Sunday Breakfast – Cinnamon toast again. Normally I cook a big breakfast, really I do. I’ve been so lazy lately.
Lunch – Glorious leftovers. Didn’t have to cook.
Dinner – Company again….Spaghetti made from a gigantic can of tomato sauce that I got the week before for a $1.99. Froze three large portions for future use and used the fourth tonight. Had green beans and peach dump cake with it.
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Got some good advice from Mandi in an e-mail....
Hey Gayle,
I am right there with you - things have been incredibly tight in our household for the last few months and so I thought I would share some of the things I have been doing to cut costs. Oh and we are also a family of 6.
1. Oatmeal for breakfast every weekday. There is no breakfast more filling and cost effective than this. (I know you are in Washington - do you happen to have a Winco near you? I can fill refill my dry oats container for 30 cents in their bulk bins!) On Saturday we do pancakes and on Sunday I make muffins from this muffin master mix recipe. I love all of the stir in ideas! Each batch makes enough for our breakfast with lots to spare to go into the freezer.
2. Whole Chicken - here is how I prepare it. The least expensive way to go. We love homemade chicken noodle soup with big chunky homemade noodles! ( :
3. Rice - I don't buy the boxed flavored rice because it is so easy to do your own. Cook it in chicken or beef broth and add whatever seasoning you want. I like to saute onion and garlic before I add the rice and broth. You can also make spanish rice by doing 1 part chicken broth and 1 part tomato sauce as your cooking liquid. Add a little chili powder and cumin and you have a yummy rice to throw in a tortilla with your chicken from above.
4. Corn tortillas - they are by far the cheapest and you can buy them in large quantities without breaking your budget. We prefer flour tortillas but corn are good too if you brown them in a pan before filling them. They are also yummy layered in an enchilada casserole.
5. I have been making homemade bread lately as well. Much healthier and more cost effective. In fact I am training my almost 10yo dd to make the bread and when she gets it down she will be our resident baker! ( :
6. This recipe may sound strange but try it - I guarantee you'll love it.
Top Ramen Egg Foo Young (we call it 'Fried Noodle Patties')
1 pkg. ramen noodles(any flavor)
3 eggs (beaten)
1 cup assorted cut up and/or grated veggies
Boil noodles 1 minute and drain. Mix noodles with eggs, veggies, and seasoning packet.
Fry mixture in patties on a hot greased fry pan until both sides are golden. One of my kids favorite meals - and I love them too! ( :
Well these are just a few ideas. If you have a Winco in your area then I urge you to shop there - you will not find a better supermarket for their prices! I refill herb and spice bottles for less than 10 cents in their bulk!
Hope this helps.
Warmly,
Mandi
www.homeschoolblogger.com/UnderHisConstruction
Sunday, December 9, 2007
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3 comments:
Up until about a year ago I bought lots of cereal and that was our breakfast staple. Then it dawned on me that oatmeal and pancakes are WAY cheaper (especially in huge quantities at Costco)!! So now we rotate between the two. I like the pancakes also because you can make double one morning, freeze,and reheat another morning for a quick breakfast.
....If only I would have figured this out sooner!
~Laura
What a great idea for a blog Gayle!
We have done the same thing with milk (tired of going though a gallon every other day, and serve water with most meals (it tastes great with orange slices too!)
Also, Safeway has some great sales on meat right now. I bought ground chicken for 50% off (it had coupons on the front and was not close date) and 2 pot roasts that were buy one get one free. We are not big red meat eaters, but I stuck one in the freezer, and one is in the crock as we speak. It cost me $12.00 for 2, and each roast will feed us for two dinners (the second night, pot roast sandwiches). Make up some homemade bread to serve with it, and it works out to be about $3 to feed a family of 6 dinner!
Also carrots are buy one get one free. I bought one for the roasts and will use the other for French Carrot soup, and if I actually work out this week... maybe carrot cake! ~Karlie
I am absolutely going to make that peach dump cake. I already make a similar one with chopped pineapple and cherry pie filling. Nuts (chopped pecans or walnuts) are optional. The whole of the recipe is the same, just mix up the other fruit (particularly if you have some left over or found on sale after the holiday), top with the optional nuts, then cake mix and butter. Baking instructions are the same. Note: this dump cake gets better after it sits for a bit. It gets all gooey and sticky. Oh, so good!
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