tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post3743913690102984851..comments2024-03-25T10:07:19.809-05:00Comments on Renaissance: Squeezing that Grocery Budget 'til it squeaks. Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17983592950942904914noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-5589192062625766972013-08-29T20:13:04.703-05:002013-08-29T20:13:04.703-05:00Nice reminders, thx! :) I listen to a radio progra...Nice reminders, thx! :) I listen to a radio program called Splendid Table and they sometimes do a game where the host must make something delicious from five random things a listener has in their fridge. I've created a lot of "keeper" recipes from that plus saved dough! <br />Keep up your efforts. :)Renaissance Chick On a Budgethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069170896693559092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-79518089234733955032013-03-07T15:09:07.934-05:002013-03-07T15:09:07.934-05:00Like Megan, we do bone broths...I use them as the ...Like Megan, we do bone broths...I use them as the base for soups, to turn leftover chili into "spicy chili soup, and for homemade "rice a roni" type dishes ;) We also buy beans, etc in large bulk - like 25lb sacks - and store in mason jars to avoid vermin. We no longer have wee ones...but are on a super tight budget due to job changes (and, to be honest, due to my insistence that we eat well and not "fake cheap")...the economy has not been kind to folks in publishing since 2008, so I have pinched pennies, expanded my wee garden, canned and frozen fruits and veg, and more. Reading about your gardening and canning exploits has helped me to stay inspired when I feel like a wet rag over a steaming kettle in August - LOL! I guess the best advice I would give anyone is to to your very best within your circumstances - and do not feel guilty if you must *occasionally* spend a little more to stock up something super healthy (and I find that the budget tends to balance out after "stocking up" anyway - LOL). Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03842351794208864728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-11626853523632457252013-03-07T10:47:07.393-05:002013-03-07T10:47:07.393-05:00Could you post one of your 2 week meal plans? xxxCould you post one of your 2 week meal plans? xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-78100893819796187112013-03-07T09:47:05.934-05:002013-03-07T09:47:05.934-05:00I'm redoing our budget too and so these tips w...I'm redoing our budget too and so these tips were super helpful. We have to be gluten/casein free so even though I do most homemade it's added at LEAST 20 bucks a week to our grocery budget. We live in the city so I have no "stores" set aside...we have to eat a ton of veggies and all the gluten free flours are more. We drink almond and coconut milk ...so I'm doing a lot of couponing. :) <br /> Oh...and I got the lovely package. The picture of the tomatoes is over my desk, I've worn the necklace several times, and I've gotten so much inspiration from the book. Thanks!Alyssa Springhttp://www.corleyz.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-81049019518279773032013-03-07T07:35:19.405-05:002013-03-07T07:35:19.405-05:00Bob said "they can do it because they show se...Bob said "they can do it because they show self- restraint, I have none" ;) Well, I guess you know how our budget is, and you also can guess that often I go grocery shopping ALONE for a REASON :) lol! :)Full of Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02731302203793957663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-9488041069441032752013-03-06T23:07:33.633-05:002013-03-06T23:07:33.633-05:00I'm inspired! We are soon to be a family of s...I'm inspired! We are soon to be a family of six and these are some good ideas. I'm going to challenge myself this week when I go to the store to see if I can spend below budget. I already go shopping biweekly and that helps tremendously. Good luck with your efforts!Mrs. Bowennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-75825058854339186632013-03-06T22:29:55.731-05:002013-03-06T22:29:55.731-05:00Wow, Rebecca, you are doing wonderful! If you can...Wow, Rebecca, you are doing wonderful! If you can get a copy of "The Everlasting Meal" from your library, I would recommend it. It is filled with lots of ways to stretch ingredients. We had been keeping a jar in the freezer for the odd tidbits of veggies, meat, beans, rice, etc. but with our youngest hit a growth spurt is eating every bit of leftover food that he can find. My solution... start baking bread again plus putting in a bigger garden this year. We lost all our newly planted strawberries last year to rabbits, mice, and our dog... so we are moving the bed and our neighbor has offered us runners to plant later this spring. <br /><br />Have a wonderful day! (i know i disappeared for a long time... but know that you all were not forgotten!)Peggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00082661310058536555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-75976375414990536332013-03-06T12:19:52.323-05:002013-03-06T12:19:52.323-05:00*gulp* I'm do SO badly in this area! WOW!!! $5...*gulp* I'm do SO badly in this area! WOW!!! $50 a WEEK!!!! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11291951073853426272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-14839159567288444852013-03-05T22:38:24.841-05:002013-03-05T22:38:24.841-05:00I'm an 'old hand' at this eating well ...I'm an 'old hand' at this eating well for less deal. We have an ample budget right now but I am trying to trim back somewhat. I don't garden (my husband sees no point in buying what is for sale at the store. He grew up city. I'm a country girl.) <br /><br />Our current budget is the same as what we spent eight years ago. We just get a lot less for the money these days. I've been pulling out my old tricks, rusty but not forgotten.<br /><br />My kids loved LOVED rice pudding for breakfast, which was simply our leftover rice from supper the night before with cream and sugar (like oatmeal). It was warm and filling and could be dressed up with raisins and cinnamon. <br /><br />I learned to use 1/4 pound of meat as a flavoring in many meals and we ate LOTS of potatoes, rice and beans in those days. <br /><br />I learned to use parts of chickens that most people won't eat. Livers for one thing and backs were always used. I grew up cutting up whole chickens so that there were 10 pieces (back and pulley bone) instead of just 8.