Saving on groceries starts in your fridge!

When I got home from the grocery store yesterday and went to put things away in the refrigerator I had realized that it had been a long while since I have taken the time to go through it or re-organize it. Neglecting to keep your fridge organized is a recipe for wasting money from your grocery budget. I'm guilty of slacking in this arena so today I thought would be a good day to go through my fridge and prove my point... and remind myself in the process that I need to quick slacking!!

First of all, I couldn't ever find anything. Crap was always falling out and I was having to pull things out, putting them on the counter just so that I could get Woodchuck a glass of milk. Annoying!  Next, I was buying doubles of things! I didn't realize that I already had an opened jar of pickles in the back corner of the bottom shelf... so now I have TWO open jars. They are both too full to combine so now I have to sacrifice shelf space. UGH! Same thing with some bottles of mustard. It's not like I have an overabundance of shelf space for all of our condiments! Third, the waste... oh, the waste! Because I can't SEE what's in there I don't know what needs to get eaten. I'm so guilty. The shame...

As you can see there is a dramatic difference. At least I can see it! When you map out where certain items are you know where to look when you need something. For instance, I have decided to keep all of my leftovers on the bottom right corner. All of my dairy goes on the top shelf and my eggs and yogurt go in the middle. Find a system that works for you and do your best to stick with it... at least try to do better than I have in the recent past! Ha!

This is the part I was dreading. Exposing my wastefulness. I did promise that I wouldn't be a hypocrite and I would give knowledge based on experience and honesty no matter how brutal it may be. I'll admit that the waste wasn't as bad as I was expecting (considering how long it has been since I have really gone through the fridge in depth) but it certainly wasn't good!! Most of these items were either at the very bottom of the drawers or pushed to the back of the fridge with new items hiding them behind. The salad dressings were to be expected. Nobody was a real fan of the taste of these so it's no wonder that it wasn't used up but it should have been thrown out a long time ago as to keep the condiment shelves less cluttered!

Here's what was thrown away today with the approximate cost:
2 & 1/2 cucumbers  $1.74
Velveeta Shreds (UNOPENED but expired 30+ days) $2.79
Velveeta Shreds 1/2 full  $1.40
Sargento Sliced Provolone (UNOPENED but expired 30+ days)  $2.68
Sargento Sliced Baby Swiss (2 slices)  $.45
Variety of Yogurts x6  $4.50
Greek Yogurt 20oz remaining $3.00
Half bagged salad mix x2  $1.59
Opened salad dressings x2  $3.18
Ragu (nearly full)  $1.39
Leftover soup (1 portion)
Leftover Healthy cookie dough dip (nearly full)

Total of around $22.72 not including the leftover cooked foods.  This makes me feel very upset with myself. When you lay it out like this it makes a much bigger impact. The only thing keeping me from losing it is that I know that most of those items I was able to purchase at a much cheaper cost due to coupons but it still angers me that all of this was wasted.

Because of the waste that I have encountered after not having done an inventory of my fridge for so long - I have decided to designate one day a week to re-organizing and evaluating what items are about to expire. Fridays seem like a choice day for me and my family... mainly because anything that needs to get eaten can be consumed by the family over lunches AND dinners since we are all home over the weekend. I also tend to do shopping on Mondays so the fridge should be nice and roomy for when I need to put those new groceries away!

Who will join me in participation of Clean Fridge Fridays??! Anyone... anyone?! :-D

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Sometimes making things homemade from scratch not only tastes better but it's so easy that it's more than worth it!

I feel that way about homemade vanilla extract. Now it isn't necessarily cheaper to do it this way because the start up cost is a little pricey... but once you get it going it is very cheap to keep up and you'll want to because it tastes so darn good!

Ingredients are super simple. You need real vanilla beans (around $1 each at specialty stores) and cheap vodka (maybe around $6 for a liter?).

All you need to do is take 3-5 vanilla beans, split them length-wise (do not cut them all the way through, split them so that the vanilla bean looks like a Y or a wishbone) and put them in a large bottle or quart size mason jar. Then you fill it up with the cheapest vodka you can find!

