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A Cup of This and A Slice of That…
Have a cup of mashed potatoes, half cup of green beans, a slice of turkey… Looks like you’ve got the makings of your own TV dinner. Some people love leftovers while some hate them. Seeing the same meal or even the same ingredients more than once can send some running. One way around it, (and also to save money), is to take leftovers and come up with your own version of the infamous TV dinner. While the store bought ones are most likely full of preservatives, too much sodium etc. yours will be healthy and have items you love. First step is to buy some of the meal prepping containers.…
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Budget Bytes You’ll Love
Looking for great tasting budget recipes? Late last year I went looking for sites and books offering budget but yet easy to make recipes and meal ideas and I stumbled upon Budget Bytes- https://www.budgetbytes.com/ The recipes were so great and easy to make that I went searching for the book written by the creator of the site. I’ve been using it for several months Here’s the link for that- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18925340-budget-bytes And finally, there’s even a Budget Bytes store where you can buy meal plans and yes, recipes too- https://shop.budgetbytes.com/ Hope you find something of value in any or all of these sites. Have a fun weekend.
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Forget the steak… five reasons to love stews
When the temperature dips there’s sometimes nothing better to eat than a bowl of hearty stew. It’s comfort food at its very best and some of my favorite food memories from childhood are indulging in a stew my grandmother had cooked. Meat, vegetables and a savory liquid that are simmered together for hours on top of the stove to take away the chill of a winter’s day. It’s not surprising that just about every cuisine in the world has its own version. However, the best thing about a stew is, apart from the fact it tastes so good, it’s the budget smart cook’s best friend. Easy on the Cook Stews are one…
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Jazzing Up Dinner
Being on a food budget often means you walk around the supermarket on automatic pilot putting the same old boxes of this and that into your cart instead of taking a chance on something new. And it also means serving the same recipes week after week. When I’m feeling in the food doldrums, here some things I turn to. Cookbooks I love reading cookbooks and they’re often a good source of finding new recipes and ways to cut costs. Take a look at the ones you have sitting around the house, or even take a trip to the library. Check some out and page through them. One I recently found…
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Leftovers…they’re not so bad after all
I might be in the minority here, but I love leftovers. I love the challenge of finding ways to use remnants from previous meals to create new ones. And for me, leftovers are almost like eating a free meal. And with food prices on the rise, who could ask for more. Vegetables How many times have you checked your refrigerator and found a cup of green beans in one dish, maybe carrots in another? When I find leftover vegetables on the shelf, the first thing that comes to mind is soup. Some of the best testing soups I’ve ever made started out as a bowl of leftover veggies. Minestrone, cheese…
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No Cooking Skills Required
I think one reason that many people rely on eating out and store bought foods isn’t due to their lack of time, it’s their lack of confidence in the kitchen. Friends tell me that I’m lucky because I like to cook, that I know how to cook and that must save me a ton of money. That’s true but you don’t have to be a gourmet chef to make meals that has everyone coming back for more. Cooking Doesn’t Mean PerfectionIf you’re scared that everyone’s going to hate what you cook, take the plunge anyway. Even top chefs were once beginners and just about everyone has a disaster or two…
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Fall’s Best Buys for the Budget Smart Cook
One of my favorite things about fall is taking a walk through the produce department and checking out all the new fruits and vegetables that are at their peak this time of the year. Apples, squash, root vegetables…the great thing is they’re budget friendly too. Here’s why a Budget Smart Cook should use them in every day meals. They’re High in Fiber Fiber is not only good for our health, but it’s a friend to the wallet too. Fiber helps to keep your blood sugar at a constant level and makes you feel fuller faster. Making a vegetable pot pie from fall produce is a budget stretcher and a great…
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Making Salads Super
When the thermometer rises, you not only need to get in and out of the kitchen ASAP, but you want to eat something light too. I can’t think of a better meal than a salad to meet these two needs. An Everyday Salad Whether it’s summer or winter, one thing I like to keep in the fridge is my own mini salad bar. Just a few items like romaine lettuce or field greens, shredded carrots, chopped cucumber and tomatoes. I’ll usually combine the lettuce and carrots together in a large serving bowl, but I’ll wait to wash and cut the cucumber and tomatoes until a few hours before I serve…
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Portion Control-One Way To Be Budget Smart
A couple of things got me thinking about one easy way to make your food dollar stretch even further, eating less. I don’t mean starving yourself to save money, but simply cutting back on the portion sizes. There’s been lots of media coverage about this topic. Most of us eat more calories than we actually need, and hence, pack on the pounds. And restaurants serve us portion sizes that could easily feed two people. The two things that got me thinking about this topic were, one, I was sent this very interesting article ‘Lose Weight and Eat Well on $6 a Day’. And the second thing was that last weekend…
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Budget Smart Outdoor Foods
One of my favorite summer activities is packing the picnic basket and heading to one of the local parks. And apart from the cost of the food, it’s free entertainment. Whether you’re planning a picnic or a cook out, here are some of my favorite picks for summertime budget smart food. Hamburgers with a Twist Everyone loves a hamburger and they’re easy on the budget. However, the biggest drawback is a plain hamburger can be shall we say, tasteless. Think about all the new ways you can serve a hamburger. How about putting the topping inside the hamburger before you cook it? I’ve tried filling them with foods like blue…