Comments on: Mindful Money: The conundrum of groceries and gas http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/ Having it all with less. Tue, 22 May 2012 18:09:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: LIz http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-81223 LIz Fri, 16 May 2008 20:32:42 +0000 http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-81223 Here is one way I recenlty started saving time nad money. I get together with three to four friends every month and we cook 5 freezer meals together. In advance to our cooking night one of us buys all our ingredients at Aldi's, Sam's Club, etc., and then we split the bill. When it comes time to package our food food for the freezer, we each split a recipe into two bags, since none of us have kids old enough to eat as much as an adult. Last month we made 5 recipes, split into 10 nights worth of dinner, for $28 each. In addition, we had a great time socializing while we cooked together! Here is one way I recenlty started saving time nad money. I get together with three to four friends every month and we cook 5 freezer meals together. In advance to our cooking night one of us buys all our ingredients at Aldi’s, Sam’s Club, etc., and then we split the bill. When it comes time to package our food food for the freezer, we each split a recipe into two bags, since none of us have kids old enough to eat as much as an adult. Last month we made 5 recipes, split into 10 nights worth of dinner, for $28 each. In addition, we had a great time socializing while we cooked together!

]]> By: Denise Altman http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80472 Denise Altman Thu, 08 May 2008 00:59:33 +0000 http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80472 I dearly love reading these kind of posts-and the reader responses are just as good! I have realy cut back in the last six months, even buying less from Amazon since the good deals are a lot of bulk processed items (although the Horizon milk is awesome in a lunch box). I dusted off my bread machine and use it to make dough only. I cut and freeze in balls for rolls, or put in a regular load pan to bake-without getting the hole from the paddle. As a side note, my kids are fuller on homemade bread than the store stuff. I have also cut deals with my local butcher. He will sell me ground beef or chuck for the same price as Sam's Club, as long as I buy a minimum of 10 lbs. I just plan ahead, pick up what looks like a pillowcase full of meat (beautifully fresh ground and wrapped in butcher paper), and spend the evening mixing meatloaf, meatballs, taco meat, and packaging the rest. All I had to do was ask! I dearly love reading these kind of posts-and the reader responses are just as good!
I have realy cut back in the last six months, even buying less from Amazon since the good deals are a lot of bulk processed items (although the Horizon milk is awesome in a lunch box). I dusted off my bread machine and use it to make dough only. I cut and freeze in balls for rolls, or put in a regular load pan to bake-without getting the hole from the paddle. As a side note, my kids are fuller on homemade bread than the store stuff.
I have also cut deals with my local butcher. He will sell me ground beef or chuck for the same price as Sam’s Club, as long as I buy a minimum of 10 lbs. I just plan ahead, pick up what looks like a pillowcase full of meat (beautifully fresh ground and wrapped in butcher paper), and spend the evening mixing meatloaf, meatballs, taco meat, and packaging the rest. All I had to do was ask!

]]> By: K @ The Homestead http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80450 K @ The Homestead Wed, 07 May 2008 17:23:51 +0000 http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80450 I bought a new refrigerator.... for our anniversary. I know, romantic. But I didn't know how bad the old one was... milk going bad in 3 days should have been my first clue. So. Buy a fridge thermometer (oh heck, they are cheap... get one for the freezer while you are at it.) Monitor the temp so you are getting the longest shelf life you can out of what you buy.... especially if you start noticing a lot of freezer burn and/or frost build-up.... might be your freezer seals. (I also have a story about a chest freezer flying out of a pickup... I'll share that another time.) We make "cream of green things" soup. My mom called it garbage pail soup. It's the toss-everything-that-is-about-to-spoil-in method of cooking. Then we freeze it in single-serve portions for lunches. I also tend to freeze any "almost gone" fruit.... my kids love teeny-weeny popsicles.... don't tell them the are actually eating frozen grapes. We also do a massive quick-cook and freeze of herbs, corn & tomatoes in the fall... and strawberries earlier.... from the garden. I bought a new refrigerator…. for our anniversary. I know, romantic. But I didn’t know how bad the old one was… milk going bad in 3 days should have been my first clue.

So. Buy a fridge thermometer (oh heck, they are cheap… get one for the freezer while you are at it.) Monitor the temp so you are getting the longest shelf life you can out of what you buy…. especially if you start noticing a lot of freezer burn and/or frost build-up…. might be your freezer seals. (I also have a story about a chest freezer flying out of a pickup… I’ll share that another time.)

We make “cream of green things” soup. My mom called it garbage pail soup. It’s the toss-everything-that-is-about-to-spoil-in method of cooking. Then we freeze it in single-serve portions for lunches. I also tend to freeze any “almost gone” fruit…. my kids love teeny-weeny popsicles…. don’t tell them the are actually eating frozen grapes.

We also do a massive quick-cook and freeze of herbs, corn & tomatoes in the fall… and strawberries earlier…. from the garden.

