Fancy Shmancy Frugal Salad!

I enjoy a good salad but sometimes they can get a little boring. Same old dressing, same old veggies...

There are so many things out there that you can throw onto a salad, some items are cheaper than others. One thing is for certain that it is definitely not as cheap to eat healthy as one would hope. So I present to you my favorite Fancy Shmancy Frugal Salad!

Bagged salad mix costs only a hair more than just buying a head of lettuce these days so if I am just making myself a salad for lunch I'll just use that and spread it out over the week. But if you are using a whole head of lettuce you can make a massive amount of salad! Just add a couple shaved carrots and some shaved purple cabbage and you've got your own salad mix on steroids! I also make my own vinaigrette salad dressing because it is cheaper than buying dressings (usually) and it contains a lot less preservatives and a lot less calories. I top the salad with feta cheese, a dried tropical fruit mix and a crunchy salad topping mix. Super satisfying, super cheap and super yum!



Ingredients for the salad:
Bagged Salad Mix (Wal-Mart $3.48 massive bag)
Dried Tropical Fruit Mix (Dollar Tree for $1)
Feta Cheese 6oz (Wal-Mart $1.97)
Crunchy Salad Toppin's (Wal-Mart $1.97 but will last a LONG time)

Makes 6 individual salads for approx. $1.20 each

Dress the salad with this easy Honey Mustard Vinaigrette!

Grocery Shopping 3/19/14

This week's grocery trip was a little different than usual. I did a massive couponing trip in the same day! It was also different because normally I do all my shopping at Walmart or Dillons but today I ALSO had to drive into another town to have my oil changed and so I was able to shop at Aldi! I went ahead and did two weeks worth of grocery shopping instead of the typical one week trip. I also bought a lot of fresh strawberries because I am going to can some preserves this week.
I also learned something new about Aldi. Did you know that they occasionally have coupons on their meat products? It's true! There was a $1 off coupon on a Tyson whole chicken. So I got a 6 lb chicken for only $4.57 or only $.76/lb. Yippee!!
Without further adieu...

6 lbs Strawberries  $7.74
2 Whipped Topping  $1.78
10 Lemons $3.90
1 Avocado $.49
2 Pkgs Dried Fruit $2.98
4 sticks Margarine $.75
Aluminum Foil $1.99
Turkey Kielbasa $1.99
Quick Oats $2.29
3 lbs Bananas $1.28
3 lbs Onions  $1.49
3 Garlic Bulbs $.99
12 oz Blackberries $1.98
Sour Cream $1.29
Bagged Spinach $1.69
Celery Bunch $1.19
2 cans Green Beans $.98
Fresh Whole Chicken $4.57
10 lbs Potatoes $2.69

Total with all taxes  $45.59

Now let's see if I can make it until the first full week of April before having to go to the grocery store! :-D

Coupon Trip Week of 3/19/14

This was a BIG week for us couponers and this promotion goes until the end of the month so anyone who wants to jump on the bandwagon.... you have until March 31, 2014 to do so!

I made a few different trips as well. I did my main coupon trip first thing this morning because I knew the longer I waited the less likely it would be that everything I wanted was still left on the shelves! Then I took a break to get the car an oil change and followed that with another trip to Dillons to use the catalina coupons that I had received in that first trip of the day. I also made an unexpected stop at Target. You see, I had to make a drive to the dealership for my oil change and lucky for me there's a Target on the way home. I don't always get to do a Target coupon trip but when I do I try to make it a small but a beneficial one!

Here is my first haul of the day. I did also run into Walmart and picked up paper products and threw those in the picture as well (not sure why!) but they are not listed in the coupon comparison list. I want you all to know that I used ALL printable and digital coupons as well as electronic rebates from Checkout 51 and iBotta on all my trips today. So even if you haven't bought any newspapers ever you can still get these deals as long as you have a printer at home and a store card for Kroger/Dillons. The price listed is the total price paid after all discounts.