<br /><br />Funny thing is we had LOTS of company in those days and it was not unusual to not only serve my family of seven but another five or more, too. <br /><br />A pot of chili (beans with hardly any meat to speak of but loads of onions and tomatoes) would be served over rice to stretch the meal and to cut down on spiciness for the younger ones. <br /><br />I made meat loaf and burgers a lot in those days but I added in bread crumbs, grated carrot, finely minced onions and celery, sometimes mashed beans, whatever I could to stretch that meat. I did the same with lasagna and spaghetti sauce, too. <br /><br />And just a funny point of view: I serve meatless meals once or twice a week even now. My husband NEVER complains...unless I serve Vegetable plate. For some reason he doesn't realize he's eating meatless if we have bean and rice burritos or a tamale pie that is chili beans and corn, or a casserole of mac and cheese, but put a plate of butter beans, corn, sliced tomatoes and fried zucchini before him and he looks at his plate, sighs heavily and asks, "Sooo...we're eating vegetarian now? lolterricheneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06865436021565986224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-85759575258192773072013-03-05T06:29:03.598-05:002013-03-05T06:29:03.598-05:00My Mom kept a jar in the freezer and any leftover ...My Mom kept a jar in the freezer and any leftover veggies, meat, rice, pasta, potatoes etc. were put in it after dinner. When the jar was full, she thawed it all out and added a can of tomatoes. The best homemade soup ever. Plus it was always different. Reneenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-2357897297722443072013-03-05T05:50:32.032-05:002013-03-05T05:50:32.032-05:00Hi Rebecca
I loved this post and it is full of gre...Hi Rebecca<br />I loved this post and it is full of great ideas!!<br />I also try to do a lot of these things although my grocery budget is a fair bit higher than yours (here in Australia food is expensive - that's one reason we try to produce a lot ourselves when we can). <br />I just want to add that yoghurt is so very easy you have to make it! I make a batch each week and my boys just love it! I make mine in my slow cooker and it's a very easy and forgiving process. I have my method on my blog if you are interested.<br />Thanks for sharing your ideas - I loved it and am in awe of how much food you put up. I am slowly learning how to can- we freeze a lot, but it's not the same.<br />Blessings<br />Renata:)Renatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13546331512433403550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-41173351800716663532013-03-04T23:36:50.113-05:002013-03-04T23:36:50.113-05:00I stumbled upon your blog a few weeks ago...love i...I stumbled upon your blog a few weeks ago...love it! (I read some of your old posts and already made a Molly Monkey. Too cute!) <br /><br />Do start making your own yoghurt. Its so so easy, we do ours on the stovetop and then kept warm with an electric heating pad in a basket for 24 hours. So much better for you than the store bought stuff, and so much cheaper! Katrinanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-9434517497217633552013-03-04T19:01:31.226-05:002013-03-04T19:01:31.226-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Terrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15813884721045918546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-38976144956144738242013-03-04T17:30:31.420-05:002013-03-04T17:30:31.420-05:00Love this! We spend quite a bit more due to food a...Love this! We spend quite a bit more due to food allergies but we don't use any paper products in our home and use all homemade soaps(we spend zero on toiletries and when we had babies we used cloth). We aren't milking cows at the moment but because we get it raw and from the farmer it is half of what it would cost me at the store.<br /><br />One thing that we do is make bone broth. We get all of our meat bone-in and save all of the bone. If I roast a chicken, I pull all the meat off, put the bone in a pot of water with about 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar (to pull out all the minerals and gelatin from the bones.) Let is simmer for 24 hours and you have the best soup base ever. And, because you get all the minerals, marrow, and gelatin from the bones, I don't have to add any meat to the soup, just tons of veggies and a bit of barley or rice.Megan @ Purple Dancing Dahliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09589793024632933098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-58202106941734688952013-03-04T17:29:31.895-05:002013-03-04T17:29:31.895-05:00oh, how I've needed and am soaking up this pos...oh, how I've needed and am soaking up this post - thank you, rebecca! <br /><br />my plan for the remainder of march, and beyond: <br /><br />"write a list of items you need from each store and do.not.deviate."<br /><br />beth <br /><br />bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11118661736077604362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-13553368428963709342013-03-04T13:50:38.976-05:002013-03-04T13:50:38.976-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-45053262214436414692013-03-04T11:11:20.107-05:002013-03-04T11:11:20.107-05:00I do pretty much what you do - almost every. last....I do pretty much what you do - almost every. last. thing. from. scratch. Breads, desserts, crackers, seasoning mixes, and on and on. My garden was horrific last year so I do not have such a great stockpile at all and that does eat into my budget. We are a family of 5 with 3 adult males mixed in there so we do spend more than you do but that's because those guys eat so stinkin' much! lol!! I spend approximately $100 per week (some weeks a bit more) which includes all household supplies and personal items such as shampoo, etc. One thing that I do need to do a better job at is making a list because I fall into the trap of grabbing for snacky items if I'm not brutal about sticking to the list.Terrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15813884721045918546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9968516.post-73072791968696416752013-03-04T10:55:35.642-05:002013-03-04T10:55:35.642-05:00I'm so glad you posted this! I've stocked ...I'm so glad you posted this! I've stocked my freezer and pantry and am not going to the store except for fresh vegis and milk the whole month of March. We also have six kiddos. So. With That said, I'm trying to learn how to spend less and eat healthy on a waay smaller amount of money. <br />Good post thanks,and good luck in your endeavors:)<br />ChristinaJulianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00476350545165811489noreply@blogger.com