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help me!

mrsjosey1018200

posted to Greenwashing, Toxins, & Conventional Products in Green Organic Natural Simple Living
on Nov. 5, 2009 at 3:31 PM

  • 4 Replies
  • 35 Total Views

 Im trying to cut our grocery budget..by about half. Im really going to need recipe help, and ideas. Im going to the farmers market next week, and i know i can get enough food for 4 meals with 20 bucks. My problem is when i go to the grocery store. I try to stay away from pre-made meals, but im definately not the greatest cook, so thats what i end up buying.
Also, i want to eat healthier. Im not against vegetarian/vegan meals. As long as my hubby and daughter will eat :) We dont usually eat anything but chicken. Occasionally we will have beef, but im not a fan-so its not too often. My hubby likes fish-but that usually gets fried, so we dont do that too often either.
thanks girlies :)


Written by on Nov. 5, 2009 at 3:31 PM

Replies:


  • ecodani
  • by on Nov. 5, 2009 at 4:16 PM
  • check out my food site

    daniellecooks.wordpress.com

    I have a section on budget meals

    soups are a very cheap way to make a lot fo food.

  • SherriPontious
  • by on Nov. 6, 2009 at 9:04 AM
  • Rice and beans and orange juice are the staples I fall back on when I have to cut my grocery budget.  I buy frozen veges and chicken, and make different meals by adding different spices. 

  • kathy210
  • by on Nov. 7, 2009 at 9:07 AM
  • try    www.allrecipes.com   or    www.recipezaar.com

  • greenlvnanna
  • by on Nov. 9, 2009 at 11:10 AM
  •  

    Learning to cook from scratch will save you tons of money and you wont be eating all those preservatives and additives.  I can tell you what I do.  If things are really tight and I leave out the goodies and forgo the organic and stores of choice I can get a week of groceries for $50 for a family of four, and my husband eats alot.

    20lb bag of rice (at walmart or shaws $13)

    2cups rice: 1cup water

    Now rice can be really good if its cooked a certain way: warm a teaspoon of oil in a pot, crush one clove of garlic (or some onion or both) place it in the oil till browned then you can optionally add a few pinches of ground Tumeric, stir it around a little then add one cup of rice and stir a bit and let sit a minute (this should be on med-med high heat) Then add the rest of your rice, some salt if you like and your water.  bring it to a boil for about five to ten minutes, then when the water and the rice are at about the same level, cover and either turn it off if you tend to forget about things on the stove and burn them like me or set on low heat and let sit for about 15 minutes.

    We eat alot of fish too but its really expensive where I live so when things are tight I buy canned pink salmon and canned Mackerel, and whatever else seems to be a good buy, sometimes frozen Pollock is really affordable.  I like to saute some onions and garlic in a tad of oil, cook down some greens and then toss in the fish.  It makes a great side to the rice. 

    We eat alot of eggs, they are inexpensive and go really well with rice.

    Look in the fliers when they have chicken for sale for $.70/lb and stock up your freezer. 

    If you eat red meat buy a whole cow shoulder ($1.40 or so/ lb) and some freezer bags and cut it up however you want when you get home.

    Ramen noodles make an awesome oriental type soup.  I throw out the MSG packets and buy low sodium soy sauce.  Make a soup base with all kinds of veggies and whatever you want, just make sure it includes onions & garlic sauteed first, the add the water, shave some ginger root, add enough soy sauce to change the color of the water, and when that's all cooked down add the ramen noodles.

    We always buy a big bag of apples, cuz an apple a day...

    And a big thing of oatmeal (not instant), or steel cut oats in bulk.  Get creative with the oatmeal, frozen strawberries can be found inexpensive sometimes, cook them in with it, use milk instead of water for a creamy delight, brown sugar, cinnamon, apples, yogurt...For some reason oatmeal is way better tasting when its cooked on the stovetop rather than in the microwave.

    Big bag of Potatoes= endless opportunities.

    Big bag of spagetti, Some cans of stewed tomatoes.

    Thats pretty much it for a real cheapy week, and I don't get the whole shoulder or fill up the freezer with chicken on sale for one of those weeks.

    I hope at least one of these tips you might find helpful.

     

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