers I purchased were:

2 – Rosetto Tortellini, 19-25 oz., at $4.19 ($2.10 for the first and $2.09 for the second)

4 – French’s French Fried Cheddar Onions, 6 oz., at $3.79 ($1.90 for the first and third and $1.89 for the second and fourth)

2 – Ragu Pasta Sauce, 16-24 oz., at $2.19 ($1.09 for the first and $1.10 for the second)

2 – Mountain Dew, 2 liters, at $1.66 ($.83 each)

Sale Prices

2 – L’Oreal Healthy Look Crème Hair color, $4.99 each

8 – Kraft American Singles, 12 oz., $2

13 – Birds Eye Frozen Vegetables, 7.5-28.8 oz., 50% off

1 – Jif Peanut Butter, 17.3 oz., $3.59

Store Coupons

Used a $.75 Publix coupon for Jif from the yellow advantage flyer

Manufacturer Coupons

Used 1 – $.50/1 French’s French Fried Onions (which doubled)

Used 1 – $.50/1 Ragu product (which doubled)

Used 2 – $2 off L’Oreal hair color product

Used 6 – $.50/2 Birds Eye Steamfresh varieties (which doubled)

Combining the Savings

At checkout, I presented the cashier with my two loyalty cards which she scanned. Then she scanned all the items, and my subtotal was $109 before sale prices and coupons. Next, the fun begins as my children and I watch the screen to see the savings increase while the total decreases.

The cashier began scanning the coupons and then waiting for the computer to double all the coupons $.50 or less. At the conclusion, I owed $49.09, which was a 54.9% savings. With these savings, I stocked up on cheese and frozen vegetables.

During the week of this shopping trip, I also spent $7.34 at Bi-lo and $22.31 at Aldi. My total for the week was $78.53 within our $80 per week budget. Woo hoo!

Though some weeks I am under budget and other weeks I am over budget, I know going into the week how much I can spend to stay on track for the month. In working through the Money Saving Mom’s Budget assignments, I keep track of our expenses which makes staying within our budget possible.

In using time wisely, I make out my grocery list, match coupons, shop my list, and review each trip. As you combine strategies, you, too, will see regular discounts of 50% or more on your grocery bill. Happy savings!

Question: What items do you buy in multiples?

Filed Under: Register Review, Food Tagged With: register review

2012: Garden Journal – May Edition

May 3, 2012 by Tracy

Our garden this month experienced two nights of frost and a couple of days of 90 degree heat. With the extreme temperatures, our garden has survived. Thankfully, I did not kill it. 🙂

I have pruned lots of leaves that dried or froze, but overall the garden is growing.

         

Strawberries

We lost one more strawberry to a bird’s snack, but our strawberry plants are rebounding from the cold and heat. Though no more berries at this time, the leaves are healthy and the plants are growing.

Tomatoes

One of our tomato plants is producing four cherry tomatoes. They are green and perfectly round.

  

April 21, 2012 with 3 tomatoes               May 1, 2012 with 4 tomatoes

Overall Progress

We started with a few plants, harvested our strawberries last month, and watched our tomatoes grow this month.

  

April 21, 2012                              May 1, 2012

Though I have forgotten to water a few days here and there, our garden has been very forgiving and continues to bless us with outdoor activity, topics of conversation, and beauty. In using time wisely, I enjoy spending time tending our garden while watching the changes to our fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Happy tending!

Question: Did you plant a garden this year?

Filed Under: Garden - 2012, Food Tagged With: Garden

2012 Quick Tip Week: Butter Bread Before Toasting

May 10, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Our week of quick tips is over halfway complete.

If you missed any of the four quick tips from this week, you can click on these links:

#1 – Designated space for “to be filed” paperwork,

#2 – Use disinfecting wipes for quick cleanings,

#3 – Keep your brainstorming notes, and

#4 – Power off your phone.

The fifth tip comes from my children’s food preferences.

Quick Tip #5: Butter Bread before Toasting

In teaching my children to eat the entire slice of bread, including the crust, I have learned to keep the crust soft.

When bread gets toasted, the hard crust makes eating difficult. With their little mouths, my children enjoy soft bread with melted butter.

To keep the crust soft and still get a light toast to the bread, I butter the bread before toasting in my toaster oven. The butter keeps the entire slice of bread soft, and my children willingly eat the entire piece of bread.

This little tip helps to save our family money since my children are receiving the nutrients from the entire slice of bread without wasting food.

In using time wisely, I butter bread before toasting. By eating the entire slice, my children do not need extra slices which saves me money, energy, and time.

As you feed your picky children, who do not like the hard crust on toast, butter bread before toasting. If your children are like mine, then they may eat the entire slice which will save you money, energy, and time. Happy savings!