The hardest part is waiting for it to be ready! You have to let it sit in your cabinet (avoid sunlight as much as you can) for at least 2 months and shake the jar at least once a week. After the two months have passed you are clear to use this delicious real vanilla! Once your jar starts to get low (like mine!) all you need to do is refill the jar with more vodka. If there is still vanilla extract left in the jar with the beans then you don't have to wait another 2 months to use, a week will do just fine (or even use it right away if you can't wait! It just won't be as strong...). You'll only need to change the beans if your extract starts to become too light and the flavor significantly decreases.

Bake it up everyone!

Groceries - Week of 3/9/14

Like previously mentioned on the Couponing page... I do not always use coupons to get everything that I need for weekly groceries. There are many items that we eat every day that there are no manufacturer coupons for and even the ones that do have coupons out there are still not a better deal than buying a store brand. This was my coupon-free shopping trip this week. Some of the items are a little pricey. I am currently trying to drop some weight and so I tend to spend a little more on the low calorie food for that reason. Otherwise I would definitely be buying cheaper versions! The items marked with (*) are the items that I typically wouldn't spend so much money on but for the sake of the diet I have broken down and spent the extra green...

I've already made my weekly shopping trip to Dillons for this week to get some hot coupon deals so the only other nearby store that I have to use is Wal-Mart. There is an Aldi in a town about 30 minutes away but unless I have more errands to run there I try to stay in my small town so Wally World is my only other option!

Walmart:
*Sara Lee 45 calorie Honey Wheat Bread $3.18
Hot Dog Buns - Great Value Brand $1.18
Frozen Mixed Berries $3.88
Feta Cheese $1.58
*Jenni-O Deli Turkey 1/2 lb $3.05
*Coffeemate sugar free creamer $3.18
*Almond Milk $2.98
Green Tea $1.00
Bagged Salad Mix $2.88
Onion ($.88/lb) $.60
Bananas ($.54/lb) $2.49
Chicken Breasts 3 lbs $6.98

$36.08 with tax

I'll admit that I haven't planned meals for the next week just yet... I've been slacking this weekend! So I made this shopping trip completely based on those items that I always have in the house and they were running low so I knew that I'd need these items for the upcoming week! Now my goal is to stay out of the grocery store for at least the next seven days...

Fancy & Frugal Honey Mustard Vinaigrette ($.12 per serving)

This vinaigrette dressing recipe stretches really far for the money. Also a lot better for you than store bought dressings! With only 5 simple ingredients it takes only minutes to make and I always have the components on hand.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (about $.43)
1 tbsp honey (about $.23)
2 tbsp spicy mustard (about $.09)
dash of salt (penny)
dash of pepper (penny)

*Around $.77 for a jar! OR about $.12 per serving!

Put all ingredients into a small jar (I like to use a half pint) and shake vigorously. Make sure that lid is on tight though! Balsamic vinegar is a pain in the rear end to clean up... don't ask how I know this!!
Refrigerate for at least an hour before using and shake before each use. Makes 4-6 servings depending on how well you like your salad dressed or... undressed... *wink* Couldn't resist!

Pauper Cakes! ($.06 each!)

This dessert idea is not only freakishly cheap... but it's freakishly fast!

I love these cakes! The way they taste... how easy they are to prepare... and the fact that every individual cake costs -literally- PENNIES! Take a moment to hear the angels sing...

First you need two boxes of cake mix. One NEEDS to be angel food cake mix, the other can be ANY other boxed cake mix of your choice. My favorite is milk chocolate but I'm sure vanilla, carrot, red velvet, butter pecan, white, german chocolate, devils food... any and all flavors would be divine! And you need water, a microwave safe mug and... a microwave! That's it!

Take both boxes of cake mix and put into a gallon size storage bag (or other sealed container) and mix well. Brush the sweat from your brow and add 3 tbsp of the combined cake mixture to a mug (I like to use a soup mug, it's wider) then mix in 2 tbsp of water. Microwave the cake batter for 1 minute. DONE!