3 - Capri Sun 10 ct  ($3.47 or $1.15/each)
1 - Ritz Bits (FREE with +$.23 overage!)
1 - Triscuits (FREE with +$.23 overage!)
6 - Barilla Pasta 16 oz ($3.00 or $.50/each)
2 - Oscar Mayer Lean Beef Franks 16 oz ($4.98 or $2.49/each)
1 - Frigo String Cheese 20 ct ($2.64)
4 - Go-gurt 8 ct  ($4.46 or $1.11/each)
4 - Barilla Microwavable Entrees ($1.16 or $.29/each)
2 - Coffee-mate powdered creamer  ($3.98 or $1.99/each)
3 - Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal ($2.64 or $.88/each)
4 - Classico Pasta Sauce  ($2.96 or $.74/each)
10 - Snickers PB Squared ($2.00 or $.20/each)
6 - M&M's ($2.00 or $.33/each)
1 - Folgers Gourmet Coffee 12 oz ($4.99)
2 - Almond Breeze Almond Milk ($3.98 or $1.99/each)
1 - Kraft Shredded Mozzarella 8 oz ($1.99)
2 - Oscar Mayer Bacon 16 oz ($7.98 or $3.99/each)
4 - Oscar Mayer Deli Meat 16 oz ($7.96 or $1.99/each)
4 - Speedstick Gear Deodorant ($4.96 or $.49/each)
2 - Dial Body Wash ($2.00 or $1/each)
2 - Right Guard Body Wash ($3.00 or $1.50/each)
2 - Tone Body Wash ($3.00 or $1.50/each)
1 - Clean & Clear face scrub ($.59)

Total Retail Price $214.01
Total Price Paid all taxes included $84.86
Approx. 60% savings! Not bad considering the variety of items I was able to get!

This next smaller trip to Dillons was made out of town to pick up a few items that was out of stock at my smaller town store. I was really excited about an unexpected item! They had these new Ortega flat taco bowl thingys marked down from $2.59 to $1.50 and each box had a $1 off peelie making each box only $.50! I only bought 4 but fought the urge to grab them all!

4 - Ortega Fiesta Flats 10 ct ($2.00 or $.50/each)
1 - Triscuits ($.77)
1 - Thomas Bagel Thins ($1.99)
1 - NY Coffee Blend ($3.69)
1 - Oscar Mayer Deli Turkey ($1.99)
2 - El Monterey Breakfast Burrito (FREE!!)
1 - Miracle Whip ($1.99)
1 - Skim Milk gallon ($1.78)
1 - Halos 3 lb bag ($3.24)
4 - Classico Pasta Sauces ($2.96 or $.74/each)
1 - Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal ($.88)

Total Retail Price $61.92
Total Price Paid all taxes included $22.08
Approx. 65% savings!

The final trip to Target was very dainty but super huge in savings! I got really lucky to be in town to snag these deals...

1 - Windex Touch-up Cleaner (FREE with stacked coupons and Checkout 51 rebate)
1 - Special K Berry Cereal ($.19 with 50% off cartwheel digital, manufacturer coupon and iBotta rebate)
2 - Oscar Mayer hot dogs 16 oz ($2.81 or $1.40/each)
2 - Right Guard Xtreme Deodorant ($.64 or $.32/each with store stacked coupons)

Total Retail Price $21.07
Total Price Paid all taxes included $4.78
Approx. 80% savings!! Saved the best for last!

Total spent overall with my coupons today $111.72
And I saved with my coupons $185.28  Totally worth it!

I also squeezed in my regular grocery trip today (for 2 weeks instead of only 1...) so I'm exhausted! Haha!

How I meal plan...

There are many, many ways to meal plan for your family and it is crucial for a successful food budget to have one! I personally realized that by taking about an hour each month and another each week (and I'm getting quicker!) I was able to cut my grocery budget in half... by just being prepared! I also found that those hours leading up to dinner time were much less stressful because I already knew what I was going to be cooking. I was no longer waiting until the last minute to throw something together or going the easier route and picking up or ordering in which is both bad for your diet and your wallet.

The first step (after I prepare a cup of coffee, love the mug?) that I take when I begin menu planning is to map out dinners by month. Looking at a full month allows me to spread out similar meals so that we don't feel like we are eating the same thing all the time. I'll start by taking family favorites such as spaghetti or pizza and I will randomly place them a few times across the month. On Friday that week maybe Sunday a couple weeks later... and so on. Then I'll try to think of a pattern... maybe a chicken dish every 8 days? Meatless every 4 days? It depends on my mood at the time that I'm crafting this monthly plan. One thing is certain... USE PENCIL! I make a lot of changes and I'll explain!