Question: Do your children eat the entire slice of toast?

Filed Under: Food Prep, Food Tagged With: quick tips

3 Quick Meals for Busy Weeks

May 17, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Fitting in meals around shopping trips, school obligations, and soccer games is a game in itself.

On these busy nights, I plan quick meals to feed my family. Sometimes finding 30 minutes to cook is tough, but with 10 minutes of preparation in the morning or afternoon, I can serve my family a healthy supper at the busy dinner hour.

To give you a peek into our household, here are three quick meals I make on busy weeks.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Afternoon Prep

Since frozen meatballs only need about 3-4 hours to simmer, I start preparing this meal after lunch.

Taking about 5 minutes, I place the frozen meatballs in the crock pot, add a jar of spaghetti sauce, and sprinkle in the spices – oregano, basil, and parsley. I then stir the ingredients, turn the crock pot setting to low, and leave it until dinner time.

Dinner Prep

Within 15 minutes, I can boil the water and make the spaghetti noodles. While the pasta is cooking, I fix a bowl of salad and make the garlic bread.

For the garlic bread, I butter the bread, sprinkle with garlic powder, and toast in the toaster oven. Buttering the bread before toasting keeps the bread soft, so my children will eat the entire slice. 🙂

Marinated Grilled Chicken

Morning or Afternoon Prep

During my morning or afternoon routine, I defrost 3-4 chicken breasts for about 10 minutes in the microwave. When complete, I slice the chicken breasts in half (horizontally) which makes 6-8 thin chicken breasts.

I add a bottle of teriyaki marinade to a gallon-size Ziploc bag and add the chicken. After closing the bag, I place it in a bowl (to catch any leaks) and put it in the refrigerator.

Dinner Prep

When the grill master (my husband, Paul) preheats the grill, I start the stuffing on the stove top and the vegetables in the microwave. While the food is grilling and cooking, we set the table. Within 20 minutes, dinner is ready, and we sit down to eat.

Smoked Sausage with Sides

Morning Prep

Transfer the smoked sausage link(s) from the freezer to the refrigerator.

Dinner Prep

Start the pasta (parmesan linguine, mac and cheese, or alfredo rotini) and the frozen vegetables cooking. Then I slice the defrosted sausages and cook in a skillet on the stove top over medium-heat. Within 15 minutes, dinner is complete and ready to be devoured.

By feeding my family using quick meals like spaghetti and meatballs, marinated grilled chicken, and smoked sausage with sides, I can serve my family dinner on busy nights while using time wisely.

A little preparation in the morning or afternoon eases the time constraints at the dinner hour. With a few quick meals, you, too, can survive busy nights while using time wisely. Happy cooking!

Question: What is a quick meal enjoyed by your family?

Filed Under: Food Prep, Food Tagged With: dinner

Summer Recipe: Pan Éclairs

May 24, 2012 by Tracy

Today, I am sharing one of our family’s favorite summer dessert recipes.

These pan éclairs are not my original recipe. Since I am a baker (follow recipes exactly) and not a cook (adjust recipes to taste, what’s on hand, and spontaneity), I received this recipe from a friend a few years ago. I have seen similar recipes in magazines, but this particular recipe is my favorite.

Pan Éclairs

Ingredients

  • 2 packages instant vanilla or cheesecake pudding, 4-serving size
  • 2 cups milk
  • ¾ box honey graham crackers
  • Cool Whip, 8 oz.
  • Chocolate frosting (optional)

Directions

1. In medium mixing bowl, mix pudding and milk. Let it set for 5 minutes. Add Cool Whip and mix.

2. In a 9”x13” pan, put a layer of graham crackers, then ½ of the Cool Whip/pudding mixture, then a layer of graham crackers, then rest of Cool Whip/pudding mixture, and then graham crackers. Top with chocolate frosting and sprinkles. Refrigerate.

  

  

3. Make 1 day ahead and then cut into serving-size portions.

By allowing the mixture to cool for 8 to 24 hours before serving, the pudding mixture firms while the graham crackers soften which makes this dessert a crowd pleaser. This dessert must set, or you will have a runny mixture that will not cut into portions for serving.

Besides family gatherings, this dessert is great for parties, picnics, and cookouts. Made with milk, these pan éclairs are light, creamy, and delicious. Yum!

TIP: To print this post (or any post on Using Time Wisely), click the printer icon at the bottom of each post. This icon sits next to the LEAVE A COMMENT link (which you are welcome to do as well). 🙂

In using time wisely, prepare your pan éclairs a day ahead, and you will have a fantastic dessert without the fuss on party day. Enjoy!

Question: What is your family’s favorite summer dessert?

Filed Under: Recipes, Food Tagged With: recipe

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