]]> By: joan http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80430 joan Wed, 07 May 2008 14:39:30 +0000 http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80430 I always plan my meals. I like to plan a month at a time to make the most of "doubling" meals and spreading out the frequency of the same meal. I cook two meals at a time at least 2 or 3 nights a week and we always have a soup and sandwich night (in winter) and a salad night (in summer). It's amazingly easy when the family knows Tuesday night is spaghetti and Thursday is salad night. Sunday's main meal is a roast, or other large piece of meat i.e. pork roast that provided the core for another night's meal (barbecue over rice). Poof--4 days out of 7 are planned! Also, I always keep my "pantry meals" stocked. The proverbial tuna noodle casserole ingredients are kept in a special place in the pantry along with all the ingredients for salmon cakes. Meals from the pantry are lifesavers particularly if planned ahead. Remember, the staples of bread and milk can also be frozen to save the extra trips to the store. I always plan my meals. I like to plan a month at a time to make the most of “doubling” meals and spreading out the frequency of the same meal. I cook two meals at a time at least 2 or 3 nights a week and we always have a soup and sandwich night (in winter) and a salad night (in summer). It’s amazingly easy when the family knows Tuesday night is spaghetti and Thursday is salad night. Sunday’s main meal is a roast, or other large piece of meat i.e. pork roast that provided the core for another night’s meal (barbecue over rice). Poof–4 days out of 7 are planned! Also, I always keep my “pantry meals” stocked. The proverbial tuna noodle casserole ingredients are kept in a special place in the pantry along with all the ingredients for salmon cakes. Meals from the pantry are lifesavers particularly if planned ahead.
Remember, the staples of bread and milk can also be frozen to save the extra trips to the store.

]]> By: MMM http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80428 MMM Wed, 07 May 2008 14:17:17 +0000 http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80428 I have always bought extra lean meats and lower fat foods, but with prices the way they are, I am settling for higher fat version, and eating smaller portions. I have also started ordering through Angel Food Ministries (dot com). Check out their website! I have always bought extra lean meats and lower fat foods, but with prices the way they are, I am settling for higher fat version, and eating smaller portions.
I have also started ordering through Angel Food Ministries (dot com). Check out their website!

]]> By: Laurin http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80427 Laurin Wed, 07 May 2008 13:54:38 +0000 http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80427 Luckily, I live in a suburb of Chicago where there are two grocery stores within a mile of my house (and 5 more about 2 miles further down the same road! No, I'm not even exaggerating!) With all of these grocery stores within spitting distance, what I typically do is check out all of their sales ads for the week (online) and determine which one has the most items I need/routinely buy on sale. Then I go to two or three of them and get my sale and loss leader items! One of the stores nearest my house is my "go to" store for stopping after work because it is the cheapest for staple foods like fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy and deli. However, their "inner aisle" foods are more expensive than some of the other local grocery stores. Hence, the need for the other stores. I used to be a regular coupon clipper but I've given it up because I realized it wasn't really saving me that much money. How often do you actually find a coupon for stuff you routinely buy? In my case, not that often. I found I was buying stuff I had not bought before just because I had a good coupon. Sometimes with good results, sometimes bad. Luckily, I live in a suburb of Chicago where there are two grocery stores within a mile of my house (and 5 more about 2 miles further down the same road! No, I’m not even exaggerating!)

With all of these grocery stores within spitting distance, what I typically do is check out all of their sales ads for the week (online) and determine which one has the most items I need/routinely buy on sale. Then I go to two or three of them and get my sale and loss leader items! One of the stores nearest my house is my “go to” store for stopping after work because it is the cheapest for staple foods like fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy and deli. However, their “inner aisle” foods are more expensive than some of the other local grocery stores. Hence, the need for the other stores.

I used to be a regular coupon clipper but I’ve given it up because I realized it wasn’t really saving me that much money. How often do you actually find a coupon for stuff you routinely buy? In my case, not that often. I found I was buying stuff I had not bought before just because I had a good coupon. Sometimes with good results, sometimes bad.

]]> By: Wendy http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80426 Wendy Wed, 07 May 2008 13:50:49 +0000 http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80426 We always talk about buying frozen veggies, but don't forget about all the frozen fruit you can buy, too. Eat the bananas at the beginning of the week before they go bad and the 2nd half you can eat frozen peaches, strawberries, blueberries, apricots. They work great for making smoothies, too! We always talk about buying frozen veggies, but don’t forget about all the frozen fruit you can buy, too. Eat the bananas at the beginning of the week before they go bad and the 2nd half you can eat frozen peaches, strawberries, blueberries, apricots. They work great for making smoothies, too!

]]> By: Lee http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80423 Lee Wed, 07 May 2008 12:08:26 +0000 http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80423 Great list Mir! Free Canadian online grocery coupons can be had here http://www.save.ca I've put together a list of other online coupons for new moms here http://nsccards.com/tomoms/moms_coupons.html Great list Mir!

Free Canadian online grocery coupons can be had here http://www.save.ca

I’ve put together a list of other online coupons for new moms here http://nsccards.com/tomoms/moms_coupons.html

]]> By: Catherine http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80416 Catherine Wed, 07 May 2008 03:40:59 +0000 http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80416 I've cut my trips to the grocery store by using Door to Door Organics, http://doortodoororganics.com. Not the cheapest source, but a reasonable amount of organic food for the price. I’ve cut my trips to the grocery store by using Door to Door Organics, http://doortodoororganics.com. Not the cheapest source, but a reasonable amount of organic food for the price.

]]> By: Jennifer Minson http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80414 Jennifer Minson Wed, 07 May 2008 03:10:30 +0000 http://wantnot.net/2008/05/06/mindful-money-the-conundrum-of-groceries-and-gas/#comment-80414 I can offer Want Not readers free shipping on the Tupperware FridgeSmart line. (on your whole order, when you order any FridgeSmart product). Just e-mail me at jenminson @ gmail. com and I will hook you up. I have kept strawberries for 2 weeks in mine. I can offer Want Not readers free shipping on the Tupperware FridgeSmart line. (on your whole order, when you order any FridgeSmart product). Just e-mail me at jenminson @ gmail. com and I will hook you up. I have kept strawberries for 2 weeks in mine.

]]>