I menu plan by month but I grocery shop weekly because I am a sale hound. I prefer to purchase items when they are on sale so just because I say we will have chicken doesn't mean I won't switch it to pork loin when the pork is on sale that week and the chicken is not! Hence... always write in pencil. Some might say: Why plan by the month at all? Why not just plan every week with sale ads?  My answer is simple... in my personal experience, I find that if I have a guideline for the month that makes the weekly grocery lists move a lot faster. The majority of the meals that I make consist of items that are frequently on sale, regularly inexpensive or I already have on hand in my pantry. The only items that I have to really switch around for sales are main meat dishes.

Once I have looked over the weekly sale ads on Wednesdays and matched any coupons, I make my final weekly menu and compile my shopping list. Since I do not have a set day for grocery shopping (and always try to avoid doing it over a weekend), I start the weekly dinner menu on Monday and end on Sunday... this allows me between Thursday and Monday morning to get to the grocery store which personally works well for me.

Monday mornings I put the menu up on the board and call it good!

How do you plan your family's dinner menu?

Banana Icebox Pie ($.51 per serving)

In honor of National Pi Day (3.14 get it?!) I decided to break down and throw a pie together. And it was magical. And it was creamy. And it was delicious...

Ingredients:

Crust
10 full size graham crackers (approx. $.66)
3 tbsp milk of choice (approx. $.06)
2 tbsp sugar (pennies)

Filling and Topping
3.4 oz box banana pudding mix - 4 serving size ($.94)
1 cup milk (approx. $.22)
16 oz Cool Whip knockoff! [Divided] ($1.98)
2 Bananas (approx. $.23)

In your mixer, combine the banana pudding mix and milk. Then add in HALF of the 16 oz container of whipped topping. Once well combined put in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes.
Pulverize the graham crackers in your food processor then add in milk and sugar then press into your pie pan. Remove the filling and spread over pie crust. Slice the bananas and put in a ring around the edge of the pie. Fill in the center with remaining whipped topping and cover bananas completely. Put in the freezer for at least one hour before serving... if you can wait that long! You can either keep it in the freezer (covered of course) or keep in the fridge. Up to you!
$4.11 for a cool, creamy pie... Pi Day 2014 is a true success!

I couldn't wait. HAHA!

Staying out of the dang store...

Something that I personally struggle with is staying out of the grocery store. I have always wanted to be that mom that did the whole 'Grocery Shopping Once a Month' thing and if we lived in the country that would probably be the case. Unfortunately for me, I have a Walmart about 5 minutes away so it makes it really convenient to stop in if I run out of something. The challenge that I am giving myself is to: Stay out of the dang store.  The key to accomplishing this task is: Find alternatives. Some things are easier to find alternatives for than others.

For about 9 months (a few years ago) I lived in a very small town with the nearest grocery store being about 30 miles away. Trips for any kind of shopping had to be very carefully planned because if you ran out of something it would be at least an hour round trip in driving alone! Not to mention the gas money...  this was good and bad for me. I learned how to make a list and I learned how to find alternatives if I ran out of something. Now I live in a town where shopping is easily accessible and I'm struggling with running to the store 2 or 3 times a week!

I don't care who you are... going into a store and picking up the one thing you went in there for and leaving with nothing else is hard or near impossible. For me personally, I like to make the trip worth it so subconsciously I'll tell myself "what else do I need" and I end up picking up a few things that I kind of needed but could have done without for a few weeks. What irritates me about this is that it eats up my grocery money and then when I go on my final shopping trip of the month I might have to readjust dramatically to compensate for that extra money that I spent week 2. If that makes sense...

So I am challenging myself and challenging you to stay out of the dang store... let's curb those impulse buys and keep our grocery budgets in check!

BBQ Beef and Beans ($.56 per serving)

This is a hearty and satisfying dish that everyone in the family loves. It was developed one night when we hadn't made it to the grocery store and children were starving half to death (at least they thought so!) so we needed something quick. It has become a regular item on our menu ever since!

Ingredients:

28 oz Maple Baked Beans, canned (approx. $1.50)
12 oz ground beef (approx. $2.25)
2 tbsp bbq sauce of choice (approx. $.15)
3 tsp yellow mustard (pennies)
1 tsp minced garlic (pennies)
1/2 tsp onion powder (pennies)
1/4 tsp salt (penny)

In a medium sized pot, brown the ground beef with minced garlic, onion powder and salt. Once meat is browned, drain. Return to pot and add the bbq sauce and yellow mustard. Saute over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Then add the baked beans and heat through for about 10 minutes over medium heat.
Serve with potatoes for a hearty meal!

Makes about 7 servings; 1/2 cup servings. Feeds a family of four for around $4.00!

Enjoy!