Remove and plate (this is why you might want to spray the mug with cooking spray) or just eat straight out of the mug! I like to add a couple tablespoons of cool whip and a couple pieces of fruit... because I'm extra fancy! Can't you tell by my elegant paper plate? HAHA!  Or you could drizzle any kind of syrup or even whip up a quickie icing with powdered sugar and milk. Heck, even just sprinkle it with powdered sugar... so simple and did I mention that it's DELICIOUS??! Try to stock up on your cake mixes either when they're on sale or you have a coupon... or combination of both!

Ingredients:

1 box Angel Food Cake Mix
1 box Cake Mix of Choice
tap water (when ready to mix)

Directions: Remember 3-2-1.  3 Tbsp cake mix, 2 Tbsp water, 1 minute cooked in the microwave. Done!

Makes about 32 individual cakes for around $.06 each depending on how cheap you get your cake mix!

BTW: Only about 102 calories per serving too!!

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (with tips!)

Every Mama has that one chocolate chip cookie recipe that keeps the kiddos beggin' for more and the Hubs in a smile! This is that recipe in our little hidey hole.

These are as perfect as real chocolate chip cookies can get. They are chewy, gooey, cakey and everything that you expect when you bite into one damn good cookie. It's too good to keep all to myself so I pass it on to you dear reader to make for your family and for yourself!

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups (or one 12oz bag) chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream softened butter with both sugars in mixer. Then add vanilla and eggs. In separate bowl mix flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake 1 inch dough balls at 350* for 10-12 minutes. Makes approx. 6 dozen cookies!
*TIPS Below!*

While Papa Woody is away doing his duties at work out of state or across the globe, he requests that I send him these cookies so he has a taste of home while he is away. In order to keep the cookies from getting too hard in the mail I use this following trick!

How I handle my meat...

Quit your giggling! I am simply referring to how I approach the most expensive item in our grocery budget... MEAT!

I remember about 8 years ago my chest freezer was stocked FULL of ground beef and other assorted meats. Every few months my local Dillons would put 5lb beef rolls on sale for $4.95 making ground beef only $.99 per pound! Man, that was awesome! Today... I get elated when they put a 5lb beef roll on sale for $10.99 (or $2.19 per pound) and that only happens every six months... maybe. If that's the way it is in less than a decade so far - if that trend keeps on then in the next 20 years we'll get excited when 75/25 ground beef is on sale for less than $5 per pound. So sad and scary to think about!

Every trip that I make to the grocery store (once or twice a week), I always check the manager special section of the meat department. Usually all that's left is the super expensive cuts of meat that are dropped from $12.99 per pound down to $8.99 per pound. Like that's what a tight-wad mama is lookin' for?? Pshh!
But every once in awhile, as long as I get to the store early, there is some ground beef. Now there is a method that I use when I buy ground beef on manager's special. I don't ever spend more than $3/lb because I know that I can get 75/25 ground beef cheaper than that every day, not that much cheaper but cheaper nonetheless. But I much prefer to buy at least 80/20 because it seems like the fat that cooks out of the 75/25 is ridiculous. You wouldn't think that the 5% difference in fat between those two would be a noticeable difference but I do notice it!

Now, whenever I do stock up on ground beef or have any amount that I will not use before it will expire in the fridge I have a certain way I go about preparing it for the freezer. I always divide the beef into quart size freezer bags and *SMOOSH* flat and freeze. I find that having the ground beef flattened allows for easier storage in my freezer and when I am ready to use I can thaw it much faster in a sink of warm water than trying to thaw out a big chub of meat.

Another thing that I do to stretch my meat further is that I usually don't freeze them in 1 lb portions. I usually freeze them in 12 oz portions (scale optional! Just as easy to divide and eyeball!). Whenever I make a quick fix meal of hamburger helper or a homemade version where ground beef is just a single component (such as a pasta dish or casserole) I find that using a whole pound shows no difference over using only 3/4 of a pound. AND I get more meals out of that one big roll of ground beef. So with this 3lb package of 80/20 Beef Chuck pictured - I have divided it into 4 chunks rather than 3 making each meal's worth of beef only $2.25 rather than $2.99! Stretch that meat, baby!